Say Something Nice or Interesting about: Smash Mouth (or possibly Sugar Ray)

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There's also a very important aspect of XTC as a band who at no point was ever really very comfortable with being popular. Smashmouth seemed designed to be popular, at least on TV during the summer.

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:38 (nineteen years ago) link

well andy partridge was definitely more self concious about his paunch than smash mouth dude (manthony tell me you know his name), but that's oc vs. uk

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:40 (nineteen years ago) link

does anyone know what Andy Partridge sang on The Residents' Commercial Album?

― big chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:40 (nineteen years ago) link

" 'ow's about a wee more pudding guv"?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:41 (nineteen years ago) link

Google says "Margaret Freeman"

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:43 (nineteen years ago) link

fuuuck his name is like Harwell or something (the guitarist who writes all the songs is named Greg Camp), lemme check...Steve Harwell.

XTC totally WANTED to be popular. Partridge admits to being pissed and jealous when Moulding's songs started being hit singles with Drums And Wires. When they saw the work was too hard they went headlong into cult world.

Smashmouth were also witty little hoppy cynics, they just wanted to get PAID more than they wanted to be respectable. Again, OC.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:43 (nineteen years ago) link

btw if we were doing Smashmouth vs. 4-piece XTC. I'd pick XTC. This is about similarity not superiority.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:44 (nineteen years ago) link

thanky Dominique !!!! xoxo

― big chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:45 (nineteen years ago) link

I was about to say that XTC were never gonna be movie hawkers but then I remembered "Take This Town."

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:48 (nineteen years ago) link

they wanted to be popular inasmuch as they signed a record contract, toured and released singles. They just weren't suited for it, in a way that, say, The Jam, the Clash, Talking Heads, the Police - all their peers and rivals - were. If you're saying Smashmouth is somehow the OC version of this, then you could basically say any rock band with (apparently) moderately interesting lyrics is the OC XTC.

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:49 (nineteen years ago) link

plus similar organ sound. I also think that Harwell and Partridge's vocal rhythms are similar (even if the timbres are way different). They could cover each other's big early hits and nobody would have noticed a change in songwriting style.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Ugh. Is this debate still going on? Look, comparing Smashmouth to XTC is like comparing Hoobastank to fuckin' King Crimson. It's like comparing a water pistol to a howtizer.

plus similar organ sound

Have you ever actually listened to Go 2 by XTC?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:53 (nineteen years ago) link

good comeback alex

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:53 (nineteen years ago) link

king crimson -> adrian belew -> talking heads -> eno -> u2 -> hoobastank

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:54 (nineteen years ago) link

and they're lyrical perspectives are similar, though Harwell seems a little more well-adjusted. Smashmouth also resemble elements of those other "new wave" bands, because they're totally new wave. Though XTC and Smashmouth are more "Wooly Bully" than the other bands.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:54 (nineteen years ago) link

I thought referencing my bootleg copy of Look Look would have silenced the XTC-knowledge claims but ah well

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:56 (nineteen years ago) link

they're lyrical perspectives are similar

What fucking planet do you live on?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Other people who use "96 Tears" sounding organs: Beck, B-52s, the Austin Powers soundtrack. Smashmouth are really the OC ? and the Mysterians, ie, garage psyche-pop in an era when that could only be kitsche.

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:57 (nineteen years ago) link

the extra 'e' is for imphasis

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:58 (nineteen years ago) link

*raises eyebrows to blount*
(x-post, re: my home planet)

Greg Camp is way more influenced by the Costello/Partridge school of songwriting than the ? one (both took ?'s sonic elements though)

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 18:59 (nineteen years ago) link

maybe one day someone will put a gun to my head and force me to hear a bunch of Smashmouth songs, and I can agree with you

― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:02 (nineteen years ago) link

o dude i think dominique set you up the bomb, 'can't sniff enough of this glue baby' was a ? cover (and sounded like most other smash mouth hits)(ie 'walking on the sun')

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:03 (nineteen years ago) link

"Can't Get Enough Of You, Baby" stands out on Astro Lounge as being way simpler songwriting and lyric-wise, reaffirming that Greg Camp is from the new wave dense-wit school.

Mentioning Costello made me realize that A)stuff like "Radio Radio" is another obv. Smashmouth touchstone B)the Attractions were also way more flashy, stylish musicians than Smashmouth C)like XTC Costello traded in that flash for over-dub hysteria as soon as possible

so what I'm wondering is do people think Costello and Partridge would have bothered with having great bands if they started today or would they go right into the Abba-Sgt. Peppers shit (Costello hangs with Q-Tip, so he may have done similar-to-Smashmouth hip-hop flavorage)?

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:06 (nineteen years ago) link

'oc' as musical adjective - socal + suburbia, probable retro tendencies?
-- cinniblount (littlejohnnyjewe...), September 14th, 2004.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oc = more comfortable with commercialism, smiling for the cameras, hip-hop happened

-- manthony m1cc1o (anthonyisrigh...), September 14th, 2004.

which describes Limp Wrist and the Dance Disaster Movement perfectly.

― OAH SEA BICH, Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:09 (nineteen years ago) link

SMASHMOUTH DID NOT WRITE "CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOU BABY"!!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:10 (nineteen years ago) link

he knows hence his last post

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:11 (nineteen years ago) link

Hooked on Phonics Even Though Ire-Fueled Mist Obscures My Vision worked for me!

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:14 (nineteen years ago) link

(I'm sorry, that wasn't as funny as I thought it would be)

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:15 (nineteen years ago) link

I know the text is black and white, but all I SEEE is RED!

― Bono In NYC (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:17 (nineteen years ago) link

I'd rather just talk about Protex. Mr. Blount, did I get these mp3s from you?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:21 (nineteen years ago) link

come again?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:22 (nineteen years ago) link

i don't see how anyone could really hate sugar ray. they're cute.

smashmouth i can take or leave.

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:23 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm not even getting into my Sugar Ray appreciation (it's all been said on other threads, I'm sure)

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:25 (nineteen years ago) link

IIRC you wax a bit hyperbolic abt a pleasant-enough band

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:27 (nineteen years ago) link

the asshole who snags the hotchick you've been eyeing but who thinks of you as 'just a friend' and then eight hours later she calls you in the middle in the night in tears crying about how 'he stuck a table leg in my vagina'? - that's sugar ray

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:27 (nineteen years ago) link

that's sugar ray's haircuts, not their music. And in real life I'm under the impression that Mark McGrath would spend more time talking to you than the girl.

though since this is the Say Something Nice thread I'll note that while they sound nothing like XTC I'll take Sugar Ray's self-titled album over any of XTC's. Best pop-rock album of the millenium so far.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:29 (nineteen years ago) link

Ironically, Sugar Ray used to be "just a friend" type band in a far superior pop punk format called the Shrinky Dinks.

― OAH SEA BICH, Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:30 (nineteen years ago) link

is sugar ray's s/t the one with nicole eggert? yeah i'll take that too thx lol

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:30 (nineteen years ago) link

though he would fuck her (but he'd keep bringing you up)

(x-post)

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:30 (nineteen years ago) link

nah that one is called Lemonade & Brownies (which is probably what Mark McGrath would order from eggert if he wasn't shy) the self-titled came later when kids stopped paying attention cuz the song's were on mom's radio station too.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:31 (nineteen years ago) link

Best pop-rock album of the millenium so far.

haha and i thought you were gonna get defensive abt my "hyperbolic" comment !!

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:31 (nineteen years ago) link

it's only been four years. I'm assuming it will be topped. Lots of rock albums have. And there are better singles out there, it's just consistency that makes me give it the nod.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:32 (nineteen years ago) link

i like one song by both (not coincidentally the hits that made their career)(as opposed to the followup hits where they coasted) but neither of these guys are fit to whiff the sphinctors < / ainyc> of no doubt.

haha - "too"

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:33 (nineteen years ago) link

i don't think either band tries as hard as no doubt (that is NOT a slag on no doubt)

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:34 (nineteen years ago) link

I'll take Sugar Ray's self-titled album over any of XTC's.

You would.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:34 (nineteen years ago) link

Gwen and Mark both just say "I need you" a lot except Mark gets dumped and Gwen dumps.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:34 (nineteen years ago) link

both because mark is fucking around

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:35 (nineteen years ago) link

come again?

They're on this disc I burned that had that Roll Deep Crew album which I also snagged from you (which is v. v. good). Late seventies punk or pop or something.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:35 (nineteen years ago) link

i don't think no doubt made the 90s poll nominations! in thinking abt my ballot, there's tons and tons of great stuff that was left out and a lot of mediocrities included. :-(

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:36 (nineteen years ago) link

I take Sugar Ray over No Doubt because they're a little less twerpy and, ironically, Gwen postures more.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 19:38 (nineteen years ago) link

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