The Purple Mountains poll

POLL of The Band - The 1975 - Being Funny in a Foreign Language poll
Paramore - Riot! poll
Tame Impala - Currents poll

Still surprised that Tame Impala had more replies and more votes then Paramore and The 1975. Originally was going to poll a Silver Jews album but this is really his masterpiece and yet to be polled. Almost to the day, six years since the release and date of death. Since Ozzy is still in the air for the summer of 2025, this seems like a perfect time to poll this.

Cool. Quite hard to choose. Maybe the opener, as it's legit hilarious but seemingly under-praised. Or the not very hilarious "Nights That Won't Happen".

Impossible

Okay, I went with "Snow Is Falling...."

There are other songs that feel more gut wrenching and personal and direct but SIFIM is a masterpiece. Sinatra could have sung that song. Dylan. So many little perfect lines, it just kills me.

After this, an album poll

One more single album and then an albums poll. Open to suggestions.

very hard to listen to any of these at this point. "all my happiness" was my favorite at the time, and i still think it's berman's prettiest melody ever

“That’s Just The Way That I Feel”, though I find this LP really hard to return to now.

And of course we all have different Berman favorites, but for me it’s hands down The Natural Bridge.

boy, this is such a pre-COVID album

lately when i put this on i imagine Waylon Jennings singing it

For me it's "Margaritas at the Mall," which conveys such a strong existential anger-sadness. It is maybe the best song I know about being pissed at God. It would have been a great live sing-along a la "Punks in the Beerlight." But that's literally a night that won't happen, outside of tributes. "Snow" and "Happiness" are close seconds.

Really the whole first half is straight bangers, the second half is still good but not quite as strong IMO

"I Loved Being My Mother's Son" has stuck with me a lot more these days - knowing his relationship with his father, his marriage ending. the idea of even in the darkest hours, you can always turn to your parents for help, which he sadly didn't have.

“Storyline Fever” won’t get votes but I always want to single out this couplet:

Got a combover cut circa ABSCAM sting
Make a better Larry than a Lizard King

He’s saying he looks like Christian Bale in American Hustle.

Of course it will get votes.

relistening— wow I didn’t realize how much I appreciate She’s Making Friends, it always seemed sorta hmm i dont know like lightweight or rote berman.

She's Making Friends is quite the "pains of non-monogamy" song.

the lyrics are great across the board, "all my happiness is gone" is the one that works best for me musically so voting that one

If I had to cut a song it would be “Storyline Fever.”

It’s just not as great as everything else.

on random, the ez-dukkha of She’s Making Friends into Storyline is my VIBE OF TH’ DAY for sure, i think my vote’s in play

Snow is Falling in Manhattan is perfect, particularly the horns. So that.

Flawless album, impossible to choose

But I went with “Maybe I’m the Only One for Me”

What a tune to go out on

I can't listen to this album I get very sad.

^^^

yeah i played it nonstop in the weeks after release but mostly find it too intense to listen to since. a perfect record, voting Snow