Best Ever Albums

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 12:15:55 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/28/2014 17:15

I'm not even a massive fan of Smith but it's an easy vote for him.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

meccalecca — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 10:49:16 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 02/28/2014 15:49

I voted Elliott Smith obviously, but I figured I'd return say some things about Tallest Man on Earth.

I've seen him live, and own his records. I quite enjoy him live and recorded. Not anywhere near the point of which Mercury idolizes him. I don't find Tallest Man all that original. As stated earlier, he's following in the footsteps of Dylan (who followed in the footsteps of Guthrie).

Tallest Man's strength isn't so much his songwriting, but in his performance. He's a fine guitar player, has a somewhat unique voice and plays with a ton of energy. Not sure if he still plays totally solo, but when i saw him, god knows how many years ago, he commanded a large room with just his guitar and voice. It's much easier said than done. Ask anyone who's played solo.

As for the whole he's insincere because he's a Swedish man playing american folk thing. Since when could people not be influenced by music from other places? Rock & Roll was founded on white people shitting all over black music.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 05:52:51 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/28/2014 10:52

What the fuck is going on in this thread?

Anyway, I don't think that saying an artist "isn't real" is an invalid criticism at all - sincerity and believability and authenticity are things that we all look for, to varying degrees, in music, and where there isn't any to be found (to our ears) then an artist can instantly lose credence. This isn't to say that we hate it when artists brazenly lie or concoct stories in their lyrics, but rather that without a sense of conviction in their message (literal, implied or otherwise), we struggle to connect. So yes, it's a totally valid criticism. And it's one I can understand, though not agree with, when it comes to The Tallest Man on Earth.

The Tallest Man on Earth is pleasant enough. Obviously some people see more in his lyrics than I do. I think they're fairly run-of-the-mill stuff tbh, specific images (though not particularly vivid ones to my mind) that leave room for much interpretation. It's a trick that's been used in pop music many times, and it's all very 'Ballad of a Thin Man'. Except that 'Ballad of a Thin Man' offers more memorable images than Matsson ever appears to muster as well as more concrete metaphor possibilities - Matsson's images just kind of lie there, pretty but unmemorable, waiting on someone cleverer than them to put some sort of coherent meaning to them and give his songs some sort of credence. Nothing sticks. He's using a well-worn songwriting trick to say a whole lot of very little.

That said, I've only heard a couple of his albums a handful of times. He's not somebody whose work I've pored over until the sun has come up (though he's not somebody whose work will ever inspire me to do so). He's a perfectly capable songwriter, just a fairly pedestrian one. He plays guitar nicely enough and his voice is OK, if definitely a little Dylan-esque for comfort. I'm glad he's here, because his music obviously brings people joy, but I don't understand where the hostility is coming from on either side here. I don't see why anybody would attack his music for being particularly bad (it isn't), and I don't see why anybody would defend him for being the greatest singer-songwriter in a generation or whatever it is people here are arguing (he isn't). I don't doubt his sincerity as an artist, I just doubt his ability. And that isn't to say that I think I can write a better song than him, because I really can't, but I just think that in comparison to dozens hundreds of other singer-songwriters The Tallest Man on Earth doesn't stand out.

Anyway, I understand this probably won't sway people on either side of the argument but there's my two penneth.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:46:07 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/28/2014 07:46

why is this thread giving me Valley of the Dolls flashbacks?

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Jackwc — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:16:04 GMT

Author: Jackwc

Posted: 02/28/2014 07:16

Tallest Man On Earth, TALLEST MAN ON EEEEEARTH

The Wild Hunt and Sometimes The Blue Is Just A Passing Bird are better than anything Dylan's ever put out YUP I SAID IT.

Still don't care who Sexay is but wow what a cunt.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Mercury — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 23:15:33 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/28/2014 04:15

an_outlaw wrote:

What Mercury said in the post I quoted was snide. It's like... at least let people criticise your favorite artists :?

You're right. I'm sorry.

I would say if someone hates on an artist, fine. You can expect the fans of that artists to respond. I responded somewhat snidely. Truth.

Still think the concept of an artist being not "real" is about as limp as any criticism you can give. Means literally nothing. Unless explained. Which it hasn't been. At all.

Anyway, yeah... Whatevs.

Criticize all you want... But realize youll have to deal with responses. Pretty simple.

I won't be snide anymore. The response to my snideness was fucking HILARIOUS though! I'm still chuckling about it!

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 19:52:29 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/28/2014 00:52

an_outlaw wrote:

What Mercury said in the post I quoted was snide. It's like... at least let people criticise your favorite artists :?

True, but SexayBachay was just being absurd, and was expressing a bit too much hate. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but he was actually being quite insulting.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 19:36:51 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/28/2014 00:36

What Mercury said in the post I quoted was snide. It's like... at least let people criticise your favorite artists 😕

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 18:41:08 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/27/2014 23:41

Sexaybachay wrote:

Dude you're one step away from becoming a stalker. I tell this for your own good but you should definitely see or show yourself to a straitjacket.

Calm down there, Merc is just trying to defend one of his favorite artists. He's not trying to hurt you.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

RockyRaccoon — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 18:11:42 GMT

Author: RockyRaccoon

Posted: 02/27/2014 23:11

Sexaybachay wrote:

Excuse me but if you really think this is real you're high on bad weed.

an_outlaw wrote:

Or perhaps Kristian Matsson writes shoddy lyrics Mercury. 🤣 Or perhaps Sexaybachay is saying it to look "cool" like all the others who don't heap unwarranted praise on Mercury's favorite artists.

Wow. That was suuuuuuuuuuper douchey.

I mean, disagree with people, dislike the artist or whatever, but there's no need to be a dick about it.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Mercury — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 17:57:11 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/27/2014 22:57

Sexaybachay wrote:

Dude you're one step away from becoming a stalker. I tell this for your own good but you should definitely see or show yourself to a straitjacket.

LOL! Fiesty lil bitch! 🤣 🤣 🤣

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Mercury — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 17:32:22 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/27/2014 22:32

an_outlaw wrote:

Or perhaps Kristian Matsson writes shoddy lyrics Mercury. 🤣 Or perhaps Sexaybachay is saying it to look "cool" like all the others who don't heap unwarranted praise on Mercury's favorite artists.

The Tallest Man on Earth has wrote some catchy songs. Elliot Smith has put out some great albums. E.Smith for me.

Such mystery. Such possibility. You've blown my mind with your new insights, outlaw. Beautiful stuff.

Great post! 😜

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Sexaybachay — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 17:22:16 GMT

Author: Sexaybachay

Posted: 02/27/2014 22:22

Mercury wrote:

Anyway, you're pretty heated about this. Perhaps in the past you have tried to write poetry or lyrics. Perhaps inspired by hearing Dylan. And you felt they were no good or you didn't like what you created. And now you are shitting on another person's creation . I don't know.

Dude you're one step away from becoming a stalker. I tell this for your own good but you should definitely see or show yourself to a straitjacket.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 17:19:15 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/27/2014 22:19

Wow, this tournament really is cursed. Even outlaw is getting aggressive.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 16:57:09 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/27/2014 21:57

Mercury wrote:

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Mercury — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 16:36:21 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/27/2014 21:36

Sexaybachay wrote:

Is it? Then what reality in Kristian Matsson's life, surrounding, country, or what reality stemming from the music scenes that he was a part of or the cultural manifestations of his era made him choose to be a Dylan imitator? Also no one who knows one fucking thing about Dylan wouldn't write this pile of garbage:

Oh I was sent to find the lonesome place
Where I was lost but left to trace
By carving riddles on the lonesome vine.

Oh but rumor has it that I wasn't born,
I just walked in one frosty morn.
Into the vision of some vacant mind.

Oh once I held a pony by its flying mane,
And once I called the shadow in the turning game
But I will fight this stranger that you should fear
So I won't be a burden of tomorrow dear

Aww Xavier's on the border of the sun
Swings on the chambers of your guns.
And tries to shoot the chord and light the path.

Aww but hell I'm just a blind man on the plains,
I drink my water when it rains,
And live by chance among the lightning strikes.

Oh once I held a glacier to an open flame
And once I felt like wildcat in the fallen game.
But I will fight this stranger that you should fear
So I won't be a burden of tomorrow dear.

Oh the singers on the edge to feed the canyons mouth
They will go on forever til they sing you out of time.
But I will fight this stranger that you should fear
So I won't be a burden of tomorrow dear.

This is Mumford & Sons kind of shit not Dylan. Excuse me but if you really think this is real you're high on bad weed.

Not quite. Lyrics don't have to be clear cut prose. Poetry is open to interpretation. I can hear riddles and general concepts throughout the song. You can sit down and try to find a linear and clear meaning to the whole song. But, I think just individual lines are excellent. I love the "I'm just a blind man on the plains..." part. It a beautiful analogy to the clear idea of how little we know sometimes, and fate and all that shit.

I mean, I don't know, if you wanna hear really clear cut lyrics there are a lot of places to look. Dylan, and Elliott Smith's lyrics aren't always very easy to understand. Definitely subjective.

Anyway, you're pretty heated about this. Perhaps in the past you have tried to write poetry or lyrics. Perhaps inspired by hearing Dylan. And you felt they were no good or you didn't like what you created. And now you are shitting on another person's creation . I don't know.

Tallest man on earth is a badass.

Oh and how would you define "real"?

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Sexaybachay — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 14:58:20 GMT

Author: Sexaybachay

Posted: 02/27/2014 19:58

Mercury wrote:

This blasphemous ignorance is appalling!

What does real mean in this context anyway?

This is Mumford & Sons kind of shit not Dylan. Excuse me but if you really think this is real you're high on bad weed.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Mercury — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 12:43:37 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/27/2014 17:43

Sexaybachay wrote:

TTMoE tries to sound real, he's not tho. If he tried to do sth else I'd consider him.

This blasphemous ignorance is appalling!

What does real mean in this context anyway?

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Sexaybachay — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 08:00:34 GMT

Author: Sexaybachay

Posted: 02/26/2014 13:00

TTMoE tries to sound real, he's not tho. If he tried to do sth else I'd consider him.

Re: BSAT Round #1: Elliott Smith vs. The Tallest Man on Earth

Norman Bates — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:45:12 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 02/26/2014 08:45

Smith.