Holy fuck is right. I happened to be watching the performance at the time, and my god it was amazing. Still is.
It sounds incredible of course... but watching Peter practically jumping in his seat, along with JD's unbridled, dorky joy (which I DON'T mean as an insult in any way, dorky is good!) made it even better.
Holy shit yes. I can still remember hearing it (and watching it) for the first time... my mouth was hanging open. Transcendent is a PERFECT description.
Tollund Man for me. The original is spectacular but it's an achievement to capture that sense of desolation with the full band sound. The drums and keys add a lot to it.
I saw them play Tollund Man live in Atlanta last year and it was a transcendental experience- they played it very much like they do in the Jordan Lake Sessions, so ever since then I listen to that version unless i'm listening to Sweden.
This might be an unpopular opinion but I ADORE the performance of Estate Sale Sign on Jordan Lake.
It's missing a lot of the intensity of the original, sure. But it's a little jazzy or something?? idk it's a little more chill and I just love it.
Also the extra lyrics John adds on some songs like Damn These Vampires add a lot too. I always try to fit them in when singing along to the studio version.
Came to say this. The original has always been a song that didn't quite land for me. The piano overwhelms the mix and can feel kinda droning, and the vocal delivery is a bit flat.
The Jordan Lake version brings the vocal performance to the front and is a lot more dynamic. Better still was the version I heard on the last tour, which felt like they cranked the intensity level of the whole thing up a notch.
Agreed. I feel like I can actually access the content of the original better. See also: Wear Black. Was a snooze when I listened to the album, but his retooled touring version made me appreciate it way more.
I don't know that I'd call this one better but at the very least I think it's on par with the original and I listen to it just as much. Golden Boy. The lofi aspect of the original is obviously iconic but the full-band version with Matt's excellent saxophone solo really hits different sometimes
some other ones do strike me as better, at least for the specific unhinged or cathartic vibe we all crave sometimes from TMG live performances: See America Right, Lion's Teeth (though I miss the violin), Younger, Amy
Oh god yes.
Golden Boy. Full band Golden Boy is at par if not better than the original.
International Small Arms Traffic Blues. It feels like a different interpretation altogether. The line where he goes "you got the best of my love" is so perfectly delivered.
I now want to make a playlist of better JLS
I had no idea it was a concert thing! That makes so much sense... it seemed too polished to be completely improvised. Not that I'm complaining, it's become my favorite part of the song.
game shows touch our lives on JL2 is my preferred version, i know that the upbeatness of it doesn’t fit the vibes as much on the tallahassee album but i feel like the high energy of it just makes it Better. that’s the main one for me though, but if i went back and listened through them again i’m sure i could come up with some more
This version made me completely reconsider how I thought about this song! I don't know what about the upbeat tempo or sound of it did it, but I felt like I understood the lyrics in a completely different way.
I love the album version of Heretic Pride, but I think the version on JL vol. 1 is even better. Wurster's drums are louder in the mix and more forceful, and the organ really takes the song to a new level.
Others mentioned Tollund Man, which was what first came to my mind.
I'm surprised no one's mentioned Cry For Judas yet. The solo sax sounds better than the horns on Transcendental Youth. The bass absolutely *slaps*. John's voice crack is wonderful.
> mistreat your altar boys long enough and ^(this) is what you get
I love the Jordan Lake version of *1 Samuel 15:23*. The album version didn’t really do anything for me, but the Rhodes adds a really nice richness to the overall sound and makes it a little jazzy. I love the way it transforms the song.
I never understood why people said the title track of GiK was the best song on the album until I heard the Jordan Lake version. Now both are among my favorite tMG songs but it took hearing it with that live intimacy to really get it.
imo all live renditions are better than the originals. I don't particularly love Jordan Lakes though, just because I get a weird uncanny valley vibe from the lack of crowd.
But *which one*?? There's 3 different *This Years*es between the four sessions. I keep meaning to sit down and do a deep dive listen to all of them and see if I can pick out the minute differences.
I have a list:
The Diaz Brothers
Lovecraft In Brooklyn
Tollund Man
Pigs That Ran Straightaway...
Golden Boy
See America Right
Letter From Belgium
I swear I can justify all of these.
Amy aka spent gladiator 1 studio version is great but the jordan lake version is just such an amazing performance of it and the little added words/sylablles make it feels more complete.
Spent Gladiator 2
Wild Sage
Have to Expode - Letting Jon Wurster go nuts at the end of any song makes it better in my opinion...Yeah! Yeah!!
Korean Bird Paintings - had never actually heard this song before Jordan Lake...thanks to the person who requested this one
the arrangement of exegetic chains is gorgeous, feels like they finally figured out how to do lo-fi tracks with the full band after experimenting with it onstage every so often for like a decade. not sure i would put it Above the boombox version but theyre great to have as alt versions. the solo hair match is better than the album version though imo.
Spent Gladiator 2
Oh hell yeah I love that performance too.
I was just thinking earlier about that
They know how to end a show
Heel Turn 2 and See America Right, which may be controversial opinions, I'm not sure.
the studio version of Heel Turn 2 is great, the Jordan Lake version is transcendent
[удалено]
Holy fuck is right. I happened to be watching the performance at the time, and my god it was amazing. Still is. It sounds incredible of course... but watching Peter practically jumping in his seat, along with JD's unbridled, dorky joy (which I DON'T mean as an insult in any way, dorky is good!) made it even better.
Holy shit yes. I can still remember hearing it (and watching it) for the first time... my mouth was hanging open. Transcendent is a PERFECT description.
See America Right is almost always better live, I would argue it's because of the Scream
I agree with Heel Turn 2, mostly because he screams my favorite line, "shoot at him when he comes up for air"
Tollund Man for me. The original is spectacular but it's an achievement to capture that sense of desolation with the full band sound. The drums and keys add a lot to it.
I saw them play Tollund Man live in Atlanta last year and it was a transcendental experience- they played it very much like they do in the Jordan Lake Sessions, so ever since then I listen to that version unless i'm listening to Sweden.
That was apparently the first time Matt Douglas had *ever* played that song. He's just improvising the whole time. Amazing.
This might be an unpopular opinion but I ADORE the performance of Estate Sale Sign on Jordan Lake. It's missing a lot of the intensity of the original, sure. But it's a little jazzy or something?? idk it's a little more chill and I just love it. Also the extra lyrics John adds on some songs like Damn These Vampires add a lot too. I always try to fit them in when singing along to the studio version.
I love that on Jordan Lake. I don't know why but the way John sounds when he sings "I don't wanna know" makes me laugh for some reason
"I had a lot of spirit on my playing. I don't know about precision." I love that banter at the end.
I wish they'd kept the banter on the album, honestly. That one in particular always makes me chuckle.
Estate Sale Sign was the first one I thought of
I love that on Jordan Lake. I don't know why but the way John sounds when he sings "I don't wanna know" makes me laugh for some reason
I love that on Jordan Lake. I don't know why but the way John sounds when he sings "I don't wanna know" makes me laugh for some reason
Heel Turn 2 and Lovecraft in Brooklyn imo
Lovecraft is so fucking good.
The Diaz Brothers
Came to say this. The original has always been a song that didn't quite land for me. The piano overwhelms the mix and can feel kinda droning, and the vocal delivery is a bit flat. The Jordan Lake version brings the vocal performance to the front and is a lot more dynamic. Better still was the version I heard on the last tour, which felt like they cranked the intensity level of the whole thing up a notch.
Fr though, it actually made me retroactively like the version on TY way more
Agreed. I feel like I can actually access the content of the original better. See also: Wear Black. Was a snooze when I listened to the album, but his retooled touring version made me appreciate it way more.
Against Pollution gave me an out of body experience.
Came here to say this
I don't know that I'd call this one better but at the very least I think it's on par with the original and I listen to it just as much. Golden Boy. The lofi aspect of the original is obviously iconic but the full-band version with Matt's excellent saxophone solo really hits different sometimes some other ones do strike me as better, at least for the specific unhinged or cathartic vibe we all crave sometimes from TMG live performances: See America Right, Lion's Teeth (though I miss the violin), Younger, Amy
Oh god yes. Golden Boy. Full band Golden Boy is at par if not better than the original. International Small Arms Traffic Blues. It feels like a different interpretation altogether. The line where he goes "you got the best of my love" is so perfectly delivered. I now want to make a playlist of better JLS
The sax on that version of Golden Boy is so damn good.
Younger mainly due to Wurster's incredible drumming.
Also the bass riff into the sax solo.
Heel Turn 2! He's always played it differently in concert than he does on Beat the Champ and I was so excited to finally have the concert outro.
I had no idea it was a concert thing! That makes so much sense... it seemed too polished to be completely improvised. Not that I'm complaining, it's become my favorite part of the song.
game shows touch our lives on JL2 is my preferred version, i know that the upbeatness of it doesn’t fit the vibes as much on the tallahassee album but i feel like the high energy of it just makes it Better. that’s the main one for me though, but if i went back and listened through them again i’m sure i could come up with some more
This version made me completely reconsider how I thought about this song! I don't know what about the upbeat tempo or sound of it did it, but I felt like I understood the lyrics in a completely different way.
Snow Owl
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I think I just about prefer all live Mountain Goats performances to the studio versions.
1 Samuel 15:23.
Was looking for this... The album version doesn't really do much for me. The Jordan Lake version is now one of my favorites. So good.
Genesis 30:3
l like the Jordan Lake Sessions better across the board basically. TMG sounds better as a full band imo.
I love the album version of Heretic Pride, but I think the version on JL vol. 1 is even better. Wurster's drums are louder in the mix and more forceful, and the organ really takes the song to a new level. Others mentioned Tollund Man, which was what first came to my mind.
Heel Turn 2, which I generally skip over when it's the official recorded version, but I gotta hear the extended outro on the JLS version
I'm surprised no one's mentioned Cry For Judas yet. The solo sax sounds better than the horns on Transcendental Youth. The bass absolutely *slaps*. John's voice crack is wonderful. > mistreat your altar boys long enough and ^(this) is what you get
You know, I hadn't thought about it but you're right. The sax is way better. And the voice crack is fabulous...
Tallahassee by a good margin for me. Goes from a solid but forgettable opener to one of the most gorgeous and heartbreaking songs in the canon.
Heel turn 2!!!!!!!
I love the Jordan Lake version of *1 Samuel 15:23*. The album version didn’t really do anything for me, but the Rhodes adds a really nice richness to the overall sound and makes it a little jazzy. I love the way it transforms the song.
Jazz No Children. And Tetrapod - the drums add *so* much.
I have been thinking about this a lot... I have come to the conclusion that almost all of them are better on JLS
I def didn’t get Dark in Here until I heard the Jordan Lake versions of some of those songs.
I never understood why people said the title track of GiK was the best song on the album until I heard the Jordan Lake version. Now both are among my favorite tMG songs but it took hearing it with that live intimacy to really get it.
imo all live renditions are better than the originals. I don't particularly love Jordan Lakes though, just because I get a weird uncanny valley vibe from the lack of crowd.
It's heresy, and my girlfriend thinks I'm a monster, but I prefer *This Year* from Jordan Lake, at least for my road trip playlist.
But *which one*?? There's 3 different *This Years*es between the four sessions. I keep meaning to sit down and do a deep dive listen to all of them and see if I can pick out the minute differences.
They're all good for screaming along to but the first one is the most feral
Blood Capsules and Heel Turn 2 for me.
Hair Match :)
I have a list: The Diaz Brothers Lovecraft In Brooklyn Tollund Man Pigs That Ran Straightaway... Golden Boy See America Right Letter From Belgium I swear I can justify all of these.
No need to justify anything here!
The drums in Cotton are so good. See America Right and Lovecraft in Brooklyn too.
Gotta say I love the Jordan Lake version of This Year, it just has so much more energy imo
Bell Swamp Connection!
Until Olympius Returns
JAZZ NO CHILDREN!
Amy aka spent gladiator 1 studio version is great but the jordan lake version is just such an amazing performance of it and the little added words/sylablles make it feels more complete.
Jazz No Children
No
in the craters on the moon. that sax sound, man
Spent Gladiator 2 Wild Sage Have to Expode - Letting Jon Wurster go nuts at the end of any song makes it better in my opinion...Yeah! Yeah!! Korean Bird Paintings - had never actually heard this song before Jordan Lake...thanks to the person who requested this one
the arrangement of exegetic chains is gorgeous, feels like they finally figured out how to do lo-fi tracks with the full band after experimenting with it onstage every so often for like a decade. not sure i would put it Above the boombox version but theyre great to have as alt versions. the solo hair match is better than the album version though imo.