Shit on bands here

[Out of Breath Records]

i am certainly guilty of completely dismissing bands on their names alone. the eye-blood inducing tshirt wall at hot topic is very much to blame for this.

 

On the rare occasions I'll go into Hot Topic to look at vinyl, I always feel a sense of shame at being surrounded by previously described social group. 

[aflycon]

Apologies for the incoming long post:

 

this defense isn't coming from a place of "what the fuck is wrong with you, aeroplane is perfect" (even though, what the fuck is wrong with you, aeroplane is perfect)

but i think your point about writing off album titles as a means of portraying depth is just retarded. it's supposed to be deep because it has more than 3 words? and it's not deep because they're "trying too hard"?

it just seems like a giant miss, especially since your only example is a wonderfully crafted, full, concise body of work.

 

I think I could have phrased what I said more effectively. It's not the title that's a problem with me - it's attaching the depth to the name of the band or the title of the album, almost as if it's representative of what the album is worth. It's the music that matters; the title of the album could be Fuck Shit Cunt Piss Tits Motherfucker and the music would still have the same depth and meaning. I do however see the value in an album as whole being an experience, with the title included. But what I've seen on this board puts so much emphasis on In The Aeroplane Over the Sea and not the actual music. Maybe I'm interpreting it wrong, but it's just my opinion anyway.

 

Also, I should have put more emphasis on this:

 

Now, those bands I named are considerably worse than the one album, but the point is still there. There's some kind of fixation in recent years with applying a depth to music that just isn't there, but all of the scene kids (and "hipsters" in the case of ITAOTS) seem to think it's "so deep" or "inspirational" or "transcends genre."

 

I don't think the album is really "bad," I just think it's generic indiepop/folk pop, which rubs me the wrong way. 

 

 

I think Explosions In the Sky kinda fits that list of names.

 

I saw a preorder thread for some dude going by "alcoa" and thought "why would you want to name yourself after an industrial aluminium company?" Dumb name.

 

No comment on these guys music, though. Not familiar.

 

I see Explosions in the Sky compared to This Will Destroy You a lot, and I like This Will Destroy You (post-rock has a special place in my heart for whatever reason). I do think you're right about the names, though - they're both sort of a similar vein to the ones I listed. The difference is that This Will Destroy You do not try to tack unnecessary depth onto their music, they just write good music. And press too many variants for me to collect. (I cannot speak for Explosions in the Sky because I've never actually listened to them.)

 

There are now too many posts for me to continue quoting all of them without dying of exhaustion, so I will say: I agree with what you guys are saying about this.

[Guest]

if nmh is generic, then i would truly love it if you could point me towards a handful of other bands that they sound like

[Out of Breath Records]

Hey man this is shit on bands. 

[deafening]

But what I've seen on this board puts so much emphasis on In The Aeroplane Over the Sea and not the actual music. Maybe I'm interpreting it wrong, but it's just my opinion anyway.

 

Your train of thought legitimately confuses me, and I'm curious to see an actual reference of the above mentioned. When ITAOTS is mentioned around these parts, it is because of the music. I've never seen an extensive discussion on the "depth" of the title alone.

 

 

Come to think of it, I've never seen, heard, or been apart of a discussion that puts emphasis and depth into the band name or album title alone. It's always music or lyrics, and in the case of kids applying depth to (most) of the South by So What bands that isn't there, you're pretty spot on.

 

 

I guess I'm just confused about ITAOTS. and I will admit that I might be completely missing the point you're trying to make.

 

 

I love them, but This Will Destroy You is kind of a terrible band name.

[aflycon]

I didn't come into this thread to offend you, dude. 

 

I won't cite any other bands, because that's not my style of music, but if you insist: In the first 60 seconds of In The Aeroplane Over the Sea, I hear a nylon-string guitar layered over a steel-string guitar playing the same part; drawling, drony vocals about something abstract (also layered, and it sounds like one of the tracks has some sort of effect over it); and a pretty melancholy orchestral part that contrasts the acoustic guitars in "just the right way."

Again, not to say that it's bad - just formulaic. And I can't even dismiss that as being bad. 

[aflycon]

Come to think of it, I've never seen, heard, or been apart of a discussion that puts emphasis and depth into the band name or album title alone. It's always music or lyrics, and in the case of kids applying depth to (most) of the South by So What bands that isn't there, you're pretty spot on.

 

 

I guess I'm just confused about ITAOTS. and I will admit that I might be completely missing the point you're trying to make.

 

 

I love them, but This Will Destroy You is kind of a terrible band name.

 

It's honestly much more likely that I am missing the point when it comes to ITAOTS than you are (I just wasn't ready to admit that when I made my first post). Sure, maybe there is a much deeper meaning to the whole album (or specifically the title of it) than I'm able to grasp, but to me it seems to be artificial or an attempt to distance Neutral Milk Hotel from other acts of the same genre with this critical acclaim. It is, to me, just "folk pop" (or as Spotify describes it, "fuzz-folk"). 

 

I'll agree with you on This Will Destroy You. I don't know where that name came from, but at least I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they couldn't have foreseen all the other, similarly named bands in the next few years (even so, the name is pretty bad).

[Big Country]

frank turner. people, around here at least, go apeshit for the guy. his solo stuff doesn't even hold a candle to someone like, oh i don't know, kevin devine..

 

it especially irks me because the local "indie folk" radio station plays the former on a regular basis, and i've never once heard the latter. blasphemy.

 

I like Frank Turner a lot, but I can see how people might not. 

 

You don't even like This Town Aint Big Enough For The One Of Me? That is a good ass song.

[Guest]

not offended in the least. and i didn't mean to go against the grain of the thread or anything. the last comment was more of a half joking/half sarcastic "i like this i want more!"

[hipsterasfolk]

I feel no shame going into HT, never have never will.....as for my friends I am embarrassed to be around them because all they do is complain about "poopy warped tour bands." Though obviously my tr00 pvnx status makes me better than everyone else, I don't want to show boat it off and make all those little poseurs feel bad

 

PS HT is pvnx rawk, MC Lars is a poseur.

 

Also VC = /mu/ = HT in the last decade

[Out of Breath Records]

I feel no shame going into HT, never have never will.....as for my friends I am embarrassed to be around them because all they do is complain about "poopy warped tour bands." Though obviously my tr00 pvnx status makes me better than everyone else, I don't want to show boat it off and make all those little poseurs feel bad

 

PS HT is pvnx rawk, MC Lars is a poseur.

 

Also VC = /mu/ = HT in the last decade

 

please stop

[The Vool]

I would probably set a new record in downvoting if I was to list all the bands I want to shit on...

[thebiglebowski]

please stop

Seems like a cool dude overall but he ran that line of joke into the ground years ago. Definitely time to let it go.

[Derek™]

Not to rock the boat too hard, but I'll never understand why anyone would judge a band based off their band name, or album / song titles.  Yeah, I'm sure there are exceptions -- i.e., it's safe to assume you'll find a lack of profoundly stimulating lyrics from Anal Cunt.  But otherwise, I think that it's jumping the gun quite a bit.  Do people also judge an album by the quality of it's art (or lack thereof)?  Especially when it comes to post-rock, since those bands are known for having some of the goofiest try-hard names in the music business.

 

We already covered This Will Destroy You.  Who I thoroughly enjoy - now more than ever, with their direction of sound - but yeah.  That name is pretty awful.  Other post-rock / post-metal / math-rock that I quite enjoy, despite ridiculous band names;

 

And So I Watch You From Afar.  Seriously just awful sounding.  Could be a mallcore band's name, as far as I'm concerned.

Mogwai.

If These Trees Could Talk.  Really?

You Slut!  That exclamation mark is just the cherry on top.  Album art is pretty DIY-cheesy, too.

Maybeshewill.  Maybeshewhat?

 

The list goes on and on, but you get the idea.  Just a couple of days ago I was recommended an album by a band called An Autumn For Crippled Children.  I quite liked it.  But... man.  That name.  I had no idea what to make of it, going in, and I left it at that.  I let their music establish what to think of the band, and allowed it to slice through all presumptions.  Which is how it should be.

 

tl;dr: some really good bands pick some really bad names.  It happens.  If you've made up your mind on a band before even listening to what they bring to the table, that's your own loss and I feel pretty bad for some of the gems you'll miss out on.

[eight1echo]

I think The Sea and Cake gets my vote for the best band with the worst name

[anthemforadoomed]

Neutral Milk Hotel

[Guest]

I think The Sea and Cake gets my vote for the best band with the worst name

 

Nah, that's totally Underground Railroad to Candyland.

[Big Country]

My favorite are the band names like Goatwhore, Anal Cunt, and Dying Fetus

[jhook]

Anal Cunt were awesome.

[Guest]

I'm gonna get killed for this but:

Modest Mouse

People I love love them. I've listened to the albums. I've seen them live. I. Don't. Get. It. Hate the lead singer's voice and don't find them sonically interesting in the least.

Also, while I don't hate them, I consider the National incredibly boring and wish all their songs were like Abel.

Seeing them live post-2001ish probably isn't the best idea of of them, if that's when you saw them. Sad Sappy Sucker will always be what matters to me most from them, when it was just goofy kids beating on their instruments in a shed. Their bassist and drummer are two of the best I have ever heard.

Edit: more just typing here, don't care if you don't like them. I totally get it. Isaac's voice can be pretty abrasive if you aren't into people yelping and their last two records bore me to death.

[Guest]

Definitely took me a while to warm up to his voice. But once I did, hoo boy..

[Requiescat]

One thing Modest Mouse, or rather Isaac Brock, has always had going for it is not too many bands can write such fantastically brilliant metaphors in their lyrics and extremely creative lyrics, if you understand them. Gotta give him credit for that. Stuff like, "Broke a promise 'cuz my car broke down. Such a classic excuse, it should be bronzed by now". Come on, if you don't think that's solid you're hopeless even if you don't like the band itself.

 

I always thought This Is A Long Drive... was their best work by far. "Talking shit about a pretty sunset. Slept in a blanket of opinions that I'll probably regret soon." Yeah, good shit.

[horrorbusiness138]

Not a band, but I can't stand Kanye West.  That guy is such a piece of shit, and his music isn't anything all that special.

[aflycon]

Not a band, but I can't stand Kanye West.  That guy is such a piece of shit, and his music isn't anything all that special.

 

He's absolute garbage. The music isn't just nothing special, it's fucking terrible as well. It really makes me wonder why people in our society idolize him instead of shunning him, his shit music, and his (arguably worse) wife. 

[horrorbusiness138]

He's absolute garbage. The music isn't just nothing special, it's fucking terrible as well. It really makes me wonder why people in our society idolize him instead of shunning him, his shit music, and his (arguably worse) wife. 

 

Yea, I will never understand what people see in him.