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Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers
Aug. 26th, 2005 11:26 amOk, so we made it out to Duke Coffeehouse to see the Mountain Goats. After getting turned off of 15/501, they had the whole of it blocked off and turned us and countless others onto an on ramp to send us off 15/501. It was aggravating and bizarre. And then we got there, and the Mountain Goats canceled due to illness. But we got to see the Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers.
The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers are the best band I've ever hated. All because of the vocals. Its tragic, because they are fantastic. Such good textures, arrangements, musicianship! I just wish they had done some instrumental only songs or had a female vocalist or someone else do vocals once in a while. The lead singer had one emotional setting, and one setting only and that was "poignant." And I'm afraid after 3 songs of "poignant" it becomes merely "whiny." The music would be funking out, awesome and he'd come in with "poignant." It was excruciating. Especially when the lyrics didn't follow the very important show don't tell rule and/or were cliched. The following words should not be used in lyrics written for a whiney guy, or for that matter, any rock n' roll or music at all (exceptions made for death metal and goth music): ashes (especially when referring to an emotional state), summer's day (or any seasons day, one might be able to get away with Fall, if one was careful, I think that hasn't been done to death), death/die/dying (or any sort of mortality at all, really). The only song lyrics that I liked was a song about an imaginary friend and an adulterous couple, because they were more show than tell.
Oh, and the other thing is that they started off on the wrong foot with me, and not just because of the pretentious band name. They (the lead singer and DKD) were really bossy on stage to start off with, "Could you get me a bottle of water!" No please, thanks. Similar treatment for the sound dude, which I understand better, sometimes you have to be assertive with sound dudes. But nonetheless, the lack of basic politeness made them seem like jerks.
I am looking forward to seeing the Moaners tonight at Jo n' Jo's. If anyone would care to join us tonight, I think cover is 10 bucks and its a late show, with like 5 openers (we are going to get there earlyish- like 9 or 10- so we get seats).
The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers are the best band I've ever hated. All because of the vocals. Its tragic, because they are fantastic. Such good textures, arrangements, musicianship! I just wish they had done some instrumental only songs or had a female vocalist or someone else do vocals once in a while. The lead singer had one emotional setting, and one setting only and that was "poignant." And I'm afraid after 3 songs of "poignant" it becomes merely "whiny." The music would be funking out, awesome and he'd come in with "poignant." It was excruciating. Especially when the lyrics didn't follow the very important show don't tell rule and/or were cliched. The following words should not be used in lyrics written for a whiney guy, or for that matter, any rock n' roll or music at all (exceptions made for death metal and goth music): ashes (especially when referring to an emotional state), summer's day (or any seasons day, one might be able to get away with Fall, if one was careful, I think that hasn't been done to death), death/die/dying (or any sort of mortality at all, really). The only song lyrics that I liked was a song about an imaginary friend and an adulterous couple, because they were more show than tell.
Oh, and the other thing is that they started off on the wrong foot with me, and not just because of the pretentious band name. They (the lead singer and DKD) were really bossy on stage to start off with, "Could you get me a bottle of water!" No please, thanks. Similar treatment for the sound dude, which I understand better, sometimes you have to be assertive with sound dudes. But nonetheless, the lack of basic politeness made them seem like jerks.
I am looking forward to seeing the Moaners tonight at Jo n' Jo's. If anyone would care to join us tonight, I think cover is 10 bucks and its a late show, with like 5 openers (we are going to get there earlyish- like 9 or 10- so we get seats).
