Philosophy

Dear James,

I could write a whole blog on Ben Folds and his Five. The song you posted below is from last September's album, Way To Normal. I downloaded it, listened to it once and never returned to it until you posted You Don't Know Me. It's a grower, it has its moments, but the thing is this:

When you've written a song like Philosophy, where do you go from there? Well, Steven's Last Night in Town and Narcolepsy, clearly, and even Ben's first two proper albums had half a dozen songs each of the standard we'd come to love. And it's saddening how one of my two hereos (Jerry Seinfeld being the other) has lowered his game to this radio-friendly- if it wasn't Ben Folds I wouldn't give it the time of day- mush, but I think we can accord him the same status as Queen and Billy Joel who smashed our musical illusions by making a load of great albums and then a load of guff. That's age for you.

I was going to post more videos then, but I've just discovered there was a Ben Folds Five reunion gig in Chapel Hill on 18 September last year. Josephine Funseeker's birthday! I'm going to watch that instead. Why don't you watch it too? This is huge.

Well it's now 4.15am and I just watched that and it brought forward all kinds of emotions, from the trumpet at 2:22 in Don't Change Your Plans and onwards and before that. What a band. Sometimes you get two friends together and they become a couple and they thank you, but it doesn't compare to my thanks to you and Áine for getting me into this band. Thank you and good night, good night, sweet baby. The world has more for you.

Dear Daniel,

Well crikey, you're welcome. I wasn't aware that Reinhold Messner had become something of a lost classic in the US or that Robert Sledge had become overweight or that Darren Jessie had a solo career. To be honest, I didn't realise ten years had passed. Bloody hell.

In record-straightening news: I was a fan of Billy Joel aged 7, with a nostalgic relapse aged 11 - 13. It don't makes him my Queen, he's my ironic nostaligic childhood joke-act reference, or "inchjar". No musical illusions were smashed by that man, he doesn't deserve that much attention. I think REM were to me what Queen were to you. But anyway, I see your point...

Dear James,

Darren Jessee now sings in Hotel Lights. At first listen, I'm tempted to say it sounds like non-descript, lily-livered Americana. You might like it, you like Elliott Smith.

White Winter Hymnal

Dear James,
Back in August I told you you'd like Fleet Foxes and you took offense and asked me why, as if it was so easy to read you. Here are ten reasons why:

1. They have an animal in their name. Like The High Llamas. And other bands you like with animal names.
2. Stop-motion video. Duels do this all the time. So do Tool. That´s probably who you got it off.
3. Nice clean harmonies. Like the Beach Boys.
4. Moderate tambourine use. Like the Beach Boys.
5. Suprising chord change at (0:33). Like the Beach Boys.
6. That electric guitar sound that always reminds me of Hank Marvin but which seems to be awfully popular these days.
7. They've only released one album and thus have yet to disappoint with their second.
8. Audible breathing (2:10). Like Elliott Smith. And the Beach Boys.
9. "The quintet describe their music as "baroque harmonic pop jams"", it says here. Nothing says James more than baroque harmonic pop jam. In fact, that's probably an anagram of your name.
10. The Daily Telegraph called their debut album "pretty but almost pathologically unobtrusive". Just like you, again.