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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2010 6:33:26 GMT -8
Hey, I like ska!  |
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 13, 2010 7:15:53 GMT -8
Ok, I have time to do this.
First of all, Brad: I am a nostalgia junkie. There is nothing wrong with musicians invoking nostalgia, but you have to do it respectfully. It's the difference between The Venture Brothers and Robot Chicken. There are a bunch of sly cultural references in The Venture Brothers and it remains fantastic, but Robot Chicken is only one thing: Remember THIS old cartoon? Remember THIS one? Now its... THIS one!
...it has all the subtlety of an animated GIF of a Kermit the Frog doll humping a Rainbow Brite doll. That is the difference between invoking nostalgia and abusing it, being manipulative with it. Arcade Fire's whole aesthetic revolves around writing from the perspective of a nine-year-old whipping around neighborhood streets on a BMX. It made them superstars on 'Funeral', but then when nobody cared about 'Neon Bible' they dusted it off and put lipstick on it for 'The Suburbs'. We all saw that music video, right? The one that required me to install a new browser and then showed me pictures of my old house? THAT'S MANIPULATIVE GUYS! That is emotionally manipulative. They're playing not only on your personal memories of your life, but they're trying to make you nostalgic for their first album!
Going to make coffee. Back in a minute for round two.
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Post by Pea on Oct 13, 2010 7:56:57 GMT -8
you obviously haven't watched robot chicken on acid haha
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 13, 2010 8:12:11 GMT -8
Know:
1.) I like plenty of 'mainstream' music, although if we're designating Arcade Fire as 'mainstream' then I don't know what that question is really asking. I have a hard time with bands that I really loved before they achieved mainstream success - particularly The Decemberists, of Montreal, Modest Mouse and a few others - because the progression of their style has been in the wrong direction, according to my taste. Sanding down the corners etc. But I LOVE Radiohead. I love Animal Collective, if that counts. And I am a child of mid- to late-90's radio. I'd never dismiss a band because everybody else likes them.
2.) I've never hated a band without listening to them. Without listening to them SEVERAL times. That seems counter-intuitive. My natural inclination is to like everything. Everything is fantastic until proven shitty in my book. Edward Sharpe just happened to take very little time to be proven shitty. I can see how that might have seemed like a knee-jerk reaction, but I already know what dog shit smells like.
3.) I used to HATE Animal Collective. Hate, hate. I thought it was lazy hippie bullshit. 'Sung Tongs', I'm talking about, up to that point nothing else had come out (edit: I know there are several AC albums before Sung Tongs, and I think they're great, but noise is easy for me to like so I'm not referring to those). And I'd come back to it, over and over, because 'Leaf House' was really exciting to me but everything else just sounded like a bunch of dirty teenagers banging sticks together in the woods. When that album clicked for me, though - yes, acid was involved - it was like I had never heard it before. My mind broke wide open on that day. I spent a summer studying every minute of it. I am a person who really REALLY loves Animal Collective now. I detested the Silver Jews for years, but then I found myself playing a song off 'Bright Flight' immediately after saying my wedding vows. Hm.
4.) A lot. I've spent a LOT of time listening to Arcade Fire! My older brother, he's got great taste in music and he practically gets emotional about 'Funeral' whenever he tells me to give it another shot. My friend Steve, too. ALL of my friends. EVERYONE! I think, EVERYONE likes (LOVES!) Arcade Fire! I just have to be missing something, right? I come back to 'Funeral' once every two months at least, I'll sit and listen to it all the way through. When I'm on the bus, when I'm playing video games, when I've been drinking, when I'm stoned. Looking for the moment when it will strike me from the right angle. The Shins' first record required that kind of effort from me, for similar reasons, and I love 'Oh Inverted World!'. I'm sorry, 'Funeral' bores me to tears. I CANNOT STAND the affected Conor Oberst-y yelp. I can't stand the Wall-of-Sound instrumentation. The whimpering verses and the hugely inflated choruses are reaching for real dynamic but it sounds so flat to my ears. Even still I'm withholding judgment until I see them live, because in this case I can see how that could change my opinion. I gave Pavement that same benefit of the doubt, though - never cared about Pavement, although I bought all their albums and really tried, looking for something appealing that I never found. They're so loved and respected, though, I wasn't convinced it wasn't there. I still thought seeing them live would change my mind. Ha. HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
...ahem.
I'm listening to 'Funeral' right now. It has moments. I have 'Neon Bible' and 'The Suburbs'; I even kind of like some of 'Suburbs', although I can't recall a single note of it when it's not actually playing. I could reduce it to a math equation, though: I've spent approximately $45 on Arcade Fire CDs, and to show for it I have scattered moments that add up to about seven minutes of music that at best I can say that I don't mind.
"We don't know why we find it so hard to like other bands
We don't know why we find it so hard not to roll our eyes and criticize them
I often change my mind if I take the time to read about who made them
It doesn't matter the type, if I hear it enough times I'll like it more..."
-The Philistines Jr.
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 13, 2010 8:12:49 GMT -8
you obviously haven't watched robot chicken on acid haha I've got better things to do when I'm on acid. |
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Post by interstateeight on Oct 13, 2010 8:21:04 GMT -8
Good lord.
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Post by Pea on Oct 13, 2010 12:18:47 GMT -8
you obviously haven't watched robot chicken on acid haha I've got better things to do when I'm on acid. wtf do you do on acid, build boats? |
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 13, 2010 12:25:15 GMT -8
I like to walk around in nature, zone out to records, have sex or watch Ren & Stimpy when I'm on acid. I usually make time for all of these things.
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Post by Lump on Oct 13, 2010 15:45:10 GMT -8
Man, I'm glad you're back I8 (partially for the fact that I've been waiting for I8 vs. hornedgramma for the longest time) Also, just so I can get a good enough read on you, hornedgramma, if you had to choose, what would your 3 favorite bands be? (Note: this is in no way a sarcastic or mean-spirited question. I'm just very curious) |
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Post by Lump on Oct 13, 2010 15:45:52 GMT -8
Hey, I like ska! Glad I'm not alone here. Probably my biggest guilty pleasure (but only a guilty pleasure because everyone makes fun of me for liking it). |
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 13, 2010 15:55:49 GMT -8
Three favorites?
The Residents
They Might Be Giants
Ween
Other contenders would be Brian Eno, Frank Zappa, Animal Collective, The Philistines Jr, Clem Snide, Oingo Boingo, Optiganally Yours... But yeah, those would be the Big Three for me.
Dan Deacon really does it for me, but I'm waiting to see what he does next.
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Post by Lump on Oct 13, 2010 16:28:19 GMT -8
I'm with ya on all those.
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Post by bradberad12 on Oct 13, 2010 23:15:16 GMT -8
hg, thanks. That's an appropriate answer to my questions, and clarifies your opinion better.
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 14, 2010 7:48:35 GMT -8
This went by unappreciated. This is golden. |
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Post by know ID yuh on Oct 14, 2010 18:20:50 GMT -8
Good reply. Nice to hear you taste the grapes before cutting down the tree. It previously seemed like you were torching the entire orchard because your feet were cold. I'm surprised you listen to Arcade Fire as much as you do, but if you're going take such a stance, you better know what your talking about. I met a guy once who studied religion just so he could talk shit to Christians about their beliefs, and show them how little they know about it. You have to respect that type of effort. While I could have answered your top three, you might be surprised to hear that two of my top three are Animal Collective and Frank Zappa. I don't spend THAT much time listening to flash in the pan shitty bands, and paying $24.98 to see them. I'm skipping Temper Trap after all. That wasn't a dig against you dude haha. I was just asking if you were quoting something he once said. I couldn't tell if you were asking a simple question, or trying to prove a point. Either way, I owed you a jab for the music elitist comment earlier, so I decided it didn't matter. |
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Post by Pea on Oct 14, 2010 18:32:41 GMT -8
That wasn't towards you either hahaha. I guess I need to clarify who my posts are intended for.
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Post by Whoopsie Goldberg on Oct 15, 2010 13:23:41 GMT -8
This is hands-down the most hipster thread on the internet. don't deny it
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 15, 2010 13:34:19 GMT -8
It is now.
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Post by interstateeight on Oct 16, 2010 11:17:01 GMT -8
knowidyuh, that picture is creepy as hell and I hate seeing it enough as it is. Why punish me?
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Post by Horned Gramma on Oct 16, 2010 11:21:01 GMT -8
If it weren't for this horn, you wouldn't have been born...
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