Greatest Left Fielders/Favorite Songs of the '00s

Like I said in the post my "pride" wouldn't let me look up hubristic

That was very clever of you, Alk, and it went completely past my head. I had no idea you were capable of such irony; my hubris kept me from seeing it...

As to The Killers, I think you're right, and it's probably what has kept them from doing anything great since Day & Age. They do a great job of blending Springsteen and Glam, Flowers is an amazing singer, and Keunig is a brilliant guitarist; but they are unavoidably retro, and young listeners do pick up on that.

Knowing that, I'm surprised so many young listeners--and at 46, I'm not one--have taken to neo-Folk bands like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers, R & B-ish bands like The Black Keys, and neo-80's bands like Interpol. Something in the new presentations of old sounds must really resonate with them. As to my current listening tendencies, it's the stressful end of the semester, so I'm listening to a lot of Keane, Beach Boys, and Lana Del Rey. And when i want to get my funk/blues on, I turn to my new love, Arctic Monkeys.

P.s. Your new word to look up now is hamartia, and then you have to determine what yours is...

HaMartia - One who laughs while watching The Brady Bunch.

The fact we hear Springsteen in their music is what attracts us to band like The Killers. To give you better idea of how I listen to music take the The Black Keys I like them I have 8 of their albums, now I couldn't name 1 song they sing or if they are 3 piece band or and an octet. Every time I play them I enjoy it. I am not technically sound (no pun) its just how it makes me feel. Since I just download mp3's well its not like the days of albums when you would look at the album jacket and 23 minutes you would need to change the record so I was more involved in what song was on which album so forth. Now I just drop all the The Black Keys in Winamp put in on shuffle and listen to them for a couple of hours while I go about my very busy days of drafting SOM teams.
Keane I like a lot a very different sounding band to me.
I appreciate The Beach Boys as I get older would never listen to them growing up my big brother did
Mumford and Sons I need to put on headphones and blast away they need to be loud.
The Lumineers very different and unique sound to me.
What cds do u recommend for Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey not familiar with Lana at all I have heard Arctic Monkeys don't know what though

HaMartia - One who laughs while watching The Brady Bunch.

are they flawed or one in error?

HaMartia - One who laughs while watching The Brady Bunch.

are they flawed or one in error?

Depends on how old they are. I'm kidding. Cool word though.

Prof. Strether, I thank you for your soulful (best word that resonates for me) contributions in these favorites/greatest threads. I didn't contribute much at all in your threads IMO. But I did learn something about music through your input as well as Steve's, niners, and alk. If there were others I thank them too. I know the power of music but I haven't pursued it as much as say Strat baseball on the internet (not close). Never really got into music at all until I was in the Army. Ninerphans' responses in particular, together with your posts - and others - have me wondering what I'm missing regarding music. And that's a major gift. Thank you, guys.

And now you got me seeking out poetry! Another soulful type endeavor. I'll have to PM you about that. You are a MAJOR gift to these boards, L. Strether.

Prof. Strether, I thank you for your soulful (best word that resonates for me) contributions in these favorites/greatest threads. I didn't contribute much at all in your threads IMO. But I did learn something about music through your input as well as Steve's, niners, and alk. If there were others I thank them too. I know the power of music but I haven't pursued it as much as say Strat baseball on the internet (not close). Never really got into music at all until I was in the Army. Ninerphans' responses in particular, together with your posts - and others - have me wondering what I'm missing regarding music. And that's a major gift. Thank you, guys.

And now you got me seeking out poetry! Another soulful type endeavor. I'll have to PM you about that. You are a MAJOR gift to these boards, L. Strether.

Thanks fred, and I have't even posted two of my lists yet, but happy to have turned you on to some of my favorites.

Prof. Strether, I thank you for your soulful (best word that resonates for me) contributions in these favorites/greatest threads. I didn't contribute much at all in your threads IMO. But I did learn something about music through your input as well as Steve's, niners, and alk. If there were others I thank them too. I know the power of music but I haven't pursued it as much as say Strat baseball on the internet (not close). Never really got into music at all until I was in the Army. Ninerphans' responses in particular, together with your posts - and others - have me wondering what I'm missing regarding music. And that's a major gift. Thank you, guys.

And now you got me seeking out poetry! Another soulful type endeavor. I'll have to PM you about that. You are a MAJOR gift to these boards, L. Strether.

Thanks, Fred; that means a lot, particularly coming from you.

Firstly, Fred your thoughtful input and insights were definitely major contributions to the boards. Your and Alk's thoughts on how a great song can be determined were particularly profound. You also got me to see the light on Ron Guidry. Most importantly, since the friendliness of the lists threads was important to me, your perpetually congenial presence was greatly appreciated.

I look forward to talking poetry with you and the inevitable trades coming out of the Winter meetings.

P.s. Your hamartia pun was very funny...It's safe to say that Marcia's tragic flaw was her pass-catching "skillls"...

The fact we hear Springsteen in their music is what attracts us to band like The Killers. To give you better idea of how I listen to music take the The Black Keys I like them I have 8 of their albums, now I couldn't name 1 song they sing or if they are 3 piece band or and an octet. Every time I play them I enjoy it. I am not technically sound (no pun) its just how it makes me feel. Since I just download mp3's well its not like the days of albums when you would look at the album jacket and 23 minutes you would need to change the record so I was more involved in what song was on which album so forth. Now I just drop all the The Black Keys in Winamp put in on shuffle and listen to them for a couple of hours while I go about my very busy days of drafting SOM teams.
Keane I like a lot a very different sounding band to me.
I appreciate The Beach Boys as I get older would never listen to them growing up my big brother did
Mumford and Sons I need to put on headphones and blast away they need to be loud.
The Lumineers very different and unique sound to me.
What cds do u recommend for Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey not familiar with Lana at all I have heard Arctic Monkeys don't know what though

I definitely like the Killers' Springsteenesque aspects, and "When We Were Young" was a wonderfully shameful Springsteen rip-off. However, it was the Glammy "Mr. Brightside" that drew me to them and, as a huge Bowie fan, really drew me to them. Their cover of The Raspberries' "Go All the Way," also showcases their 70's glam-pop sensibilities.

As to Keane, I just adore them. As someone who spent his early high school years banging my head to Metallica and Motorhead, I'm a bit abashed that I'm so taken by a guitar-less piano band with a male singer (Tom Chaplin) with an angelic voice. However, they perfectly fit my middle-aged need for elegant peace and beauty amidst the week's strains and stresses. I'm a huge fan of both Radiohead and Burt Bacharach, and since I see both in Keane, we're a perfect match.

Now to Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey, True Monkeys fans would cry heresy, but I prefer their last two albums: "Suck It and See" and "AM." I like their first two albums--they're wonderfully punky and funky--but they're a bit raw for my current tastes. "SIaS" is very Smithsy and AM has the kind of infectious grooves you'd find on a Black Keys album. As to Lana, and I am really on a Lana kick, she's amazing. She's a Lynchian, noirish chanteuse with a haunting cinematic voice and singing style. Born to Die (The Paradise) edition is definitely her best album, although Ultraviolence is pretty awesome, too

Jerlins too! Thanks dude. You are awesome. Enjoyed listening to that link you posted when you were in college stuff.

Can't forget our music journalist, Tom Siebert. Very cool. When all you guys converse back and forth on something so knowledgeably it speaks to your enthusiasm - or appreciation - for music. That back and forth is what catches people like myself into your net. Thanks again.