I don't know what the deal is.  I used to really like Iron & Wine, and I am aware that there's a lot of talent in musicianship and song writing here.  But over the last few years, any time I hear a song from Iron & Wine I start to feel uneasy.  It's become more extreme, like a subliminal nausea that overcomes me.  I was literally sitting here working while listening to RP like usual, and I started having this uneasy feeling of impending doom.  Then I really felt like I was going to be sick.  It was only after about a minute of this that I realized that this song was playing.  I muted it and instantly felt better.

I don't like this.  I want to like this music, but something is making me react poorly to it.  Never had that kind of reaction to anything like that before.  Has anyone else?

MrsTom wrote (In reference to Peter Gabriel - Rhythm of the Heat):  Pretentiousness of the highest level. Sounds a bit crap too 

Michael_Dean wrote:  Oh glad, I found you, an Expert of Pretentiousness. 

Would it not be handy to have a quick reference chart, seeing that we have so many citations of pretentiousness here in the comments section.  Please arrange the following in order of pretentiousness.  If you will do this work, I promise to post the chart every time I see an offense registered.  We can call it the MrsTom Pretentiousness Gradient, MTPG for short.  Not to be confused with Empty Peter Gabriel, of course, THAT'S a whole other chapter, let's just handle these one at a time and in order.  (Was that too Pretentious?).  ah... wait... we were talking about something...... THE LIST ! ! ! I  I'll have it made like a mountain range, with a snow-white pillow for my big fat head, And my heaven will be a big heaven, And I will walk through the front door.  Big time. (I love me!) (Now, I think that WAS pretentious).

 
Pretentiousness of the Highest Level
Indubitably Pretentious
Certainly Pretentiousness
Moderately Pretentiousness
Twinkie Defense Pretentiousness
Barely Pretentious
Criminally Pretentious
Chewbacca Defense Pretentious
Almost Pretentiousness
MTPG Pretentious

Oh glad, I found you, an Expert of a bit crap too.....

 
 Michael_Dean wrote:
 

The MrsTom Pretentiousness Gradient - M.T.P.G. (Not to be confused with Empty Peter Gabriel, of course).

10.)  MTPG Pretentious - Pretentiousness that precedes all other Pretentiousness, the Pretentiousness from which all Pretentiousness is borne. Big Bang MTPG some have named it - BBMTPG.

09.)  Pretentiousness of the Highest Level - The inflationary epoch occurred at approximately  10−36 seconds after the Big Bang.  Following the inflationary period, The Pretentiousness continues to expand, but at a less rapid rate.  This is why some "Good" music actually can exist.

08.)  Criminally Pretentious - deliberate, willful, malicious, spiteful, wicked, cruel or violent Pretentiousness.

07.)  Certainly Pretentiousness - deliberate, but not violent Pretentiousness.

06.)  Indubitably Pretentious - Pretentiousness Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, you will do the Time for this one.

05.)  Twinkie Defense Pretentiousness - Pretentiousness attributed to insanity AND is defensible in a Court of Law.  These offenses are often "Settled Out of Court".

04.)  Moderately Pretentiousness - A level of Pretentiousness that is still defensible, but does not oblige insanity.

03.)  Barely Pretentious - This is Pretentiousness that just made it over the line.

02.)  Almost Pretentiousness - This is Pretentiousness so feeble that it doesn't really count.

01.)  Anomalous Pretentiousness  - Sometimes it's there, sometimes not.  Physicists are baffled, naming it  a non-zero vacuum energy Pretentiousness.  In the special case of vacuum energy, general relativity stipulates that the gravitational field is proportional to ρ+3p (where ρ is the mass-energy density, and p is the Pretentiousness).

00.)  Chewbacca Defense Pretentious - Red Herring Pretentiousness, not actually pretentiousness at all, 'tis a strategy, should not be listed here.