Words British Music Critics Use That Americans Wouldn't

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I open the bidding with "rubbish."

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

'fancy' and 'pint'

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

"cor blimey guvnah"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

"the strokes"

― geeta (geeta), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

Geeta owns this thread!

"Natch"

― kate (suzy), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

yanks

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

"songs that cry for the death of margaret thatcher"

― Tad (llamasfur), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

Pants. Parish. Plank-spanking. And that's just the Ps.

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Schtop thish album ish not ready yet"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

nobbled

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

the sound of a vandalised bus stop outside a chippie in the middle of nowhere.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

"If Jay-Z was a Derby County goalkeeper, he'd be Mart Poom"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 16 March 2003 19:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

This thread should be called "Words that I am always surprised to see my fellow American ILM posters using."

― Mark (MarkR), Sunday, 16 March 2003 20:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

"twunt"

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 16 March 2003 20:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

Pants, shite...

― David Allen, Sunday, 16 March 2003 20:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

Hi NRG, boss, darkwave, IDM, arse.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Sunday, 16 March 2003 20:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

Arse is a completely underused term in Upper Canada.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Sunday, 16 March 2003 20:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

I love "pants". But what does it mean, exactly, though? I gather it's just like "bad" or "not that great". 'sat right?

― Dan I., Sunday, 16 March 2003 20:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

yes dan

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 16 March 2003 21:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

"right" as a synonym for "real" or "extreme" -- "right rubbish"

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 16 March 2003 21:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

"...and dragged to his death like the sad fuck that still listens to that old band that we have already collectively (and rather randomly) decided is right rubbish, and anyone who disagrees should be thrown into the North Sea..."

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 16 March 2003 21:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

only northern curmudgeons would say 'right rubbish' like that tho

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 16 March 2003 21:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

hurrah for northern curmudgeons

― Zora (Zora), Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

Or Americans doing bad impressions of Englishman.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

"incendiary live performance"

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Gomez-esque wank"

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

As a British music critic I probably use a lot of words that Americans wouldn't without knowing it, but I have never seen a US writer use "bollocks" before...

― Dave Stelfox, Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

British critics often debase themselves with the word
Ameri-fucking-cana

― wis wis (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

geezaesthetics

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 16 March 2003 22:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

I once read a British review which contained a brand new world of Bubbish. A cross between boring and rubbish!

― S Samsonite, Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

"dance music"

"rave"

― jess (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Shoreditch", "Northern soul", "poptastic" - oh, there's too many to count...

― Dave Stelfox, Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

May I request the etymology of the word "pants" (as used in this context)?

― Adam A. (Keiko), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

Twee.

― Jess Hill (jesshill), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

"crikey" (first encountered in the NME c. 1990)

― M Matos (M Matos), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

"ace" eeeurgh

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

more British critics should use the totally ace word "stodge" which i have only heard from one person in my life, to describe the sensation of a particularly dry graham cracker.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

what does "pants" mean actually? where does it come from?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

I found this, though not too helpful.

― Adam A. (Keiko), Monday, 17 March 2003 00:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Sunday no-hopers"

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 17 March 2003 00:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

"shed seven"

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 17 March 2003 00:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

"dad--" (dadrock, dadhouse, dadgoth . . .)

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 17 March 2003 00:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

"gay dad"

― geeta (geeta), Monday, 17 March 2003 00:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Julian No-Hope"

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Monday, 17 March 2003 00:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

poncey, punter, Ribena

― Carey (Carey), Monday, 17 March 2003 01:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

pony

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 17 March 2003 01:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

gobsmacked

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Monday, 17 March 2003 02:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

proper metal

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 17 March 2003 02:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

"New Rock Revolution"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 17 March 2003 02:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

from my own scene, "The Polyphonic Spree" and "Lift to Experience"

― Aaron A., Monday, 17 March 2003 03:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

Next big thing

― girl scout heroin (iamamonkey), Monday, 17 March 2003 04:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

ironic

― keith (keithmcl), Monday, 17 March 2003 04:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

new wave of (insert genre here)

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 17 March 2003 06:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

How about "wank" or "wanker"?

(Or would those possibly be used by American critics too?)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 17 March 2003 11:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

"tread the planks" used at least a dozen times per issue of Q

― girl scout heroin (iamamonkey), Monday, 17 March 2003 14:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

lurverly

― bucky wunderlick (bucky), Monday, 17 March 2003 15:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

about "wank" or "wanker"?

I was the first to rename Andrew W.K as Andrew Wanker.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 17 March 2003 15:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

don't know why, but i find it really annoying when north american critics throw british words into their reviews. Saw "punter" recently. Outside of a north american "football" context, it means nothing to people here, and just comes across as kind of poncey, harhar. "wanker" gets pretty heavy use, but is well understood by now, I think. "gobsmacked" may be even worse than "punter".

― pauls00, Monday, 17 March 2003 15:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Spot on
"Prefab Sprout" and "genius" in the same sentence.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Monday, 17 March 2003 22:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

Pish.

Shite.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 17 March 2003 22:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

bugger / buggered

naf

― marcg (marcg), Monday, 17 March 2003 22:23 (twenty-one years ago) link

punters!

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 17 March 2003 22:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

oops, must read thread.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 17 March 2003 22:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

i've already read it

― oops (Oops), Monday, 17 March 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

bangin', havin' it, large; hooligan-house

― Nik (Nik), Monday, 17 March 2003 23:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Prefab Sprout" and "genius" in the same sentence.

Hmmm.. You obviously haven't read all those rave reviews devoted Prefab Sprout (...and a-ha....) fan Sondre Lerche has received in several American mags lately....

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 18 March 2003 02:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

re: "bangin', havin' it, large; hooligan-house"

hey, think i'm the only person daft enough to have used/created the subcategory of "hooligan house" (apart from phil sherburne and reynolds... who were quoting me, so lay the blame squarely at this doorstep!)... was a very tongue-in-cheek idea, that's all i can say in my defence... have never said "bangin'" or "havin' it" or "large" though, at least that should go in my favour!

― Dave Stelfox, Tuesday, 18 March 2003 12:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Hmmm.. You obviously haven't read all those rave reviews devoted Prefab Sprout (...and a-ha....) fan Sondre Lerche has received in several American mags lately.... "

No, I meant REAL critics, Geir.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Tuesday, 18 March 2003 13:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Bonkers" and "Bollocks" would possibly also fit in here...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 19 March 2003 01:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

seventeen years pass...

I thought it was a UK thing to describe a singer by awkwardly shoehorning in a song title – but the 2nd paragraph of this LA Times piece about Jessie J begins: “The 32-year-old “Bang Bang” siren explained on Instagram...” (which is a perfect example of the phenomenon I’m talking about).

― Qui-Gon's Noble End (morrisp), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 04:46 (three years ago) link

"The 32-year-old She's Gotta Have It director will release his new film into a heated, racially-charged summer next Thursday"

― huge rant (sic), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 04:52 (three years ago) link

"The 30-year-old 'Cardigan' songstress currently holds the record for most AMAs wins of all time with 29 trophies"

"29-year-old 'Bad Blood' songstress Taylor Swift has a new cat! His name? Benjamin BUTTON!"

"The 'Look What You Made Me Do' songstress shared a video of her cats Meredith and Olivia on Tuesday (February 27)."

"The 'You Belong With Me' songstress sported a panda bear sweater and an adorable side braid as she made her way through a crowd of fans and paparazzi"

"The 'Shake It Off' songstress shook off her view that she didn't want to get political, turning to Instagram to reveal her feelings about the upcoming elections"

― ridingstarbassxd (unregistered), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 05:13 (three years ago) link

The "Fuck You" singer and former Voice judge deleted his Twitter account.
The 'Fuck You' singer was forced to defend himself after provoking a storm when he responded on Twitter to a review from a music journalist.
In case you missed it, the 'Fuck You' singer spoke to Far Out magazine, where he criticised the two chart-toppers as well as Nicki Minaj.
The ‘Fuck you’ singer chose an absolutely bewildering outfit to attend the music award ceremony, which involved covering himself head-to-toe in gold.

― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 05:49 (three years ago) link

do/did american critics ever write wistful stuff about hauntology?

― Left, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 06:15 (three years ago) link

“The ‘I Felt Like Smashing My Face in a Clear Glass Window’ songbird and John Lennon widow, a longtime NYC resident,...”

― Qui-Gon's Noble End (morrisp), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 06:23 (three years ago) link

I've never done that, but come to think of it putting in the age can be a titbit for the gleefuls and hitching song title to flesh tag can be helpful when there is such a right haggis of titles and names all in the streamin' an' 'at.

― dow, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 17:28 (three years ago) link

This is a separate issue, but I’ve never understood why reporters print people’s ages as relentlessly as they do. Sometimes the context is meaningful to the article, but often it’s not. I’m not mad at it, I just don’t get the rationale.

― Qui-Gon's Noble End (morrisp), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 17:35 (three years ago) link

sometimes it's like an attempted burn (too old for this crap/too young to take seriously) or a compliment (still going strong/wise beyond years) if it's not some kind of journalism style guide thing

― Left, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 17:46 (three years ago) link

"trout farm"

― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Wednesday, 30 December 2020 03:48 (three years ago) link

three weeks pass...

Ok, I cry uncle on this thing...

Levy’s company and wife asked for “their rightful share” of the sale with Universal Music Group on Dec. 14 or 15 but the “Blowin’ in the Wind” singer and his companies have refused to fork over the money, the court documents claim.

And this is in addition to a pattern of “The Times They Are a-Changin’” musician not giving Levy songwriting credit throughout the years — including in the 2019 film “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese”, the court papers allege.

― one of the only artist who is genuine (morrisp), Thursday, 21 January 2021 02:17 (three years ago) link

(why the fuuuuuuxk do they do that, it’s so stoopid, lol)

― one of the only artist who is genuine (morrisp), Thursday, 21 January 2021 02:18 (three years ago) link

Haha yeah this always makes me laugh. Read a recent thing about the Beatles where John Lennon was referred to as "the Imagine singer"

― Specific Ocean Blue (dog latin), Thursday, 21 January 2021 02:26 (three years ago) link

Things American critics say that British ones don't: "I cry uncle on this one"

― Specific Ocean Blue (dog latin), Thursday, 21 January 2021 02:27 (three years ago) link

morrisp, the Cry Uncle ILXor

― Waterloo Subset (Tom D.), Thursday, 21 January 2021 10:20 (three years ago) link

"Hitmaker" is favoured by UK tabloids

Cliff Richard looked delighted as he announced his newest album, Music... The Air That I Breathe, which will be released next month in honour of his 80th birthday. The Lord's Prayer hitmaker, 79, turns 80 on October 14, with the new album due to be released two weeks later on October 30.

― mahb, Thursday, 21 January 2021 12:26 (three years ago) link

Always an issue to know which song to reference with that one, although "The Lord's Prayer hitmaker" caused me to smile in a manner best described as 'wry'. As did the redundant mention of his age next to the bit about how old he'll be on his next birthday.

― up-the-arts corner (Matt #2), Thursday, 21 January 2021 13:08 (three years ago) link

Yeah that’s a paragraph for the ages!

― one of the only artist who is genuine (morrisp), Thursday, 21 January 2021 15:22 (three years ago) link

i love how they have to explain that 79 comes before 80

― Specific Ocean Blue (dog latin), Thursday, 21 January 2021 15:23 (three years ago) link

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