Death Cab = Prefab
September 18th, 2005Two unfortunately named bands make eerily similar music.
Death Cab for Cutie’s new album (which has been on heavy rotation all weekend) sounds very much like selected songs from the Prefab Sprout ouvre, particularly their first, Swoon.
Heather often cites my love of Prefab as the demarcation line in our age difference. That and the Waterboys. I still hold Fisherman’s Blues up there as one of the top albums of the 80s.
However, it was I who brought The Postal Service into the house. Still, that doesn’t make up for the fact that I have, somewhere in the vault, either Journey or Loverboy on vinyl. This would be before I lived in England and learned better.
Heather gave me the Doves and I offered Catherine Wheel. She the New Pornographers and I Marumari. It’s a delicious dance, this love of music and sharing. I still think she tires of my electronic leanings; Amon Tobin, TRS-80, Shadow, Boards of Canada, Four Tet, The Dining Rooms, Aphex Twin, and others (although I did score points with u-ziq’s Royal Astronomy). We share a love for Ben Folds (I had seen him live before she had) and Soul Coughing (the most underrated band of the 90s). Music is also a dangerous addiction, worse than crack. And this is going into wanky Pitchforkmedia/indie snob territory, so I’ll stop now. o
September 19th, 2005 at 12:13 am
ive been a fan of dcfc for about 4 years now. since the release of the photo album. are you comparing new dcfc to prefab, meaning the electronic beats of plans , or dcfc as a whole? ive never heard prefab but i will give it a listen. plans is alright i wish they would go back to we have the facts and we voting yes sound or photo album, more guitar less beats.
September 19th, 2005 at 12:56 am
as to your electronic leanings…might i be so bold as to suggest m83? amazing stuff. sigur ros meets appleseed cast.
September 19th, 2005 at 2:48 am
iTunes gave me a free DCfC track this week, and I remarked upon the unfortunate name at the time. Nice bassline, though, and that’s what’s important. I can barely remember Prefab Sprout, and I need to listen to the free track a couple more times, although on first hearing it I quite liked it, which is a good start. A better start than most of the iTunes free tracks, that’s for sure.
September 19th, 2005 at 7:15 am
I’m just glad that I’m not the only one who thinks that Soul Coughing is a great band.
September 19th, 2005 at 7:19 am
Journey. Loverboy. Ben Folds. The only names I recognized on your post. God. Now I REALLY feel old. (Note to self: Must go talk my kids and get some insight into newer music)(sigh)
September 19th, 2005 at 7:32 am
I’m just glad I’m not the only one who appreciates the brilliance of the word “wanky.”
September 19th, 2005 at 7:32 am
Why does Soul Coughing so rarely get its due? Mike Doughty is brilliant.
September 19th, 2005 at 8:11 am
Prefab Sprout were one of my favourite bands when I was a younger, influenced by my older sisters! Brothers Patrick and Martin McAloon grew up in my husbands home town in Consett, County Durham (very small town in the North East of England)
At one point the whole band were living in a communal house up there.
I even had a cat called Sprout
September 19th, 2005 at 8:17 am
Note: Amon Tobin also released an album under the moniker ‘Cujo’ called ‘Adventures in Foam’ which is quite tasty.
September 19th, 2005 at 8:17 am
Oh - and another cat called Faron (after the song Faron Young)
September 19th, 2005 at 8:17 am
Oh - and another cat called Faron (after the song Faron Young)
September 19th, 2005 at 8:17 am
Note: Amon Tobin also released an album under the moniker ‘Cujo’ called ‘Adventures in Foam’ which is quite tasty.
September 19th, 2005 at 9:20 am
One of things my husband and I loved about combining households was the union of our music collections.
We are close in age, so the music of our youth reads more like coffee preferences: I took mine black (Joy Division, The Birthday Party) while he preferred his with cream and a bit of sugar (The Modern Lovers, World Party).
Despite our disparate tastes, we have found common ground as we get older. We are still both trying to claim credit for Yo la Tenga’s presence [http://www.yolatengo.com/] in our home!
September 19th, 2005 at 9:32 am
For those of you needing to keep up with great music try http://www.kexp.org. It is a member supported radio station (in Seattle) that can play any music they want. The variety is so great on KEXP and they have live in studio performances-there are 3 of Mike Doughty.
September 19th, 2005 at 9:40 am
Realizing my mother had a Waterboys cassette back in the 80’s was an odd moment for me.
I wanted her to be that mid 30’s clueless mom.
Now that’s who I am!
September 19th, 2005 at 9:50 am
i almost never understand what the heck you’re writing about, yet i think i’m pretty smart. you must be way smarter.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:08 am
I LOVE The Waterboys. I haven’t met anyone else who does.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:43 am
Ah Soul Coughing. Alas, they’ve broken up, but Mike Doughty has a solo album out now. And he’s even on tour somewhere. http://www.mikedoughty.com/
And just to be a music snob, they are not The Doves, just “Doves”
September 19th, 2005 at 11:18 am
Mike Doughty was just here in the Charleston area last weekend. I couldn’t attend the show due to college football plans, but a friend who went said it was a really good show. Hold on, I think I actually have “Irresistible Bliss” here in my office…
September 19th, 2005 at 11:18 am
The New Pornographers’ Neko Case is making great music on her own, but also with this fantastic Toronto band, The Sadies. Her last album with them, The Tigers Have Spoken, is a mainstay in my car/house/office and is perfect for howling at top volumes. And I’m not just saying that because I have a crush on her, honest.
September 19th, 2005 at 11:22 am
Check out My Morning Jacket’s new CD as well as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. You will not be disappointed. Well, actually, some folks despise CYHSY but if you like ‘em, you really, really like ‘em.
But My Morning Jacket’s new CD is fucking brilliant. Really.
September 19th, 2005 at 11:58 am
Oh, and that song on DCFC’s new cd, the one called Someday You Will Be Loved makes me feel molested (i.e. gross) every time I hear it. I sorta wish someone had told them to nix that ditty. It’s the only song on that album I could have done without.
Though, I’m pretty sure it’s just me.
September 19th, 2005 at 12:13 pm
I love this post. I did one last week on music that I like and it came out way longer than I thought it would - http://downwardspiraldance.blogspot.com/2005/09/music-that-i-like.html - but it was well worth it. And of course, over the weekend, I thought of about 16 different songs/bands/albums that I love that I had forgotten to mention. So I am sure I will do a ‘Part Deux’ one of these days.
Music is essential to my sanity.
September 19th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
I own every album you listed in your post, although I don’t have any on vinyl. All my vinyl is big band/swing/dixieland from 80 years ago.
I’m glad to see someone has made the Prefab-DCfC connection. I bet if you asked Ben Gibbard he’d list them as a primary influence. Lyrically, I think I prefer DCfC. Gibbard ranks up there with Conor Oberst in terms of ability as a wordsmithy.
Good to know someone else has a music habit that borders on crack-level addiction. True appreciation of good music, especially cross-genre (I hate fanboys), is a dying trend. Kudos to you and your readers on having impeccable taste
September 19th, 2005 at 1:12 pm
I have never heard of any ot those bands (except a few). But you’ve probably never heard of Oh-OK or The Pigs, either. My friends and I had a music email chain going around for a while letting each other in on little known bands. I love to hear of new things. Thanks!
September 19th, 2005 at 2:26 pm
Random fact: Death Cab For Cutie is the name of a song by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, featuring Neil Innes who also featured as one of The Rutles and acted in and composed for Monty Python films. Weird link, but there you go
September 19th, 2005 at 3:34 pm
I brought Wild Colonials, Stanley Jordan and everclear to the household, she brought Elton John. I should have known right then it would never last…
September 19th, 2005 at 3:46 pm
Umm, Steely Dan? No?
Below, an interesting meditation on whether we are getting so much music that we are losing focus on what we do hear:
http://tinyurl.com/cjd82
September 19th, 2005 at 4:27 pm
I’ll second the KEXP suggestion. All you need is KEXP, KRCW’s music channel, and an Airport Express hooked up to your home stereo and you can die happy.
(Okay, at least I can die happy.)
September 19th, 2005 at 4:54 pm
DCFC is going on tour (w/ Stars) REALLY REALLY SOON. and it will be a grand time. yippee!
September 19th, 2005 at 6:23 pm
um, journey is a great band, jon. steve perry if fucking brilliant.
but, so you don’t think i’m a complete nutter i’ll also say that i’d agree that most of the other bands you listed are pretty fab too.
September 19th, 2005 at 6:24 pm
ah, prefab’s album “two wheels good”… heartbreaking. a perfect soundtrack for losing the love of your life sophomore year at ohio university, 1985. can you believe i’ve never listened to swoon? i’m off to amazon right after this post. another under rated blast from the past…
“ignite the seven cannons” by felt.
and yes, the waterboys. “i saw the whole of the moon….”
and the blue nile… the new album was wonderful, almost as good as the stuff from the 80’s.
can’t believe all that stuff is “retro” now.
i still feel 21.
September 19th, 2005 at 6:29 pm
oh yeah,
anyone seen this site?
http://www.music-map.com
it’s sooooo much fun.
try it!
September 19th, 2005 at 8:21 pm
I was wondering if you and Heather were Ben Folds fans due to Heather’s new tagline… you can’t imagine how much it made me smile to know that I like some of the same music as you two. God, I feel like such a lame dork for writing that, but it’s true.
September 19th, 2005 at 8:50 pm
I contend that The Poster Children give Soul Coughing a run for the money in the 90s. But that might just be the midwesterner in me. And you know part of you still doesn’t think Journey is a mistake. Loverboy, being from Canada, is actually British, by commonwealth law.
September 19th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
Are you a Tortoise fan?
http://www.trts.com
September 19th, 2005 at 9:35 pm
The Waterboys’ “Whole of the Moon” still rocks even when it’s been Muzaked.
Man, I have to quit showing my age.
September 19th, 2005 at 10:30 pm
Name dropping is for winners.
September 20th, 2005 at 5:52 am
Thanks to Marz who sent me here. I knew Dooce (Who in the blogsphere doesnt know here? I have been following her so that I know where to group when I am Dooced) but not you. I am here till I find out how true Marz is about you. Usually she is on the dot.
September 20th, 2005 at 7:05 am
I have one lingering question about Ben Gibbard’s songwriting that sticks in my mind the same way that I can’t eat in restaurants that deliberately misspell words (Kountry Kitchen, etc). In that duet love song on ìGive Up,î he says something about ìa goalie tending the net in the third quarter of a tie-game rivalry.î What sport is he talking about? Team handball? Hockey has goalies and nets but not quarters; same with soccer. Is it lacrosse? And if so (as in, if it’s not a ‘big’ sport), who cares? I wish I could just let it go.
September 20th, 2005 at 12:55 pm
Just curious…what is your opinion of Bright Eyes?
September 20th, 2005 at 1:17 pm
I’m with ds - “Two Wheels Good” is excellent. I need to listen to it more often — thanks for the reminder!
September 20th, 2005 at 2:54 pm
I’ve seen Deathcab several times.
Check out Death from Above 1979…they are nothing like deathcab at all, but totally rock.
Also, Bloc Party and The Arcade Fire
September 20th, 2005 at 7:15 pm
Soul Coughing trivia: about ten years ago, while living in boston, a friend called to say that I should drop everything and RUN to the Plough and Stars in Cambridge… because a certain couple of guys in a band named after an opiate were playing there. For those of you not familiar with the P&S, it’s about the size of a shoebox. G Love and (the original) Special Sauce used to play there Monday nights. Anyway, so I go… and the chalkboard in front of the door says, “The Yuval Gabay Trio.” At this moment of time I hadn’t heard of Soul Coughing so I had no idea who Yuval Gabay was. I go in, and it’s packed… because Mark Sandman and Dana Colley from Morphine are playing, well, Morphine songs, with Yuval Gabay on drums. Billy Conway, the regular Morphine drummer, had been in a bizarre snowmobiling accident with girlfriend Laurie Sargeant (both are now in the Twinemen) earlier that winter, and there was Yuval, banging away as best as he could. LATER, much later, after hearing /Ruby Vroom/ for the first time, did I realize I had been in the presence of greatness.
September 20th, 2005 at 11:32 pm
Wow, up til this point I’ve met one other person that was a waterboys fan. I’ve been wondering where you all were hiding out.
September 21st, 2005 at 7:24 am
i think i mentioned before that you and heather have the same age difference as me and my husband-to-be. my man loves prefab sprout and included them on a super schmoopy mix CD he made me. along with Propaganda, Frazier Chorus, and The Church. good stuff..
you and heather have great taste in music.
Pete: the Plough is still there, although it hasn’t been open in a year or so. they are in a perpetual renovation mode. things take forever to get back to normal in cambridge. ahhh…the People’s Republic of Cambridge. gotta love it.
September 21st, 2005 at 7:28 am
“Soul Coughing (the most underrated band of the 90s)”
I’ll totally second that! My wife and I so very much love them. Wish they were still arounf
September 21st, 2005 at 8:44 am
didn’t the waterboys cover “why look at the moon”? that song was on an unlabeled mix tape that i acquired back in high school (back when there was no internet to solve the many puzzles that sprung from the tape’s lack of a song list). never knew who sang that quirky little number until years later, when i googled the lyrics.
and soul coughing? super bon bon!
September 21st, 2005 at 11:38 am
Music IS an expensive habit and itunes makes it so easy to spend. We have found a solution. The library. Our city library has a kick-ass A/V section and we’ve downloaded no less than 100 cds to our itunes library so far. It is awesome.
September 21st, 2005 at 8:25 pm
Oh Waterboys! I read that and gasped aloud, “Oh!” And then was grateful no one saw me, because I am a dork. But, oh Waterboys, oh oh indeed.
September 21st, 2005 at 11:36 pm
Oh my holy god. I have Two Wheels Good in my car right now. I thought I was the only person in the world who remembered Prefab Sprout. Did you listen to Aztec Camera, too?
September 22nd, 2005 at 6:19 am
What a plate of shrimp! During my morning commute today I listened to the Waterboys’ version of Sweet Thing and Prefab Sprout’s Green Isaac! –This after not having listened to the latter in years. …and then I read this entry of yours!
Eerie.
BTW, I visited your wife’s site first today. I clicked the hell out of her ads, and now I’ll do the same here. Good luck with your new path.
September 22nd, 2005 at 7:59 am
Jon, my husband hates you now because I pulled out my Waterboys CD and have been listening to it non-stop. “Fisherman’s Blues” was always my favorite, followed closely by “She Is So Beautiful.” When husband and I first started dating, I played it often, pathetically hoping that he would hear it and sweep me into his arms or some weird thing like that…turns out he absolutely hates Mike Scott’s voice. Oh well.
September 22nd, 2005 at 11:58 am
I love Prefab and the Waterboys, but not so much on the Steely Dan. Er, not at all actually.
But I am listening to a cover that the Cure did of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” that I think Chuck would like. You might want to try it.
In the meantime, I’ll click away on the ads if it will help to manage your financial sanity.
September 22nd, 2005 at 1:31 pm
My husband and I also have some diverse musical tastes, but both fell totally in love with Ben Folds Five when first hearing them and seeing them in L.A. in ‘95. We catch Ben whenever he comes here, which is usually at least once a year for 2 shows. Recently, we saw him twice in L.A. and once in Vegas. Here’s a link to my comments on the first night’s show: http://jodi101.blogspot.com/2005/08/ben-folds-night-1.html There are a couple of other entries too.
September 23rd, 2005 at 2:19 pm
if you like the shadow. you’ll love this
http://www.archive.org/details/BrianUdelhofenTheShadowPercussionProject
September 24th, 2005 at 7:52 pm
I haven’t heard of Prefab but if they’re similiar to DCFC, I’ll give it a listen.
My wife has always introduced me to good music (Waits, Waterboys, Greg Brown) but we found Steely Dan together in college. During a time when everyone was sucking up The Spin Doctors and Blind Melon we thought Steely Dan was nicely subversive. I can hardly contain myself when shopping and I hear “Hey Nineteen” softly come on. Nothing like browsing linens to the lyrics “the Cuervo Gold, the fine Columbian”.
September 26th, 2005 at 12:55 pm
Ah, The Waterboys - for a few years in the mid-80s they were pretty much unstoppable, the twin-guns of “This Is The Sea” and “Fishermans Blues” igniting audiences all around the UK and, it seems, all over the world. To this very day a gig of theirs I witnessed at Hammersmith Palais (London) in 1986 remains THE live event that has never been bettered in my entire gig-going life. We Free Kings, Wire Train and The Waterboys. If not life changing, then definitley life-affirming.
And DCFC - yes, I see the Sprout connection. Do like their stuff, I too have been digging “Plans” muchly over the last few days. Got into them via “Transatlanticism”, after it was used to great effect on “Six Feet Under”.
September 26th, 2005 at 1:21 pm
I was listening to dcfc on Morning Becomes Ecelectic (www.kcrw.com) and thought they sounded just like Prefab Sprout. I appreciate the reference and agree wholheartedly. Now what about The Arcade Fire and the Fun Boy Three of it all?
September 26th, 2005 at 5:22 pm
The Waterboys. Ahhh. Thank you! Now that’s taking me back.
And I have to agree — there’s nothing quite like Ben Folds…with the possible exception of the very underrated Michael Penn.
September 26th, 2005 at 5:45 pm
Sure you know it of course but maybe others don’t The Postal Service is Death Cab’s (great) side-project.
September 27th, 2005 at 7:09 am
Mike Doughty is in the fabulous Waco Brothers side project on the Bloodshot label. Also features a number of Mekons. Nothing like Welsh socialist country music.
September 27th, 2005 at 7:14 am
OK, this is what happens when I comment before coffee. WRONG me. It’s *Alan* Doughty from Jesus Jones. They do have Mekons and also the drummer from Poi Dog Pondering (nee Graham Parker and Gang of Four) for your musical snobbing pleasure.
September 27th, 2005 at 2:20 pm
Oh, how I miss Soul Coughing! I was lucky enough to see them several times on both coasts before they broke up, and I’ve also since seen Mike Doughty play solo. Someone in the (small) crowd at that show shouted, “play Bus to Beelzebub!” Doughty held up his accoustic guitar and replied, “I appreciate your confidence in me, but I think not.” He did, however, play my favorite tune (True Dreams of Wichita) beautifully. /sigh/
September 27th, 2005 at 9:03 pm
Death Cab and Mike Doughty - two great tastes that taste great together: http://media.metroblogging.com/seattle/ref_dcfchungry2.mov