Bad Pennies

[Guest Bimbly]

I know it was written and recorded as a joke, but that doesn't detract from how good it turned out to be. How did that song not end up on Vancouver?

[OriginalSpecies]

I kinda view that song as the "Anti-Pop" of Vancouver... and while I do enjoy both of those tunes to an extent, something tells me Mr. Good doesn't share a similar enthusiasm (not to mention the fact that it doesn't really fit thematically with the rest of the record... but I'd still very much appreciate an official release!)

[Crusader]

convince mg to sell us the rights to the song and then we can travel back to the 90s and become mega superstars.

[OriginalSpecies]

convince mg to sell us the rights to the song and then we can travel back to the 90s and become mega superstars.

[Gomo]

Bad Pennies is amazing and should be recorded in a studio immediately ;)

[Manchalivin]

I agree with you on this. Bad Pennies is very enjoyable and catchy. I'm a little surprised though that you seem to hate Zero Orchestra when you really like Bad Pennies. Even though they're still very different from each other, they're both very catchy in my opinion. ZO being included on the new album makes up for BP being left off Vancouver I think.

[Guest Bimbly]

I agree with you on this. Bad Pennies is very enjoyable and catchy. I'm a little surprised though that you seem to hate Zero Orchestra when you really like Bad Pennies. Even though they're still very different from each other, they're both very catchy in my opinion. ZO being included on the new album makes up for BP being left off Vancouver I think.

 

Well, to my ears Zero Orchestra just sounds like it could replace almost any song on Hospital Music or Vancouver and nobody would know the difference. Bad Pennies sounds quite different from everything else. It's much more in line with his MGB work, when he seemingly embraced melody more. I just find it way livelier. Zero Orchestra sounds like shouting. Bad Pennies has a really catchy identifiable chorus, with funny/cool lyrics. The progression is pretty basic sure, but he sings a more engaging, interesting melody overtop. Like singing the note that makes the B a major 7th chord "if it hasn't done already...". Weezer does that a lot. It sounds beautiful.

 

btw my hope isn't for MG to turn out an entire record of Bad Pennies. I just wish he'd pull them out every once and a while.

[Manchalivin]

How did you hear Zero Orchestra, through the demo he posted on his site or the video that was posted on Facebook of the band playing a basic version of it in the studio? Because if you heard the actual demo (which has loads of brass and piano), I find it really surprising that you'd think it anything at all like Hospital Music or Vancouver. ZO has got to be one of the most radically different things he's ever done. The shout-esque vocals are different but I think the song is extremely musical.

[Guest Bimbly]

How did you hear Zero Orchestra, through the demo he posted on his site or the video that was posted on Facebook of the band playing a basic version of it in the studio? Because if you heard the actual demo (which has loads of brass and piano), I find it really surprising that you'd think it anything at all like Hospital Music or Vancouver. ZO has got to be one of the most radically different things he's ever done. The shout-esque vocals are different but I think the song is extremely musical.

 

I only know the demo. Sounds pretty par for the course in MG land. How is it radically different? The piano and brass arrangement aren't far off his latest releases. I mean, sure, it's novel a horn is playing it, but that's it. The melody could fit comfortably in almost any Hospital Music/Vancouver song. I just meant the vox were particularly obnoxious with the shouting. I'm glad you like it, and it's not inherently bad or anything, but I can't imagine anyone really hearing this and going "whoa, unchartered territory!". I actually sought Zero Orchestra out after your glowing review in another thread ;) so maybe my expectations were a tad high...

[Manchalivin]

That's so strange to me because I see fans being really surprised when they hear it and have a hard time understanding how you think it so similar. I sure don't know much about the technical side of music but overall this song sounds very different for Matt and not just because it has different instruments in it. The piano doesn't sound like usual MG piano at all to me and is far more playful and upbeat. I can understand you being put off by the vocals and I sure don't want every song of his to be like that but there's an edge and energy to his voice that I haven't heard from him in years, like since MGB days.

 

I'll leave it up to the musician, Matt Good, who seems to think this song quite different from anything he's done.

Edited February 25, 2011 by Manchalivin

[Guest Bimbly]

But...but...MG also said Lotus Flower sounded like Yorke doing Jamiroquai. Which is so far off the mark. Maybe he just meant the music video... I hope he did. Anyway, MG is a musician like hundreds of hundreds of thousands of others. I'll accept his opinion like anyone else's, not with any more importance. ;)

[Manchalivin]

I just meant I trust his opinion regarding this over mine or other non musicians. You're certainly entitled to disagree and I respect that but I know I'm not the only one who finds this new for MG.

Edited February 25, 2011 by Manchalivin

[prototypepariah]

fwiw - bad pennies = not such a good song