Give it up for the fucking Gin Blossoms

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the gin blossoms--or at least, the singles of theirs that i know--really mined one aspect of the late replacements' style to the exclusion of some of the others. granted it's one of the better aspects of said style (the sort of offhanded melancholy in pocket narratives stuff) but still, feels a bit monochromatic even in the course of one song. i definitely do not hate the gin blossoms though. in their bridges of their better songs there's a little space for minor pop catharsis, definitely.


xpost

haha i was thinking about the wallflowers' "one headlight" the other day for some reason. i sort of mildly like that song too, and it was totally inescapable for a while there, but there's no way it's gonna appear on the ILM 1990s poll (w/good reason i suppose)

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:00 (nineteen years ago) link

It's got some wack lyrics, but that disco bass guarantees I'll listen to "One Headlight" anytime it's on the radio.

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:02 (nineteen years ago) link

the organ part's great too. It's only Jakob's Dylan McKay-esque vocals that keep it from being a classic.

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:02 (nineteen years ago) link

do you mean disco bass drum?

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:08 (nineteen years ago) link

nah, the dum-duddu-dum-duddu-dum-duddu-dum bass line. It's also in the Dismemberment Plan's "Superpowers" to similar effect.

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:09 (nineteen years ago) link

This man was absolutely correct.

You are welcome to him.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:17 (nineteen years ago) link

is everyone here like 39, balding, wearing dockers?

el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:18 (nineteen years ago) link

1 out of 3. here's a cookie.

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:18 (nineteen years ago) link

0 out of 3 for me.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:20 (nineteen years ago) link

"Whoa, Blossom!"
http://slowpencil.net/chako/notebook/archives/joey_blossom.jpg

joseph pot (STINKOR™), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:41 (nineteen years ago) link

For me, the Gin Blossoms were part of that whole Third-Matchbox-From-The-Eye-Tonic wave, an era that is probably best forgotten.

ultimately just a Letter to Cleo cover band without an E.G. Daily imperonator up front

Careful, Alex, if you say that girl's name 5 times in a darkened room
you become Paul Reubens.

Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Sunday, 5 September 2004 23:55 (nineteen years ago) link

i do like the gin blossoms more than jeff buckley. better songs.

frankE (frankE), Monday, 6 September 2004 00:54 (nineteen years ago) link

I sotr of like "One Headlight" too, mainly the organ and the insistent rhythm

Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 6 September 2004 01:05 (nineteen years ago) link

This is such a weird thread. I had no idea about you people.

Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 6 September 2004 01:27 (nineteen years ago) link

"Follow You Down," "Til I Hear It From You", "Found Out About You"... Jesus, the song titles alone are making me yawn. And those horrible harmony vocals in every chorus... ack. Gin Blossoms make Better Than Ezra sound like Pixies.

joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 6 September 2004 01:48 (nineteen years ago) link

"Good" rocks!

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 6 September 2004 01:48 (nineteen years ago) link

but Better Than Ezra leads us into the world of donkey voice, which leads us to Rob Thomas. The waters now truly get dangerous.

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 6 September 2004 01:49 (nineteen years ago) link

I. AM. APPALLED.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 03:01 (nineteen years ago) link

I have this weird vision where punk rock began with Frampton.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 6 September 2004 03:02 (nineteen years ago) link

"For me, the Gin Blossoms were part of that whole Third-Matchbox-From-The-Eye-Tonic wave, an era that is probably best forgotten. "

WE MUST NEVER FORGET.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 6 September 2004 03:05 (nineteen years ago) link

NEVER AGAIN!

latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 6 September 2004 03:06 (nineteen years ago) link

but Better Than Ezra leads us into the world of donkey voice, which leads us to Rob Thomas. The waters now truly get dangerous.

donkey voice? please expound on this.

artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 6 September 2004 03:28 (nineteen years ago) link

i dunno, gin blossoms were much less aggressive than those other bands, their music is relatively unpretentious and, as noted above, really even-keeled (this is an observation not a criticism or compliment). also they had better songs and an inoffensive lead singer.

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 6 September 2004 03:49 (nineteen years ago) link

For me, the Gin Blossoms were part of that whole Third-Matchbox-From-The-Eye-Tonic wave, an era that is probably best forgotten.

What? Not only are Gin Blossoms about five times as good as any of these bands, they were hardly from the same era--none of these bands even had a single hit before the Blossoms were broken up.

And Anthony's right, BTE aren't nearly that bad--I'd peg 'em one below the Gin Blossoms. "Good," "In the Blood," "Desperately Wanting" are all fine songs.

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:38 (nineteen years ago) link

ts bte vs bto

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:39 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh, and "Hey Jealousy" > "Dyslexic Heart," but "Waiting for Somebody" is arguably just as good. And "6th Avenue Heartache" is way better than "One Headlight"

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:40 (nineteen years ago) link

"one headlight" is the only song i like by them because of the aforementioned disco effect

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:41 (nineteen years ago) link

"Good," "In the Blood," "Desperately Wanting" are all fine songs.

Word. Actually, I picked both BTE albums up really cheap. Not very good, and "In The Blood" sounded awful - I remember it being less harsh. Must have been a single mix that I liked. "Desperately Wanting" is really, really good though.

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:42 (nineteen years ago) link

"In the Blood" is my favorite, actually.

Haha, recently I found both Soul Asylum's Grave Dancer's Union and BTE's Deluxe for $3 each, and I could only buy one--I ended up going with Soul Asylum, but now I'm not so sure.

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:45 (nineteen years ago) link

such purchases would disrupt the immaculate purity of my record collection

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:45 (nineteen years ago) link

I still like In The Blood, but having not heard it in five years when I bought that album, for it to sound completely different, more jagged and less poppy than I'd remembered, was really weird. I do think you made the wrong choice buying Soul Asylum, though. DW has probably aged the best, King of New Orleans has not aged well at all, and it wasn't very good back then. A lot of the BTE hate must stem from that song.

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:47 (nineteen years ago) link

I already said all of this, though:

Top Ten Mediocre Post-Grunge/Alternative Bands

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:49 (nineteen years ago) link

i'm so glad the 90s are over

amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:49 (nineteen years ago) link

What can I say, I'm a sucker for "Somebody to Shove".

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:49 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah, it was nice seeing a few other people out of the woodwork on that. Is holystoning on here?

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I don't think so. He writes for I Love the 90s though.

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Monday, 6 September 2004 04:54 (nineteen years ago) link

I cannot believe this thread. I cannot believe this band has champions. I need to go outside and get some fresh air.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:13 (nineteen years ago) link

Alex, your venom is delightful, but you're not always right.

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:13 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh yes I am. Hahahaha. My wife better not read this.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:17 (nineteen years ago) link

Really, I was just listening to Follow You Down today, and it reminds me that at the time (I'd have been 13 or 14) it sounded like the sort of music that mid-20s, vacuous office workers would have on while they typed away, sort of humming along.

I've become one of those people and life's not all bad, and Follow You Down is still bloody great.

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:19 (nineteen years ago) link

Alex, your venom is delightful, but you're not always right.
-- edward o (edwardo...), September 6th, 2004.

he's right in this instance.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:22 (nineteen years ago) link

I'd let out a big, boistrous "FUCKIN' A!",...but I'm sitting in neighborhood coffee shop/internet cafe.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:23 (nineteen years ago) link

Your claque doesn't faze me!

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:26 (nineteen years ago) link

:::goes to look up 'claque' in the dictionary:::

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:28 (nineteen years ago) link

(I mean the word in its less insulting sense, obviously)

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 6 September 2004 13:33 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...
Found Out About you is a bad Byrds rewrite with a lazy chorus and the rest of those bands are awful, but Hey Jelousy is pretty undeniable if you enjoy hooks.

danh (danh), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 16:16 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...
i'd rather not have to wait for the singles poll to load to have continue this discussion.

from there:
The Replacements couldn't work up the same dippy enthusiasm for lightweight stuff that the Gin Blossoms did, cuz they weren't as dippy.

I guess it depends on the meaning of the word "lightweight". Lightweigh in what way?

john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:48 (nineteen years ago) link

I also sort of wonder if some people hold the band's later singles against "Hey Jealousy"--songs like "Allison Road," "'Til I Hear it From You" and "Follow You Down," while all still excellent, are far wimpier and much less energetic than "Hey Jealousy"'s vitality, and perhaps make the song lose any sort of edge through association. There's nothing "lightweight" about "Hey Jealousy," though, not really.

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:58 (nineteen years ago) link

Personally, I love "Allison Road". It may not ring as "true" or "genunie" as "Hey Jealousy", but it's damn close to being a perfect pop song.

john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:03 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah, "Allison Road" is good stuff. Not one of my personal favorites but a pretty enough jangle-pop number.

The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:05 (nineteen years ago) link

...sorry to be a downer on lighthearted 90s nostalgia thread. Got to admit I was glad to youtube Hey Jealousy after all these years.

atoms breaking heart (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 11 June 2010 22:50 (thirteen years ago) link

(Also obv my reading of the article was inspired by this thread, not the article itself. Time I was less awake and less on the internet.)

atoms breaking heart (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 11 June 2010 22:51 (thirteen years ago) link

one year passes...

appreciating the off-balance progression in the chorus of "Found Out About You". This is a lot like "With Every Heartbeat" - you never really get a nice return to the tonic, except a fake one that has the loud 1 note on "Whispers at the bus stop" but is actually a IV chord. They could have done away with the bridge but it's 1992 after all so I forgive them.

skip, Thursday, 16 February 2012 00:28 (twelve years ago) link

three years pass...

"follow you down" is some cast in amber 90's gold

the uncool Lemonheads

hackshaw, Monday, 18 May 2015 22:39 (eight years ago) link

Haha I dig that comparison.

Heroic melancholy continues to have a forceful grip on (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 19 May 2015 11:31 (eight years ago) link

seven years pass...

really good songwriters

obviously part of the landfill alternative era but they really were in their hearts a mid-80s US jangle band, they should have put out two records on IRS, then a major label flop, and opened for half of REM's Life's Rich Pageant tour dates

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 15:28 (one year ago) link

otm. been weirdly stuck on 29 for the last few months
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq7psoiaBkw

im a beacon of light (Spottie), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 15:45 (one year ago) link

yeah, they were Phoenix and I would sometimes see them play in Tucson in the late 80s. They were part of this desert rock scene (basically Jangle Rock with some Crazy Horse influence) along with Sidewinders/Sand Rubies. It was pretty surprising when they hit big, as they seemed sort of an earlier era.

Motion to adjourn to enjoy a footling (President Keyes), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 15:56 (one year ago) link

from Phoenix

Motion to adjourn to enjoy a footling (President Keyes), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 15:57 (one year ago) link

"Allison Road" is such a beautiful song

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:09 (one year ago) link

looking at the spotify numbers and im surprised that one isnt up there with hey jealousy and found out about you, seems like its the one i hear in the open the most these days.

congratulations im sorry has three really beautiful songs; not only numb, as long as it matters and competition smile.

im a beacon of light (Spottie), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:18 (one year ago) link

i never listened to that kinda figured it wouldn't be much considering what happened

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:19 (one year ago) link

Gin Blossoms are shit .... then, now and forever.

Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:22 (one year ago) link

classic imo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFy0_DstfRk

im a beacon of light (Spottie), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:24 (one year ago) link

yeah, I dug these guys a lot. still love "Found Out About You", and obv "Hey Jealousy", both karaoke favs. deep cuts are great.

my bro saw them a few years ago at a wine festival, said they were awesome.

fentanyl young (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:25 (one year ago) link

Alex!! hey!

yeah, they were Phoenix and I would sometimes see them play in Tucson in the late 80s. They were part of this desert rock scene (basically Jangle Rock with some Crazy Horse influence) along with Sidewinders/Sand Rubies. It was pretty surprising when they hit big, as they seemed sort of an earlier era.

― Motion to adjourn to enjoy a footling (President Keyes), Wednesday, January 11, 2023 9:56 AM (twenty-seven minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

listening to the album Cuacha by Sand Rubies and yeah this is very Gin Blossoms wow

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:25 (one year ago) link

my bro saw them a few years ago at a wine festival, said they were awesome.

― fentanyl young (Neanderthal), Wednesday, January 11, 2023 10:25 AM (twelve seconds ago) bookmarkflaglink

haha the gin blossoms playing the catalina wine mixer is perfect

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:26 (one year ago) link

The Wine Moms

Lord Pickles (Boring, Maryland), Wednesday, 11 January 2023 16:51 (one year ago) link

one year passes...

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