Originally posted by Dumbangel: Thank you Philosopher-Eric for your explainations. I've read the long and interessant article of Pitchfork about "twee". I've learnt many things. To conclude, if Belle & Sebastian or things from the Elephant 6 collective is called "twee", then I have no shame to say "I like twee !"
Personally, I don't think anyone should ever be ashamed about what they like, but I get your meaning. I think some twee gets a little too cutesy for me. Shonen Knife, if they are twee, I can live without. But I've always equated twee with 'indie bubblegum pop' and I like bubblegum, so twee wouldn't be a negative for me.
Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004
I think that people that dismiss bands as "twee" are no better than people who dismiss other entire genres. Architecture in Helinski and Belle and Sebastien sound very different to these ears, I'm sure you can find something you like in it. I've also posted to say that Sol Seppy has relinquished her 1st place to the previous leader Neko Case. Sol Seppy hit the proverbial spot when I first heard it, but there are a few "meh" areas, whereas Neko Case's album's "worst" song is still a very good one.
Posts: 305 | Location: AVA | Registered: 24 June 2006
You don't dismiss something because of its genre, pE? I do all the time. I never bother with jazz or hip-hop or metal anymore because in all the time I've previously spent to listening to stuff in those genres, I've never found anything I don't find excruciating. It's just not worth my time to look into anything from those genres.
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Posts: 4146 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
My experience with people who write off entire genres of music is that they haven't spent much time listening to that genre. I know a lot of people who say they can't stand country music, but all they've ever heard is stuff like Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney.
I guarantee that if you sampled enough Jazz, Hip-Hop, Country, pre-1998 music, or whatever, you'd find something you not only tolerate, but actually like.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
Posts: 5496 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: You don't dismiss something because of its genre, pE? I do all the time. I never bother with jazz or hip-hop or metal anymore because in all the time I've previously spent to listening to stuff in those genres, I've never found anything I don't find excruciating. It's just not worth my time to look into anything from those genres.
I don't DISMISS any genre. I mean, by dismiss, that I'll refuse to listen to and/or avoid listening to something because of the genre. I don't generally enjoy rap or hip-hop, and I don't actively seek out hip-hop or rap, but if something hits me just right, I'll certainly allow myself to enjoy it. Same with jazz: I have friends who make me jazz comps, and I like them alot, but I don't have the energy to wade through bad jazz to find the good. Same with death metal.
I guess you're right: my inclincation to avoid certain genres makes me less open-minded than I could be. But I really can't think of a genre that I would absolutely REFUSE to listen to. Maybe racist skinhead rock?
Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004
Originally posted by philosopherEric: I'm stunned at how much the Midlake record sounds like the kind of 70's pop-rock that I love so much (and that is anathema to most indie rockers) and how good it is. I had seen comparisons to America and other 70's rockers, but I didn't take them too seriously. But DAMN...this record could have been sitting on a shelf since 1972. And that's a good thing, in my estimation.
Completely agree with you
Sorry about the double-post. Totally different thought.
Another very 70's-sounding record that I'm enjoying is Tea and Sympathy, by Bernard Fanning. While Midlake is copping from 70's soft rock and pop, Fanning focuses on the confessional singer-songwriters and lazy California country (think Eagles). It's really good, and I'm not a big fan of Fanning's main band, Powderfinger.
Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004
Another very 70's-sounding record that I'm enjoying is Tea and Sympathy, by Bernard Fanning. While Midlake is copping from 70's soft rock and pop, Fanning focuses on the confessional singer-songwriters and lazy California country (think Eagles). It's really good, and I'm not a big fan of Fanning's main band, Powderfinger.
Wheb did Tea and Sympathy come out and where is it available?
I'm fed up with some comments I've heard about the new Midlake record. OK, the album sounds 70's. But please stop to compare them to Fleetwood Mac, America, Eagles, Boston, Toto and so on... Are you crazy ? Midlake has nothing to do with FM rock crap. Because they don't sound like "classic indie" with noisy guitars and tormental singing, they seems to be misunderstood. For me, Midlake is a great band that have made 2 strong LPs and a band which is closer (not especially for the music but for their mind in general) to The Flaming Lips, Grandaddy or Kingsbury Manx than to Fleetwood Mac.
"The smile that you send out returns to you..."
Posts: 69 | Location: Paris, France | Registered: 20 June 2004
Originally posted by Dumbangel: I'm fed up with some comments I've heard about the new Midlake record. OK, the album sounds 70's. But please stop to compare them to Fleetwood Mac, America, Eagles, Boston, Toto and so on... Are you crazy ? Midlake has nothing to do with FM rock crap. Because they don't sound like "classic indie" with noisy guitars and tormental singing, they seems to be misunderstood. For me, Midlake is a great band that have made 2 strong LPs and a band which is closer (not especially for the music but for their mind in general) to The Flaming Lips, Grandaddy or Kingsbury Manx than to Fleetwood Mac.
I'm guessing you're bent out of shape because you don't like any of those bands. I don't think most of the people comparing them to 70s pop are trying to insult them. Fleetwood Mac is a great band with far more classic songs in their catalog than Midlake is likely to have. In my mind, sounding like Fleetwood Mac is a much better compliment than sounding like Grandaddy.
If you like Midlake, and they're being compared to some of those 70s bands (by quite a few people mind you), maybe you should do yourself a favor and give some of those 70s artists another listen.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
Posts: 5496 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
Originally posted by philosopherEric: I mean, by dismiss, that I'll refuse to listen to and/or avoid listening to something because of the genre.
Well, I suppose my meaning of dismiss is a bit different. By dismiss, I mean that I won't actively seek out something, since actively seeking out something is pretty much the only way I hear anything,
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Posts: 4146 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Originally posted by ericg75: If you like Midlake, and they're being compared to some of those 70s bands (by quite a few people mind you), maybe you should do yourself a favor and give some of those 70s artists another listen.
Well put, e. Fleetwood Mac, in particular, doesn't belong in the same forum as the word "crap," much less the same post.
Now Playing: "Landed" Ben Folds Songs for Silverman
Posts: 1584 | Location: Bloomington, IN | Registered: 23 May 2004
Originally posted by ericg75: I'm guessing you're bent out of shape because you don't like any of those bands. I don't think most of the people comparing them to 70s pop are trying to insult them. Fleetwood Mac is a great band with far more classic songs in their catalog than Midlake is likely to have. In my mind, sounding like Fleetwood Mac is a much better compliment than sounding like Grandaddy.
If you like Midlake, and they're being compared to some of those 70s bands (by quite a few people mind you), maybe you should do yourself a favor and give some of those 70s artists another listen.
I'm maybe OK for early-Fleetwood Mac led by Peter Green but not the "you can go your own way" Fleetwood Mac. I like some of the Eagles songs, I'm not against 70's soft-rock. The problem is other, what irritates me is this way some people have to use some clichés to label every music. I don't know if I'm clear enough. Some exemples : when the Magic Numbers released their album last year, everybody compared them to the Mamas & Papas because it's a 2 men / 2 women band that are fat. The comparison is ridiculous IMO. Other exemple : every time a band make good vocal harmonies in his music, this music is instantly labeled "Beach Boys". That's a poor comparison ! You cannot summarize the music of an artist this way.
"The smile that you send out returns to you..."
Posts: 69 | Location: Paris, France | Registered: 20 June 2004
Originally posted by Dumbangel: The problem is other, what irritates me is this way some people have to use some clichés to label every music. I don't know if I'm clear enough. Some exemples : when the Magic Numbers released their album last year, everybody compared them to the Mamas & Papas because it's a 2 men / 2 women band that are fat. The comparison is ridiculous IMO. Other exemple : every time a band make good vocal harmonies in his music, this music is instantly labeled "Beach Boys". That's a poor comparison ! You cannot summarize the music of an artist this way.
I agree that comparing a band to the Mamas & Papas because they have a fat chick in the band or to the Beach Boys because they use vocal harmonies is lazy, but if you have any doubt that Midlake has the west coast 70s pop/rock sound, you either haven't listened to much of it, or you're lying to yourself. "Roscoe" would fit nicely in between "Rhiannon" and "Sister Golden Hair" on my "Smooth Sounds of the 70s" mix.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
Posts: 5496 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
Originally posted by ericg75: I'm guessing you're bent out of shape because you don't like any of those bands. I don't think most of the people comparing them to 70s pop are trying to insult them. Fleetwood Mac is a great band with far more classic songs in their catalog than Midlake is likely to have. In my mind, sounding like Fleetwood Mac is a much better compliment than sounding like Grandaddy.
If you like Midlake, and they're being compared to some of those 70s bands (by quite a few people mind you), maybe you should do yourself a favor and give some of those 70s artists another listen.
I'm maybe OK for early-Fleetwood Mac led by Peter Green but not the "you can go your own way" Fleetwood Mac. I like some of the Eagles songs, I'm not against 70's soft-rock. The problem is other, what irritates me is this way some people have to use some clichés to label every music. I don't know if I'm clear enough. Some exemples : when the Magic Numbers released their album last year, everybody compared them to the Mamas & Papas because it's a 2 men / 2 women band that are fat. The comparison is ridiculous IMO. Other exemple : every time a band make good vocal harmonies in his music, this music is instantly labeled "Beach Boys". That's a poor comparison ! You cannot summarize the music of an artist this way.
Or why not the moronic Beirut - Neutral Milk Hotel comparison? They both use trumpets, you say? Oh. Just like Louis Armstrong then? No?
Or one reviewer(forgot which one) who reviewed it with comparisons to Mariachi bands. Trumpets again. Really, I demand a bit more from a reviewer than the ability to draw comparisons based on one instrument played in a song. Things like text, song structure, arrangements, and instrumentation all work together. Just because one instrument is used in two different songs does not mean that the music necessarily sounds anything remotely alike. Phah.
Posts: 260 | Location: Stockholm | Registered: 30 November 2005
Yeah, I get sick of really faulty comparisons as well. The Beirut-NMH comparison is absurd. There's really only two bands I've ever heard that sound much like Neutral Milk Hotel, and those are Snowglobe and David and the Citizens.
Same goes for Nick Drake comparisons. Just about every guy who does soft or sad folk music gets compared to Nick Drake. It's a joke. Jose Gonzalez is the only guy I've heard that merits the comparison. Him and possibly Thee, Stranded Horse, though that's a slight stretch.
-------------------------------------------------- Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
Posts: 4146 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
