Tuesday, November 8, 2011

#140: The Dandy Warhols - ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down (1997)


Emily: One word came to mind as I listened to the Dandy Warhols: nondescript. Just ask Zack. I said it so many times in the first 10 minutes of the album that he banned me from using it for the following 55 minutes. I couldn't help it; there was nothing I could latch onto. The entire album was enjoyable to listen to and I liked it well enough, but it kind of fell into the background. The best way to describe it is that it sounds like a good opening act - you didn't pay to see the band, but you like it well enough as it gets you excited for the main show. You tell yourself that you'll look them up online after the show, but you never actually do it. Yeah, the Dandy Warhols are kind of like that. Kind of cool, kind of interesting, but just kind of uninspiring.
Favorite Tracks: Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth; I Love You; Cool as Kim Deal

Zack: I read on Wikipedia that the Dandy Warhols formed to make "needed music to drink to." I can totally appreciate that sentiment. They make the kind of music you might hear in the basement of a guy who wears a lot of flannel as you maneuver around trying not to spill precious Natty from your red solo cup. Well, probably not Natty. If that's what you're drinking, it's probably more DMB and LMFAO and other acronyms. But I feel like they aren't quite flannely enough to warrant Pabst. And I can't see them as a Rolling Rock band either. Plus they're definitely not mainstream enough for Budweiser, Coors, or Miller. This is a tough one. Heineken maybe? Yeah, I think that's probably it. Now that that's out of the way, we can move on to the more important stuff. Like how bitchin' of a name "Dandy Warhols" is. Seriously, it's like the greatest band name ever. It is everything you could ever want in nomenclature. There's a pop culture reference, a pun, romance, action, and even some intrigue. It's so perfect. The album title, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. They're coming down, but from what? Is this them propelling down from the highest peak of greatness, signifying that they have officially sold out and will never be as "real" as they were back in the good old days? Or is this them moving away from the ledge and realizing that there are some fans out there who appreciate them and that they shouldn't commit musical suicide by jumping down into the dark realms that Hanson resides (shout-out to Emily for knowing off the top of her head that Hanson's MMMBop was released the same year as this album)? It's so...nondescript. Or maybe it's just a cliff-hanger. Who knows? 
Favorite Tracks: Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth; Good Morning; Cool as Kim Deal

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