Can you believe it, we’ve got a second Mystery Date in 1 week. What is it, rock mating season? Today’s date comes courtesy of a Townsperson in good standing.
Let’s review the ground rules here. The Mystery Date song is not necessarily something I believe to be good. So feel free to rip it or praise it. Rather the song is something of interest due to the artist, influences, time period… Your job is to decipher as much as you can about the artist without research. Who do you think it is? Or, Who do you think it sounds like? When do you think it was recorded? Etc…
If you know who it is, don’t spoil it for the rest. Anyone who knows it can play the “mockcarr option.” (And I’ve got a hunch at least one of you know this one.) This option is for those of you who just can’t hold your tongue and must let everyone know just how in-the-know you are by calling it. So if you know who it is and want everyone else to know that you know, email Mr. Moderator at mrmoderator [at] rocktownhall [dot] com. If correct we will post how brilliant you are in the Comments section.
The real test of strength though is to guess as close as possible without knowing. Ready, steady, go!
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Mystery-Date-120211.mp3|titles=Mystery Date 120211]
Ok, well, this is clearly a new wave era neo-pop thingy, but the big question for me is whether this is typical of the artist or if it’s an anomaly. Though it doesn’t sound at all like the Beatles, the chord progressions do. They throw a wrench into things with that obviously Queen-inspired guitar solo. Is it possible it’s a (later) Deaf School track I have not heard? The songwriting is relatively complex, and there are tons of backing vox, which fit the bill there.
God, that’s awful. Is it from that collection of trackkkssss put together in faux-ELO style that came out a few years ago? “Ogling Llamas” or something.
No, and it’s not from that 25 cent Jellyfish album that diskojoe picked up!
A track from a Brian May or Roger Taylor solo album?
Or something related to 10cc?
Heavy Queen vibe, indeed – but no Queen members were involved in this song’s making!
That would make sense…but no.
I am guessing that this is a one-man band from the mid-to-late ’90s era of power pop. Quite possibly on Not Lame Records. Given my tastes during that time period, this is the kind of song I would have begrudgingly enjoyed, while quietly hating myself for it. I don’t really like it now.
Would that be like Matthew Sweet or that “E” guy? I was out of the loop in the 90s.
TREMENDOUS guess and public act of self-flagellation…but completely misguided. Really nice work, though. THIS, my friends, is the sort of thing we’re really trying to get at in our Mystery Dates.
Unless you were REALLY weird, this would not have been something you would have been in the loop for in the ’90s. Great guess, though.
It was a box set Mr. Mod & my friend who recommended it to me will be in your general area this weekend:
http://wfmu.org/upcoming
Yes, I heard he was going to be on Terre T’s show!
that would have been my guess too, so I’ve got nothin’.
Urgghh, this is driving me nuts, because this the kind of nonsense I listen to all the time. At first I was positive this was the output of some re-formation of the power pop supergroup The Grays. The lead singer does have voice somewhere between Jon Brion and Jason Falkner.
The Jellyfish influence is definitely there, but what kind of band is derivative of one of the most derivative bands of all time.
Confession: The more I listen to it the more I like it. Watch it be by some actor like Jared Leto.
“Gee you look swell/and I like your cologne”.
I can barely tolerate the music, but lazy lyric writing makes this a total no go. Women don’t wear cologne. I don’t care that you need to rhyme “alone”. This is just unacceptable. Based on the gender ambiguity, I’m guessing the song is from the let-it-all-hang-out 1970s.
The Historian may be onto something!
God it’s wretched.
The Mystery Date will be revealed on tonight’s Saturday Night Shut-In.
Me too. I couldn’t think of anyone that would cite 10cc as an influence, either.