Bands that are better 'in theory' than in reality

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (390 of them)

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)

Band of Susans, US Maple, Grateful Dead

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:09 (twenty-one years ago)

how are the grateful dead good in theory?

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Like, they integrate folk music and free jazz, man!

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:23 (twenty-one years ago)

REM, Stone Roses...all the 'untouchables' of the mainstream music world.

― Jez (Jez), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree completely about REM. At the risk of sounding horribly contrarian, I would add the Pixies as well.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 24 June 2004 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I second the Pixies, actually. I feel like I should like them but cannot bring myself to.

I appreciate what MBV does, but I do enjoy the theory more than what was actually accomplished by the band.

Non to thread!

― Ian Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 24 June 2004 11:40 (twenty-one years ago)

the byrds with gram parsons

― dave amos, Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The Monks? I dont know ANYBODY that doesn't love the Monks.

You were talking about one of the other albums apart from "Black Monk Time", yeah? or even that one from the "Nice Legs" hitmakers instead, yeah? Please reassure me...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

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

You'll have to explain this one - what do you mean by 'sloppy execution'?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I got quite excited about British Sea Power, at least until I heard their music and saw them live.

Second Mogwai.

― Ben Dot (1977), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I never *got* Joy Division. Liked the hits (hey, even bought two singles), but I got the "Substance" collection and went Meh.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I sort of almost want to say the Fall, but I don't want it to seem like I don't totally worship the Fall.

― Fergal (Ferg), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Magnetic Fields.

― Joseph McCombs, Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I like MBV a fair bit but they are definitely better in theory. Their music is often described as so celestial, nothing could really live up to the descriptions.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Thursday, 24 June 2004 13:30 (twenty-one years ago)

how are the grateful dead good in theory?

The idea of a group of travelling bohemians who never play a song the same way twice; of musos with solid folk and blues roots constantly playing extended improvisations with, yeah, free jazz influences and prepared pianos and West African drumming and detailed explorations of feedback; all in the service of an idealistic communal philosophy - this sounds great to me in theory. You'd think it could be like the Allman Brothers or Band of Gypsys. Unfortunately, AFAICT, the execution is so clunky it only pulls together maybe once per record I've heard and the rest is near-unlistenable.

Also, after trying to listen to Disraeli Gears, I'm starting to suspect Cream (thought I like them far more than the Dead). You wouldn't guess it from the compilations though. Maybe Clapton in general. I also suspect the Jefferson Airplane. And I kind of agree about the Velvet Underground and MBV. Although I do generally like both bands, the ideas are more exciting than the records, which still have great moments.

Second Band of Susans.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 June 2004 13:34 (twenty-one years ago)

deerhoof, built to spill, fennesz, jesus & mary chain

i think in theory i should love all of those bands but they all fall into bands that i just don't 'get' or otherwise can't really get into.

also, i'll second these previously mentioned picks: dj shadow, my bloody valentine, joy division, boards of canada

― Reed Rosenberg (reed), Thursday, 24 June 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

(counts to ten . . .)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 June 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

[That's for picking DJ Shadow, Joy Division, andBoC in one post BTW. I probably agree about J&MC.]

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 June 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

You'll have to explain this one - what do you mean by 'sloppy execution'?
I can envision such an argument -- Joy Division weren't a "tight" band in that their chops were nothing to brag about. The songs are stripped down and simple. There's a lot of empty space in JD's music (re: the "nothing" thread :"There is not enough of nothing in it"). Today, bands that want to cover similar terrain of tension and angst usually sound much bigger (Swans, GYBE), so JD's approach could appear to be understated.

I don't agree with anything I just wrote, I'm just saying I can see an argument such as this.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 24 June 2004 13:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Hah. Sorry, even my 15 year old sister loves Shadow, I just cannot get into it at all. Joy Division, I sympathize with whoever else said they like the singles, but something about the execution always seemed a bit off to me (I'd say that's the one I get the most shit for). Boards of Canada I've been enjoying pretty thoroughly lately but still do not understand some of the superlatives thrown at them and a lot of the more 'subliminal' parts of the music.

― Reed Rosenberg (reed), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, Sundar supplied the non-sarcastic answer I was about to write.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Yr right in that they weren't conventionally great musicians. If the person above who complained about sloppy execution wants chops he'd better stick to Steely Dan.

**Today, bands that want to cover similar terrain of tension and angst usually sound much bigger**

I won't ask if you ever saw them live, cos you're probably 23 or something, but have you heard any good quality live recordings of theirs e.g Les Bains Douches? They made a HUGE sound - check out the brutal Shadowplay on LBD.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll third the Pixies. Something about 'em has always seemed "off" to me and it doesn't click. Mind, I heard my first Pixies song in or aroud 1997.

Add (some) Sonic Youth to the list. As in "Gosh, i haven't heard this Sonic Youth record in ages, but I remember it being totally clinic" but then when I play it it's just sort of okay.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah. I forgot about Sonic Youth.

'Seems a bit off' is a choice phrase for this thread.

― Reed Rosenberg (reed), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Wilco: The Eagles without all the guilt.

― bhaz, Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

St. Etienne

― holojames (holojames), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

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

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.