Dear Paul –
I’m writing to you from Scotland to tell you that this is your last chance. While you have occasionally made my fellow Scots proud by raving about Glasvegas and complimenting We Were Promised Jetpacks, you insulted us terribly last summer in Los Angeles. I was there that night in Hollywood – at that club your friend had to talk his way into – when you embarrassed yourself on the dance floor in front of dozens of people. I didn’t mind your embarrassment because I was drinking and, quite frankly, laughing.
That is, until you sucked someone else into your whirlpool of shame. You remember that Scottish girl you were dancing with? The one who was going in for a nose job in two weeks and whose parents were paying for it? Yeah? Well, that was my cousin. Now, before you go thinking that I give a shit about whether you go out with my cousin, let me correct you: I don’t care if you put on a Santa hat and take pictures of the two of you in bed together. She’s my cousin, not my sister. What I can’t have is anyone in my family being embarrassed on the dance floor. We MacNultys are famous for our jigging prowess and I don’t want our reputation tarnished. So keep away from Scottish girls on the dance floor, especially if they’re related to me. And say something nice about the new Frightened Rabbit album, willya?
-Fiorian MacNulty, Aberdeen, Scotland
Fiorian –
I humbly apologize. I did not intend to sully your family’s good dancing name in the clubs of Los Angeles. Next time, I’ll be sure to ask about any potential harm I might do with my trademark moves: The Helicopter and The Dying Mantis.
I’d be glad to say a kind word about the new Frightened Rabbit. It’s only fitting after I spent all of 2009 raving about the band, only to discover in December that Midnight Organ Fight had come out in 2008, making it ineligible for my 2009 year-end list.
In a column for ESPN, I wrote about how Midnight Organ Fight seemed ready-made for heartbreak and despair. If MOF was a break-up album, the new record, Winter of Mixed Drinks is the rebound album. Or, if one wanted to be poetic, he might say that it’s reminiscent of a groundhog poking its head out of its hole after a long hibernation.
If you see them, thank your countrymen for making such a great album. In the meantime, I’ll tell my countrymen to buy it.
How did your cousin’s nose job turn out? I hope it went okay – she needed it.
-Paul
***
Paul –
Do you remember how cool and down-to-earth we were when you met us after our show in Kansas City? Could you do us a favor and not tell anyone about that? We’re trying to maintain some of the badass mystique we’ve been cultivating.
Thanks,
Andy Hull, Manchester Orchestra
Andy –
Sure, man. Your secret is safe with me. In addition, I won’t mention that, at 23, you’re the oldest member of your band and how scared I was to learn that fact, because I’m almost ten years older than you, but probably half as secure in who I am.
Damn you, Andy Hull.
-Paul
***
Dude –
You’re always going on about Yeasayer. You use them as an example of a band you like, or that you would recommend. But you never actually write about them. What gives?
Tyler, Brooklyn, NY
Tyler –
I know, it’s been bothering me too. Here’s the backstory:
I discovered Yeasayer by reading about them in late 2009. My source (I don’t remember who or what it was) raved about the band but neglected to mention that their next album, Odd Blood, wouldn’t be out for another few months. That didn’t stop me from trying to finding whatever Yeasayer I could (obviously, this source had quite an impact), leading me to buy their 2007 record, All Hour Cymbals.
In the meantime, I’d already referred to the band in at least two forms of media, probably in an attempt to seem more relevant than I really am. This was only a problem when, after listening to it, I found that I was completely ambivalent toward All Hour Cymbals.
The story has a happy ending. When Odd Blood was finally released, I bought it. I breathed several sighs of relief during my first few listens. It’s a great album. Granted, it’s weird, the singer’s voice is all over the place, and I’m sure most of the other people who love it would drive me toward a hydrocodone addiction if I were locked in an elevator with them, but I’ve enjoyed it more and more with each successive pass.
-Paul
***
Dear Paul Shirley –
I read a long time ago that you saw Flogging Molly at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I wonder what you think about their new live album, Live On Landsdowne?
-Larry, Boston, MA
Hi Larry.
It’s funny you bring up Live On Landsdowne. I was sent that CD by a record label but put off listening to it because I wasn’t fond of Flogging Molly’s performance in Austin. Then, on a day when I had nothing else available, I pushed it into the temperamental CD player in the dashboard of my car. I was shocked. The songs were catchy, the band was enthusiastic, and soon, I found myself singing along.
A few days later, I told a friend about my dilemma. How could it be that I liked a recorded live album more than I liked the live performance I had seen? After a thorough interrogation, he arrived at a key question: “Paul, are you sure you aren’t talking about the Dropkick Murphys?” I hastily rifled through the CD cases in the back seat of my car and pulled out the green and white one.
Sure enough, I’d been listening to the Dropkick Murphys.
What was odd about my mistake is that my brain was aware that the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly are two separate bands. However, in its quest to compress as much information as possible, it had lumped them together into a category called “Irish-American Semi-Punk Bands I Don’t Listen To.” Eventually, further compression left me thinking they were one band, even though I knew that wasn’t the case.
I won’t make the same mistake twice. If Live On Landsdowne is any indication of the Dropkick Murphys’ true nature, I need to investigate their back catalog.
So, Larry, I understand your mistake. Now for the correction: Give up on Flogging Molly and listen to more of the Murphys.
-Paul
***
Paul –
I’m 17 years old. I like listening to music, reading, playing baseball for my high school team, and thinking about girls. (But not talking to them. I never know what to say.) I’m desperate for a music recommendation. Can you help?
Scott, Tallahassee, FL
Paul-
I’m 33. I work for a law firm here in Denton. I’m trying to find some music I like because I’ve been out of the loop for a long time. I used to listen to a lot of Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots but I kind of stopped paying attention in about 2001. Can you help?
Alvin, Denton, TX
Paul –
I’m a 52-year-old father of three. Ever since I got fired at the software company where I used to work, I’ve been cleaning up at a steel mill for seven dollars an hour. My life is terrible right now. I need something to get me going. I am a former music lover, but they just don’t make them like Cheap Trick anymore, so I stopped. You’re my last hope. What do you think?
Zeke, Chattanooga, TN
Scott, Alvin, and Zeke –
Free Energy, Stuck On Nothing. Buy it immediately. Except you, Zeke. I give you permission to download it for free.
-Paul
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I wasn’t aware that Frightened Rabbit came out with a new album, but MOF is an amazing record. Any more recommendations along the lines of Frightened Rabbit (besides We Were Promised Jetpacks and Glasvegas)?
“How did your cousin’s nose job turn out? I hope it went okay – she needed it.
-Paul”
That’s hilarious.
That Flogging Molly set was ruined by a) the lawn chair nazis; and two) the downpour that intensified during their set (at least for me, I was too sober at that point to embrace the downpour). Not saying go out of your way to see them live, but if they’re at any of this year’s festivals, check them out. There is a reason they have such a strong following. Their set at Coachella in ’08 was incredible.
Yeasayer live is also really good, for what it’s worth.
The new Frightened Rabbit hasn’t quite grown on me yet–if you like epic sounds and thick Scottish accents, The Twilight Sad is quite good–first album especially.
RE: Yeasayer’s singer’s voice being “all over the place.” Two members of the band sing, yet have very similar voices. ONE and Ambling Alp, for instance, are sung by different dudes. Both have falsettos that can be all over the place, though, so your point still holds.
I’m so ashamed to have doubted Yeasayer. My first listen of Odd Blood happened just last week, and it’s freaking amazing. Now life is just a countdown until the next time I’ll be able to go spastic to the sound of Ambling Alp and ONE.
I recently bought Like a Virgin Losing a Child by Manchester Orchestra and cannot wait to buy their newer works, I will definitely have to Yeasayer and Free Energy…
Paul,
I saw Manchester Orchestra last night at the Paradise. Easily one of the best shows I have ever been to. Also, Robert McDowell looks like Steve Buscemi’s little brother.
Kyle – Nothing else sounds like Frightened Rabbit. Except maybe Elbow. But that’s a stretch.
Randi – Glad you liked that.
CJB – I suppose. But something about the lead singer rubbed me the wrong way.
John – Trust me, occasionally.
Mountain – I assume Robert McDowell is the one in the band who…looks like Steve Buscemi. Therefore, yes, I agree.
I agree with your assessment of The Dropkick Murphy’s and recommend that you follow through on listening to more of them and taking in a live show if you get the chance. I had the opportunity to see them this past summer when they opened for The Offspring and going in I only knew of their hit from the opening scene of The Departed “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”. I’ll tell you though after their hour set I was hooked and dying for more because they had a fantastic energy, were very interactive with the audience and musically they were extremely tight.It was one of the best live performances I have seen from a band hands down. If you do give them a listen the albums I would suggest starting with are “Blackout” and “The Meanest of Times” but really you can’t go wrong with any of them. Enjoy!
“Stuck on Nothing” is an incredible album. I bought it almost immediately after hearing you play “Bang Pop” on your podcast, and I’ve probably already listened to it a good 10 times since. Thanks for the recommendation.
Paul,
With the ESPN gig now over, any plans to continue with a semi-regular music piece on FlipCollective? I always enjoyed your take and found several bands I really liked after listening to your recs.
Adam – Glad that someone is listening!
Pete – Stay tuned here. I’m hoping to do music/art every other week, but we’ll see…
dear paul,
even though you have been avoiding condemning entire nations, you are still a vinegar based feminine cleansing product.
hugs and kisses,
humanity
^^
Nice, someone with obviously too much time on their hands who trolls blogs looking to stir crap up and trying to keep the “Crucify Paul Shirley”(Keeping up with the season) spirit alive.
so now you are equating paul to jesus? i’m sure jesus would have penned the same sort of diatribe that paul did. you guys sure hate accountability.
No, of course not. It was a play on words I found amusing at the time of writing that. Lighten up
Paul, I guess you decided that the best way to deal with pragmatism is to ignore him/her. Still, the idiotic trolling is extremely annoying and I’m wondering if there’s a way to ban him/her from posting. This idiot makes me miss fazerski.
For the record, I kinda hated your views on Haiti and now I just don’t read what you have to say about politics and similar things. That’s what pragmatism should have done, methinks…
well, paul clearly isn’t jeebus if he bans all dissenters. how about you guys lay out some rules for the comments section and i’ll see if i’ll comply. here’s what i understand so far:
1. must capitalize words.
2. must not criticize writers.
3. the violator of any rules is summarily deemed to have “pent up anger and sexual frustration” by randi who can diagnose these things like the internet version of aunt cleo who has a side job whining about lousy jewish men.