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WalterDisney
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I’ve noticed a pattern on these boards, and all other music blog boards for that matter. Any band that has been around for more than a decade seems to dismissed as irrelevant. Irrelevant to what though? There are new bands like ‘Deerhunter’ who are making songs that sound directly out of the early 90′s but people love them (me included). A band is only irrelevant to those who believe relevance means new. A band I like is relevant to me, I honestly don’t care what Pitchfork say or what some music snob will quip when he looks at my Ipod and sees the new Pearl Jam album in there. So what? It will be right next to Veckatimist, or MPP. What will he do then? Is it possible to like old and new? Is it possible to appreciate music for no other reason than that it is good music? Is it possible to judge music on it’s own terms, as opposed to all of these exterior influences? Granted, this song is probably not the best song to make this argument on but I find it funny that all of these bands you seem to despise are always on the highest comment zone. That is because these band illicit a response, they evoke passion in people because more often than not, their music is bombastic and over the top. Guess what though, that is why people love these mega bands. They take human emotion, write a melody that fits it, pump their fists in the air, wear their heart on their sleeves and make no apologies for it. New Internet age bands are so self aware these days that they second guess every move they make. They are so aware of what is ‘in’ with blog fans and what is ‘out’ that they end up thinking about things way to much. We end up with music that is trying desperately to be ironic, and we lose the bombast of legends like Springsteen and PJ who just go out there and write what they want to write. I believe modern bands have to get their heads out of it and put their hearts in to it. This is why bands like The Killers get so many comments on this blog. You all profess to hate them, yet they evoke something in you that will illicit a response. That response may be one of dislike, but the gap between love & hate is very small. The Killers write anthemic, bombastic, cinematic music that all of you cynics will dismiss for trying too hard, but others who can get their heads out of their asses for a few moments and let themselves get carried away with the music will appreciate the grandiosity of such a gesture. I see it in Pitchfork and Stereogum all the time. They want to like a band, read PF’s review of the new Coldplay album, it effectively says this music moves masses of people and is brilliant at what it does but we’re only going to give it 6.5 because liking Coldplay will have us banished from the Internet forever. I know for a fact that there will be many of you on these boards who will be the first to rubbish a Coldplay or Killers update, yet you own copies of both their latest albums. That is the nature of what is ‘cool’ and what is not. If you care so much you end up hiding a part of your soul that just wants to stick a big shiny pop record in your car and blast it all the way to Reno (or whatever your destination may be). Some of you may even deny that you have such an inclination and stick to the albums that are deemed innovative, or somehow superior to everything else. Do you always enjoy these albums? Are there times when you get sick of MPP and just want to blast something openly commercial out into the world? I’m not saying there is anything wrong with these albums (I own lots of records some of you may not have ever heard of), but there is something wrong with dismissing every single band that reaches people on a massive scale just because it isn’t as self-conscious as you would prefer it to be.
In Rainbows is a brilliant album.
It is Radiohead coming back from space but rather than putting their feet back on the ground, they went into the ocean and came back up with the most organic, sensual album ever.
Weezer represent everything that is wrong with mega rock bands still clinging on to their major labels.
However, despite their last 4 albums being pretty much as bland as my bottom, I still love them and hold out hope that one day they will create another classic and I can die happy.
LONG LIVE RIVERS CUOMO – THE KING OF….well…the king of something.
Yes, this is indeed a very cool project. The history of Matt Sharp and his days with Weezer is incredibly interesting. It’s nice that he seems to have turned into this really humble, cool musician, unlike his old friend Rivers who’s eternal search for the perfect pop song is so old and irelevant now.
This mini-album has a really nice vibe to it. There is nothing earth shattering going on but it’s just really nice, Autumn wethaer pop rock. The kind you can imagine waking up to on a Saturday morning when it’s cold but the sun is out and everyone is happy. Hmmm, yes, I like this.
I just had my first bowel movement today – I did it right in the middle of my local art museum – yo should come check it out.
It’s actually this weeks feature download at itunes. just type in “Walters first bowel movement 101″
Art is not art, I am art.
It’s strange, U2′s new album just seems to have slipped into a deep chasm never to return again. All you ever saw/heard in 2005 was ‘Vertigo’ or some other single from that terrible album – but now, it’s sort of like – who’s U2 again?
Bono must be freaking out – “Obscurity!! nooo!, quick Larry, grab your disco pants, we’re gonna do something no other rock band has ever done! Yes, that’s right, we’re going to combine dance and rock AT THE SAME TIME!!”
Larry – “We did that back in 97′ Bono”
Bono – “oh, how did that work out for us?”
Larry – “Not so good Bono, not so good”
Bono – ” ok, well, get me some eyeliner, it’s time to show them Bono as the world has never seen him!!”
Larry – “oh? and how’s that Bono”
Bono – “Bono…..WITH EYELINER!!!”
Edge – “God, the mans a genius”
The sad thing about Billy Corgan is that his BEST album ‘Adore’ was completely derailed by critics and idiotic fans yelling ‘play something HEAVY Billy?!!’ at every show on that tour. ‘Adore’ is criminally underrated and should have been the beginning of a new excting cycle for the Pumpkins – instead Billy did a Rivers Coumo and tried to please everyone on subsequent releases and just got caught in the middle of nowhere.
Sad reallly..
This is very nice Stereogum – Just wondering if you might also be able to evaluate or at least make people aware of the new Rentals mini albu which was released today. It is the best thing any member of Weezer, ex or otherwise have done since Pinkerton.
Cheers, I like this girl though, a little feral but nice.
Well, there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that. Sometimes I will listen to an album and not think much of it, then hear someone else talk about it who reveals aspects I hadn’t previously considered. However, if you decide to like the album because Pitchfork has given it there approval, you need to grow a backbone. Unfortunately, there is a lot of great music out there that people wont give a chance because it has been dismissed by blog sites such as this. Don’t get me wrong though, I think Pitchfork are often spot-on with their reviews. Just not of bands that apply some shiny pop sensibilities or a healthy dose of bombast.