I'd like to see anyone argue against getting away from "Lovefool," that is easily one of the best - if not THE best - pure pop songs ever.

The Coral's self-titled 2002 debut was an exuburent blast of youthful invention that still stands as a great album. Their second album "Magic & Medicine" released 2003 was pretty mediocre and I think it's been a pretty steady roll downhill since then.

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
I'd like to see anyone argue against getting away from "Lovefool," that is easily one of the best - if not THE best - pure pop songs ever.

That's exactly the problem though. It was way too perfect and way too pop, and slipped easily into everyone's brain 20 times a day. You could almost make the same arguement about Fountains of Wayne with "Stacey's Mom". They made a song that was just too good and too pop.

I think it's extremely wise to turn a super mega pop hit into a black sheep and completely reinvent your band, or else everyone including yourself and your own family is going to get completely sick of your music.

Further case in point: Radiohead and "Creep".

quote:

They reinvented themselves and got as far away from "Lovefool" as they could

As good a song as Lovefool was, I even think that song seems different than most songs of First Band...

quote:

The Coral's self-titled 2002 debut was an exuburent blast of youthful invention that still stands as a great album. Their second album "Magic & Medicine" released 2003 was pretty mediocre and I think it's been a pretty steady roll downhill since then.

I actually like their new album a lot. If you haven't heard it, check out Music at Night, Not so Lonely, or Who's gonna find me. I had heard the album wasn't as good, but I'm enjoying it a lot.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:
Oh, call me sleepy, but I actually was thinking about Gran Turismo when you mentioned First Band on the Moon. I just assumed it was their masterpiece that was the standard the rest of their music was judged by.

Definitely check it out if you have not. Turismo and Daylight are both amazing, but completely different from First on the Moon. They reinvented themselves and got as far away from "Lovefool" as they could. Daylight actually has almost a western feel, and Turismo is a cold, dark and dangerous electronic bike ride through the city at night. I think they were just trying to prove they could make great music in many different styles.

I absolutely love Gran Turismo. Glad I'm not the only one. "Erase-Rewind" and "My Favourite Game" are huge favorites of mine, but the whole album is great. I like Long Gone Before Daylight, especially "Communication," but it pales in comparison to Gran Turismo.

"Lovefool" is a very fun song but I never liked First Band on the Moon or their other early stuff much. But I still don't think the Cardigans belong on this thread...

Pink Floyd and Nirvana are two of the greatest bands of all-time. Definitely not mediocre. Denouncing them does not give you the group distinguishing importance you strive for. It just makes you look silly.

quote:

Originally posted by smileyface:
Pink Floyd and Nirvana are two of the greatest bands of all-time. Definitely not mediocre. Denouncing them does not give you the group distinguishing importance you strive for. It just makes you look silly.

I disagree about Pink Floyd. While I like some of their stuff, they are one of those bands -- The Doors are another -- who divide opinion, and there is a perfectly reasonable judgment that a lot of what they have done has been overblown, bombastic, self-indulgent, flabby, unfocused. I know they attract a very passionate following, and one is not allowed to say anything negative about them, but a lot of people with good taste in music don't care for them.

I love both The Doors and Pink Floyd, I hope that doesn't make me a bad person.

I know I will probably catch hell for this but:

Meatloaf - "Bat Out of Hell"

It's just a great pop-rock album. Very theatrical and over the top, but has possibly one of my top 10 favorite classic rock tracks (Paradise by the Dashboard Light) and there is not a single bad track on the album. It certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it is clearly a huge step above the rest of Meatloaf's work and far too often overlooked by music critics.

The Wrens: The Meadowlands.

A sloppy band with mediocre songwriting and instrumental abilities, and yet they made a knockout, nearly flawless album with "The Meadowlands"

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
I'd like to see anyone argue against getting away from "Lovefool," that is easily one of the best - if not THE best - pure pop songs ever.

That's exactly the problem though. It was way too perfect and way too pop, and slipped easily into everyone's brain 20 times a day. You could almost make the same arguement about Fountains of Wayne with "Stacey's Mom". They made a song that was just too good and too pop.

I think it's extremely wise to turn a super mega pop hit into a black sheep and completely reinvent your band, or else everyone including yourself and your own family is going to get completely sick of your music.

Further case in point: Radiohead and "Creep".

Fair enough. I know plenty of people who hate on Fountains of Wayne having never heard anything other than "Stacy's Mom."

I still say the world is a better place for having "Lovefool" in it, though. Don't know if I can say the same for "Stacy's Mom."

quote:

Originally posted by BContrat:
The Wrens: The Meadowlands.

A sloppy band with mediocre songwriting and instrumental abilities, and yet they made a knockout, nearly flawless album with "The Meadowlands"

Since the only other thing they have really put out is Secaucus, I have to assmue you don't like it. Okay... so they also released Abbott 1135 and I agree that it was poor, but it was mostly just an EP and was very early in their career. Secaucus is great though, less as an album and more as a collection of songs. They are diverse, strong, melodic, embracing. "Rest Your Head" is the best song the Wrens have ever recorded, in my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

quote:

Originally posted by BContrat:
The Wrens: The Meadowlands.

A sloppy band with mediocre songwriting and instrumental abilities, and yet they made a knockout, nearly flawless album with "The Meadowlands"

Since the only other thing they have really put out is Secaucus, I have to assmue you don't like it. Okay... so they also released Abbott 1135 and I agree that it was poor, but it was mostly just an EP and was very early in their career. Secaucus is great though, less as an album and more as a collection of songs. They are diverse, strong, melodic, embracing. "Rest Your Head" is the best song the Wrens have ever recorded, in my opinion.

They also had an earlier LP entitled Silver, which like Secaucus was more a collection of songs than an album and is more lo-fi garage rock. Meadowlands is one of my favorite albums and its definitely a step up from their earlier work. It also took them seven years to complete Meadowlands, so it only makes since that they progressed so much between Secaucus and Meadowlands. I'd still recommend giving their earlier stuff a few good listens, especially since they were finally re-released last year so you don't have to spend the extra money on the originals like I did a few years ago

I love Secaucus, your assumption is incorrect.

I put The Meadowlands down because

a) I think The Wrens have produced A stunner because I don't think Secaucus is amazing, but it is very good.

b) Despite two good albums, I still think that the band is mediocre, technically.

I guess I can understand somone having that point of view. It's sad that they haven't been given more opportunities to defend themselves musically.

I was listening to Secaucus just this afternoon and was once more shocked by the range of the songs. They go in all directions. It's hodge podge and cohesionless, but everything is interesting and finely crafted. They make music out of guitar noises most people think nothing of throwing away.

I'm still amazed by "Destruction/Drawn" two different songs played out of the right and left stereo channels (with separate vocal tracks and lyrics even) which form into a single song in the middle. They are talented song writters.

quote:

Originally posted by besttasteinmusicever:

The Cardigans-First Band on the Moon

The Cardigans are anything but a mediocre band. I resent you sandwiching them between Nada Surf and Starsailor, two bands that are the definition of mediocre!

Life is an absolute gem of an album, pure pop perfection. First Band is much darker (even Lovefool which is not the candyfloss pop most people think of it as) and equally as strong. Gran Turismo isn't their best album, but it's still solid, and My Favourite Game is a great song.

Long Gone Before Daylight is an absolute classic in my opinion though. I absolutely love that album. Completely different from everything they've done before, beautiful songs, and just incredibly strong songwriting from start to finish. Nina's voice has never sounded better... I could listen to (and look at ) her all day.

Also, Peter is a phenomenal guitarist, as anyone who's seen them live will attest.

Any chance a moderator could remove any mention of The Cardigans from this thread?

quote:

The Cardigans are anything but a mediocre band. I resent you sandwiching them between Nada Surf and Starsailor, two bands that are the definition of mediocre!

Life is an absolute gem of an album, pure pop perfection. First Band is much darker (even Lovefool which is not the candyfloss pop most people think of it as) and equally as strong. Gran Turismo isn't their best album, but it's still solid, and My Favourite Game is a great song.

Long Gone Before Daylight is an absolute classic in my opinion though. I absolutely love that album. Completely different from everything they've done before, beautiful songs, and just incredibly strong songwriting from start to finish. Nina's voice has never sounded better... I could listen to (and look at ) her all day.

Also, Peter is a phenomenal guitarist, as anyone who's seen them live will attest.

Any chance a moderator could remove any mention of The Cardigans from this thread?

I think First Band on the Moon is a classic as well. I've taken a lot of abuse from everyone defending their other albums, so I will go back and listen to them more. To me, I had always like First Band... so much and didn't love (or know) their other stuff as much, so that's why I listed them. I will go back and listen to their other stuff some more and get back to you. I love First Band... so I hope I love to learn these other albums as well. Basically, I'm saying I hope I'm wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by besttasteinmusicever:
I think First Band on the Moon is a classic as well. I've taken a lot of abuse from everyone defending their other albums, so I will go back and listen to them more. To me, I had always like First Band... so much and didn't love (or know) their other stuff as much, so that's why I listed them. I will go back and listen to their other stuff some more and get back to you. I love First Band... so I hope I love to learn these other albums as well. Basically, I'm saying I hope I'm wrong.

I really hope you can at least learn to like the other albums. Especially Long Gone... I'm always shoving that album down the throats of anyone who even mentions The Cardigans in the hope someone appreciates it as much as I do (my tactic has worked twice so far, so I'll keep plugging away at the rest of the world's population!).

If nothing else, I've been listening to them all night while I clean my house since reading your post, and it's been a while since I did (listen, not clean my house), so thanks for that.

quote:

If nothing else, I've been listening to them all night while I clean my house since reading your post, and it's been a while since I did (listen, not clean my house), so thanks for that.

No problem. Don't know Long Gone that well, so I will check it out, and post in a few weeks on this thread.

Maybe I made my post without having heard enough of their other stuff. More than anything I was trying to say how good I thought First Band on the Moon was.