i quite like all the semisonic songs i've heard (c/d, s/d)

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this group are not too bad. i have heard "secret smile", "closing time" and that chemistry one, and i have good things to say about all of them. they have bright hooks and the latter two have great sing-along choruses. isn't this what makes for good guitar-pop? why do semisonic get lumped in with tedious american jam bands? they're a pop group, and a reasonably good one at that!

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 16 July 2004 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

kill yourself!

― I CAN LEAD YOU THROUGH THE ZONE (ex machina), Friday, 16 July 2004 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

all of that stuff sux azz compared to their debut alb, "the great divide."

― asl, Friday, 16 July 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Semisonic = jam band???

― adam (adam), Saturday, 17 July 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, who thought of them as a jam band? BTW people here in MN who like this band also have a fondness for Trip Shakespere, which they came out of, but then these are the type of people who also really dig Mason Jennings.

― artdamages (artdamages), Saturday, 17 July 2004 01:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Semisonic < Better than Ezra

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Saturday, 17 July 2004 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Better Than Semisonic

― artdamages (artdamages), Saturday, 17 July 2004 03:46 (twenty-one years ago)

FNT and Delicious are good.

― billstevejim, Saturday, 17 July 2004 05:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I always thought 'Singing In Your Sleep' had a great hook, and, though 'Closing Time' was overplayed, it's a decent song. I'd be open to hearing more Semisonic.

Wow, I never thought I'd say that.

― derrick (derrick), Saturday, 17 July 2004 06:09 (twenty-one years ago)

closing time is good. the rest=dud city.

― OCP (OCP), Saturday, 17 July 2004 10:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Better Than Ezra are the fucking worst. They still exist, you know. There are very few rock bands from New Orleans that ever made it big--so people tend to hang on for longer than is really necessary. See also Cowboy Mouth. The New Orleans music press actually takes these clowns seriously.

― adam (adam), Saturday, 17 July 2004 12:07 (twenty-one years ago)

"Singing In My Sleep" is so so great

― Mike Ouderkirk (Mike Ouderkirk), Saturday, 17 July 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Semisonic > Better Than Ezra >>>>>>>> Gin Blossoms

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 17 July 2004 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

You have that backwards my friend.

― artdamages (artdamages), Saturday, 17 July 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

yep, Gin Blossoms were the best of that crowd.

― derrick (derrick), Saturday, 17 July 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The guy from Semisonic attended Harvard FWIW.

Best musicians to attend Harvard anyone?

Jerry Harrison for starters.

― Trever Booth (xjzico), Saturday, 17 July 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Rivers!

Seriously though, has anyone seen ads everywhere for Semisonic's drummer's book?

― artdamages (artdamages), Saturday, 17 July 2004 21:18 (twenty-one years ago)

push kings went to harvard and were great for two albums but everyone hates them.

― keith m (keithmcl), Saturday, 17 July 2004 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, has anyone read that book? ("So You Want to Be a Rock'n'Roll Star", i believe). It is supposed to be a decent industry expose, right.

Oh, and: Semisonic < Toad the Wet Sprocket < Better Than Ezra < Gin Blossoms. It's fun rating the death throes of jangle.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Saturday, 17 July 2004 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Oy! Where's all this Gin Blossom love coming from?

For the record, Toad trumps them all (actually, just Toad's Coil album trumps them all).

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 17 July 2004 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

When I was a kid I always loved Dada's "Dizneyland (I'm Going To)", but rehearing it a while back it really lost its rosy nostalgic glow.

― artdamages (artdamages), Saturday, 17 July 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

From their Pleasure EP, download "Wishing Well" which is a pretty amazing piece of Queen style over-the-topness. Sounds very little like anything on the album that contains Closing Time.

The All About Chemistry CD has some great stuff as well. Main problem w/Semisonic is that their worst album made them famous.

― dlp9001, Saturday, 17 July 2004 23:09 (twenty-one years ago)

ha, my mother had piano lessons before jerry when she was in cambridge. didn't tom morello attend harvard? he was the best memeber of RATM for whatever that's worth ...

― jake b. (cerybut), Sunday, 18 July 2004 09:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Trip Shakespeare >>>>>>etc Semisonic.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Sunday, 18 July 2004 10:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Oddly enough, this is in the news:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/books/07/06/rock.star/index.html

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Sunday, 18 July 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

There is nothing wrong with "Closing Time". It's better than anything done by any other band named on this thread so far.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 18 July 2004 15:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Sunday, 18 July 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Hate to ruin that thread ending but they're reuniting next week in Minneapolis. I, too, have a weakness for this band...

― Pete Scholtes (Pete Scholtes), Friday, 7 July 2006 22:28 (nineteen years ago)

Yay!

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 7 July 2006 22:40 (nineteen years ago)

six months pass...

"closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from" really fucks up the time/space continuum.

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 00:39 (eighteen years ago)

when i worked at a bar during college we played that song every single nite and it felt great every time.

― M@tt He1g3s0n: oh u mad cuz im stylin on u (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 00:39 (eighteen years ago)

can't we close this door forever?

― UART variations (ex machina), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 02:35 (eighteen years ago)

I used to champion their "All About Chemistry" album like crazy. "El Matador" is still a great song.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 03:21 (eighteen years ago)

The Semisonic song I always stand up for (that nobody remembers) is "If I Run," which got some minor alt-rock play from the album before the one with the hits. It's really great, go Youtube it or something. Gets the tempo above their Better Than Ezra "earnest contemplation" buzz.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 05:30 (eighteen years ago)

i am startled and delighted by the large amount of praise for "closing time" on this thread. i love that song. i have a soft spot for songs that successfully repeat the same chord pattern from start to finish, through both verse and chorus, and "closing time" is an excellent example of such.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 05:33 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

Ha ha. "Get A Grip on Yourself." I forgot how cute that song is. Better than "She Bop."

― dlp9001, Friday, 7 March 2008 23:03 (seventeen years ago)

"down in flames" was a pretty good OG semisonic jam. locals only.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 7 March 2008 23:18 (seventeen years ago)

one of the east end pirate stations used to have a jingle that went to the tune of 'secret smile'

"nobody knows it, but we've got a ladies' night..."

― braveclub, Friday, 14 March 2008 17:31 (seventeen years ago)

all of that stuff sux azz compared to their debut alb, "the great divide."
-- asl, Friday, July 16, 2004 4:34 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark Link

^^^^^^^

― Alex in Baltimore, Friday, 14 March 2008 17:33 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8

hi. this is one of the best songs of all time. now you know

― markers, Thursday, 23 December 2010 20:52 (fifteen years ago)

i totally loved the great divide, matt otm down in flames is a jam

FACT: i sold merch for them at a first ave show in high school ~locals only~

― kanellos (gbx), Thursday, 23 December 2010 21:09 (fifteen years ago)

― markers, Thursday, 23 December 2010 21:12 (fifteen years ago)

two years pass...

― markers, Thursday, 1 August 2013 23:31 (twelve years ago)

"secret smile" isn't that good. are all their other songs this much worse than closing time?

― markers, Thursday, 1 August 2013 23:37 (twelve years ago)

They're not the kind of band I could ever see inspiring serious devotion, but I always thought California was a great song, especially when the distortion kicks in. The drummer's book was pretty good too. I think the fact that he's 100% ordinary in every way is part of its charm. I don't think anyone's gonna confuse it with the Mingus autobiography.

― B-Boy Bualadh Bos (ecuador_with_a_c), Thursday, 1 August 2013 23:58 (twelve years ago)

man, sorry, but this isn't doing it for me. ("california")

― markers, Friday, 2 August 2013 00:16 (twelve years ago)

and i am, obviously, a "closing time" fan

― markers, Friday, 2 August 2013 00:16 (twelve years ago)

four years pass...

picked up a copy of All About Chemistry on a whim at a thrift store and y'know what it's got some jams!

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 00:52 (seven years ago)

did you know it has a Carole King co-write/duet? because it does.

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 00:54 (seven years ago)

hope weasel diesel turned out all right

― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Saturday, 5 May 2018 01:06 (seven years ago)

I had no idea the Semisonic guy went on to co-write "Not Ready to Make Nice," "Someone Like You" and a million other things, so I guess we know *he* turned out all right, at least

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 01:08 (seven years ago)

He co-wrote "treacherous" with Taylor and I know we hate her now but that's just an amazing jam

― bunny slopes, Saturday, 5 May 2018 02:04 (seven years ago)

I am shocked at how well I recall basically every element of "Secret Smile" after all these years. I guess dude earned the big bucks after all.

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 03:55 (seven years ago)

“i wish” is my fav semisonic song. all about chemistry is a great record

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Saturday, 5 May 2018 04:01 (seven years ago)

also i revisited feeling strangely fine last month and it’s amazing how many good power pop songs are on that record

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Saturday, 5 May 2018 04:02 (seven years ago)

I want to do a whole thread about journeymen 90s songwriters (I don't know anything about the topic but I assume Wilson is the tip of the iceberg)

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 04:05 (seven years ago)

dan wilson
greg kurstin
there are a few others all of them named greg but i can’t remember atm

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Saturday, 5 May 2018 04:07 (seven years ago)

Rick Nowels kinda fits though he never had the "public career" element AFAICT

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 04:13 (seven years ago)

Stuff like "Act Naturally" slots so effortlessly into those latter-day Jimmy Eat World records that I wonder if some folks didn't miss out on some major payola

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 04:29 (seven years ago)

I don't care much for the band but, on a recommendation from a friend I read the book written by the drummer about their time together and the record company machinations, he's an engaging writer and it's a great read.

It's called 'So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful Of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer's Life'

― MaresNest, Saturday, 5 May 2018 09:52 (seven years ago)

Multiple xp the guy from Cardigans who wrote all those amazing Bieber/Grande singles

― boxedjoy, Saturday, 5 May 2018 17:41 (seven years ago)

Butch Walker is another one of those guys (extensive credits w/Katy, Avril, Taylor, Pink, and Carly Rae amongst others)

― Making Plans For Sturgill (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 5 May 2018 18:34 (seven years ago)

"If I Run" is perpetually overlooked, that was a cool alt-rock radio jam imo.

― noel gallaghah's high flying burbbhrbhbbhbburbbb (Doctor Casino), Saturday, 5 May 2018 19:01 (seven years ago)

The guy from Semisonic attended Harvard FWIW.
Best musicians to attend Harvard anyone?
Jerry Harrison for starters

Claudia Gonson

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 5 May 2018 19:36 (seven years ago)

Dan Wilson will always be the other not as brilliant guy in Trip Shakespeare to me

Now that was a band

― when worlds collide I'll see you again (Jon not Jon), Saturday, 5 May 2018 19:44 (seven years ago)

re journeymen.
never expected this given how hated louis xiv were.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Hill_(singer)

― mark e, Saturday, 5 May 2018 20:43 (seven years ago)

oh, also, Jon Brion.

― Simon H., Saturday, 5 May 2018 20:46 (seven years ago)

Gregg Alexander from New Radicals

― ufo, Saturday, 5 May 2018 22:48 (seven years ago)

Dr. Luke, although his 'public career' was playing guitar in SNL house band.

― Making Plans For Sturgill (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 5 May 2018 23:17 (seven years ago)

are we listing people with songwriting/producer careers or people who went to harvard

― noel gallaghah's high flying burbbhrbhbbhbburbbb (Doctor Casino), Sunday, 6 May 2018 00:03 (seven years ago)

two years pass...

and why not: there's a new Semisonic EP out soon, their first new music in 19 years

https://www.stereogum.com/2089259/semisonic-youre-not-alone/music/

― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Friday, 26 June 2020 17:05 (five years ago)

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