Pretentious Music for Pretentious Musicians

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Revolver, your parents probably have bad credit. Also, I , too, am uder 17, so I guess I'm developing as well.

Goodbye, Face, I have a cousin who's a huge [B]Boris[/B] fan... I haven't heard enough and they reinvent themselves too much for me to decide. After hearing some of that annoying *** drone **** I was turned off of them, though I would mind hearing more of their better stuff. [/COLOR]

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]I like drone metal, so I'm unaffected, haha. Their [u]Pink[/u] album has some pretty normal sounding hard rock. I don't know how to describe their music at all.

And yes, that was the point, Rev. He was making it sound like the talk.[/font][/size]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="Olive"]Well DB, sometimes people are early bloomers. My mother said our credit "ain't great." But it's my mother, probably slang for "I don't know but le's just say..." However, the tone of her voice proved she was being truthful.[/COLOR]

[Jakehammaren]

[quote name='Revolver'][COLOR="Olive"]Thanks Billy, even thhough it sounds like your giving me [B]the talk.[/B]

I have the best music out of my friends though, which isn't saying much. I hang out with the Metalhead Clique. My cousin has asome good metal. 3 Inches of Blood, however not pretentious (as far as I know) they are good, and I'd like to hear more of them. Too bad you can't find good music where I live, it's only in a handful of times where good music is found..[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I can feel pretty safe saying I'd put a lot of money on the bet that the "Metalheads" you speak of hardly listen to any real metal at all. And no, 3 Inches of Blood isn't pretentious. Their music is fun, but they're as mainstream as Green Day nowadays. And I hate that all the stupid mallcore kids that listen to them think that no-one has EVAR sung in a high-pitched falsetto before. Yeah, no-one besides every other metal band in the history of music. Ugh. Stupid mallcore kids.

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="Olive"]My friend's favorite band is Mudvayne... I really don't know how to tell him that they suck. I like World so Cold, but even part way through I want to die. We don't neccererily listen to death metal, doom metal and all that stuff. Mostly just the metal metal, like Disturbed and all that stuff, we are soft-core in a sense. However, we do listen to some death metal. Well, not so much but it's isolated. [/COLOR]

[Jakehammaren]

[quote name='Revolver'][COLOR="Olive"]My friend's favorite band is Mudvayne... I really don't know how to tell him that they suck. I like World so Cold, but even part way through I want to die. We don't neccererily listen to death metal, doom metal and all that stuff. Mostly just the metal metal, like Disturbed and all that stuff, we are soft-core in a sense. However, we do listen to some death metal. Well, not so much but it's isolated. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Mudvayne is not a metal band. And Disturbed is not "metal metal". Disturbed isn't a metal band at all, actually. Ha! I knew it. I was right. They don't listen to metal. And this is not my opinion - Disturbed, Mudvayne, Slipknot, Ill Nino, Korn, Mushroomhead, etc. are not metal bands. Again, this is a fact, not an opinion.

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="Olive"]They are Nu Metal, which isn't metal at all. However, it's almost there in some places. [/COLOR]

[Nomurah!]

[quote name='Jakehammaren']Mudvayne is not a metal band. And Disturbed is not "metal metal". Disturbed isn't a metal band at all, actually. Ha! I knew it. I was right. They don't listen to metal. And this is not my opinion - Disturbed, Mudvayne, Slipknot, Ill Nino, Korn, Mushroomhead, etc. are not metal bands. Again, this is a fact, not an opinion.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Heh, You just named all the musicians this weird kid in my grade listens to..

Well lately. I've been listening to... Oh... Southern Hardcore mostly.. He is Legend... Maylene... Etc. While these musicians have pretty much made a name for themselves, and picked up a new name for themselves in the sense of new albums, and losing fans...

Maylene is a nice band. They have nice old-school riffs that remind me of Lynnard Skynnard mixed in with some metalcore riffs and breakdowns, with some of those fancy pitch harmonics, as well as alot of double-bass...which really doesn't say wooh for me, since it's something I've heard...alot.. And..Well.. I'm pretty much a Dallas Taylor fan.. So, got to give him credit for having such a nice voice.

And also been listening to this band called In Irons... That band is pretty sweet too.. They mix Southern-hardcore with metalcore, but they have a sense of originality, and have so many other elements mixed in.

You guys should check out some bands from this Record label called Holdfast Records. It's pretty much a hardcore/etc. record label, with a few different bands that have their own style..[/FONT][/SIZE]

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]Rev: "Mostly just the metal metal, like Disturbed and all that stuff..."
Jake: "And Disturbed is not "metal metal". Disturbed isn't a metal band at all, actually."
Rev: "They are Nu Metal, which isn't metal at all."

. . .

I haven't been around in a little while and I just saw this.

Honestly, I don't understand why bands like Mudvayne, Disturbed, and even Maylene & The Sons of Disaster are being mentioned in this thread. Look at the first few pages of this thread and the kind of examples we set in the beginning. We had rock music that is written in 17/44/whatever time signatures, sprawling metal epics, concept albums, orchestral punk bands, hybrid rock...

Stop posting about bands you hear on the radio along with millions of other people and expecting to have some sort of valid argument. That's not being "pretentious," even though that's a pretty nasty word (used in a joking sense of course) to begin with. Honestly, it's just stupid and causes a lot more arguments than what's necessary.[/font][/size]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="Olive"]Well, I've found out that I can agree with Face. So, how about we eliminate radio music? Unless you find somthing [size=4][B][I][U]really[/U][/I][/B][/size] amazing. So, how about I propose an idea. we post about an artist, and if people agree that said band is great, we mention them in the thread starter? So when people with not-so-pretentious taste come to this thread, they can check out some good artists.

And even ecamples of generic music as a no-no list.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkOliveGreen"][B][URL="http://music.aol.com/video/dance-of-the-manatee/fair-to-midland/1925928"]Click here for the song Dance of the Manatee I talk about. It's worth mentioning becasue this is a good song. Now I don't know about you guys, so I guess I'll see.[/URL][/B][/COLOR]

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]It's not even popularity that is the issue. This thread is (or should be) more for music that is too "out there" for a general audience. Genre isn't an issue either, but Nu-Metal and some Hardcore are pretty much out due their tendency to rip off of other, more popular artists (I could name about 50 local bands that are complete rip-offs of Norma Jean off the top of my head).

And way to go, Rev. I got about halfway through the video before AOL stopped loading it. It's pretty bland, generic rock. I mean, what can I say. The video was charming, at least.


So, my contribution is 'Powers. They're a new project started by the members of Cinemechanica, We Versus the Shark, 300 Cobras, and Coulier. Basically, it's Cinemechanica's drummer, Mike Albanese, surrounded by four guitarists positioned in relation to secondary directions on a compass. They play instrumental post-rock that gets pretty heavy at times, I've heard that the guitarists chase eachother around in a circle when things get especially hectic. Since they're a new band with a handful of shows under their belt, they do not have a CD out yet, what they do have is a live recording of their third show [url=http://southernshelter.com/2007/09/powers-40-watt-91907.html][u]here[/u][/url]. It's done by the people that run the venue and the band promotes it, so I don't think I'm breaking any rules by linking to these .mp3's.

Check them out if you're interested. I haven't really been able to stop listening to them. >_>[/font][/size]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Premonition, your presence in this thread, period, defeats the purpose of this thread. You don't listen to anything pretentious. In fact, you even neglected to listen to a band claiming it was too 'out there' or whatever. And that song you linked sucked hard ***.

Face, I just listened to the first song on that site, which was pretty good. Parts of it I really liked, others were just okay but worth listening. Will get through the rest of them and form a full opinion. [/COLOR]

[Lethargy]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy][COLOR=DarkOrange]Premonition... [/COLOR][COLOR=DarkOrange']that song you linked sucked hard ***. [/COLOR][/quote]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkGreen]Wow. I never thought I'd actually be saying this, but in this instance, I agree with [B]DB[/B] (sorry, [B]Revolver[/B], but it's true). And [B]Goodbye, Face[/B], I thought that [B]Powers[/B] was a halfway decent, if not good, band. I am fond of bands that frequently change time signatures in their songs (I heard 7/8, 6/4, and, of course, 4/4).

[U]However[/U][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[quote name='Revolver][COLOR=Olive]So, how about we eliminate radio music? Unless you find somthing [SIZE=4][B][I][U]really[/U][/I][/B][/SIZE'] amazing. So, how about I propose an idea. we post about an artist, and if people agree that said band is great, we mention them in the thread starter? So when people with not-so-pretentious taste come to this thread, they can check out some good artists.[/COLOR][/quote]
[quote name='Goodbye, Face][FONT=arial][SIZE=1]It's not even popularity that is the issue. This thread is (or should be) more for music that is too "out there" for a general audience. Genre isn't an issue either...[/SIZE'][/FONT][/quote]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkGreen]These are valid and quite good ideas. This thread has slowly been losing its purpose/spirit for a while now with people spending all their time genre nit-picking and bashing bands that we all already agree aren't any good. Why not throw out the bad and only keep the good?


My contribution:

[B]Sin Ropas[/B]

Sin Ropas is a two-piece band from Chicago. [U]Tim Hurley[/U] plays guitar and provides lead vocals, while [U]Danni Iosello[/U] drums and simultaneously plays the harmonium/keys. I had the opportunity to see them live a couple weeks ago. They were providing an improvised soundtrack to several of [URL="http://www.nervousfilms.com"]Brett Green[/URL]'s animated shorts.

These mp3's don't do them justice at all. One [B]MUST[/B] see them live in order to gain the full experience.

[URL="http://www.sinropas.com/MP3NEW.HTM"]Click[/URL]

([B]Three Cherries[/B] is their better album)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]I checked out the stuff from Three Cherries on their site and it was okay, they'd be good to chill out to. Something is off in the music (and definitely the singing) but it sounds like it's supposed to be that way, like in Godspeed You! Black Emperor's music. It makes their music, especially "Tripped On Your Cape," sound somber and depressing. Ultimately, it's different in a good way and that's what this thread is about.

and if you liked 'Powers and how often they change time signatures, I'd suggest you check out [url=http://myspace.com/cinemechanica][u]Cinemechanica[/u][/url], the drummer and one of the guitarists are in it. They play some punk-flavored math rock that takes influence from 8-Bit music. They had a second drummer for about a year but he quit to focus on his own band (who I'll probably end up talking about here too). They're not big into vocals, the new songs they've written barely have them at all, but when they have them, they're pretty good for uhh... dueling yells. Every member of this band is amazing at what they do, I got into the band because of the guitars, but I ended up being even more impressed by the drums. If I had a top ten, they'd be in there somewhere.[/font][/size]

[Jakehammaren]

[quote name='Goodbye, Face'][font=arial][size=1]Rev: "Mostly just the metal metal, like Disturbed and all that stuff..."
Jake: "And Disturbed is not "metal metal". Disturbed isn't a metal band at all, actually."
Rev: "They are Nu Metal, which isn't metal at all."[/font][/size][/QUOTE]

Epic lulz.


And no, it certainly isn't a popularity issue. Opeth, for example, most certainly deserves a hallowed spot in this thread, and they are a widely popular, quite mainstream band. You see, "pretentious" (which we are using jokingly, as mentioned, as meaning music that is unconventional in structure and sound, uses complex time signatures and/or rhythms, is genre-bending, genre-blending, or genre-transcending, etc.) music isn't necessarily underground, and underground music isn't necessarily "pretentious".

And I gotta add [B][URL="http://www.myspace.com/alcestmusic"][U][COLOR="Blue"]ALCEST[/COLOR][/U][/URL][/B]. Please check this out, especially you, Kevin. I think you'd enjoy it quite a bit. It's post-rock/shoegaze/black metal-but-no-harsh-vocals/acoustic-atmospheric/awesome. Go listen to any of the songs off the new album, "Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde". Find it anywhere.

The Myspace page I linked only has two partial song samples, and not even of the best songs from that disc. Of the two on the page, I prefer "Printemps Emeraude". If you can find it anywhere, get the song Les Iris. You will shed tears of joy and nostalgia. It's beautiful.

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]Hot damn, you can read me like a book, Jake. I can't listen to any of their stuff but what's on their myspace yet, since I'm on the campus internet, but I'm absolutely enthralled. They're like a mix of Jesu, Mogwai, and Envy. With that said, there's other stuff out there that is like it, but this is basically what this thread is all about! haha

I just had to respond immediately, lol.[/font][/size]

EDIT: Yes, DB. Maps & Atlases is the best band. Ever.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Ah yes, I remember you brought them up before and their stuff (listening now) is amazing. If I was still buying CDs, I'd snatch this one up immediately.

That is, after finally getting the disks from [B]Woods of Ypres[/B], [B]Ensiferum[/B], and [B]Maps and Atlases[/B], all of which I think deserve a mention in this thread. Woods of Ypres is like [B]Agalloch[/B] with more of the sorrow and slightly less of the atmosphere but all of the same brilliance in genre-fusion. Ensiferum, while not progressive at all, is simply amazing. It's empowering on a level above anything else and skillfully crafted. And then Maps and Atlases, whom I'm sure you have all heard of by now, has t3h mad skillz and most insane riffage ever. I'd suggest you go check them out on purevolume since they have 7 songs up there.

Also, I'm not a time signature junkie, but if you are, you might want to check out blues-rok outfit [B]Pearls and Brass [/B]for some technical and witty riffs that make every song a joyride. [/COLOR]

[Jakehammaren]

Haha! Kevin, I knew you'd love that. Just wait 'till you hear that song "Les Iris". Multiple bodily functions will occur completely out of your control, but it'll be okay because it's the good kind of that happening, you will cry and swept off into a realm of musical bliss, and then you will worship me to no end for suggesting it to you. This is all true.

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]Ah yes, I remember you brought them up before and their stuff (listening now) is amazing. If I was still buying CDs, I'd snatch this one up immediately.

That is, after finally getting the disks from [B]Woods of Ypres[/B], [B]Ensiferum[/B], and [B]Maps and Atlases[/B], all of which I think deserve a mention in this thread. Woods of Ypres is like [B]Agalloch[/B] with more of the sorrow and slightly less of the atmosphere but all of the same brilliance in genre-fusion. Ensiferum, while not progressive at all, is simply amazing. It's empowering on a level above anything else and skillfully crafted. And then Maps and Atlases, whom I'm sure you have all heard of by now, has t3h mad skillz and most insane riffage ever. I'd suggest you go check them out on purevolume since they have 7 songs up there.

Also, I'm not a time signature junkie, but if you are, you might want to check out blues-rok outfit [B]Pearls and Brass [/B]for some technical and witty riffs that make every song a joyride. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I don't think Woods of Ypres is that similar to Agalloch... I guess it does have the same feel to it (although the samples I've heard from WOY's upcoming album are not very promising...), but it's still quite different. And they're definitely not on the same level as Agalloch. And Woods of Ypres is not more sorrowful than Agalloch - in fact, the latter is more sorrowful, if you ask me. Quite a bit more.

And speaking of Woods of Ypres, do you prefer "Against the Seasons: Cold Winter Songs From the Dead Summer Heat" or "Pursuit of the Sun, Allure of the Earth"? I think I'm a bit more fond of the former. To me, it has more focus and I really love the production and sound of the whole thing. Plus the harsh vocals sound better.

And Ensiferum was awesome until Jari left. Their new album just doesn't do it for me at all... the riffs aren't nearly as good, the songs aren't as catchy and awesome, and the vocals borderline suck. But agreed, the first two albums are absolutely first-rate folk/Viking metal.

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]I downloaded the rest of Alcest's Souvenirs and I put it on while I was doing homework. Much like Jesu, his songs all pretty much sound the same, at least when you don't pay attention to it. I need to really listen to the album in detail but I don't have the time. :( I guess there is such a thing as too epic.

What caught me off guard is his MySpace, haha. He seems completely disinterested in talking to his fans at all. He's basically like "I don't read my comments, don't bother. Here's my email, serious inquiries only." Sounds kinda stuck-up and... [i]pretentious[/i].

Billy Shears (and maybe even Jake!) is(/are) going to want to punch me for mentioning this band here, but uhh...

THE LOCUST.

That's right, I said it.
The members are [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=Uqdw8wXqpA4][u]jerks[/u][/url] who are really talented but it's almost a waste because their music is mostly incomprehensible. Most of it is really intense speed punk made with synth noises and ridiculously distorted guitars, all four members screaming at you at once. If you're interested in checking them out, I recommend their album Plague Soundscapes. Their new one, New Erections, has [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=gdfhmzcYRGc][u]one good song[/u][/url] and the rest is trash. I mean, [i]they're different.[/i]

And yes, [url=http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s21/locustfiles/thelocust20075146aus.jpg][u]they[/u][/url] [url=http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s21/locustfiles/thelocust20075089aus.jpg][u]always[/u][/url] [url=http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s21/locustfiles/thelocust20075006toaus.jpg][u]wear[/u][/url] [url=http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s21/locustfiles/thelocust20074640orl.jpg][u]those[/u][/url] [url=http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s21/locustfiles/thelocust20074189stpete.jpg][u]costumes[/u][/url].[/font][/size]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Jake: In the case of WoY I've only heard the 4 songs on their site, and the songs A Meeting Place and Time and Shedding the Deadwood came across as really sad to me, but when I think about it, yeah, Agalloch is much more (I've cried to A Desolation Song before)

Also, I agree about Ensiferum... haven't heard much of their new album, but the guy's voice is just bad.

As for Alcest guy's pretentiousness.... maybe he doesn't speak English well? Arent' they French or something?[/COLOR]

[Billy Shears]

[COLOR="DarkRed"][SIZE="1"]Its really weird to call a crust-punk band pretentious, but in reality, there is no reason to punch you, Kevin. Every member of the [B]Locust[/B] are the most pretentious douchebags on earth.

Since all I've done was poke fun at Revolver and haven't made an actual post in this thread yet, let's vary this up a bit and throw in some [B]Saul Williams[/B]. I'm making a big risk by metioning some hip-hop in a thread seemingly revolving around in this post-rock, progressive-rock, post-metal, math-metal, post-math, viking-math, post-viking, name your genre thread, but whatever. Saul is a badass.

Mix some spoken word poetry/rap with some nice samples and some of the best lyrics in hip-hop, and poof! Saul Williams, in all his vitriolic, snarky, outspoken manner. Look up the songs "Telegram", "Grippo", and "1987" for a good springboard for further listening pleasure.

This is the part where I am s'posed to put some vids or a link, but I am still stuck in the dial-up ages, so this is an adventure you people will have to search yourself. I won't be able to find a good link without waiting for days.

PS: KEV UR SIG IS TEH SHIZZZ! ROFM.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="Olive"]I know what it's like Billy. Dial-up is the ***** of all internet connections. the best I can do is find a link and give it to people. >_>

Dimmu Birgur(sp?) , was a really good band I heard a few days ago. I heard the song was called the Serpantine something, I forgot the name. ^^;; But it was enjoyable.

Speaking of bands with jerk members A7X's, M Shadows thinks he's all that. I mean just look at him and you can see the "I think I'm better, hahaha!" thing just leak from his body. Annoying I might add, especiall since there are tons of bands better than A7X. [/COLOR]

[Goodbye, Face]

[quote name='Revolver'][COLOR="Olive"]Dimmu [Borgir]

A7X[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[font=arial][size=1]This is almost cute. I enjoy talking about my hatred of A7X so I'll jump in.

So, "M. Shadows" has some sort of impairment that makes him unable to use his vocal chords or something. I get it. He didn't do the respectful thing and step down so another vocalist could take over, instead, he became a cocky little ***** who acts like a mix of Axl Rose and Kanye West; talking **** about bands that are better than his own.

I mean, in all honesty, anyone who has heard any Dillinger Escape Plan ("M." made fun of them) song knows that uhh... Matt Sanders... can't really say anything bad about them. I mean, you don't have to like DEP, I understand. They're intense. But you have to recognize the talent. My friend didn't get it, so I told him to tap his foot in 4/4 (just tapping your foot and counting 12341234...). Then, I told him as he's tapping his foot, to clap his hands 7 times within those 4 beats. Welcome to the [i]simplified life[/i] of their drummer, Chris Pennie / Gil Sharone.

So, uhhh... if math metal is pretentious to you, check out DEP's new cd coming out on my birthday next month. :) They have a song from it on their [url=http://myspace.com/dillingerescapeplan][u]MySpace.[/u][/url][/font][/size]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="Olive"]His voice sound like the restrained chorus of 12 kittens being choked and forced to swallow 2 gallons of cyanide, whilst gargling acid, and singing to Mudvayne's horrid ****ing Determined. That is what Matt Sanders sounds like.[/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Once again, you are getting off topic! No A7X!

Hokay, I want to talk about a band familiar to pretentious music listeners - [B]The Sound of Animals Fighting.[/B] I've been listening to the three songs on their purevolume account a lot and all are awesome. Their music is like a chewed up and regurgitated orgy... it's amazing - spastic and off-the wall mixing technicality, madness, and SPARTA!!! ...sorry (besides, the band Sparta sucks *** >_>) Evidently TSOAF has 2 albums - both of which are insane, but the first of which has some really trite screamo vocals and the second doesn't. Of the 3 songs I know, one of them has said bad vocals but... it really doesn't bother me. Their music is just too great to be bothered by the vocals.[/COLOR]