The number of layers The Jonas Brothers wear... Thinking I hadn't met a corn I didn't like until the corndog came into my life... The newscasters' fake twitch of the head as they sign off... How no one ever knows the words to 'Say It Ain't So' at a party... The word jibblet... Getting your picture taken on a bad day... Cover bands at bars with 50 year old men in lepord tight pants who wish they were Jeff Lynne... How people use texting to be nonconfrontational... Running out of questions to provoke small talk with your hairdresser... The way service of yuppies has to look as though they aren't working too hard while the service of the common folk must appear strenuious... Jeff Mangum's voice.
These are all things that annoy me but I understand are really 'no biggie'.
In my defense, The Olivia Tremor Control holds a strange place in my heart. I put it on when I'm feeling unattatched to any purpose at the moment. I think Neutral Milk Hotel's lyrics are genius and thought provoking in relation to their brillant sense of melody. But Jeff Mangum's voice just doesn't appeal to me. Really, it's not him, it's me.
And it's not that Mangum can't sing because he can, I don't care for how he uses his voice. I'm gonna revert back to Stephen Malkmus. The way he sings makes you feel you must be so hip in order to be allowed to listen to him. I don't get that impression with many other artists. Bob Dylan? Lou Reed? All fine examples of artists who aren't known for their singing. Sure they were revolutionary for other reasons, but it's the way the used what they had for voices to emphasize their own style that made me fall for them. It's not really Jeff Mangum as it is his choices. I don't mind it so much on the upbeat songs where the juxtaposition between the singing and the less gentle guitar riffs becomes charming. It's when he begins to coo on the ballads (Three Peaches comes to mind) that I tend to lose interest.
But hey like I said, it's a no biggie.
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