A lot of people ask me why I post so much electro and house music on here, and not as much rock. The answer is easy:
Rock music these days is pitiful. Well, the garbage they play on the radio hurts my ears. But I'm confident that there's quality rock music out there. I hear it from time to time. But MTV and pop radio have damaged rock music in a way that may be irreversible. But no words can explain the joy that consumes me when I hear a contemporary rock band that actually sounds like a real rock band. None of that whiny, emo garbage. I'm sorry, but I just can't stomach the cheesy songs that bands like Fall Out Boy, Death Cab For Cutie, and Coheed and Cambria put out. The only reason I know these bands exist is because I do occasionally turn on the radio. Then I immediately regret it when I hear these degenerates playing what they call music. I mean, seriously, why do they sound like their man parts were cut off? And why do people like this?
I hear MTV's TRL is no longer on television. That makes me happy. I'm pretty sure TRL is to blame for the rise in popularity of this nonsense. Maybe now they'll go back to playing real rock music. Or not. They're too busy airing pathetic reality shows. But I digress...
So, my pal George Carson (who happens to be a part of an awesome rock band: Loaded) suggested I check out Ghostland Observatory. They've been around for a few years now, and I can't believe I never heard of them. But I downloaded a handful of their songs, and they rock! They remind me of Wolfmother with a dash of MGMT. So thank you, George, for proving rock music still exists. You just gotta look for it.
Ghostland Observatory - Sad Sad City
Ghostland Observatory - Piano Man
Ghostland Observatory - Rich Man
I must say...I rather enjoy reading your blog! Ghostland Observatory is sIcK! I never heard of them before, checked them out on Rhapsody and listened to their last couple albums. Freakin Sweet!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you've heard Company of Thieves yet, but they have a really nice sound! I was watching tv and saw a commercial for their cd (which I thought was kinda weird), but it grabbed my attention and I had to listen to their album. It's REALLY GOOD! There's some "classic sounding" guitar riffs on "Under the Umbrella." "Oscar Wilde" is a really great track as well! Give em a shot! Let me know what you think!
jazzy-
ReplyDeleteim sure you knew that i would comment on rant about music these days. i appreciate the music that you found but i also take what you said pretty personally. (wtf? why do people like this kind of music? why do people like YOU!?!?!)
you know i share your taste in rock music. mostly the contemporary bands that sound like classical rock. now, please read that last sentence again. because rock music has changed through the ages, we've had to add modifiers to the "rock" genre. there's modern, contemporary, indie, hard, classic, and *eeeek* emo rock.
your post reminds me of sophomore year when i would listen to tool in my room and my dad had to keep yelling at me to turn down the volume. he hated (<--seriously hated it) the rock genre i listened to. tool, metallica, nirvana, and nin...all crap to his ears. now why did he hate it? because it's not his generations version of rock. he loves rock music but not my version.
the sad thing in my mind about my dad not liking my kind of music was that he couldn't open up his brain and enjoy it the same way i did. his likes and dislikes had cemented and his musical taste couldn't evolve anymore to appreciate new music.
sophomore year is when i realized that music constantly changes and evolves with every new generation of artist. that is when i decided that i would never judge music against what i had grown up with because that would taint the way i heard it. so i'm 31 and i appreciate some fallout boy, coheed, dashboard, and other emo rock music. even though my peers don't like this new genre of rock music i'm not embarrassed. i don't like it all and can't listen in large quantities but i appreciate the art of it.
it's fine that you don't like a certain type of music. but when it comes to rock, don't view the new genre as a threat to the genre you like. it just shows your close mindedness and it's never going to stop evolving after you're tastes have already stopped.
-justin
I appreciate your feedback, pal. And I apologize if I have offended any of you emo rockers. Actually, I take that back, I don't apologize. I hate that $hit! BUT I don't want you or anyone else to think I am "close minded" because you know very well that I will give ANYTHING a listen. While I sat here and hated on Death Cab and Fall Out Boy, I will confess that there are a handful of songs that I appreciate by them. But as a whole, I think the genre is whack, and those fruitcakes annoy me. I like my men to sound like men. And dress like men. It's just my personal preference. I accept all genres of rock music, and I understand that it has evolved over the years. There are no more Eric Clapton's and Robert Plant's. I know this. But it seems like this classic form of rock is almost obsolete and the emo rockers have taken over the mainstream. And that is what bugs me. And that I will never accept. Kids these days listen to whatever the TV tells them is "cool." And today, for some strange reason, whiny prepubescent boys are cool. *Sighs*
ReplyDeletei'm not hear to defend the whole generation of tight jean wearing, sexually ambiguous, depressed emo geeks. i'm just saying that music is an art form and, in that regard, needs to evolve just like everything else.
ReplyDeleteremember that emos aren't the first ones to sing like prepubescent girls and talk about their feelings and relationships, a lot of the first rockers did. im pretty sure that is how rock started in fact.
i'm currently listening to Ghostland Observatory's Piano Man, from your blog and i'm really digging the riff AND at the same time noticing that dude sounds like a chick. doesn't mean it's not cool.
this is all im saying...i don't get this new generation. i don't get why they like to wear their sisters jeans. but i do think that some music should be respected a bit more from a technical point of view. this is your blog and i appreciate you posting your opinions; i value them and enjoy learning about new music but, i can't accept you blanketing the whole genre with hate. it's just blind stereotyping.
the tunes in this blog are outstanding. thanks for introducing me.
-justin
Am I the only one here who agrees 100% with Jazzy??? She worded it perfecetly when she said that it sounds as if they're man parts had been cutt off, fullstop!
ReplyDeletewelcome to the conversation anonymous!
ReplyDeletei agree with with anonymous for sure on that point. led zepplin and alot of other great rockers did the same thing. but that's not the issue. the issue is that if you turn a blind eye (deaf ear) to new art you're doing yourself a disfavor.
if you know me personally, you know im not a huge crusader of that type of music. i might listen to it once every few weeks and i can't listen for long periods of time, but as an artist you have to find the things that you do like in different art and im sure that if you listened to a cd you might find 1-2 tracks you like.
i think i've made my point. this is like arguing why the cubs are a good team with sox fan...pointless.
Pointless is right. Cubs will continue to choke year after year, regardless of their win streaks and record-breaking studs. As long as there are goats on this earth, the Cubs will blow.
ReplyDeleteBack to the music...thanks for your input, anonymous and Cosmosuncle. I just want to reiterate that I do always give all forms of music a try. So this is no blind eye (deaf ear). And like you said, if you give it a listen, you may like at least one or two tracks. This is absolutely true. I do like a handful of emo songs, although I will do everything in my power to keep that to myself most times.
I acknowledge that rock is a progressive genre and ever evolving. And for the most part, I enjoy all of its branches that have been introduced over the years: punk, grunge, metal, indie, industrial (especially), etc. But for some reason, that whiny emo junk just doesn't tickle my fancy. I'm entitled to my preferences and my opinions, and bands like Coheed and Cambria should be banned from the radio! And its members should be castrated if they aren't already! Ha! I kid, I kid...but thanks for your comments, buddy. I'm glad you stir the pot. Somebody's gotta do it ;)
You like your men to look like this?
ReplyDeletehttp://groovyvic.mu.nu/archives/images/Robert_Plant02.jpg
Indeed. Robert Plant was a sexy mofo back in the day!
ReplyDelete