In writing about Arcade Fire yesterday, I explored the idea of albums that take awhile to grow on you before completely sinking in and making you a lifetime fan of an artist. I don’t know if that will happen with Arcade Fire, but it’s a definite possibility.
My favorite example of the phenomenon (one I’ve probably alluded to a dozen times on this blog already) is Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels On a Gravel Road.
And on the flip side you have artists who knocked me out on first listen and settled in among my favorites immediately (Ben Folds and Elvis Costello come to mind).
Today I’m looking at another category, and perhaps the most curious group: albums that make a huge, immediate impact yet fail to hook me on the artist for the long haul. Rachael Yamagata’s Happenstance is such a record.
I love everything about this album — lyrics, music, performance, production, the way the songs play off each other in sequence. It’s a near-perfect work, one of the best CD’s I’ve heard in the past decade.
So why, then, didn’t I buy Yamagata’s 2008 follow-up, Elephants…Teeth Sinking into Heart? Perhaps because of the freakish title? Seriously, though, what kept me from hearing the new album from an artist whose debut knocked my socks off?
I mean, I can’t imagine not buying Fiona Apple’s second album (and Yamagata reminds me quite a bit of Ms. Apple). I was first in line to pick up the newest releases of discoveries such as Ben Folds, Eminem, Fountains of Wayne, Tift Merritt, you name it.
So why no love for Yamagata? Theories, please!
Pretend I was queen
What would you say
Would you think I’m unreal
‘Cause everybody’s got their way I should feel
Everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love, for real
Everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love for real
Want to be your everything
Everything…
Everything’s falling, and I am included in that
Oh, how I try to be just okay
Yeah, but all I ever really wanted
Was a little piece of you
And everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love, for real
Everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love for real
Everything will be alright
If you just stay the night
Please, sir, don’t you walk away, don’t you walk away, don’t you walk away
Please, sir, don’t you walk away, don’t you walk away, don’t you walk away
And everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love, for real
Everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love for real
And everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love, for real
Everybody’s talking how I, can’t, can’t be your love
But I want, want, want to be your love
Want to be your love for real
I want to be your love, love, love
Meet Me In Montauk 
To answer your question, I needed to learn more about the album and how it was critically received. Although reviews were generally positive, the new album is a 3 CD set, which may just be 2 CDs too many. And, had you read the EW review, you may have been less than inspired upon reading this comment, “The result is a slog that’ll have you reaching for the happy pills.” Not exactly something I would be rushing to the store to go buy!
My answer was going to be the same even before I started to listen to the song, but now I’m even more convinced. As I was listening, I checked, then double-checked to make sure you hadn’t accidentally uploaded a Fiona Apple song.
So… my theory? If Fiona Apple is one of your very favorite artists, and this artist reminds you of her, why listen to the pretender when you can listen to the original?
That’s an interesting theory. I have to think if I have any artists in my collection who are very similar yet each get the same amount of attention. Could it be that all of my favorites actually fill a unique niche?