October 30, 2006

Bridges & Balloons (Oh Shit)

P4K's got a cool interview with Colin Meloy up today. The Decemberists frontman gives props to Lily Allen, thumbs down to Fergie, and claims album-of-the-year contender The Crane Wife is not a concept LP. There is, however, one LOL moment spawned by a true fanboy question.

Pitchfork: You play a lot of covers, I'm curious about the spirit in which you approach these covers, whether it's more revisionist or more direct. In your cover of Joanna Newsom's "Bridges & Balloons" for instance, you change, perhaps inadvertently, a couple key words that really affect the meaning of the song. When she says "brace and buoy the living room," it sounds as if you're saying "brace and boil," which obviously changes the implications of that line a lot.
Colin Meloy: I just fucked it up. I think I was drunk when I recorded it.

Oh, Colin. That's your excuse for every bad cover!

The Decemberists - "Bridges and Balloons" (MP3)

Posted at 11:54 AM
Tags: Joanna Newsom | The Decemberists

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4 Comments

Just posing the question: what's your favorite track on the Crane Wife. Personally, I think "O Valencia" is killer, but I'm trying not to wear it out

Posted by: klapper at 10/30/06 2:09 PM | Reply
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at least he was honest.

p.s. "when the war came" + "the crane wife I"

Posted by: chris at 10/30/06 2:34 PM | Reply
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Re: "Favorite Crane Wife Song."

As much as I want to say "The Island, Come And See, The Landlord's Daughter, You'll Not Feel The Drowning," is my favorite (mostly because it is so hilariously overblown and Emerson Lake and Palmer-esque), I cannot, at lesat in good conscience.

"Sons and Daughters," is my favorite, hands-down.

I just saw the Decemberists a couple weeks ago in Portland, and was surprised at how... sterile this live show was. Nothing like the first Dec. show I saw, the infamous night when all their gear was stolen before they went on stage. Maybe they'll get more comfortable with the new material as they play it more.

Posted by: shongo22 at 10/30/06 4:27 PM | Reply
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Is this funnier than when Sufjan said he didn't even know what he was talking about? Ah when did the music press become such felating fanboys.

Hooray for fucking with them.

Also, Crane Wife 1 -> Crane Wife 3 roxorz

Posted by: dannygutters at 10/31/06 9:28 AM | Reply
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