your sister is an old hat ... so there.
Ok, so I get it. Everyone uses radiohead as the comparator or the standard when trying to ascertain the relevance of insert pseudo experimental indie rock band name here
I think my personal choice to use radiohead is warranted however since A) I do see distinct similarities (see original post) B)I am extensively familiar with radiohead's work which would thus give the comparison a more astute level of insight. Why would I try to use a band that doesn't have similar characteristics and/or compared to a band that I know less about? C)The reason why radiohead and the Beatles are so often used is because they are the rare exception of a band who's discography spans more than 2 or 3 albums, and covers at least a few different musical stylistic changes... but all with equal skill and fervor.
Calling someone out on that is like calling out Stephen Hawking for comparing a new idea to the theory of relativity ... wow, that sounds terribly pretentious ... I am certainly not the Stephen Hawking of anything ... its just an example to get the point across.
Moving on beyond the low ball tactics of the commenter ... and responding to the short and ill attempted detraction to the comparisons SJ to MPP ... I would actually agree that some of my commentary was a metaphorical round peg in the square hole.
MPP vs Ok Computer does not quite line up. Though I am current freaking the f out over MPP its cohesiveness as an album is lacking in comparison. I feel like OK computer, and pretty much every R-head album's best qualities is their ability to blend 10 - 12 songs together as one long amazing journey. I think MPP has some disjointed moments or perhaps. I think Strawberry Jam actually carries through pretty well as the segue between Reverend Green and Fireworks will make me shant. But MPP doesn't always keep me (the listener) involved and tied to the work.
The second point is that radiohead pretty much hit the ground running. It took AC like 5 albums to evolve into strawberry jam. However I think it would be tough to disagree that it was a great move to kind of go back to their older sound with more layering and less emphasis on the vocals. There's much more to explore in that realm. And they have real potential to fucking own the world ... however they would just need to follow my advice ... haha, actually that would be terrible idea for them.
The last point being that OK Computer is a better album than MPP. I would go so far as to say a much better album. Is My Girls as good as Karma Police? no. Is Taste as good as Airbag? No. Is Brothersport as awesome as Paranoid Android. Not even fucking close. The thing about MPP is that if you look back at the animal collective discography they're averaging an album per year, not including their side projects. After thinking about that a bit I kind of started to feel like the listeners were short changed on MPP. A lot of the songs on the album seem like the band had an idea, got it recorded, then moved onto the next song. Never looking back, never second guessing. And if that is really how they work then they are to at least be commended for taking a daring idea and sticking by it. However on a lot of the songs I feel like there was a bit more there that wasn't ever explored. The biggest example of this would be Taste. That song is fucking amazing ... but at about 2.5 minutes in it cuts to some (actually pretty sweet, and yes best listened to on some big ass speakers) weird electro sonic outro music. Every time I hear this song I am disappointed though because I felt like the energy in the first half of the song is completely swept away. Another downside is with the shift in focus away from the vocals, the vocal portions of the songs are sometimes underutilized. Or at least I know there is more creativity there as is evident from Strawberry Jam. However many of the songs on MPP take the opening theme of vocal styling and message and just repeat from front to back.
Layers don't make an album great. Its what the band does with them. And Animal Collective are pretty fucking amazing at putting together different soundscapes and generating some entertaining and interesting songs. The music on MPP just like that of Radiohead's albums is inspiring. Not to like change the world or anything profound, but more like, “hey there are totally bands out there that give a shit about carving out their own unique place” Its nice knowing that there are groups out there that can have more than one musical idea (read: album) where they try to put together something new, and interesting, and different from their other work ... and plainly succeed.
"However on a lot of the songs I feel like there was a bit more there that wasn't ever explored"
ReplyDeleteI think that right there is what separates the men from the boys. ... musically speaking. To be able to commit to an idea, and to explore it to its fullest. Even to explore it to the point of agony. That's the shit that gets me up in the morning. And to bring the discussion to a band that is more near and dear to my heart, Muse, I think this is where they lost their way. Maybe it was the absence of Leckie (Radiohead's crafter), but either way they are trying to go in too many different directions at once and are losing focus in their sound and their art. And I think here is where I've always been torn. Because something I think I've always wanted for a band to do is make an album with so many different sounds that you couldn't even tell if it was the same band throughout. At the same time, just a killer cohesion is tough to beat. Some more about MPP, I feel like what OK does that it doesn't is change up and make you think a little. I feel like MPP mostly continues on the same volume and tone the entire album. Though it is a great tone, I feel I get a little lost in the layers...whereas albums like OK computer take you more for a ride with more rises and falls, inclines and declines, etc. etc. I feel like SJ does this a little more than MPP as well. So I guess this is sort of the compromise i appreciate in an album. Music that takes you on a ride, exploring different realms, while still retaining a cohesive theme and sound. I feel like Muse tries to do this...but it is just too disjointed and underdeveloped lately. Radiohead does this in spaces. And I think the Collective are kind of off on their own right now...exploring themselves. And I almost feel like an observer looking in. It looks great from the outside, but I feel like it is less personal (with the exception of some musical moments).
replace "Radiohead does this in spaces" with:
ReplyDelete"Radiohead does this in spades".