fun. (former members of The Format) - Aim and Ignite

so they're the ones who do that song

and they're called fun

yeah.

record's hard for me to think or talk about because a lot of the lyrics hit kind of close to home (see also folie a deux, which, speaking of, the strange meld of third wave emo with pop forms is also totally on exhibit here)

i like "we are young", such an undeniable anthem, and have now listened to a few other songs on allmusic's recommendations: "some nights", "carry on", "all alone". yeah, folie a deux is an obvious comparison point, along with the patrick stump solo joint, which never quite clicked for me. such a weird pileup of influences & connections here: freddy mercury & queen, grizzly bear, paul simon (???), pop emo in general, and god knows what else. pretty impressive, but maybe a little rich for my blood.

top comment on the "some nights" tube i watched:

somehow this reminds me of The Lion king <3

otm

the only way "we are young" could be any more cliched and awful would be if "set the world on fiii-yuh" rhymed with "our des-yuh"

"desir-yuh" i meant

but hey every pop generation needs its cheesy "anthems"

\paul simon (???)

I made this too - Some Nights is copped from Cecilia, with a patina of Little River Band. all by way of Queen of course.

m coleman otm

feel like what i like about the song is how the cliches sort of bounce off of the verses which are very specific

well they do feel like 2 different songs

I appreciate that fun. are listed 41st here even as they have the #1 hit in the country.

http://lineup.lollapalooza.com/

Forcing myself to listen to it sans visual, lest the product placement distract me from its musical riches. I almost was ready to accept Paul Simon but I'd say it's closer to Don McLean.

The guy's voice sounds so terrible.

feel like i hated his voice when i first listened to the format but then i warmed to it extremely. anyway.

here is a great song from this record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boqMW_EstG4

the lyrics to "We Are Young" are terrible

eh, same goes for a lot of shit i like. they're no more terrible than AC/DC lyrics or whatever. just a lot more earnest. and earnest isn't cool, so...

sigh, if only people could get over themselves and appreciate earnest Windows 8 ads.

tonight
we are young
play your video gaaaames

i'm supposed to sneer at music used in ads now? fuck that, i like the stooges.

i'm referring to the ad in the video

and i really only sneer at product placement when people flatter themselves with crap like "they're no more terrible than AC/DC lyrics or whatever. just a lot more earnest. and earnest isn't cool, so..."

Someone probably said this already, but the Glee performance of We Are Young is better than the original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ul-pLYo5MJ8

About 3 years ago I sent a couple friends to a Steel Train show in Brooklyn (Steel Train toured with various Daycadence bands for a while, so there's your Fall Out Boy connection) where Jack Antonoff, who was the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist in Steel Train then and is the guitarist in .fun now, did Queen's "Under Pressure" together with Nate.

I'm bringing this up because "Under Pressure" sums up the vibe of fun. - no? Especially at their live shows, where between Nate's histrionic Queen vocals and Jack's... presence (he's not the best singer or composer but he is a great "mood setter") there is so much nervous energy it infects everyone. Once you learn to associate the sound/vocals with that feeling, you learn to love the vocals.

Here's an interview where you can see "nervous energy" in action, also fun.'s great keyboardist who I suspect is like Jamie XX, the person who actually "composes" their music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4E5eVlSm1M&fb_source=message

In the future of DIY pop music, you only need good vocals and an interesting beat? (And good lyrics. Nate is a very very good lyricist.)

<i>This sounds like The Lion King <3</i>

Dunno how far to credit this but wikipedia sez Steel Train's former lead singer played Young Simba in the Broadway version of The Lion King. So this message... especially with the heart... it's probably from a longtime fan.

https://soundcloud.com/bleachers/i-wanna-get-better

bleachers song is very in the mode of "one foot." kinda into it.

the format reunited

i think this is the only relevant thread on ilm

anyway: greatest band of all time, i'm thrilled i'll actually be able to see one of these shows, unlike... mcr

the format > fun.

I mean, Klinghoffer has some free time to join up with the tour too...

(nb I know his solo project is opening for Pearl Jam so he's not exactly hungry, but we could wish)

also not sure this reunion is gonna be more than nate + sam doing acoustic sets but even that would be great, cf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5aHhzhsC6c

ok i hadn't gotten very far in that video: it's gonna be a full band for the shows in new york, chicago, and phoenix

snails see the benefit
the beauty in every inch
so why why why oh why
are you quick to kiss

Somehow I didn't have a bookmark on this thread so I missed the whole reunion thing!

Also, Sam Means put out an album, 10 Songs, in 2016, and it's pretty great!