quote:

Originally posted by Matt S.:

I haven't heard anyone complain that The Clientele, The Shins, or Spoon are just "ripping off" The Beatles, or that Panda Bear is just a Brian Wilson rehash. The point is that a band should be judged by how they use their influences, not by whether those influences are easily identifiable, and I think the Arcade Fire did some pretty amazing things on "Neon Bible" when they channeled Springsteen.

Doesn't everyone rip off the Beatles? Hell I like Oasis and they rip-off everyone in the classic rock canon.

But your right. I am too tough on "Neon Bible" its really good actually, just not what I wanted from AF. I wanted a rip-off of someone else besides Springsteen. I wanted a rip-off of the Clash or Talking Heads instead. Maybe next time.

quote:

or that Panda Bear is just a Brian Wilson rehash

Thats funny because when I first heard Panda Bear I thought it was some unreleased Brian Wilson songs.

quote:

Originally posted by mymindsblank:
not what I wanted from AF. I wanted a rip-off of someone else besides Springsteen. I wanted a rip-off of the Clash or Talking Heads instead. Maybe next time.

Well that’s interesting because I hear a lot of Talking Heads on Neon Bible but I think I am in the minority there.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Well that’s interesting because I hear a lot of Talking Heads on Neon Bible but I think I am in the minority there.

I know what you are saying, but its not enough for me, I just didn't like where their sound went, but then again its not my band

quote:

Originally posted by mymindsblank:

quote:

Originally posted by Matt S.:

I haven't heard anyone complain that The Clientele, The Shins, or Spoon are just "ripping off" The Beatles, or that Panda Bear is just a Brian Wilson rehash. The point is that a band should be judged by how they use their influences, not by whether those influences are easily identifiable, and I think the Arcade Fire did some pretty amazing things on "Neon Bible" when they channeled Springsteen.

Doesn't everyone rip off the Beatles? Hell I like Oasis and they rip-off everyone in the classic rock canon.

But your right. I am too tough on "Neon Bible" its really good actually, just not what I wanted from AF. I wanted a rip-off of someone else besides Springsteen. I wanted a rip-off of the Clash or Talking Heads instead. Maybe next time.

quote:

or that Panda Bear is just a Brian Wilson rehash

Thats funny because when I first heard Panda Bear I thought it was some unreleased Brian Wilson songs.

Exactly, everyone "rips off" The Beatles to some extent because they (arguably) defined the parameters of popular music as we know it. It's more or less impossible not to rip off the Beatles for any artist that aims to put out coherent pop music.

But you're totally entitled to your opinion on Neon Bible. To be fair, I don't think it's as good as Funeral either (although it will probably sneak into my top five for this year). I've just been hearing a lot of end-of-year hating on the Arcade Fire (as well as on Bruce) and felt like I should throw in my two-cents.

Who does scott walker rip off?

No music does not evoke something that preceded it. This is how art forms develop. It's called history.

You name any artist, and I can name someone else they sound like. If this is ripping off someone else, then almost every artist rips off lots of other artists.

"Talent imitates, but genius steals." -- T.S. Eliot

quote:

Originally posted by PrairieFire:
Who does scott walker rip off?

Scott Walker (at least to the extent that I am familiar with his work) doesn't put out "coherent pop music." His vocal style on The Drift does call to mind Gregorian chants though, so maybe he "rips off" the Catholic Church?

quote:

Originally posted by Matt S.:

quote:

Originally posted by PrairieFire:
Who does scott walker rip off?

Scott Walker (at least to the extent that I am familiar with his work) doesn't put out "coherent pop music." His vocal style on The Drift does call to mind Gregorian chants though, so maybe he "rips off" the Catholic Church?

I think it was a rhetorical question.

In retrospect, the term "rip-off" was used too loosely by me. A "rip-off" would be Vanilla Ice using "Under Pressure" the way he did for "Ice, Ice Baby".

I now apologize for bringing up Vanilla Ice in any conversation.

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Double Agree (about Sleeping Lessons being awesome)

Here's another "amen" for Sleeping Lessons as a killer pop song. As a whole, the Shins album doesn't quite make my top 20 or 30, but a few other songs -- especially "Australia" and "Phantom Limb" -- are stand outs to these ears. I'd be proud to written any 1 of those 3...

For me it was probably Interpol and Arcade Fire; Neon Bible wasn't a bas album at all, but it just got too much hype, and I kind of expected to be at least as good as Funeral which was near perfect. Our Love to Admire on the other hand was barely passable and was quite disappointing; they are just recycling the same formula again. The last two songs were an exception though.

I'll have to say basically all the big electronica albums that came out this year. The field, LCD, battles. I dunno, electronica doesn't do it for me. I find it so unemotional and mechanic.

quote:

Originally posted by Jingle Bells, Shadrach Smells:
If Funeral didn't exist I think people's perspective of Neon Bible would be extremely different.

Well said. It's hard for me to judge Neon Bible against other releases from this year cus I can't help comparing it to Funeral. Same goes for the new Radiohead. As much as I've grown to really like it and see it may deserve the 90-ish MC score, I still tend to stack it up more to past Radiohead faves than other '07 releases. Also, neither have that fresh rush of "discovery" as newer (or new to me) bands do so I prolly rate them unfairly to other stuff with which I'm not so familiar.

Another disappointment:
Plant & Krause, Raising Sand
The inspired pairing of a rock legend and bluegrass chanteuse, the high MC score, the good reviews and my taste for rootsy American music. Man, I thought I'd like this more. But it's pretty bland, lacks passion, fire, something... Seems to me the praises are more a result of the inspired pairing. The music itself isn't as inspired.

No doubt Liars, Panda Bear and Battles. Oh, and Thurston Moore.

I agree with Battles being overrated, its ok but mostly does not do it for me

quote:

Originally posted by istanbul:
No doubt Liars and Battles. Oh, and Thurston Moore.

Fixed to better reflect my opinions.

quote:

Originally posted by Outis Lang Syne:
Another disappointment:
Plant & Krause, Raising Sand
The inspired pairing of a rock legend and bluegrass chanteuse, the high MC score, the good reviews and my taste for rootsy American music. Man, I thought I'd like this more. But it's pretty bland, lacks passion, fire, something... Seems to me the praises are more a result of the inspired pairing. The music itself isn't as inspired.

I've only heard a couple songs from this one, but based on them, I'd totally agree with this.

Neon Bible the biggest overhyped album for me.

I do enjoy it enough to toss it in the player once in a while, but it doesn't even compare to the albums I would consider the best this year.

I'd have to say "Magic" by Bruce Springsteen. I liked the album, and I like The Boss, but it didn't really do anything for me. Basically, it's a good album, but I don't see why it's making end of the year lists.