tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post3557154315502886527..comments2023-11-17T00:07:33.896-08:00Comments on March Sadness 2016: First Round Matchup: THE CHURCH vs MAGNETIC FIELDSUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-79821190296773630912016-03-11T11:56:14.893-08:002016-03-11T11:56:14.893-08:00Slow to comment. I voted Church because of the bag...Slow to comment. I voted Church because of the bagpipes. It's the kind of move that Ander talked about with the na-na-na-nas in the Crows song. Obviously, I like some kind of moment where subtext erupts into a yowl. But I may have subconsciously been a protest voter regarding the selection of the Magnetic Fields song ("Deep Sea Diving Suit" would have been my choice, I think).<br /><br />In any case, whatever my real reasons for voting, I think the Church is a tough out: I think it's an objectively good song. But I don't like a March Sadness tournament without the MF moving on. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-47009414111713208492016-03-11T06:18:07.292-08:002016-03-11T06:18:07.292-08:00I will grant that "Under the Milky Way" ...I will grant that "Under the Milky Way" maintains a MOOD, but I would not call it a mood of sadness; more a mood of slightly eerie mystery. And the lyrics are impenetrable. I am dumbfounded that MF is trailing in this contest. I mean, the narrator is so sad that the actual moon has died. Entire scientific disciplines will have to be revised. That's a three-pointer right there. Come on.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11308726196790035201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-59245801796872310162016-03-11T05:08:29.648-08:002016-03-11T05:08:29.648-08:00This one was difficult for me. I voted for MF, mos...This one was difficult for me. I voted for MF, mostly because I appreciate so much of their other work. I know next to nothing about The Church, though I acknowledge “Under the Milky Way” as an effective composition. And I enjoy the song. And I can't separate it from the image of Jake Gyllengal wearing a skeleton hoodie.<br /><br />I'd like to also offer up The Magnetic Fields' “All the Umbrellas in London” as a personal nomination. It's a tremendous song and display of melancholy: “All the Umbrellas in London couldn't stop this rain / and all the dope in New York couldn't kill this pain / and all the money in Tokyo couldn't make me stay.”<br /> <br />https://youtu.be/tnLLR4QwEPYKenneth Caldwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11419559471567343465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-52535979352043175902016-03-10T17:02:27.528-08:002016-03-10T17:02:27.528-08:00Um, for one thing 1988 was my Vancouver year. I wa...Um, for one thing 1988 was my Vancouver year. I was sleeping with my therapist (they put couches in the room for a reason). So, no, Church cannot be sad. Second, MF video has it all, a Menards commercial lead-in (they r sad hicks trying desperately to be Lowes),and then the stock footage cigarette guy and then cut to a mime and then cut back to pensive cigarette guy then cut to a French mime then that pop-the-collar guy then the guy who takes B/W photos guy and then back to a mime. Striped shirt, smoking Gauloises cigarettes, of course. BlogSlothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08286657614256259879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-32142559730865335372016-03-10T14:50:08.886-08:002016-03-10T14:50:08.886-08:00I'm also interested in that question of irony ...I'm also interested in that question of irony versus pathos, a subject that featured strongly (in my view anyhow) in yesterday's matchup between Pavement and Indigo Girls (Indigo Girls won HANDILY, and I suspect that pathos and directness is almost always going to win against irony). For me, The Church song just isn't particularly sad to me, honestly, and as a big nerd for Magnetic Fields one wants to defend them. Though I think you could argue that "Under the Milky Way" is a better SONG, if not as sad a one. Which may well be what the voters are saying here. As for me I do like a bit of wit to defuse my resistance to seeming sentimental, which is why Merritt gets me every time. I'm not saying that irony and wit are the same here, but wit does seem to be used oftentimes to create distance in a song. Anyhow, the committee's view of the relative strength of these two songs is pretty clearly indicated in the seeding, so I suppose I should just shut up and let the votes and comments fall where they may.Anderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13162102610439637214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-67759410474963166292016-03-10T14:42:41.698-08:002016-03-10T14:42:41.698-08:00Hmm, so those who don't vote for Magnetic Fiel...Hmm, so those who don't vote for Magnetic Fields are "foolish"? I'm sorry, but Stephin Merritt's vocals are an ungodly mix of Scott Walker and Johnny Cash and belie whatever inherent gloom the song does, or does not, have. <br /><br />"There's no way The Church should win this matchup."<br /><br />And this is based upon what? The subjective interpretation of sadness or simply different tastes in music, or both? It might be hard to distinguish those voting for the "best" song versus those voting for the perceived saddest. <br /><br />You know, "Under the Milky Way" was a minor hit in 1988 and again a decade later due to the film Donnie Darko. Are some voters equating success with "lack of sadness"? Perhaps, as quite forlorn ditties by the likes of U2 and R.E.M. have already been felled by, quite frankly, lesser foes...<br /><br />I suppose this exercise is yet another lesson in just how different musical tastes can be...<br /><br />Perhaps the very definition of "sad" has evolved? Does it denote more irony than pathos for the younger voters weaned in a post-Grunge world? Again, the lack of success for many Eighties songs in this contest leads me to believe as much... Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02534726977443669081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-65393121635460738682016-03-10T14:31:09.137-08:002016-03-10T14:31:09.137-08:00The Church take a back seat to no one for existent...The Church take a back seat to no one for existential melancholy-even if this song is kind of their Pretty in Pink. But way better. I think that The Church are also hurt, as many of the bands in this competition have been, by their mediocre video. This song sounds way better (and sadder) than it looks...Kirk Wislandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631610091264855313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-4452019153218012412016-03-10T13:33:59.978-08:002016-03-10T13:33:59.978-08:00Nice work. I was also surprised how close this one...Nice work. I was also surprised how close this one is, but I think it's down to the wit and almost-but-not-quite (?) ironic feel that may turn some (foolish) people off from the Magnetic Fields, or maybe it's the protest voters who all have their own preference of Magnetic Fields song and feel somehow wronged? There's no way The Church should win this matchup. But I'm only one vote so. Anderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13162102610439637214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697219816427349669.post-87588680640652196402016-03-10T13:32:14.535-08:002016-03-10T13:32:14.535-08:00Hey, just broke a tie. Right on. FIIIIIIEEEEEEELDS...Hey, just broke a tie. Right on. FIIIIIIEEEEEEELDS!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13931602737303499105noreply@blogger.com