lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I say that VW lacks substance not because Ezra's lyrics aren't densely packed with cultural references, puns and other witticisms, but because what's underneath all of that isn't very interesting. His lyrics seem geared towards proving that he's well read, which just gets in the way of the personal revelations that seem to be there but can't quite surface. Erudition is not inherently substantial.
Granted, he's improved since namedropping Lil Jon and chapstick in the same chorus (though he's still hasn't grown beyond namedropping Jandek and Modest Mouse in a lyric meant to argue his growth as a man, which works primarily on an ironic level), but I hope one day he drops the artifice. Even Beck knew when to set non sequitur aside.
I wasn't speaking solely about the lyrics when I mentioned erudition. I'm more into them for the music than the Ivy League BS anyway.
You're disregarding how different they sound(ed) from their contemporaries, the musicianship, the quality of the production, etc.
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