Red Mosquito

Kevin Davis wrote:

epilogue wrote:Animal is definitely in the same tier as IMT. Had Animal won it would be hard to be too upset by it. I'm not sure Dance is in the same tier, as much as I adore it. Maybe time will tell but right now I have Dance near the back of the top 30.

For all that is great about "DOTC," I think it will always be hindered in comparative exercises like this -- for me, anyway -- by the fact that it's so highly derivative of one specific band that has such a singular and quirky musical identity. There is no other major Pearl Jam song (that I can think of) that is so heavily indebted not only to the general musical language of another artist or style, but to one individual band and singer's specific tics, vocal mannerisms, punctuations, etc. For it to come around so late in the game, with so little precedent, only serves to amplify the degree to which it sticks out in a comparative experiment.

In terms of my own personal enjoyment of the song, this is a feature, not a bug. I love that they have incorporated this new influence into their palate, which was long overdue for new influences. In the early MM rounds, this quality made "DOTC" stand head and shoulders above other songs, with a sense that could barrel along effortlessly to certain victory. But in the later rounds, as the voting starts to point towards one song, the difference between even the best-executed pastiche/derivation and a great song that feels like it only could have been written by this band becomes increasingly clear. "DOTC" is excellent, unquestionably a career milestone -- it is the kind of high-level style experiment, executed with the same degree of commitment and thoughtfulness that they have historically given to their most serious work, that lines the second tiers of many great artists, providing their catalog with fresh colors and unique flavors. But when you're ultimately narrowing down to one, there are many other songs that are equally well- (or better) executed, but better stand for the totality of their achievement.

That's what ultimately pointed me to "In My Tree" in the previous round -- "IMT," and many others still left, feel like great songs that only PJ could have come up with. "DOTC," for all its virtues, isn't that.

Anders wrote:

Kevin Davis wrote:

epilogue wrote:Animal is definitely in the same tier as IMT. Had Animal won it would be hard to be too upset by it. I'm not sure Dance is in the same tier, as much as I adore it. Maybe time will tell but right now I have Dance near the back of the top 30.

For all that is great about "DOTC," I think it will always be hindered in comparative exercises like this -- for me, anyway -- by the fact that it's so highly derivative of one specific band that has such a singular and quirky musical identity. There is no other major Pearl Jam song (that I can think of) that is so heavily indebted not only to the general musical language of another artist or style, but to one individual band and singer's specific tics, vocal mannerisms, punctuations, etc. For it to come around so late in the game, with so little precedent, only serves to amplify the degree to which it sticks out in a comparative experiment.

In terms of my own personal enjoyment of the song, this is a feature, not a bug. I love that they have incorporated this new influence into their palate, which was long overdue for new influences. In the early MM rounds, this quality made "DOTC" stand head and shoulders above other songs, with a sense that could barrel along effortlessly to certain victory. But in the later rounds, as the voting starts to point towards one song, the difference between even the best-executed pastiche/derivation and a great song that feels like it only could have been written by this band becomes increasingly clear. "DOTC" is excellent, unquestionably a career milestone -- it is the kind of high-level style experiment, executed with the same degree of commitment and thoughtfulness that they have historically given to their most serious work, that lines the second tiers of many great artists, providing their catalog with fresh colors and unique flavors. But when you're ultimately narrowing down to one, there are many other songs that are equally well- (or better) executed, but better stand for the totality of their achievement.

That's what ultimately pointed me to "In My Tree" in the previous round -- "IMT," and many others still left, feel like great songs that only PJ could have come up with. "DOTC," for all its virtues, isn't that.

Good post

LetMeSleep wrote:

Anders wrote:

Kevin Davis wrote:

epilogue wrote:Animal is definitely in the same tier as IMT. Had Animal won it would be hard to be too upset by it. I'm not sure Dance is in the same tier, as much as I adore it. Maybe time will tell but right now I have Dance near the back of the top 30.

For all that is great about "DOTC," I think it will always be hindered in comparative exercises like this -- for me, anyway -- by the fact that it's so highly derivative of one specific band that has such a singular and quirky musical identity. There is no other major Pearl Jam song (that I can think of) that is so heavily indebted not only to the general musical language of another artist or style, but to one individual band and singer's specific tics, vocal mannerisms, punctuations, etc. For it to come around so late in the game, with so little precedent, only serves to amplify the degree to which it sticks out in a comparative experiment.

In terms of my own personal enjoyment of the song, this is a feature, not a bug. I love that they have incorporated this new influence into their palate, which was long overdue for new influences. In the early MM rounds, this quality made "DOTC" stand head and shoulders above other songs, with a sense that could barrel along effortlessly to certain victory. But in the later rounds, as the voting starts to point towards one song, the difference between even the best-executed pastiche/derivation and a great song that feels like it only could have been written by this band becomes increasingly clear. "DOTC" is excellent, unquestionably a career milestone -- it is the kind of high-level style experiment, executed with the same degree of commitment and thoughtfulness that they have historically given to their most serious work, that lines the second tiers of many great artists, providing their catalog with fresh colors and unique flavors. But when you're ultimately narrowing down to one, there are many other songs that are equally well- (or better) executed, but better stand for the totality of their achievement.

That's what ultimately pointed me to "In My Tree" in the previous round -- "IMT," and many others still left, feel like great songs that only PJ could have come up with. "DOTC," for all its virtues, isn't that.

Good post

Great post.

Kevin Davis wrote:
For all that is great about "DOTC," I think it will always be hindered in comparative exercises like this -- for me, anyway -- by the fact that it's so highly derivative of one specific band that has such a singular and quirky musical identity. There is no other major Pearl Jam song (that I can think of) that is so heavily indebted not only to the general musical language of another artist or style, but to one individual band and singer's specific tics, vocal mannerisms, punctuations, etc. For it to come around so late in the game, with so little precedent, only serves to amplify the degree to which it sticks out in a comparative experiment.

warehouse wrote:maybe i'm alone in this, but the talking heads thing isnt as big a deal as i hear. the influence is obviously there, but its not the only thing i hear. the "positive, positive" is almost blatantly david byrne, but the chorus reminds me of like teddy pendergrass or something with that deep soulful vibe. mccready also owns this song, his riffs remind me of prince.