pussy cats starring the walkmen

[Annabelle 0]

is there a point to this? I only listened to many rivers to cross, and it sounds nearly identical to nilssons rendition. if the entire album continues down the path, is there any point to cover an album without making any changes whatsoever? is there any point of covering an entire album at all? i don't get this. and do indie kids still like the walkmen? did they ever? i didn't. i liked the rat, though.

[vivalaultra 0]

The Walkmen are OK. I saw them at Austin City Limits in 05 and bought a shirt saying "Sometimes I like to listen to The Walkmen". That about sums up how I feel about them. Sometimes I like to listen to em, but sometimes I don't. "The Rat" is, indeed, awesome.

 

I don't see a point to covering an entire album...especially if you're not going to make it very different from the original. And why Harry Nilsson? Does the world need more interpretations of Harry Nilsson songs?

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I like them all right, especially when a song of theirs comes up randomly on my iPod. And I really adore both "The Rat" and "Little House of Savages." I haven't heard any of this, though, and judging by your description, won't.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

They don't interest me at all, but there's no reason they shouldn't have had the attention The Bravery et al did.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

The Walkmen and the Bravery aren't much alike.

 

I don't like the Walkmen, either, save "The Rat." They should rip off the Afghan Whigs more often.

[Annabelle 0]

ok, harry nilsson is pretty fantastic, too. pussy cats is fairly neat. the vibe of the album suits the walkmen singer because nilssons cracked & bloody esophogus wrecked his voice. listen to nilsson shmilsson then pussy cats. its really different.

 

many rivers to cross is an amazing song. nilssons version is much more passionate. to the average listener, the walkmen's version could seem amazing had they not heard the original pussy cats. what a great song.

[vivalaultra 0]

The best Nilsson cover I've ever heard was when Will Oldham busted out with "I can't liiiiiiiivvvvvveeeee if liiiiivviiiiin' is withoooouuuut yoooooooooooooou" in the middle of uh...I forget what song of his it is, but it was sublime.

[Annabelle 0]

without you is the song.

 

and its great by nilsson. can't say i'm familiar oldham's version. or want to be. though i downloaded i see a darkness or whatever that album pitchfork gave 10.0 to is called.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Listen to it yet? It's real good. I think the title track is stunning.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Speaking of Oldham, I haven't connected with The Letting Go outside of a couple of songs (mostly "Cursed Sleep"). Sigh.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

What was your mileage on Superwolf? I drifted in and out of liking that one, and settled on it being perfectly acceptable, but not great. I've downloaded The Letting Go but have (finally) been listening to too much metal to let Billy in.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Superwolf was good, but nothing extraordinary. I loved Sings Greatest Palace Music and am still at a loss to why it was derided by a number of Oldham fans.

 

I'll keep trying with The Letting Go—hey, from the State of Indie in 2006 alone, it took several listens before ultimately falling in love with Return to Cookie Mountain—but I don't know. I doubt I'll come around on this one.

[vivalaultra 0]

I like the new Oldham, especially the backing vocals.

 

I found Sings Greatest Palace Music to be alternatingly funny and wonderful and offputting and boring. I think alot of diehard Oldham fans disliked it because the re-interpretations of the songs were so strikingly different from the originals and, in some places, it almost seemed like he was making a mockery of his past catalogue. However, I thought that sometimes it worked, mostly because there is an element of humor to alot of BPB and Will Oldham songs. And any song that has a "ducks quacking" sound effect is great. And the version of "Agnes, Queen of Sorrow" on Sings Greatest Palace Music is excellent.