Unpopular Alt/Indie Opinions

mosstin

karaokeman wrote: »

I think people who bash The Thrills are missing the point. They existed for the same reason The Coronas, The Script and Kodaline do, and receive similar criticism.

Yes, they write catchy pop tunes, yes they have a lot of PR, and yes they aren't technically innovative. But its not a necessity for all groups who pursue music to be the opposite of all three.

Pop music is made for general entertainment, but the often muttered argument it is "music for people who don't like music" is tripe. Its there to set the groundwork for people who can expand their interests with further development both socially and psychologically.

Lots of people listen to pop in their younger years, but as they grow older their tastes develop and they become more open minded to artists with more complicated chord progressions, less clichéd lyrics, melodies, and so on.

To be fair I've never met a 10-year old whose favourite album was Kid A by Radiohead, but I know Radiohead fans and alternative music fans in general who listened to more radio-friendly bands in the beginning. Everyone has to start somewhere, and pop is easier to comprehend for the innocent minded.

They're still ****e though, right?

karaokeman

mosstin wrote: »

They're still ****e though, right?

No, they're average at best, just not fantastic or exceptional. ****e bands to me are those that can't write and haven't got a note in their head either vocally or with an instrument.

The Thrills, much like more recent pop bands are good at what they do, but that's as far as their artistic merit goes.

iamanengine

Chain_reaction wrote: »

I don't think that's an unpopular opinion.

I hate Grandaddy.

:O Even Sophtware Slump?

donfers

There have been no great new guitar bands this millenium

mosstin

iamanengine wrote: »

:O Even Sophtware Slump?

Much preferred 'Under the Western Freeway' myself.

ricero

suck it and see is the arctic monkeys best album

syngindub

Haim , no just no

iamanengine

Humbug is Arctic Monkeys best album

lordgoat

Not musically but in alot of aspects Arctic Monkeys = KOL.

Rothko

lordgoat wrote: »

Not musically but in alot of aspects Arctic Monkeys = KOL.

I'd agree in the sense that both bands started out great and have been disappointing since then.

The Wild Bunch

syngindub wrote: »

Haim , no just no

I'd leave lovebites in each of their collective sh*tes

Rough Sleeper

lordgoat wrote: »

Not musically but in alot of aspects Arctic Monkeys = KOL.

They're both very commercially successful.

They both attract enormous amounts of twats to their gigs (never been to a KOL gig but I know this like I know the sun will rise tomorrow).

What else ya got?

iamanengine

Great first 3 albums dipping greatly (imo) for their subsequent ones?

mosstin

Sonic Youth, with the exception of some wonderful songs, were one of those bands lionized because they were 'cool'. I have never enjoyed an album of theirs from start to finish. Way too much arty self-indulgence going on.

iamanengine

mosstin wrote: »

Sonic Youth, with the exception of some wonderful songs, were one of those bands lionized because they were 'cool'. I have never enjoyed an album of theirs from start to finish. Way too much arty self-indulgence going on.

I would suggest Dirty, if you've not already listened.

mosstin

iamanengine wrote: »

I would suggest Dirty, if you've not already listened.

I have listened to almost every album. 'Dirty' contains moments of greatness, sure, but still epitomises that whole artrock aesthetic I found hard to accept with them.

Dandelion6

mosstin wrote: »

Sonic Youth, with the exception of some wonderful songs, were one of those bands lionized because they were 'cool'. I have never enjoyed an album of theirs from start to finish. Way too much arty self-indulgence going on.

Never cared much for them either and they were terrible live.

Ash.J.Williams

Dandelion6 wrote: »

Isn't Anything is better than Loveless

I can't stop listening to mbv, I think only tomorrow is one of their best songs ever. Yeah isn't anything is an amazing piece of genius. Loveless legendary status has a lot to do with timing....and its genius.....could have sworn I saw Kev shields on the quays in Dublin last week....I went all stalker for a bit, the fact we were both in vehicles made he give up after a bit!

Birneybau

Hosier is bloody awful.

The Wild Bunch

Stereophonics are a cracking live band with some proper indie anthems and don't deserve so much stick

karaokeman

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Stereophonics are a cracking live band with some proper indie anthems and don't deserve so much stick

Truthfully their version of Handbags and the Gladrags is the best I've ever heard.

iamanengine

The Bends is Radioheads best album by far.

daUbiq

iamanengine wrote: »

The Bends is Radioheads best album by far.

And it's been a downward slide since?

iamanengine

daUbiq wrote: »

And it's been a downward slide since?

Not saying that, it's just my favourite. It's an unpopular opinion...

May be down to the fact that it was the first album of theirs that I heard and I fell in love.

Dandelion6

iamanengine wrote: »

May be down to the fact that it was the first album of theirs that I heard and I fell in love.

It's the second album of theirs that I heard (Pablo Honey was the first) but I still think it's their best by far.

daUbiq

Dandelion6 wrote: »

It's the second album of theirs that I heard (Pablo Honey was the first) but I still think it's their best by far.

It's a superb album but I prefer Ok Computer.

sheroman01

There's an unfair stigma attached to Kings of Leon. Their first 3 (first 2 in particular) albums are absolute quality. Such raw, original, energetic music.

The Wild Bunch

sheroman01 wrote: »

There's an unfair stigma attached to Kings of Leon. Their first 3 (first 2 in particular) albums are absolute quality. Such raw, original, energetic music.

Then it ALL went horribly wrong..........

SilverScreen

I found Kings of Leon kind of boring from the beginning. I just saw them as another band hopping on the retro bandwagon that was set in motion by The Strokes and The White Stripes. The 'Southern Strokes' label that was applied to them early on made me cringe. I honestly thought that they'd be a fad band that would fade away quickly. But surprisingly not.

Birneybau

SilverScreen wrote: »

I found Kings of Leon kind of boring from the beginning. I just saw them as another band hopping on the retro bandwagon that was set in motion by The Strokes and The White Stripes. The 'Southern Strokes' label that was applied to them early on made me cringe. I honestly thought that they'd be a fad band that would fade away quickly. But surprisingly not.

The Southern Strokes sobriquet was in no way indicative of what they sounded like AT ALL, was just lazy, I presume the NME, journalism trying to create a 'scene'. Jesus, none of the three you name sound like any of the other (not giving out to you, I remember that was how the media tried to portray it). Anyway, I'm on the side of the first 2 KOL albums being amazing and there's nothing retro about the 2nd album.

sheroman01

I was waiting for the "Southern Strokes" comparison. Hate that comparison. As Birneybau said above, The Strokes and KOL are not alike. I dunno, obviously it's hard not to be biased and music is of course subjective, but I listen to Aha Shake Heartbreak from start to finish and just wonder how anybody could hate it. The wonders of music

Incidently, here's another unpopular opinion I hold - though I like The Strokes, I find them extremely over-rated. I see nothing special about them at all. Is This It is an okay album, with some catchy songs, but certainly not one of the best albums that's ever been released, as it's made out to be.

Dubhthamlacht

I was one of the minority getting out of the Electric Picnic arena as Hozier was getting on stage. Even When Take Me To Church was first released last year, it left me cold. I just don't get it. The new single he has just reaffirms how indifferent his music makes me feel.

Birneybau

Dubhthamlacht wrote: »

I was one of the minority getting out of the Electric Picnic arena as Hozier was getting on stage. Even When Take Me To Church was first released last year, it left me cold. I just don't get it. The new single he has just reaffirms how indifferent his music makes me feel.

Like a modern day Van Morrison, the bad stuff.

The_Captain

Anyone who says they don't like the Strokes is trying too hard.


They were a great band, and the first two albums were solid.

The media whipped up a New York garage rock scene around them, and then dumped then when garage rock fashion wasn't cool any more.

SilverScreen

I wouldn't say that anyone who dislikes The Strokes is trying to hard, it's not possible for everyone to like them. I still think Is This It is a great album and still holds up well after 13 years. I remember being slightly disappointed with Room On Fire when it was released but in retrospect it's actually a good album. Anything they released after that didn't interest me.

The whole garage rock revival thing emerged from Detroit and New York in the late 90's/early 00's but it was inevitable that the media would lump any retro-sounding band together at the time.

Tombo2001

mosstin wrote: »

The Irish music alternative music scene, such as it is, is almost uniformly dreadful. Too self-celebrating, po-faced and safe.

Two words for you my friend.

Adrian Crowley.

K4t

The_Captain wrote: »

Anyone who says they don't like the Strokes is trying too hard.


They were a great band, and the first two albums were solid.

The media whipped up a New York garage rock scene around them, and then dumped then when garage rock fashion wasn't cool any more.

Agreed.

If you don't still love this then you've lost something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knU9gRUWCno

Birneybau

SilverScreen wrote: »

I wouldn't say that anyone who dislikes The Strokes is trying to hard, it's not possible for everyone to like them. I still think Is This It is a great album and still holds up well after 13 years. I remember being slightly disappointed with Room On Fire when it was released but in retrospect it's actually a good album. Anything they released after that didn't interest me.

The whole garage rock revival thing emerged from Detroit and New York in the late 90's/early 00's but it was inevitable that the media would lump any retro-sounding band together at the time.

One great album that came out of that period was 'Pawn Shoppe Heart' by the Von Bondies which kinda got overlooked because of some sh!te between Jack White and the singer of the Von Bondies. Now, a song from it is used as the theme tune for that Denis Leary firefighter drama and another was used in a Lifesyle Sports ad but they are 2 of the weakest tracks on the album.

Here's a good un:

loyatemu

Birneybau wrote: »

One great album that came out of that period was 'Pawn Shoppe Heart' by the Von Bondies

yeah - that is a great album, I'd more or less forgotten about it.

mosstin

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Two words for you my friend.

Adrian Crowley.

One word for you my friend - almost.

SilverScreen

Birneybau wrote: »

One great album that came out of that period was 'Pawn Shoppe Heart' by the Von Bondies which kinda got overlooked because of some sh!te between Jack White and the singer of the Von Bondies. Now, a song from it is used as the theme tune for that Denis Leary firefighter drama and another was used in a Lifesyle Sports ad but they are 2 of the weakest tracks on the album.

I can remember C'mon C'mon being used in a Lifestyle Sports ad a good few years ago. I've never given the band a proper listen and I might check out that album.

My favourite album from that period is Keep On Your Mean Side by The Kills. Best listened to loud of course.

Birneybau

SilverScreen wrote: »

I can remember C'mon C'mon being used in a Lifestyle Sports ad a good few years ago. I've never given the band a proper listen and I might check out that album.

My favourite album from that period is Keep On Your Mean Side by The Kills. Best listened to loud of course.

Do. C'mon C'mon is a decent track but there are better on the album.

S.M.B.

If we're talking best band to came out of that garage rock revival era I'd have to put Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the top of the list. While Mosquito may be the weakest of their 4 releases I do think they've been produced consistently great music over the past 10 years which has varied just enough to ensure it doesn't seem dated.

Which reminds me, I need to go stream Karen O's new one....

mosstin

S.M.B. wrote: »

If we're talking best band to came out of that garage rock revival era I'd have to put Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the top of the list. While Mosquito may be the weakest of their 4 releases I do think they've been produced consistently great music over the past 10 years which has varied just enough to ensure it doesn't seem dated.

Which reminds me, I need to go stream Karen O's new one....

You exaggerate.

OhHiMark

Listened to that von bondies album for the first time in about ten years yesterday and it reminded me why I hadn't listened to it in ten years. It's very average.

The_Captain

It's as good as any White Stripes album.


Which isn't saying a whole lot to be fair

iomega

S.M.B. wrote: »

If we're talking best band to came out of that garage rock revival era I'd have to put Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the top of the list. While Mosquito may be the weakest of their 4 releases I do think they've been produced consistently great music over the past 10 years which has varied just enough to ensure it doesn't seem dated.

Which reminds me, I need to go stream Karen O's new one....

100%. Probably my favourite band of the last 10 years.

daUbiq

GarIT wrote: »

How unpopular can an opinion be?

IMO music generally isn't worth listening to if it hasn't been released by a large label.

Now this is an unpopular opinion as most people posting here would probably say the opposite, music released by large labels is generally a load of ****e... maybe you're taking the piss?

The Wild Bunch

The middleclass landfill indie sh*te that Ireland is churning out over the past few years is an all time low for Irish music

Dubhthamlacht

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

The middleclass landfill indie sh*te that Ireland is churning out over the past few years is an all time low for Irish music

Which bands would you define as middleclass landfill indie?