The resurgence of awful bands (Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is)

[IceBus]

Prepare yourself for a rant.

I can tolerate a fair bit of bad music but I've finally had my fill of this new crud and I'm beginning to realise how lucky we were when the worst we had to worry about was Coldplay.

I've chosen to group these three bands together as they all suffer a lot of the same maladies, but they're not alone.

What is it with the absolutely dire quality of lyrical content that seems to lapped up by adoring teenage fans at the minute? Panic At The Disco are particularly awful in this respect as they seem to think that two sentences repeated ad infinitum constitute a chorus. Metaphors stretched to absolute breaking point also seem to be the "in" thing. i.e. "You kiss me like an overdramatic actor, who's starving for work with one last shot to make it happen... You won the role, you've played your part, you've been cordially invited but I'm not impressed, and I'm definately not excited cause the film has a shallow budget and the writer's subject script isn't any deeper" For those of you who forgot what we were talking about, the original subject matter was in fact a kiss. Crazy eh?

The thing that gets to me more than anything though is the complete inability to write a good vocal pattern and stick to it. The only rule is to cram as many multi-syllabic words into as few lines as possible to the point where they're practically reciting a dictionary definition of every hackneyed sentiment they're trying to get across.

The most annoying thing are the bands who have a tiny piece of talent, or one good song... A song kicks in and you think "Hey this album might be worth checking out..." then you get the album and the song you liked is completely unrepresentative and you're left with an expensive coaster. More emotionally damaging are the times you think a song is going to be great, the intro kicks in and sounds great then immediately gets destroyed by the most contrite chirpy verse/chorus imaginable (particular offenders here are Yellowcard).

I absolutely despise this scattergun approach to songwriting and album releases. It seems to be a manifesto of "If we put a little bit of everything on the album, then we can maximise the number of saps who think it might actually be worth buying!".

Thank **** the new Tool album comes out in under a week.

<deep breaths>

 

[IceBus]

I think FOB and PATD are great. I've only listened to Under the Cork Tree (is it?) and a few songs by PATD but they both write damn catchy choons. The lyrics on either dont stand out to me as particular bad. I wouldnt know because i rate bands by the music . It seems once they've hit and everybody wants to like them, its the same old thing going around with the Arctic Monkeys and people are starting to disassociate themselves because 'everyone knows them now' or something equally daft. For christ's sake, like a band for what they are!

The FOB song titles are great as well. And i simply cant see how you can diss PATD for stuff like that. The lyrics to 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies' are great. They tell a nice story, put to a wicked-catchy hook and overall is a fun song. You cant fault it unless you're completely or simply dont like the music (the latter of which is of course perfectly valid).
PATD's range is superb as well. Ranging from pop/punk/whatever you wanna call it as above^, to a song that i could have sworn was by Ben Folds Five: 'There's A Good Reason Why These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Thought Of It Yet'... (yay for long titles!)... to 'Boys Will Be Boys' which has the whole electro thing going on.

There's nothing I can say to that really that wouldn't be bashing bands you like. Back in the days when we were campaigning for a music forum on OcUK one of the main rules we wanted was no bashing of other peoples opinions, so I'll hold myself to that.

Personally, I hate PATD's lyrics, as they're assinine, nonsensical and have about as much cultural significance as a stick of bubble gum. I never liked them, it's not a case of 'now they're trendy'. The same goes for the Arctic Monkeys - the drummer is the only one with even a soupcon of musical talent and even then he's not that tight.

I'm quite happy to be stuck up my own arse in pretentious sludge if it means I can avoid PATD

 

[IceBus]

Well. Tool are about as musically interesting as a cup of tea. Your tastes obviously cant cope with something as challanging as a long songname, and some random lyrics that make no sense. Im sure you'll get over it.

You seem to know a lot about all these bands too, any reason why that is? especially when you hate them? most normal people would take the easy route and not listen to them, tell their friends of the hatred for the band. end of problem no?

One of my favourite Pearl Jam songs is "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town" which is hardly a short title. I never mentioned long song names, that was other posters. I can 'cope' perfectly well with lyrics that make no sense, I just see no point in them. He might as well do some gregorian chanting. I could quite easily have responded with 'Your tastes obviously can't cope with concentrating long enough to listen to and understand a Tool song' but I won't.

I try to be as musically informed as I can be, and by that I mean I'll listen to anything and everything at least once before I decide if I like/dislike it. I don't pan bands without at least trying them once. How could I tell my friends I hated them if I never listened to them?

 

[IceBus]

We are talking about bands that are based 5000miles away, it costs a lot of money sending bands to europe, their label wouldnt see them as being disposable when both FOB & PATD have made it into the charts with their current albums, and that all 3 sell out gigs wherever they play at the moment.

You'd be very surprised how disposable all bands are to record labels. I'd be very surprised if they are given a third album.