Shit, there are so many amazing african bands making shit money, why would you support these doucheface new wave wannabes?
Because those amazing African bands aren't getting hyped up on MTV. It's the same reason why fools are all over Amy Winehouse why not even knowing anything about Sharon Jones. The popular artists are being positioned and have money behind them. It goes for every single genre out there.
There was some clips and a review on NPR a day or two ago. They are selling themselves as some selfaware, old money havin, well travelled, kids just making music and sharing the experiences they have had. Whatever. I wasnt feelin it. And when the host commented that "listening to their music felt like putting on a well worn Ralph Lauren sweatshirt", my mind was made up. I really wasnt feeling it.
Then you might like it, it's heavily African-pop influenced. I laughed out loud when you first posted this, but then I realized after reading this thread you weren't joking.
I really had no idea this would turn into the typical "Soulstrut Analysis of Race in Music" thread.
Shit, there are so many amazing african bands making shit money, why would you support these doucheface new wave wannabes?
Because those amazing African bands aren't getting hyped up on MTV. It's the same reason why fools are all over Amy Winehouse why not even knowing anything about Sharon Jones. The popular artists are being positioned and have money behind them. It goes for every single genre out there.
This is overly simplistic. Vampire Weekend might be comprised by a bunch of privileged white college students - and sure, that's not irrelevant to the discussion - but it's not like they were destined to shine. "African-pop-influenced-indie-rock-by-Ivy-Leaguers" is not a formula on paper that you could easily sell to MTV. I'm not even saying this is defense of the group - it just seems reductive to put everything on money as if the music industry can manufacture a hit just by throwing a lot of money behind it. If that were the case, there'd be no such thing as flops/failures.
In any case, it's not like these dudes are like Paul Simon (huge star at the time) bucking apartheid restrictions to make "Graceland."
There was some clips and a review on NPR a day or two ago. They are selling themselves as some selfaware, old money havin, well travelled, kids just making music and sharing the experiences they have had. Whatever. I wasnt feelin it. And when the host commented that "listening to their music felt like putting on a well worn Ralph Lauren sweatshirt", my mind was made up. I really wasnt feeling it.
Yeah, that was a terrible - I heard the same review and even though it was meant to be a compliment, it didn't encourage me to want to check them out.
Now, if there was music that feels like putting on an all-print hoodie...
on paper it seems that way. although, I never envision hipsters ever having actual talent which I think these clowns might have. dont quote me though, im drunk.
If you're going to make up your mind about a band because of some quote like, "listening to their music felt like putting on a well worn Ralph Lauren sweatshirt," then you're pretty lame. There's thousands of indie hip-hop fans saying stupid shit about "real hip-hop," but A Tribe Called Quest, Common et al. have put out some enjoyable music regardless. I'm not defending Vampire Weekend- just tired of hearing people judge music they've never heard.
Here's Oxford Comma, one of the better songs off the album:
If this new generation spent half its time developing a new sound rather than aping another generation's, maybe people would give a shit about new music.
If this new generation spent half its time developing a new sound rather than aping another generation's, maybe people would give a shit about new music.
Yeah, like the 60's - where they never aped anybody's music!
If this new generation spent half its time developing a new sound rather than aping another generation's, maybe people would give a shit about new music.
Yeah, like the 60's - where they never aped anybody's music!
That's not exactly the same thing. Soul music was more of a progression from gospel and R&B than outright mimicry. Even Rock, in its bastardized way, constituted a different sound, per se - albeit mostly because it was white folks fukking it up. This decade long "80s beat-off revolution" is like ironic karaoke. With too-clean synths.
Is that Vampire Weekend? They look like they stepped out of a J. Crew catalog.
And what is with so many band photos nowadays? You can categorize them in two ways: The sad photo and the look-away photo. Even the dog seems wholly uninterested in their music.
After listening to "Oxford Comma," I can't believe the music industry has crowned these guys. The drummer can't keep a basic tempo, the keyboardist plays the most harmonically simple "cowboy" chords possible, and the guitarist has no melodic imagination whatsoever.
What is this band's appeal? It can't possibly be the half-rate music they play. Another example of style over substance.
At least the Arctic Monkeys have some interesting stories to tell...
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Because those amazing African bands aren't getting hyped up on MTV. It's the same reason why fools are all over Amy Winehouse why not even knowing anything about Sharon Jones. The popular artists are being positioned and have money behind them. It goes for every single genre out there.
I wasnt feelin it.
And when the host commented that "listening to their music felt like putting on a well worn Ralph Lauren sweatshirt", my mind was made up. I really wasnt feeling it.
I laughed out loud when you first posted this, but then I realized after reading this thread you weren't joking.
I really had no idea this would turn into the typical "Soulstrut Analysis of Race in Music" thread.
This is overly simplistic. Vampire Weekend might be comprised by a bunch of privileged white college students - and sure, that's not irrelevant to the discussion - but it's not like they were destined to shine. "African-pop-influenced-indie-rock-by-Ivy-Leaguers" is not a formula on paper that you could easily sell to MTV. I'm not even saying this is defense of the group - it just seems reductive to put everything on money as if the music industry can manufacture a hit just by throwing a lot of money behind it. If that were the case, there'd be no such thing as flops/failures.
In any case, it's not like these dudes are like Paul Simon (huge star at the time) bucking apartheid restrictions to make "Graceland."
Yeah, that was a terrible - I heard the same review and even though it was meant to be a compliment, it didn't encourage me to want to check them out.
Now, if there was music that feels like putting on an all-print hoodie...
although, I never envision hipsters ever having actual talent which I think these clowns might have.
dont quote me though, im drunk.
indie guilt revealed !
actually this kinda sounds like van hunt to me
If you're going to make up your mind about a band because of some quote like, "listening to their music felt like putting on a well worn Ralph Lauren sweatshirt," then you're pretty lame. There's thousands of indie hip-hop fans saying stupid shit about "real hip-hop," but A Tribe Called Quest, Common et al. have put out some enjoyable music regardless. I'm not defending Vampire Weekend- just tired of hearing people judge music they've never heard.
Here's Oxford Comma, one of the better songs off the album:
Are you new to Soulstrut or something?
so good to have you back.
Yeah! that song and video are pretty ace actually!
Just wondering, is the bands name MGMT like the letters? Or is it pronounced management?
i quickly listened through their album, the rest sounded nothing like this
If this new generation spent half its time developing a new sound rather than aping another generation's, maybe people would give a shit about new music.
Yeah, like the 60's - where they never aped anybody's music!
That's not exactly the same thing. Soul music was more of a progression from gospel and R&B than outright mimicry. Even Rock, in its bastardized way, constituted a different sound, per se - albeit mostly because it was white folks fukking it up. This decade long "80s beat-off revolution" is like ironic karaoke. With too-clean synths.
And what is with so many band photos nowadays? You can categorize them in two ways: The sad photo and the look-away photo. Even the dog seems wholly uninterested in their music.
What is this band's appeal? It can't possibly be the half-rate music they play. Another example of style over substance.
At least the Arctic Monkeys have some interesting stories to tell...
Holy fuck, Jonny, you're right! I had to navigate away from YouTube during the second song.
Their shit is so featherweight. They seem like mannequins draped with taffeta -- do they even play their instruments?