Idles

lol, grime*

a former colleague of mine who is quite a lot younger than me posts on FB about this band constantly, seems to be part of a small-scale fandom/community around them and credits them with getting her through a period of mental health-related struggles. obviously that in itself says little to nothing about their musical merits but it does run counter to the 'imagine a person and then make fun of them' thing that DL is doing here

I think that’s a great point, Idles seem to be filling a need for a number of people and mean something to them, regardless of whether Idles themselves are radical enough.

I just clicked on Scott's video in the opening post and the singer disrespects Rothko in the song, and I thought fuck these plebs forever then!

I am more at peace w them being popular as a rare (albeit mediocre) UK rock band than being popular for their lyrical themes.

I'm p sure they are not the enemy

yeah this is my thing as well, so few bands made up of white cis dudes are making any kind of an effort at all, seems weird to pick on them for being a bit corny about it

a former colleague of mine who is quite a lot younger than me posts on FB about this band constantly, seems to be part of a small-scale fandom/community around them and credits them with getting her through a period of mental health-related struggles. obviously that in itself says little to nothing about their musical merits but it does run counter to the 'imagine a person and then make fun of them' thing that DL is doing here

― still wackford after all these squeers (DJ Mencap), Friday, September 21, 2018 11:57 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Mate, I wasn't imagining a person, I was talking about me

do ppl really not understand how truly well-intentioned people who are not "the enemy" can still be problematic in their own way?

of course, but the "problematic" elements seem pretty minor by rock music standards I guess?

and that if you are very heavy-handedly championing causes that you are not a part of, that you are prob going to be held to a certain level of scrutiny?

and that people who *are* a part of those causes might have opinions about it?

you are absolutely right in that these "problematic" elements are pretty minor by rock music standards
I am not approaching this by rock music standards
I am approaching this as a queer person watching straight people flirt with queerness and radical politics and other stuff in a way that feels very sus

in the grand scheme of things they are on the correct side and are fighting the good fight, there are so many other bands saying worse things and being shitty and all of them also deserve criticism
this band in particular bothers me because they hit a nerve that I'm particularly sensitive to and I really don't know how to explain this to someone who hasn't experienced it

do we actually know that they're all straight?

IIII've got a friend who's an imm-i-grant
The bloke at the shop is an imm-i-grant
IIII did a check on my family treee
My great great uncle was Czech app-a-rent-lyyy
I can say 'beer' in five different languages
I even put Kielbasa in my lunch-time sandwiches
Everything relates back to me me me
And if you don't like it you're the en-e-my

like I'm not sitting on some throne with a scowl on my face trying to scrutinize every single band for every single little thing, I'm not looking for things to get offended at, I don't expect that everyone on the planet needs to be perfect in every way, people are flawed, mistakes are made, people grow, etc, all of this is great, but there is something... maybe not wolf in sheeps clothingy per se, but just "off" about it, and expressing the offness and getting the response of "eh you're overthinking it, what's the big deal" just reinforces this

iirc they have said in interviews that they are all straight

expressing the offness and getting the response of "eh you're overthinking it, what's the big deal" just reinforces this

fwiw I totally get being particularly sensitive to certain issues and I'm not interested in being an apologist for anyone (nor have I listened to the new record more than in passing or have a particular attachment to them) so I should probably just bounce

I mean that's why I approached your criticism with the "you're write, there are some issues here" rather then just shut up about it. I just think that maybe I'm slightly less cynical about their motives.

Mate, I wasn't imagining a person, I was talking about me

― Scritti Vanilli - The Word Girl You Know It's True (dog latin), Friday, 21 September 2018 13:41 (twenty-four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

eh OK then. fyi inner city queer and femme punk gigs are not intimidating ime

I've just spent 5 minutes reading Idles lyrics on Genius and have concluded that they are simply a 2018 version of Carter USM

eh OK then. fyi inner city queer and femme punk gigs are not intimidating ime

― still wackford after all these squeers (DJ Mencap), Friday, September 21, 2018 3:08 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Heheh, I live in the city and I go to things like that. I wasn't making fun of the stereotype though, more saying that this is the audience who are starting to warm most to Idles: they're plugging a gap that needed filled.

I've just spent 5 minutes reading Idles lyrics on Genius and have concluded that they are simply a 2018 version of Carter USM

Pretty much yeah.

Sleaford Mods are in another level compared to Idles. Don't really deserve the comparison.

Wire at their most mediocre (as they are at present) are basically the prevailing standard in UK post-punk right now

they were bonkers on jools holland last week, sitting at his piano during their song, taking their mic upstairs and the lead singer doing a circuit of the studio during the instrumental bit. it was quite endearing. and the way he'd stamp his foot, to no audible effect.

they also look very disparate as a band, like all of them belong in other bands. kinda funny, but a big mess with it.

> a 2018 version of Carter USM

oof!

The Carter USM comparison is a bit harsh.

At least Carter had some decent songs.

That was a hilarious Jools Holland performance right enough. Really fantastic. I'm not fussed about the records so much, but they're way better than Carter USM.

Brilliant band. Absolutely brilliant.

that was a cool performance

not familiar with Carter USM, just clicked on the first video of theirs to show on YT, don't see much similarity

I know this is the thread for people who don't trust themselves to criticise a record without shitting up a thread, but the Idles thread is literally unshituppable so maybe we should do this over there.

― Matt DC, Friday, 7 December 2018 10:38 (eighteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I've just spent 5 minutes reading Idles lyrics on Genius and have concluded that they are simply a 2018 version of Carter USM

― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 21 September 2018 15:13 (two months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

To clarify on this point, they sound nothing like Carter USM, they just resemble them on a conceptual / lyrical basis. Sleaford Mods sound like Carter USM.

Here is a bit from an FT article on Carter which sums it up-

Before each single’s release there would be an item on the NME news page saying what Carter would be “dealing with” this time. “Anytime Anyplace Anywhere” “dealt with” alcoholism; “Bloodsport For All” “dealt with” racism in the army; “After The Watershed” “dealt with” child abuse; and so on. Dealing with an issue involved shouting about how bad it was, in an oblique sort of way which the Carter website calls ‘blackly humourous’ and which you could still jump up and down to.

Did these guys invent DadPunk or just perfect it?

No, wait, Rory McGrathcore

OMG.

I fucking LOVE THIS BAND.

I also love this band

I missed the recent DC show but won't miss the next one.

So... they covered Strokes Reptilia and Beatles Helter Skelter

https://youtu.be/ruhPJ87iitQ

not sure i understand the point of a deliberately terrible cover like that

some sort of beef with sleaford mods?

let me take this opportunity to restate how shit idles are

^^^an opinion about a band that is sure to attract notice on ilm

I tried w/ them and Fontaines DC and this wave of "comfort food post-punk bands" leaves me cold (except Protomartyr)

just so tepid

I don't know this band or Sleaford Mods, but it's roused the ire of Kenny Beats (the internet's favorite rap producer) fans

xxpost too funny, last night i tried Fontaines DC for the first time and about 2/3rds of the way through the album i switched over to Protomartyr and wallowed in how much they rule

I like Lithics, Nots, Viagra Boys, Priests, Pill and some others quite a bit but Idles and Fontaines DC are nowhere near skronky enough.

Stewart Lee's description of Idles as "snowflake Oi!" seems about right.

Truly baffled by Idles never understood it at all. Fontaines are decent here and there but the ‘songs’ just kind of go round and round don’t they? Sorta dirgey. Bafflingly popular with the broadsheets.

Bafflingly popular with young posh boys with autism claims, I already can't deal with them cunts

Glad to see some praise for the new album, hadn't played it yet but I was surprised by how harsh the Pfork pan was (though I guess they weren't all that sold on the last one either).

The Vulture piece was the worst I saw and I thought it was mostly bullshit.

"War" is as plodding as the last single I remember ("Mercedes Marxist"), which doesn't make me want to seek out the rest of the album.

glad to see pitchfork panning this shite, even though I can't them either!

you never them

honestly the P4k review elucidated everything I have thought abt them since the get-go, it was definitely harsh but not at all inaccurate

joyed to see 5 straight men continuing to flirt with queerness to "piss off the squares" or whatever the fuck

the harshness is unnecessary.

there are some people whom I often agree with stanning for this shit, but it is still fucking shit.

they're the Jonathan Pie of music

New album. The producion and arrangements are very good, the best they've made. Very interrsting and creative.
BUT Joe Talbot's songs are weak overall, sadly.

ctrl+f jesus lizard

no? nobody?

Something about their later stuff reminds me of Dropkick Murphys for some reason - plodding and shouty, maybe.

David Yow was on the last record from what i remember. One of those frustrating bands where i'm into some of the music but can't stand the vocals/lyrics.

They've really committed to being fast but boring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpvpJnR1MJk

“Roy” sounds like Coldplay