Well I discovered them via this thread, so, thanks.

Had Generals on this morning while we were cleaning, kids and wife enjoyed it. So it's win, win, win, and win.

I love this band, and the experience of discovering this band (through chud, of course!) so much that I just re-read the entire thread!

I've yet to introduce this band to someone who said "meh" upon hearing them.

So far I've got the same responses.

Really really like Generals. Checked them out on a Spotify search after reading some of this thread. So is the consensus they have a hard time reproducing the songs live or do they pop off in a different, but equally cool way?

I'm seeing them live, in person, for the first time in Sept. But based on the view clips I've seen online, I'd say the band has no real problems performing/translating /reproducing their songs live.

Sometimes the arrangements are different, and the vocal layering is often different, but it's rarely a problem, for me.

Yeah, the one complaint I mentioned here is just that, one complaint. It's one problem I have in a very small part of one song. All in all they seem to be VERY good at translating their songs to a live setting. In fact, the only reason I got into them is because I saw them live with Bright Eyes. How often do you see an opening act and then go home and buy the record?

I'm hesitant to check these guys out based on how much chud likes them, and their association with Bright Eyes.

Suit yourself.

The Decemberists have a great track record for this very thing. I've discovered (and bought albums by) Laura Viers, Sons and Daughters, Grizzly Bear, Best Coast and Loch Lomond because they all opened Decemberists shows I attended.

I picked up Blind Pilot's album after seeing them open for the Decemberists. Pretty okay stuff.

Joanna Newsom and Band of Horses are the only other artists I can really remember becoming interested in after seeing them as an opening acts.

Jorge, give this tune a shot. This band is about a thousand times better than Bright Eyes.

A ringing endorsement.

Oh yeah, Band of Horses. I got into them after seeing them open for PJ.

But I was sort of aware of them already, so I don't know if that counts.

Their CD was a letdown after their live set; when seeing them live it felt like all their songs were just tremendously written, but when I got the album only a few packed the same punch. I think their story is that the guy pretty much recorded the album on his own in a kind of rickety basement-tape style, and then took them on the road with a considerably more accomplished band and fleshed them out a lot more. There were still some songs on the album I really liked:




Apparently they've released a new one since then, I should check it out.

That crazy bitch I used to podcast with claimed to be best friends / ex lovers with the Blind Pilot guy.

I want to play these songs, man. But I'm right in the middle of Real Gone on vinyl. How's It Gonna End is playing now, and I can't bring myself to get up and turn it off.

Don't. Real Gone is a hell of a lot better. But hey, maybe later.



I had a friend in school who told us he could get us free tickets to see the Smashing Pumpkins at the University of Illinois because he was Billy Corgan's cousin. When no tickets emerged, he amended the statement saying he'd made a mistake, that he hadn't meant to imply that he was Billy Corgan's cousin, but that instead his dad's company had once sold the band generators for their equipment. When pressed further, he reneged again saying no, we'd misunderstood yet again, it wasn't so much that his dad sold the band generators, but rather than his dad knew someone who worked in the Peoria Civic Center office who may know someone at the U of I office who might be able to wrangle a few free tickets. This didn't happen; we bought the tickets instead, and went without him.

Of course, when Toad the Wet Sprocket came to town, he got tickets for that.

I also saw Okkervil River and My Brightest Diamond open for the Decemberists. Neither did much for me. (Though My Brightest Diamond did cover "Black.")

Okkervil River is interesting, but inconsistent, I think. I also so them open for the Decemberists. And I liked them well enough live, but I can't seem to find an album of theirs that I like front to back.

Never saw My Brightest Diamond, but Shara can WAIL. Her voice destroys me. I like their stuff quite a bit, though it is kinda right time/place music.