OT: 119th Obsequious Banter Thread: April Foods Day

[PDX Flyer]

I kinda view it as a modern day AndyWarhol with social media. People are struck by the wrapping paper rather than the substance in the box

 

[mja]

The Stones were generic pop slop. Van Halen was even worse than that. KISS is devoid of value by design. None of this is new.


I haven't heard it, so I can't specifically comment but I would guess from your description I would have the same complaint. The same shit over and over is not fun in any way.

My hottest musical take is that many of the best pop albums are boring. I want things that try and fail too. And most importantly if your best and favorite are the same lists, you're a boring person.

Your hottest musical take by far is that the Stones were generic pop slop, and I'm not even a huge Stones fan or anything, with not liking Radiohead a close second, but I digress. Agreed that best does not equal favorite, in the same way that while I might prefer the comfort of a longtime favorite film to watch on a random night, that doesn't make it better than a more ambitious outing that I'll never watch more than once.

As for TS's latest, it's a painfully boring listen. Do not recommend.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Your hottest musical take by far is that the Stones were generic pop slop,

I respect that they were honest about stealing and at least tried to get some of the people paid. There, I said something nice. They’re multiple steps above Pat Boone.

 

[BigToe]

The Stones were generic pop slop. Van Halen was even worse than that. KISS is devoid of value by design. None of this is new.


I haven't heard it, so I can't specifically comment but I would guess from your description I would have the same complaint. The same shit over and over is not fun in any way.

My hottest musical take is that many of the best pop albums are boring. I want things that try and fail too. And most importantly if your best and favorite are the same lists, you're a boring person.

We need more Jojo music takes

 

[Kermit the Prog]

i know of one song by her, but couldn't tell you the name..only know it cause of work's occasionally ok but mostly awful music

I could not name you a single song title by her. I'm not joking.

You can do double albums and pull it off. It’s just more difficult. It’s rebuilding without picking in the top 2ish.

Double Nickels on the Dime is an 80 minute long all time classic, but it’s got 45 songs on it. More of that would help.

My experience with double albums is - even the good ones - three good sides stretched over four sides, for the most part.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

We need more Jojo music takes

Top 40 today is not one tiny bit worse now than it was for most of the 80s and we don't contextualize who was writing pop well at all.

George Michael turned into a punchline, but he wrote catchy pop that did exactly what it was trying to do. I'll take that over the U2s and Springsteens and Bon Jovis and Van Halens every day of the week.

Hair metal is the most embarrassing thing to have ever happened.

Arena rock is the mostly deeply uncool thing to have ever happened.

Yes, you can blame Phil Collins for everyone else stealing his snare drum for 8 years or whatever it was. I can't stand that sound now.

Bonus: Prog is not for me, but I appreciate the musicianship behind it and the people who are super into it are generally fun and/or interesting.

My experience with double albums is - even the good ones - three good sides stretched over four sides, for the most part.

I don't disagree with this at all, but what I do like about them is that it forces a quantity of material to come out and gives you more songs outside of comfort zones. "Black Country Woman" is someone's (not mine) favorite Zeppelin song and I'm happy it exists for that.

 

[Chicken N Raffls]

When Swift first came out way back when my thought was, not my genre, but I can respect that she writes her own music. That hasn't really changed. I've only ever heard her on the radio back a ways, or at the store or something like that. I heard one awhile back (Anti-hero?) that I kinda liked because it was very synth heavy, but again, not adding it to a playlist or anything, even though I do have some Madonna, Paula, Janet, even a few Katy Perry songs.

I recently started a playlist based around Patty Gurdy. The algorithm has exposed me to a lot of traditional folk/celtic music along with more modernized versions, and even some stuff I can only call pirate/sailor music. I'll happily listen to any of that over Swift, but we all have our own tastes.

 

[Kermit the Prog]

Bonus: Prog is not for me, but I appreciate the musicianship behind it and the people who are super into it are generally fun and/or interesting.



I don't disagree with this at all, but what I do like about them is that it forces a quantity of material to come out and gives you more songs outside of comfort zones. "Black Country Woman" is someone's (not mine) favorite Zeppelin song and I'm happy it exists for that.

"Black Country Woman" is on more than one of my playlists.

As for Prog...never heard of it.

 

[Magua]

Deny it all you want, but we're on to you, pal!

But seriously, I get that she is a major global phenomenon, on par with only the likes of Elvis, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson. I just don't quite understand why. I get Elvis, I get the Beatles, I get MJ. Each in their own way were revolutionary. TS I just don't really get what all of the fuss is about. She's a cromulent pop star who mines her personal life to write safe songs that are somehow relatable to the average 20 and 30-something woman in spite of her massive fame. What is revolutionary about any of that? Is she just the perfect avatar for Gen Z & Millennial female self-actualization? Is that it?

Just wait until 2059 when Taylor Swift wins the Nobel Prize in Literature, following in the footsteps of Bob Dylan!

I was thinking about it -- I'm not trying to hate hate hate; I agree with you it's often cromulent -- and I decided her being an era defining musical artist is less about the intrinsic value of her work and more about filling a void. There just aren't many singularly popular musicians today. It's a very fractured narrowcasted environment.

Taylor Swift does write her own (often good and catchy) lyrics mining her personal life, so she's rises above the low bar of candy pop. She works with talented people, from cross-genre stars to indie darlings, to make her artistic bones and generate more appeal. She's sanitary enough for kids and adults and Charlie O'Connor cosplay friend groups. It's a perfect storm. Her specifically being the final form of self-actualization is an interesting angle. The narrative arcs of her songs usually follow that pattern, from low to high or high to high. She has an uncanny ability to write personally on a superficial level without making me feel like I understand anything about her. It's aggressively thematically non-confrontational beyond personal relationships. And even then there's a facade.

I think the female music scene is killing it. I think Jack Antonoff (who produces Swift) kills it with Lana Del Rey and Lorde, if you're looking for fringe mainstream with more artistic merit. I don't find Taylor Swift deeply satisfying -- she's music puff pastry. That's okay. It tastes good sometimes. But there's nothing filling me up.

 

[Striiker]

We need more Jojo music takes

Can I contribute my "The Beatles suck" take?

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I have nothing but apathy in my heart for Taylor Swift and her music, however, I did add Love Story to my driving playlist just because of this scene from The Bear's second season.

 

[Kermit the Prog]

Teenaged girls drive the music industry, and have for many decades.

 

[Magua]

Can I contribute my "The Beatles suck" take?

Sure can!

 

[Striiker]

Sure can!

 

[Magua]

View attachment 856943

I’m still waiting to hear what music you like.

 

[ajgoal]

I’m still waiting to hear what music you like.

He likes the Wiggles.

 

[DayoftheGreek]

Much like Taylor Swift, these things are everywhere, smell like semen, and attract wasps. Remove them whenever possible. They are also hollow and have no substance.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Top 40 today is not one tiny bit worse now than it was for most of the 80s and we don't contextualize who was writing pop well at all.

George Michael turned into a punchline, but he wrote catchy pop that did exactly what it was trying to do. I'll take that over the U2s and Springsteens and Bon Jovis and Van Halens every day of the week.

Hair metal is the most embarrassing thing to have ever happened.

Arena rock is the mostly deeply uncool thing to have ever happened.

Yes, you can blame Phil Collins for everyone else stealing his snare drum for 8 years or whatever it was. I can't stand that sound now.

Bonus: Prog is not for me, but I appreciate the musicianship behind it and the people who are super into it are generally fun and/or interesting.



I don't disagree with this at all, but what I do like about them is that it forces a quantity of material to come out and gives you more songs outside of comfort zones. "Black Country Woman" is someone's (not mine) favorite Zeppelin song and I'm happy it exists for that.

I hadn't listened to Korn in probably 20 years. When I decided for no reason to devote the GDTs to nu metal, I ended up listening to them again.

In the decades that have passed I've gained a lot more contextual knowledge of 80s/90s music and what was going on when they debuted. I now have massive respect for how wildly different and unique they were. I've got them in my Primus tier now. Primus was there because they're unique, and there wasn't exactly an entire genre launched by them. I'd let all the rest of nu metal drag down my musical appraisal of Korn.

There are also moments where you can hear the strong Faith No More influence; that's a band which is seemingly forgotten and shouldn't be, they also changed everything. Also loads of funk influence is evident

I am confident, however, I never would have had any such revelations if I'd devoted GDTs to butt rock.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

In the decades that have passed I've gained a lot more contextual knowledge of 80s/90s music and what was going on when they debuted. I now have massive respect for how wildly different and unique they were.

Holy f*** hahahaha I like to joke with you always, but I have mad respect for your brain. This is one instance where it has failed you miserably.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Holy f*** hahahaha I like to joke with you always, but I have mad respect for your brain. This is one instance where it has failed you miserably.

THEY WERE


They wouldn't be on my "best" list. But they were going their own way at the time. And there is actual critical listening that can be done

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

THEY WERE


They wouldn't be on my "best" list. But they were going their own way at the time. And there is actual critical listening that can be done

I am not having a discussion about Korn in the Year of Our Lord 2024. Not today, Satan.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

I hadn't listened to Korn in probably 20 years. When I decided for no reason to devote the GDTs to nu metal, I ended up listening to them again.

In the decades that have passed I've gained a lot more contextual knowledge of 80s/90s music and what was going on when they debuted. I now have massive respect for how wildly different and unique they were. I've got them in my Primus tier now. Primus was there because they're unique, and there wasn't exactly an entire genre launched by them. I'd let all the rest of nu metal drag down my musical appraisal of Korn.

There are also moments where you can hear the strong Faith No More influence; that's a band which is seemingly forgotten and shouldn't be, they also changed everything. Also loads of funk influence is evident

I am confident, however, I never would have had any such revelations if I'd devoted GDTs to butt rock.

Somewhere in the garage in a box is a VHS tape with me playing guitar in a band on "Twist" in a high school talent show. Heaven help me if my wife ever finds it.

Yes yes yes yes yes FNM. Mike Patton's voice is amazing, but he's a true nut and I love him for it. The man gave an interview where he said he can't wait for computers to take over music because "they're a lot more messed up than people and the more messed up and further away from music gets, the healthier it's going to be for music....the worst thing about music is that people play it." The entire time he was eating a sandwich. There was also the time he sang an entire song with the microphone inside of his mouth. If any of that came off as contrived, it would be unbearable. But it's not. The man is insane.

 

[Striiker]

I’m still waiting to hear what music you like.

I honestly don't even know how to give you a real answer here.

I like individual songs of all different types, not really any specific bands, artists, or genres. I might like a small handful of songs from one specific source and then dislike and never listen to anything else they've ever made.

 

[mja]

When Swift first came out way back when my thought was, not my genre, but I can respect that she writes her own music.

Not directed at you, but whenever someone cites this as evidence that someone is a talented musician, I want to scream. Most musicians worth a damn write their own stuff, much of that far better than anything Swift has ever written.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Somewhere in the garage in a box is a VHS tape with me playing guitar in a band on "Twist" in a high school talent show. Heaven help me if my wife ever finds it.

Yes yes yes yes yes FNM. Mike Patton's voice is amazing, but he's a true nut and I love him for it. The man gave an interview where he said he can't wait for computers to take over music because "they're a lot more messed up than people and the more messed up and further away from music gets, the healthier it's going to be for music....the worst thing about music is that people play it." The entire time he was eating a sandwich. There was also the time he sang an entire song with the microphone inside of his mouth. If any of that came off as contrived, it would be unbearable. But it's not. The man is insane.

Twist is an unbelievably bold choice for a HS talent show. Who would agree to sing that??