Just realized the Ryan record I've been waiting for has already been released - by, of all bands - the Counting Crows in their short-lived prime.

Beginning to end, not even coming up for a breath, every song, this cd is astounding.

And where did they go from here?

Well, they went to This Desert Life, then to Hard Candy. Many Counting Crows fans (just to give some historical perspective) were apoplectic over the departure from August and Everything After that Recovering the Satellites represented. Now people bitch about what a big departure This Desert Life was, or (if they liked that album), what a sell out Hard Candy was.

Of course, most people just bitch because they sold out by being on the Shrek 2 soundtrack, or because they did a Coke commerical for "American Girls", or because they did "Big Yellow Taxi".

Well, Leonard Cohen was on the Shrek 1 soundtrack (in song form); Coke supplied people of my (and the Crows) generation with a half dozen of the most memorable commercials in TV history, and "Big Yellow Taxi" is a whoop ass song.

Again, indie arrogance and elitism coupled with rabid non-commercialism blinds a bunch of folks to great music that they wont get until they wake up in their late twenties or early thirties and decide to stop caring what is cool.





***

www.brian-holbrook.com
My Space Page
***
"Step into the light poor Lazarus
Don't hide alone behind the window shade
Come let me see the mark death made"

Anything Duritz writes is going to have a certain degree of "quality," but indie-cred aside, emotionally he crushed it with Satellites - to me. Just to me.

RTS is my most favorite record of all time. It speaks volumes. And there is not a single bad song on it.

I adore that album.

=========
Taylor Hicks is my co-pilot.

...and the way the music industry is these days, especially due to the internet, it's hard to maintain a career in music without doing a lot of the things that were once widely looked down upon as selling out.


------------------------------------------------------------------
myspace.com/seancarey
myspace.com/thegravitydarling

The live sets from that period were pretty killer, too. High energy, with these awesome acoustic sets in the middle, and mind-fuckingly brilliant versions of Round Here.

And Big Yellow Taxi is not a kick-ass song, GF, at least not the Crows' studio version. So dull. Much better live, though, you can really feel the stand-up bass.

On Recovering the Satellites (probably ?? one of my favorite CC albums, although it is hard to choose) Miller's Angels is crushingly beautiful, and Walkaways is a flawless little gem. Although every time I hear Walkaways now, I think of this one scene in Party of Five (ugh! i KNOW) when Bailey ("Bay," as we call him) was in court for drunk driving (bad Bay) and he was looking longingly at Sarah, or whatever her name was, and they were playing this song. Ooh, evocative. I try to forget that when I hear that song, and the entire awesome album.


Heather
My Music Blog
http://fuelfriends.blogspot.com/

RTS is a brilliant album - an opinion I've held since it came out. I loved the direction they took after AAEA. "Daylight Fading" is my personal favorite - along with "Monkey" - I love that song so much.

Anyway, I love This Desert Life too and actually (after quite a long delay) just purchased Hard Candy and have been loving it as well.

BUT - I can't help but judge a band by the kind of music they put out - and "Accidentally in Love" and that "Big Yellow Taxi" song were complete crap. Not because they sold a lot of records or got their song on a soundtrack or whatever - I just think those songs are lousy. What the hell is going on with the drum track on BYT?? It's just electro bullshit. It's like they forgot they have a kick-ass drummer! Anyway, I just found those particular songs lacking. Mediocre at best.

But yea...their albums are friggin' awesome. I can't wait for the next one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
myspace.com/thedaysleepersite
myspace.com/mortalitas

"Accidentally In Love" is a fun, cute little song. I quite enjoy it. It's not an amazing tune or anything, but it's nice. "Big Yellow Taxi" was a decent cover...nothing really special though.

=========
Taylor Hicks is my co-pilot.

I thought Hard Candy was shite. August is easily their best...Omaha, Anna Begins...christ do I have to go on?

***********************************
"Define yourself or be defined..."
www.myspace.com/theaudiocentrix

And Big Yellow Taxi is not a kick-ass song, GF, at least not the Crows' studio version. So dull.
Ahhh, that must be why Mrs. Falcon, upon hearing Adam Duritz sing "and a big yellow taxi took my baby away" for the first time, got all misty eyed.

Yep the lyrics certainly would have been more impactful had she really been able to hear the double bass, or if the drums hadn't been so electronica.

Or not.

***

www.brian-holbrook.com
My Space Page
***
"Step into the light poor Lazarus
Don't hide alone behind the window shade
Come let me see the mark death made"

I never claimed the lyrics weren't impactful, GF - but I listen to music as a whole (others, maybe yourself, do not) - that includes lyrics and music. My personal view, is if I find one is lacking, it affects the other as well.

Or not.

:-/

(I don't know why you're really arguing the point that people can not like a particular song for any multitude of reasons? And just because you and your better half, happen to think it's a "kick-ass song" - doesn't mean anyone else agrees with you....I'm not saying that's the case here, but I'm just pointing out the fact that you've criticized me because I explained why I don't like one particular song - but I've never said anything critical of you and your taste? I've always said "to each his own" and I maintain that here.)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
myspace.com/thedaysleepersite
myspace.com/mortalitas

I'm often too sarcastic and acerbic.

I'll also concede that I'm a lyrics person. Adam Durits could have sang the tune while beating on a Hills Brothers coffee can and it wouldn't have bothered me.

I wasn't really attacking you, I just tend to view every conversation as a debate (ask Mrs. Falcon).

***

www.brian-holbrook.com
My Space Page
***
"Step into the light poor Lazarus
Don't hide alone behind the window shade
Come let me see the mark death made"

I understand GF....sometimes I do that too. I think I used to be really argumentative but I realized at some point that it just never got me anywhere. I'm still learning though...as evidenced on that one thread where I totally went off on you for no reason! (wtf was with me that day?!?!) I still regret doing that, by the way :(

LOL, I'm visualizing Duritz beating on a coffee can now....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
myspace.com/thedaysleepersite
myspace.com/mortalitas

I guess I'm an arrogant elite indie. I haven't liked the Crows since This Desert Life.

I guess I'm an arrogant elite indie.
No, you're only an arrogant, elite indie if you haven't liked them since they "went commercial".

***

www.brian-holbrook.com
My Space Page
***
"Step into the light poor Lazarus
Don't hide alone behind the window shade
Come let me see the mark death made"

Fair enough :)

Amazing album. Glad you finally got turned on to it. :-)

Another band I outgrew.
-------------------------------

Jesus Christ Monkey Balls.

i don't think people are arrogant indie elitist if they stop liking a band when they get really popular. to me, if i like a band for a while and then they get really popular and bunch of people i can't stand start to like them, then it really does make me hate them for some reason. but at the same time there are a lot of bands out there that i wouldn't care if they got popular. i guess it just all depends.
_____________________________________

"all my day dreams feel so nice,
medicate my worried life
something else for me to hold onto"
- ryan adams

everytime I hear a matchbox 20 song I think of mr.jones
___________________________________
"I've gone from atheism to believing everything on the planet is God. Even when Sisqo sings about thongs, that's about God, too."

and bunch of people i can't stand start to like them
I was gonna say I understand this sentiment, but I really don't.

Music, to me, is "the one thing". It transcends class and politics and economics and geography and language and nationalism and cliques and every other dividing line.

I love when people I don't like are into the same music, because that is a human connection. It's a little handle I can grab on to. "This person isn't so different from me, they like [X]"

I have plenty of room for dividing lines in the rest of my life; things that categorize and quantify and classify. When it comes to music I just want it honest and earnest.

Whether that is Adam Duritz singing "Big Yellow Taxi", Gillian Welch singing "I Dream A Highway", Ryan singing "September", Ray Lamontagne singing "Jolene", the White Stripes doing "Dead Leaves on Dirty Ground", or Phil Collins singing "I Don't Care Anymore", it really doesn't matter how much airplay it gets, or what commercial or movie it's on, or who else likes it, it only matters what that person was feeling when they sat down in that studio and inched up to the mic.

Were they feeling it? Believing it? If the answer is yes then they get my vote, be they Bob Dylan or The Bangles.
***

www.brian-holbrook.com
My Space Page
***
"Step into the light poor Lazarus
Don't hide alone behind the window shade
Come let me see the mark death made"

Thanks to this post, I've had this album on repeat for about 15 hours now...so good.


-------------
Get back, Honky Cat...

I know it's not cool to like counting crows, but damn if this isn't a perfect record. When you're dealing with a breakup or a shitty relationship situation, give this a spin. Or keep it on repeat.

Cool, and since I'm feeling shitty anyways, I will steal it from the interwebs.

Perfect.

wow, nostalgia.........

you put this album and august and everything after... together and it rivals any other band's first 2 albums, ever.

****************************************

"see i THINK i understand you cballz. certain folks here have you pegged as a moronic conservative (you are a moron) but i think you're a funny centrist that was raised conservative and cant let go. which leaves you in a confused state of borderline romantic relationships and cheap wine use. " - Danny Noonan

Without a doubt, Cannonball.

http://bit.ly/9PrfHI

Really great read about this album.

Yesterday a fan tweeted to duritz "@oitsemily My day will be made if @countingcrows reads my Love Story about his band on my blog: http://bit.ly/9PrfHI"
and duritz replied "@countingcrows THAT MADE MY DAY"

Very cool, EL, thanks for posting that.

****************************************

"see i THINK i understand you cballz. certain folks here have you pegged as a moronic conservative (you are a moron) but i think you're a funny centrist that was raised conservative and cant let go. which leaves you in a confused state of borderline romantic relationships and cheap wine use. " - Danny Noonan

Still my favourite album ever. I've come back to it countless times and it never gets old.
I've listened to Mercury about a half dozen times today, actually.
"Yeah, she's alright with me...."

I just heard Colorblind on youtube for the first time in years. I burned myself out on it some years ago and it was a nice revisit.

Great album... I like their first 3 a lot.

's all,
peas,
Baffy

"And her Baffy’s got arch
And her flipflop's all right"

Across A Wire is awesome also.

's all,
peas,
Baffy

"And her Baffy’s got arch
And her flipflop's all right"

That's the live one? Double disc?
Yes, love that one.

Yeah! The two different TV performances... VH1 and MTV I think. One largely acoustic and one full on rocking...

Great stuff!

's all,
peas,
Baffy

"And her Baffy’s got arch
And her flipflop's all right"

Well timed bump, Dave! I listened to this whilst walking home from the city this afternoon. Its too fucking good and has held up well over the years.

The blue Across A Wire disc is probably most listened to of all my CC stuff. Its beautiful.

I have to say I still don't get this 100% as an album. It's got killer songs for sure, but always used to skip the heavier songs. The acoustic version of 'have u seen me lately' is so miles ahead of the album version I find it hard to get all the way through.

Whereas, when I bought this desert life I loved it from beginning to end. Generally all CC albums have good stuff on them, but when compared to AAEA it just pales...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

'I love 29, but I never listen to it unless I'm in the bath'

Rinda!

This is an angry album. The acoustic versions (which are beautiful in their own way) don't get across the agony, anguish, and anger that the orignals do. There's nothing more cathartic to listen to when a relationship has gone to shit. Especially 'I'm Not Sleeping'... listen to the emotion in that song, he's just seething.

Really you can't compare it to AAEA... two different animals.

>>>> "The blue Across A Wire disc is probably most listened to of all my CC stuff."

me too. it's amazing. i had taped that performance when it aired on VH1(Storytellers) a LONG time ago but someone borrowed it and never returned it. i fucking love that show. the renditions of "round here" and "rain king" are absolutely haunting. i think i also prefer the acoustic take on "angels of the silences" to the actual studio recording.


****************************************

"see i THINK i understand you cballz. certain folks here have you pegged as a moronic conservative (you are a moron) but i think you're a funny centrist that was raised conservative and cant let go. which leaves you in a confused state of borderline romantic relationships and cheap wine use. " - Danny Noonan

"you put this album and august and everything after... together and it rivals any other band's first 2 albums, ever."

So true. I'd even go a step further and say that I'd put their first 3 records up against any other band's first three -- I'm a big fan of This Desert Life, probably because it's the album that got me listening to them.

Great first post up there by GF, too. He needs to post more.

I'm about 2 recollections of amazing cc songs away from pulling out my collection of their live vhs performances.

love this record.

love mumford and sons and felice brothers

This Desert Life is so underrated. Listen to High Life and tell me it isn't one of the most beautiful songs ever.

___________________________________

My Music Blog *Updated Oct. 20th

It is underrated - everything right up through Colorblind is excellent, though I don't think the last three tracks hold up as well. High Life is probably my favorite track, followed closely by All My Friends.

what? you don't like "st. robinson and his cadillac dream"? that's one of my favorite tracks on there.

****************************************

"A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks... You think if Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fucking cross??? That's kind of like going up to Jackie Onassis with a little sniper rifle pendant." - Bill Hicks

St. Robinson is a great song too... there's nothing on the album I don't like - Speedway probably comes closest. I should give this a spin, it's been a while, a few years maybe.

I'm listening to it right now.

been listening to this one a couple of times this week. outstanding album. with some minor changes this couldve been just as much a classic as AAEA...

1. start off with Recovering The Satellites, a key track: 'Gonna get back to basics, guess i'll start it up again". great way to kick off the album.
2. semi acoustic or slower redentions of Angels Of The Silences and HYSML, like the Across The Wire disk. i dont mind hard rocking songs, but the melodies and lyrics are drowning here...
3. leave off two of three tracks, like Catapult, Another Horsedreamers Blues and Mercury. not bad songs, but no classic CC songs either.

if theyd done this it couldve been as good as AAEA imo.......

Good points, Mr. Potato. Especially the bit about starting off the album with the title track. I'd never thought of that, but I completely agree.

lol @ counting crows "going commercial".

haha as if counting crows were some obscure indie band.



"some of those people at alt-country.org are kinda stuck up i think"
-dinopasta1

I can't imagine this album starting without the organ intro to Catapult. Great song.

But I'm with you on Another Horsedreamers Blues. Take that one song out and you have a near perfect album. Only other song I'm not sure about is Monkey, which I love, but not sure it fits.

I think back in 1992, the Counting Crows were a little known "buzz band" and when August came out in '93 it was considered an indie record until "Mr. Jones" blew up.

Anyway, Recovering the Sats got me through a high school break up, and it HAS held up very well.

yeah, i mean every band STARTS small (surely you know)... but i think its kind of laughable that anyone consider ccrows anything less than a commercial pop band. calling any of their fans an "elitist" is probably the most pathetic thing i've heard in a while. do people aspire to be hipsters nowadays? i didn't know there were actually hipster wannabes.



"some of those people at alt-country.org are kinda stuck up i think"
-dinopasta1

true. i do think that there are plenty of hipster wannabes now days. they would never admit it though.

haha



"some of those people at alt-country.org are kinda stuck up i think"
-dinopasta1

I was totally gay for this thread until I got to the poster who started talking about how amazing "Walkaways" was in some scene on Party of Five... For those who missed that post, apparently "Bay" got popped for DUI and Sarah was crying in court. I'm not going to be able to concentrate on my work now because I'm so upset.

here's a tip for the rest of you: if you ever get the urge to gush over a gay tv show from the early 90's on here, don't.


****************************************

"I got caught masturbating to a National Geographic magazine... Not my finest hour. And I don't know who was more embarrassed... me or my dentist." - Anthony Jeselnik

back on the counting crows. hooked.

RTS is is by far my favourite album of theirs. You just can't beat tracks like Goodnight Elizabeth, I'm not sleeping & Catapult. Not to mention the awesome singles. I end up still playing Hard Candy a lot though. Despite its poppiness there are some great tracks as well as some great pop melodies. Good Time is awesome as is Holiday in Spain and Goodnight LA. Even a few tracks on Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings are decent. Cowboys still rocks really hard.

"here's a tip for the rest of you: if you ever get the urge to gush over a gay tv show from the early 90's on here, don't."



eye roll, cb, eye roll


I highly encourage gushing of this sort

Revisiting August on the back of this. Perfect Blue Buildings. Restrained and rather excellent.

I was totally gay for this thread until I got to the poster who started talking about how amazing "Walkaways" was in some scene on Party of Five... For those who missed that post, apparently "Bay" got popped for DUI and Sarah was crying in court. I'm not going to be able to concentrate on my work now because I'm so upset.

I think said poster actually said it nearly ruined the song for him/her... not how awesome it was, but whatever.

's all,
peas,
Baffy

"And her Baffy’s got arch
And her flipflop's all right"

All alone again
But I've been through all this shit before
Spend my nights in self defense
Cry about my innocence
But I ain't all that innocent anymore

I'll wait for you while she slips in something comfortable
And I'll miss you when I'm slipping in between
If you wrap yourself in daffodils
I will wrap myself in pain
And if you're the queen of California
Baby I am the king of the rain
And I say
Goodnight Elisabeth

all the little things that make up a memory
Like she said she loved to watch me sleep
Like she said:
"It's the breathing, it's the breathing in and out and in and...


have you seen me lately just gives me chills from start to finish