You really think these two songs sound similar? I just don’t hear it. I was addicted to this Peter, Bjorn & John song when I heard it (also a pretty fun video) and their album Writer’s Block has been on rotation for me as well in the past month or two. Hmh. Never would have put these two together at all though… anyone else hearing this? Has anyone heard The Swimmers new album Fighting Trees yet? “Goodbye” is my favorite song on that album so far and someone just suggested to me that it sounds exactly like the Mika song Grace Kelly. I’ve re-listened to both but don’t really see that too much either, well – maybe a little bit. For those of you who haven’t heard The Swimmers album, it’s really great: http://www.theswimmers.com/
I heard a little piece on them on NPR this morning, and they started playing the song right when the singing comes in on the verse. The phrasing of the vocals and the pulse/production somehow made me think of that Greg Kihn song. As a result, all day I’ve had that song in my head. It’s a wonder I didn’t have a lousy day. Try singing the Kihn song while the verse of this new song is playing. They’re structured similarly. After you’ve done that, let me know if you, too, are now completely annoyed by both songs. My apologies, if that’s the case.
I like the whistling, and the catchyness – is PB&J like Peanut Butter and Jam? I’d have to say, “yes” but actually, oh shoot. I’m wet.
kidding, kidding, no but, the album’s pretty good, and the video is fun. it’s not just that song, plus – yet another band from foreign lands with cute accents and having fun speaking english… not that i think they hit on a hit by accident, but they certainly have a hit. would they have the hit without the video? i believe that’s what everyone’s been going ga-ga about. insert belle & sebastian twee remark here. i’m done.
are people “wetting” themselves over this song? really?
that’s nice. i like it very much, actually. the voices sound like real people in conversation: in the first verse you can hear the confessional tone in her admission that, yes, she’s done her share of things she ashamed of…
i dunno (shrug), it’s the main thing about this song that drew me in. she’s a good actress, perhaps. but she’s really singing the song…i like that.
sally’s right, though: cute video, cute accent. but hey, i’m a suburban white boy, so it’s right in my wheelhouse.
i mean, it’s very appealing to what i call the “old navy set”: the same izod / sweat jacket wearing hipsters who have loved stereolab all these years. it’s white and smart sounding, but it’s danceable, so it has a little bit of badassed-ness to go along with its cutesy vibe. it’s very crossover in that way. and it also feature’s that same kind of sparseness that was so integral to the gnarls barkley song that was big last year, so may that makes it seem a little…ermmm…dark (in a safe sort of way, of course, the way honkey college-y hipsters not far from the next like their darkness: safe).
as far as its indebtedness to greg kihn goes, perhaps the studio version would’ve made a better comparison. but if they ARE indebted, they’re better at turning their sources into something new than oasis is, huh?
I’m not hearing the similarity either. The rhythms and chords are completely different. If anything, the song sounds to me very much influenced by New Order.
I enjoy the PB&J song quite a bit, personally. Actually, the song that annoyed me when I heard it on XMU in the car this afternoon was…I can’t remember what it’s called or who it’s by. But the vocal melody of the chorus is DIRECTLY lifted from the coda of EJ’s “Rocket Man.”
You really think these two songs sound similar? I just don’t hear it. I was addicted to this Peter, Bjorn & John song when I heard it (also a pretty fun video) and their album Writer’s Block has been on rotation for me as well in the past month or two. Hmh. Never would have put these two together at all though… anyone else hearing this? Has anyone heard The Swimmers new album Fighting Trees yet? “Goodbye” is my favorite song on that album so far and someone just suggested to me that it sounds exactly like the Mika song Grace Kelly. I’ve re-listened to both but don’t really see that too much either, well – maybe a little bit. For those of you who haven’t heard The Swimmers album, it’s really great: http://www.theswimmers.com/
I heard a little piece on them on NPR this morning, and they started playing the song right when the singing comes in on the verse. The phrasing of the vocals and the pulse/production somehow made me think of that Greg Kihn song. As a result, all day I’ve had that song in my head. It’s a wonder I didn’t have a lousy day. Try singing the Kihn song while the verse of this new song is playing. They’re structured similarly. After you’ve done that, let me know if you, too, are now completely annoyed by both songs. My apologies, if that’s the case.
ha ha, i’ll keep you posted on that;) Is that NPR bit still up? I’ll have to check it in the morning if so!
Honestly, it’s a decent song but I have no idea why people are wetting themselves over i. Maybe they like saying “PB&J”?
I like the whistling, and the catchyness – is PB&J like Peanut Butter and Jam? I’d have to say, “yes” but actually, oh shoot. I’m wet.
kidding, kidding, no but, the album’s pretty good, and the video is fun. it’s not just that song, plus – yet another band from foreign lands with cute accents and having fun speaking english… not that i think they hit on a hit by accident, but they certainly have a hit. would they have the hit without the video? i believe that’s what everyone’s been going ga-ga about. insert belle & sebastian twee remark here. i’m done.
are people “wetting” themselves over this song? really?
that’s nice. i like it very much, actually. the voices sound like real people in conversation: in the first verse you can hear the confessional tone in her admission that, yes, she’s done her share of things she ashamed of…
i dunno (shrug), it’s the main thing about this song that drew me in. she’s a good actress, perhaps. but she’s really singing the song…i like that.
sally’s right, though: cute video, cute accent. but hey, i’m a suburban white boy, so it’s right in my wheelhouse.
i mean, it’s very appealing to what i call the “old navy set”: the same izod / sweat jacket wearing hipsters who have loved stereolab all these years. it’s white and smart sounding, but it’s danceable, so it has a little bit of badassed-ness to go along with its cutesy vibe. it’s very crossover in that way. and it also feature’s that same kind of sparseness that was so integral to the gnarls barkley song that was big last year, so may that makes it seem a little…ermmm…dark (in a safe sort of way, of course, the way honkey college-y hipsters not far from the next like their darkness: safe).
as far as its indebtedness to greg kihn goes, perhaps the studio version would’ve made a better comparison. but if they ARE indebted, they’re better at turning their sources into something new than oasis is, huh?
I’m not hearing the similarity either. The rhythms and chords are completely different. If anything, the song sounds to me very much influenced by New Order.
I enjoy the PB&J song quite a bit, personally. Actually, the song that annoyed me when I heard it on XMU in the car this afternoon was…I can’t remember what it’s called or who it’s by. But the vocal melody of the chorus is DIRECTLY lifted from the coda of EJ’s “Rocket Man.”