Bands that are better 'in theory' than in reality

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El-P. I like dirty-ass production. I like dudes-who've-obviously-done-way-too-much-LSD crazy-style rhyming. I like DIY/entrepeur shit. I like a shit ton of people on his label. But I still just can't get into his shit.

(Although I like him on that one apocalypse track at the end of Mr. Lif's album.)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha I love that song but oops = OTM.

I can't say I agree with Dog Latin though.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Patti Smith.

― Garibaldianne (Garibaldianne), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

the kinks for me

― de, Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Medicine warmer than MBV? I mean, this is one of those personal-metaphor things that I probably have no right to get on anyone's case about (sorry), but in all of the traditional audio-engineering senses of that term, it is so totally totally the other way around: Medicine were at most points all about ear-laceratingly slashy treble-heavy guitars, as opposed to the sorta denser, rounder, mid-rangier hum of MBV. The original run of Medicine -- not counting that newest -- was damned frosty, in my opinion.

I feel weird posting that since (a) a certain Medicine-man reads this board, plus (b) obviously you know what you mean by "warm" and like Medicine better, which is fair and happy hallelujah. The only thing that kept me from every really loving the hell out of any whole Medicine album (and I got close with Shot Forth Self Living) was that there were always points where things lost their way a little bit, and wound up descending into an uncomfortable murk that I think was meant to be dubby but never quite got me, personally, feeling it. Also I liked it better when Brad sang (high female vox took the thin-treble quotient to almost uncomfortable levels!) and he didn't do it all so often.

― nabiscothingy, Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:27 (twenty-one years ago)

But, umm, yeah, I'll take the band-comes-in bit of "One More" and the weird Sheryl-Crow-Shoegazer riff on "Something Goes Wrong" right up there with anything MBV did.

― nabiscothingy, Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Somebody is bound to say Broken Social Scene, so I'll throw it out there (although personally I think they are great).

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Ming and FS

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The Philadelphia Experiment

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Metric is better than BSS

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The Philadelphia Experiment = unfortunately OTM. The Detroit Experiment however is teh hot shit.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Oasis

― The Velvet Overlord (The Velvet Overlord), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

DJ Spooky owns this thread

― steeve mcqueen (steeve mcqueen), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha I totally have seen him "live". I kinda wish it had just been him reading his own writings about why his music is so important, instead of him scratching records through delay pedals into a mind-numbing cacophony.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:42 (twenty-one years ago)

...him scratching records through delay pedals into a mind-numbing cacophony

Now see, if somebody explained a concert to me thusly, I would be all "WELL SHIT YEAH MANG", but his show wasn't quite so much AWESOME NOISE DUDE! as excruciatingly tedious. The bit where he played electric upright bass was kinda cool though.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:46 (twenty-one years ago)

if aphex twin is so great, how come i can't stand listening to it.

and i'm glad i get to be the first to mention the streets, dizee, and all that grime stuff.

― metfigga (metfigga), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

...the first to mention the streets, dizee, and all that grime stuff

...and probably the last. Just sayin'.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The original run of Medicine -- not counting that newest -- was damned frosty, in my opinion.

You think so? I always found Medicine to be much more inviting and less distant than MBV, which is what I suppose I mean when I say 'warmer'.

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Radiohead

― The Velvet Overlord (The Velvet Overlord), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

if aphex twin is so great, how come i can't stand listening to it. and i'm glad i get to be the first to mention the streets, dizee, and all that grime stuff.

we're not listing off bands that suck, metfigga. we're talking about stuff we feel like we should like but don't.

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Dntel, Manitoba, Four Tet, Fridge, etc. never quite sound as awsum as the reviews make me think they will. Maybe I should avoid any band with the "if you like Boards of Canada ho shit buddy you better run not walk" tag attached to them.

― Hammy (hammy), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The idea of listening to Atari Teenage Riot is actually a lot better than the experience.
-- dog latin (doglati...), June 24th, 2004.

They are an acquired taste, but silly as they are I love them.

For me, alot of noise stuff is rather "eh..." compared to how I want it to sound. Stuff like Merzbow especially. But sometimes bands just have to be taken on their own terms in order to enjoy them at all.

I never had that problem with Beefheart though,

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Boards of Canada
Elvis Costello (some, not all)

― Gilles Meloche (Gilles Meloche), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm with you king kobra, i just want to be sure to mention that i'm not saying those artists suck. it's simply a matter of my thinking i was going to enjoy their work but finding out otherwise.

― metfigga (metfigga), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I was debating with myself about Boards of Canada. I think during certain moments here and there, they are as good in reality as in theory. But overall, I agree with you.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

grime is totally better in theory than practice these days

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Hawkwind

― Chubby Checker, Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

John Cage

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:34 (twenty-one years ago)

You mean you think Medicine are warmer (due to being less distanced) in attitude as opposed to sound - that's a fair enough statement. DJ Spooky does not own this thread - he's a shit idea in theory and in execution.

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 24 June 2004 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

nickalicious, have you heard Optometry? I'd be surprised if you didn't like it at all.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, and the Grateful Dead rule this thread for me. Also Pink Floyd, The Clash, maybe Frank Zappa, Mahavishnu Orchestra. Tortoise.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Defintely Grateful Dead sundar. One of rocks most amusing acts drama wise but utterly shitful on record.

― The Velvet Overlord (The Velvet Overlord), Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Trans Am
Z-Rock Hawaii (Boredoms/Ween collaboration)

― Ernest P. (ernestp), Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Blind Faith.

― Evanston Wade (EWW), Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Redd Kross

― lady in the back row, Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"got my mind set on you" is george's "i just called to say i love you"

Hey, at least Stevie wrote his song! George should've known in advance his song was crap.

Second the Monks, as that album's a snoozer after a track or two.

I always liked the Velvet Underground in theory, but most of their albums are dull.

― Vic Funk, Thursday, 24 June 2004 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

How are Boards of Canada better in theory than in practice? So you really like the *idea* of an electronic duo making hip-hop influenced tracks with vintage synths in 4/4 time with pretty standard chord changes and melodies, but don't think they execute very well???

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Thursday, 24 June 2004 02:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I only have Geogadaddi, but what people told me about them seemed more compelling than that album anyway. It also sounded very good on a fist listen, but soon got dull.

― Gilles Meloche (Gilles Meloche), Thursday, 24 June 2004 02:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Slint.

― minolta (minolta), Thursday, 24 June 2004 03:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Kinks / Todd Rundgren / Blind Faith / Beatles / Patti Smith...?

Don't bother me while I'm out back cremating a significant portion of my vynal collection.

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 24 June 2004 03:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I feel bad saying it, but I think Modern Lovers are also largely applicable here.

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Thursday, 24 June 2004 03:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Aaron Hz OTM.
Cage's writing is great, but his music, eh....

― wrecksyPlanter, Thursday, 24 June 2004 03:41 (twenty-one years ago)

So you really like the *idea* of an electronic duo making hip-hop influenced tracks with vintage synths in 4/4 time with pretty standard chord changes and melodies, but don't think they execute very well???

Um, yeah. Is that so difficult to fathom?

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 24 June 2004 03:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Godz. Holy Modal Rounders. But not the Fugs. Those guys are great in theory and in practice. And why was "Frenzy" not a hit? Just askin'...

― Dave Segal (Da ve Segal), Thursday, 24 June 2004 04:40 (twenty-one years ago)

hella, lightning bolt

― 6335, Thursday, 24 June 2004 04:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Timbaland

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 24 June 2004 04:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Wilco

― Sara Sherr, Thursday, 24 June 2004 05:21 (twenty-one years ago)

very much OTM

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 24 June 2004 05:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I dig the Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest about equally.

I would say Laibach. I do actually love some of their albums, but overall they're more interesting in theory than in practice.

Diamanda Galas- she's interesting but rubs me the wrong way.

Melt Banana- very intriguing and fun, for about the first 30 seconds.

Joy Division- some great ideas and concepts but they bogged down in what I consider a sloppy execution.

Neurosis- I own many of their albums, but am rarely compelled to listen to them. I think the aesthetic interesting, but somehow it doesn't entertain me. You can add Isis and most Swans to that, though I occasionally enjoy both.

Tori Amos- her music is often convoluted and the lyrics oddly compelling in an obtuse sorta way, but she's always struck me as pretentious and a little dull.

I'll be here all day if I don't stop.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"Joy Division- some great ideas and concepts but they bogged down in what I consider a sloppy execution."

Maybe I'd agree with that if they didn't have so many goddamn great songs.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 290 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

can't remember the title right now...

― scott seward, Friday, 9 January 2015 21:16 (eleven years ago)

Beach Boys and post-Barrett Pink Floyd used to be big ones for me but I sorta came around. 00s Dylan albums come to mind.

I feel the same way about '00s Dylan, and I'd also add '00s Leonard Cohen and '00s Nick Lowe. I like the idea of rockstars 'aging gracefully' and staying relevant 40-50 years into their careers, but for me none of these guys embody that ideal, and their critical acclaims just heightens my disappointment. I'd much rather listen to '00s Scott Walker or Marianne Faithfull or Tom Zé.

(sorry, this is just how I feel)

― please login or register if you are (unregistered), Saturday, 10 January 2015 02:34 (eleven years ago)

*acclaim

― please login or register if you are (unregistered), Saturday, 10 January 2015 02:34 (eleven years ago)

one month passes...

New York Dolls

― paolo, Friday, 13 February 2015 18:40 (eleven years ago)

― everything, Friday, 13 February 2015 18:48 (eleven years ago)

their albums are actually better than they needed to be! i mean, they could have been as bad as Kiss albums or something. actually, Kiss still rule this thread.

― scott seward, Friday, 13 February 2015 19:17 (eleven years ago)

three months pass...

The Clash

― paolo, Friday, 12 June 2015 22:31 (ten years ago)

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