Bands/artists that you can't get into, although you think you should

[Futureman]

While many people extol the groundbreaking sounds of Captain Beefheart, I just can't persuade myself to like him. The same can be said for Spaceman 3, although I finally warmed up to Perfect Prescription after many, many listens. On the whole, I'm not blown away by David Bowie, although there are a few albums I enjoy.

What about you? What great bands or artists don't appeal to you even though your fellow music lovers admire them?

[Miss Tasty Princess]

I think we just did this a few months ago but my answer is the same: The Who. I like a few songs but find most annoying. I need never hear "A Quick One While He's Away" ever again.

[Futureman]

Sorry if I missed the original thread on this topic.

[Brushback]

The Who
The Who were inconsistent, I'll grant you that. I didn't really appreciate what a brilliant writer and musician Pete Townshend is, though, until I saw him doing a solo acoustic "Storytellers" set on VH1 quite a number of years ago. Once I comprehended the more basic meaning and emotions of Townshend's lyrics when they were sung by him, with Roger Daltrey's frontman posturing removed (I can't stand Roger Daltrey), I was blown away. Even songs like "Behind Blue Eyes" that I'd always hated started to sound good. It gave me a whole new angle on The Who.

Myself, and this probably isn't the best place to mention this, but one band that I never "got" that I maybe should've was Pavement. I remember when the "Slay Tracks" 7-inch came into the local record store, and the owner had set aside a copy for me behind the counter because "I think you'll really like this", but I couldn't get into it for whatever reason. Not that it hurt their career any.

[tinobeat]

where'd you go anyway, Futureman?

Beefheart's tough, for sure. I hemmed and hawed and decided that I couldn't play the "I like Beefheart" game, but then I got Safe As Milk, which is the first Magic Band album, and is much much more straightforward than the insanity he's so known for. After I digested that for a while, the rest of the catalog just opened up in my ears.

Aside from Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory, I haven't been able to get too far into Bowie either.

I can't get into Sleater-Kinney to save my life. And I've tried, especially with some friends who are big fans...

[Futureman]

tino,

I've been around. I've been lurking more than posting these days. Futureman feels cool when he surfs in stealth!

I don't get overly wild about The Who, except for Live at Leeds (sorry HCI). Love it, love it.

[johansen smith]

Boards of Canada. I mean, it's alright but I guess I just don't "get" it.

[redheaven]

one band that I never "got" that I maybe should've was Pavement.

Thank you .....I don't know why I can't understand this group, I ended up buying nearly all their albums after reading reviews of each one and thinking "OK, maybe I'll like this one".....but it didn't work.....

I also never understood Yo La Tengo. I dug some of their stuff, but I could never separate the image of them from their music, if that makes any sense. (I'm

really posting this on the wrong board, aren't I?)

I also second the Sleater-Kinney.....I'll take Throwing Muses over them any day.....:)

[Miss Tasty Princess]

Yo La Tengo have an "image?"

[redheaven]

Somehow in my mind they do.....I don't know how it happened.....

[Brushback]

When I first saw Yo La Tengo (probably 1988 or something), I actually thought it was kinda cool that they had no real "image", which was a far less typical thing to do back then. It was like, "we don't have a wild frontman and we're not quite sure yet what to do up here, but we really want to play this music."

[Salman]

Modest Mouse by far. I've tried real hard to like them but I just don't get why they're so liked, and why their older discography is so revered.

[Paul]

Originally posted by Salman
Modest Mouse by far. I've tried real hard to like them but I just don't get why they're so liked, and why their older discography is so revered. Amen to that! Although, it's been years and years since I last actively tried to like them.

One band that's always left me blank while other people absolutely worship them is Erasure. Aside from a great single in "A Little Respect," they seem hookless and musically vapid. Considering the love affair I have with most '80s synthpop, it seems odd I can't find many redeeming qualities in Erasure.

[the Pawnbroker]

There are probably tons, but the first one I thought of was John Spencer Blues Explosion.

[george]

basically anything released before 1980.

[Miss Tasty Princess]

Originally posted by george
basically anything released before 1980. That's just sad. I certainly hope you're kidding.

[Ladt]

The Pixies.

[Paul]

Originally posted by the Pawnbroker
John Spencer Blues Explosion. The old guy from The West Wing has a rock band? kay-raaaazy!

[the Pawnbroker]

Originally posted by Paul
The old guy from The West Wing has a rock band? kay-raaaazy!

Oh shit. I thought this thread was "bands/artists you can't spell, although you think you should."

[2ndWife]

I don't get Gang of Four. Their songs really bore me. And I'm the kind of person that tries really hard to like something.

The Arcade Fire are too overwrought and overly-indie sounding. In fact, I'm not into many bands that have that academic indie sound. Early Modest Mouse is meandering and amateurish. Pavement are cool, but I'll take the Stones or the Who or the Beatles over them anyday. The Pixies rock, but not like David Bowie rocks.

However, one of my favorite bands is Spoon, probably cause they are the least indie-sounding of most of today's indie crop.

[Paul]

Originally posted by 2ndWife
I don't get Gang of Four. Their songs really bore me. And I'm the kind of person that tries really hard to like something.Fair enough, but I hope you didn't try to get into them by hearing Songs Of The Free, Hard, or any of the albums which came afterwards. The first two LPs, the "Yellow" EP, and the Peel Sessions are all one really needs to own.

[george]

Originally posted by Mr.HCI
That's just sad. I certainly hope you're kidding.

not at all

[miss understood]

Captain Beefheart
Sonic Youth
Beck

[japanese_moon]

guided by voices

*ducks*

[Paul]

tino used to hate GBV until I held him over a balcony by his underwear and made him listen to Under The Bushes, Under The Stars repeatedly. Now he really likes them.

Should I pencil you in for a session this weekend?

[japanese_moon]

sounds good Paul. late in the evening would be nice. I'll be expecting your call of confirmation later.

[johansen smith]

26 posts, it's time for a Maloze joke:

Maloze.

[Futureman]

Originally posted by Paul
tino used to hate GBV until I held him over a balcony by his underwear ...

Right side up or upside down? Either way could be dangerous.

[mydogcheckers]

Wilco
Van Morrison

[johansen smith]

wait, are people still into Wilco?

[Salman]

Originally posted by johansen smith


Maloze.

I wish that thread was saved before the great Matador system crash.

[pony]

Originally posted by japanese_moon
guided by voices

*ducks*

I've spent so much money on their albums, and yeah, as embarrassing as it is to admit (especially round here) I just can't play their albums without forcing myself to.

[george]

the raunch hands

[Electromud]

I keep on thinking that I should buy the Death from Above 1979 album, but every time I sample it I don't like it much.

[SarahRide]

Superchunk
Van Morrison

[winterversion]

Elvis Costello - A few tracks of his stand out now and then, but for the most part, he sounds pretty mediocre to me.

Same goes for the Clash. Never really understood what that whole fuss was about.

[SarahRide]

I can't really get into Janis Joplin, either. Her voice grates on my nerves.

[johansen smith]

just posting to see myself.

[rhoops]

-to the poster who spoke of Elvis Costello, i understand, although you should really own the first 3 albums, or maybe just the first depending on how much you like it.

as for myself i've never been able to get into the fiery furnaces, no matter how much i listened to their stuff. for me there's just too much electronic crap that gets in the way of what otherwise *may* be decent songs. also, am i the only one who thinks that the first song on the arcade fire album is so good it blows the rest of the songs out of the water thereby making the rest of the album fairly tedious to listen to?

[johansen smith]

the Fiery Furnaces are probably my favorite current band right now, but you're certainly not alone in disliking them, especially on this board. as for the Arcade Fire, I like a few songs (especailly the first song), but the album is really just okay, and their new songs that have come out are even more boring.

[tinobeat]

I've actually come around a good bit to the Fiery Furnaces. It was the EP that did the trick, I think. Blueberry Boat is real frustrating, cos the good moments are really fucking stellar, but they lose the plot a good bit in it.

They could potentially become the best band around, and I admire their ambition, but it hasn't hit the "genius" they're clearly striving for, yet. I encourage them to keep tryin, tho...

[Paul]

I've actually come around a good bit to the Fiery Furnaces. It was the EP that did the trick, I think. You're not the only one for whom EP was a bit of a turning point. Before hearing that, I was able to just dismiss them as not being "my thing," but perfectly happy to let other people love them as much as they wanted to. But now that I've heard that they're actually capable of doing things I like, it's more frustrating that they insist on being so willfully hard to appreciate most of the time.

[apeshite]

as for myself i've never been able to get into the fiery furnaces, no matter how much i listened to their stuff. for me there's just too much electronic crap that gets in the way of what otherwise *may* be decent songs. also, am i the only one who thinks that the first song on the arcade fire album is so good it blows the rest of the songs out of the water thereby making the rest of the album fairly tedious to listen to?

Funny you should say that about Arcade Fire, because I feel the exact same way about the Furnaces' Blueberry Boat. The first song is so terrific, it makes the others pale IMO.

[rhoops]

admittedly, i've only listened to gallows bird and bb. judging from that though i'd say they need bit of the "less is more principle" in their composition. . . just my opinion. . . i also meant to include the delays in my comment on the arcade fire, why does long time coming overshadow any other song on that album almost to the point of them being, like taf, a one hit wonder in my book?

[Paul]

why does long time coming overshadow any other song on that album almost to the point of them being, like taf, a one hit wonder in my book?What?! Yr bonkers. "Long Time Coming" is indeed a great song, but so is everything else on there. And so are their b-sides... in fact, I have yet to hear a Delays song I don't really like.

[rhoops]

that's cool, i guess i'd just rather listen to the 14 iced bears any day of the week. . .

[peterson]

violent femmes. maybe i just don't get it