Mar 212008
How about we do some rock critic word association? This is only a test, but there are no right or wrong answers. Are you ready?
1. I say “quirky,” you think: _______
2. I say “sophomore slump,” you think: _______
3. I say “anthemic,” you think: _______
4. I say “difficult,” you think _______
5. I say “Stonesy,” you think ______
6. I say “funky,” you think _______
7. I say “grower,” you think ______
8. I say “Beatlesque,” you think _______
9. I say “hard rockin’,” you think _______
10. I say “heavy,” you think ______
quirky = They Might Be Giants
sophomore slump = Dire Straits
anthemic = U2 = yuck
difficult = Captain Beefheart
Stonesy = Deadstring Brothers
funky = Funkadelic
grower = The Band
Beatle-esque = Nilsson
hard rockin’ = Molly Hatchet
Forgot one…
heavy = Black Sabbath
Now for The Who edition…
quirky = Odorono
sophomore slump = A Quick One (LP)
anthemic = Baba O’Reilly
difficult = Tommy plot
Stonesy = A Legal Matter
funky = 905 (?)
grower = The Who By Numbers (LP)
Beatle-esque = Silas Stingy
hard rockin’ = Shakin’ All Over
heavy = Young Man Blues
quirky: bjork / camper van
sophomore slump: hallowed ground
anthemic: born in the usa
difficult: daniel johnston
stonesy: ill-advised
funky: jack white
grower: bowie’s berlin trilogy
beatle-esque: “the new blues” / chicken blows
hard rockin’: old fashioned
heavy: done to death
and now for the wkrp version:
quirky: herb tarlek’s wife
sophomore slump: loni, season 2.
anthemic: that theme song.
difficult: “mama”
stonesy: andy travis
funky: who else, my fellow babies? venus flytrap.
grower: bailey quarters (hubba hubba).
beatle-esque: scum of the earth’s interview with
venus.
hard rockin’: the end-of-show credits music
heavy: heavy early / heavy lately.
1. I say “quirky,” you think: not the same as talented.
2. I say “sophomore slump,” you think: that album by that band that everybody used to think was great but their name slips my mind.
3. I say “anthemic,” you think: God Save the Queen
4. I say “difficult,” you think: bring it on.
5. I say “Stonesy,” you think: sloppy is not enough.
6. I say “funky,” you think: butt.
7. I say “grower,” you think: shower.
8. I say “Beatle-esque,” you think: shouldn’t that be Beatlesque?
9. I say “hard rockin’,” you think: candy mountain.
10. I say “heavy,” you think: my brother.
In answer to your answer to question #8, BigSteve, yes. It’s since been edited.
1. I say “quirky,” you think: Wall of Voodoo
2. I say “sophomore slump,” you think: of the posture of 10th graders
3. I say “anthemic,” you think: The Alarm
4. I say “difficult,” you think Diamonda Galas
5. I say “Stonesy,” you think Faces
6. I say “funky,” you think Franklin Cover dancing on THE JEFFERSONS
7. I say “grower,” you think BIG PLANS FOR EVERYONE
8. I say “Beatlesque,” you think The Spongetones
9. I say “hard rockin’,” you think Foghat
10. I say “heavy,” you think “yeah, isn’t it?”
1. David Byrne
2. Television
3. “Stairway to Heaven”
4. Scott Walker
5. Black Keys
6. Grandmaster Flash
7. Wilco/Steve Malkmus (tie)
8. Dr. Dog
9. Bachman Turner Overdrive
10. Black Mountain
the rth edition:
quirky: alexmagic
sophomore slump: links linkerson’s unwillingness to enter rth phase ii
anthemic: hvb!! hvb!!!
difficult: saturn or bigsteve, or mwall. pick one.
stonesy: who else? 2k
funky: on this site? in theory, not practice.
grower: loophole and peteseecrutz
beatlesque: every god damned one of us.
hard rockin: among this site’s regulars? it’s in the rear view mirror.
heavy: mr. MOD, maaaaaaan!
1. I say “quirky,” you think: Of Montreal, before going all dance-y
2. I say “sophomore slump,” you think: Television
3. I say “anthemic,” you think: Arcade Fire
4. I say “difficult,” you think: Henry Cow
5. I say “Stonesy,” you think uh… i dunno.
6. I say “funky,” you think George Clinton
7. I say “grower,” you think The Byrds (5th Dimension bored the crap out of me the first couple a listens)
8. I say “Beatlesque,” you think Dr. Dog
9. I say “hard rockin”, you think Jimi Hendrix.
10. I say “heavy,” you think The Flaming Lips, pre-Zaireeka.
1. I say “quirky,” you think: Ween
2. I say “sophomore slump,” you think: Television
3. I say “anthemic,” you think: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
4. I say “difficult,” you think: Laurie Anderson
5. I say “Stonesy,” you think: The Chesterfield Kings
6. I say “funky,” you think: The Meters
7. I say “grower,” you think: Badfinger
8. I say “Beatlesque,” you think: Klaatu
9. I say “hard rockin’,” you think: Montrose
10. I say “heavy,” you think: Iron Butterfly
1. I say “quirky,” you think: XTC
2. I say “sophomore slump,” you think: The Futureheads’ News and Tributes
3. I say “anthemic,” you think: U2
4. I say “difficult,” you think Metal Machine Music
5. I say “Stonesy,” you think Flamin’ Groovies
Teenage Head
6. I say “funky,” you think James Brown
7. I say “grower,” you think The Slits’ Return of the Giant Slits
8. I say “Beatlesque,” you think XTC, Crowded House, et al.
9. I say “hard rockin’,” you think Aerosmtih
10. I say “heavy,” you think Black Sabbath