This is from the Seattle Weekly. They play a game with a local musician called "Jukebox Jury" where they play random songs and have them give an instant reaction. I excerpted this part where they play a Bright Eyes song for him.

Bright Eyes: "Lua" (2005) from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (Saddle Creek)

Meloy: Who is this?

SW: Bright Eyes.

Meloy: I have one record by him that I would have traded in years ago, but I started a new thing before I bought it that I wouldn't sell any more records back. So, I bought one of his records, Fevers & Mirrors. I listened to half of two songs and put it away immediately and haven't listened to it since. His voice and his writing are just so irritating.

SW: Why do you think he's so popular?

Meloy: Because he's really hot. I mean, I think there's definitely something in this that you can relate to, but it is so easy to swallow it and imagine yourself in poor Conor Oberst's shoes. You know, everybody wants to be in that bedroom. But it does seem a little shallow and emotionally and creatively corrupt.

SW: When he played in Portland last month, he came out in a 10-year-old's raincoat, and when he got excited, he clapped like a hand puppet.

Meloy: They call it indie autism, and he's the poster child for it. Seriously, can we stop this?

Entire article here:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0 ... ukebox.php

Please?

before reading the article: huh, that seems a bit cheap coming from the guy who wrote "sporting life," which is about as rote-death cab as they come, but i don't really disagree.

after reading the article: jesus, what a bitch. i guess that's my cross to bear? am i reading irony into that comment just to help the guy save face?

i wonder what would happen if he and chris ott were in the same room together. like, would they cancel each other out and cease to be?

KPH

I like the Decemberists, but agree he's a bit of a shithead in the article. If we could cancel Ott forever, I'd be willing to sacrifice Colin in the experiment.

It will be interesting if PFM ever reviews one of his records.

i thought that the "cross to bear" thing was a joke. i really don't see where you guys are coming from, they played him a group of records that he likes and he said what you'd expect.

i'm mostly ambivalent about them and never got the fuss about Castaways. but i'm definitely always willing to give a band another chance to click with me...

http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-review ... asty.shtml

KPH

This review was before the big "divorce" wasn't it?

Colin Meloy likes to think of himself as more of a writer/music critic, and less of a musician. I mean, what he said might be true, on some levels, but it's not a good idea for a smaller band to try and bare their fangs against a larger one for no good reason...

I'd like to point out that I compared "Sixteen Military Wives" to that Morrissey song first.

<-- dickweed