Unpopular Music Opinions

kriswright · 10-24-2014, 07:37 AM

Here's one: I like Radiohead. Saw them when they were touring behind The Bends. But I think they're probably the most critically overhyped band in history. At a certain point it seems to have been decided that the definition of sophistication is how badly you can slobber over Kid A.

Holerbot6000 · 10-24-2014, 07:56 AM

[QUOTE=Unknown Soldier;1500894]Boomtown Rats had a great sound and were really en vogue in the UK in the late 70s and early 80s and they were one of the biggest bands here and I have their first four albums. But then all of a sudden around 1982 I think they just nosedived and everybody seemed to forget about them. They're just remembered now because they were the band of Bob Geldof.

Panorama is the quirkiest and most offbeat album that they ever put out and it's really just an album for die-hard fans, surprisingly though for such a gloomy album it was a big seller, despite the fact it was devoid of any obvious hit singles. This though was its biggest hit, I love both video and the song, but I can't see too many norms on here digging it

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You might be right about Panorama - I think really it was the ultimate expression of the Cars sound and drew the most direct line from their heavy Suicide influence. You can really see how the first two albums built up to Panorama and it was pretty gutsy of the Cars to put out an album like that directly after what many consider to be their best album, which was also hugely popular. Most of what came after it was pretty awful, so you can see this was a bit of a watershed moment for them. Maybe someday it will be re-discovered and re-appreciated.

The Rats had their moment in the sun with 'I don't like Mondays' here in the States, and then were pretty much forgotten. I've noticed that it's my UK brothers who seem to hate them the most and it seems to be mostly because of Bob Geldof. But unlike a lot of New Wave bands who had early hits, the Rats actually got better as they progressed. They released three albums - The Fine Art of Surfacing, Mondo Bongo, and Five Deep, that really pushed on the boundaries of their sound and incorporating Dub, Reggae, Jazz, all sorts of things. These albums are so good and have held up so well, I've always been taken a bit aback at the vitriol these guys inspire. Too each their own, I guess....

Key · 10-24-2014, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kriswright

Here's one: I like Radiohead. Saw them when they were touring behind The Bends. But I think they're probably the most critically overhyped band in history. At a certain point it seems to have been decided that the definition of sophistication is how badly you can slobber over Kid A.

That's not an unpopular opinion. There are many many people who think that they are overhyped to the edge of existence.

Unknown Soldier · 10-28-2014, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holerbot6000

You might be right about Panorama - I think really it was the ultimate expression of the Cars sound and drew the most direct line from their heavy Suicide influence. You can really see how the first two albums built up to Panorama and it was pretty gutsy of the Cars to put out an album like that directly after what many consider to be their best album, which was also hugely popular. Most of what came after it was pretty awful, so you can see this was a bit of a watershed moment for them. Maybe someday it will be re-discovered and re-appreciated.

Without doubt Panorama was the band's ultimate expression, but unlike you I love the albums that followed it. Shake It Up is probably my fav personal album by the band and I think Heartbeat City is one of the epic pop works of the mid 1980s.

Quote:

The Rats had their moment in the sun with 'I don't like Mondays' here in the States, and then were pretty much forgotten. I've noticed that it's my UK brothers who seem to hate them the most and it seems to be mostly because of Bob Geldof. But unlike a lot of New Wave bands who had early hits, the Rats actually got better as they progressed. They released three albums - The Fine Art of Surfacing, Mondo Bongo, and Five Deep, that really pushed on the boundaries of their sound and incorporating Dub, Reggae, Jazz, all sorts of things. These albums are so good and have held up so well, I've always been taken a bit aback at the vitriol these guys inspire. Too each their own, I guess....

Bob Geldof was originally loved (around Live Aid in the 80s) but after a while here he just became annoying Bob. Sure their music covered a whole range of interesting influences without ever reaching the critical acclaim of say the Clash who covered similiar musical territory as well.

Holerbot6000 · 10-28-2014, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Bob Geldof was originally loved (around Live Aid in the 80s) but after a while here he just became annoying Bob. Sure their music covered a whole range of interesting influences without ever reaching the critical acclaim of say the Clash who covered similiar musical territory as well.

Can't agree about the Car's post-Panorama work - I want to like it, but I can't. Admittedly, it might just be oversaturation - those later records got heavy radio play. After Panorama though, it was all just a bitter disappointment. Same way I felt when Talking Heads followed up Remain in Light with Speaking in Tongues. I know, Speaking is everyone's favorite T-Heads album, but for me it felt like a giant cop-out. Fortunately, I'm not quite as passionate as I used to be on these subjects and can actually entertain the notion that these are good records, just not to my taste. Age mellows you like that.

Totally agree about the Rats-Clash connection. I never thought of that before.

Necromancer · 10-28-2014, 11:35 AM

I personally don't think the Cars or Talking Heads were any more prominate than the Police were during the mid to late 70s, and on into the 80s new wave.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-28-2014, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necromancer

I personally don't think the Cars or Talking Heads were any more prominate than the Police were during the mid to late 70s, and on into the 80s new wave.

I guess it depends on geography.

The Police were hardly ever out of the top 10 between say 78 & 84 in the UK whereas, Talking Heads I was aware of because of Once In A Lifetime & Road To Nowhere but not overly familiar with them. The Cars were basically a one hit wonder in the UK and that was only because of Live Aid.

Unknown Soldier · 10-28-2014, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holerbot6000

Can't agree about the Car's post-Panorama work - I want to like it, but I can't. Admittedly, it might just be oversaturation - those later records got heavy radio play. After Panorama though, it was all just a bitter disappointment. Same way I felt when Talking Heads followed up Remain in Light with Speaking in Tongues. I know, Speaking is everyone's favorite T-Heads album, but for me it felt like a giant cop-out. Fortunately, I'm not quite as passionate as I used to be on these subjects and can actually entertain the notion that these are good records, just not to my taste. Age mellows you like that.

Totally agree about the Rats-Clash connection. I never thought of that before.

Well Speaking in Tongues is to Talking Heads what Heartbeat City was for the Cars, which was the commercial and glossy highlight for both bands and was necessary to concrete both bands as two of the biggest of their era.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necromancer

I personally don't think the Cars or Talking Heads were any more prominate than the Police were during the mid to late 70s, and on into the 80s new wave.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

I guess it depends on geography.

The Police were hardly ever out of the top 10 between say 78 & 84 in the UK whereas, Talking Heads I was aware of because of Once In A Lifetime & Road To Nowhere but not overly familiar with them. The Cars were basically a one hit wonder in the UK and that was only because of Live Aid.

As Urban as said in the UK The Police were hardly ever out of the top 10 and everybody and their grandma knew who they were. Talking heads were a band only known initially by the 'cool music crowd' that were in the know, before they became really known here around Speaking in Tongues. Cars initially broke circa 78 here but disappeared in the blink of an eye, only to resurface here with "Drive" thanks to Live Aid. They were always much more popular in the USA and elsewhere than they ever were in the UK.

Necromancer · 10-28-2014, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

I guess it depends on geography.

The Police were hardly ever out of the top 10 between say 78 & 84 in the UK.

'78 was the year they played CBGBs in New York and capitalized the charts from there on, here in the states as well. Popular opinion suggest they were the leading contenders during the 80s new wave invasion.

I might mention they had some outstanding material going on in the UK before they ever made it to America.

Holerbot6000 · 10-28-2014, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necromancer

I personally don't think the Cars or Talking Heads were any more prominate than the Police were during the mid to late 70s, and on into the 80s new wave.

I'm not sure what your point is though. I was referring somewhat to the point where these New Wave bands started playing to the bleachers and going for radio play over artistic sensibility. The Heads were a pretty unconventional band before Speaking in Tongues and put out a lot of music that scared and annoyed the straights. I remember torturing my roommates by simply playing 'Pulled Up' off of the first album.

The Cars put out two very popular albums and then had the guts to put out a very uncommercial album, but quickly retreated after that and became even MORE commercial.

The biggest problem for the Police was Sting. Once he got a taste of success, the band subsumed Stewart's quirkiness and Andy's edge in favor of more lush, boring pop songs from Sting. For me, it was all over after Regatta de Blanc, though I think Ghost in the Machine holds up also. I don't think The Police ever really put out that challenging album akin to Remain in Light or Panorama and it's a shame they didn't because they were such excellent musicians.

Sorry for dominating this thread so much. I will shut up for awhile.

10-24-2014, 07:56 AM	#9702 (permalink)
Holerbot6000 Music Mutant Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: near a record store Posts: 327	[QUOTE=Unknown Soldier;1500894]Boomtown Rats had a great sound and were really en vogue in the UK in the late 70s and early 80s and they were one of the biggest bands here and I have their first four albums. But then all of a sudden around 1982 I think they just nosedived and everybody seemed to forget about them. They're just remembered now because they were the band of Bob Geldof. Panorama is the quirkiest and most offbeat album that they ever put out and it's really just an album for die-hard fans, surprisingly though for such a gloomy album it was a big seller, despite the fact it was devoid of any obvious hit singles. This though was its biggest hit, I love both video and the song, but I can't see too many norms on here digging it XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxx You might be right about Panorama - I think really it was the ultimate expression of the Cars sound and drew the most direct line from their heavy Suicide influence. You can really see how the first two albums built up to Panorama and it was pretty gutsy of the Cars to put out an album like that directly after what many consider to be their best album, which was also hugely popular. Most of what came after it was pretty awful, so you can see this was a bit of a watershed moment for them. Maybe someday it will be re-discovered and re-appreciated. The Rats had their moment in the sun with 'I don't like Mondays' here in the States, and then were pretty much forgotten. I've noticed that it's my UK brothers who seem to hate them the most and it seems to be mostly because of Bob Geldof. But unlike a lot of New Wave bands who had early hits, the Rats actually got better as they progressed. They released three albums - The Fine Art of Surfacing, Mondo Bongo, and Five Deep, that really pushed on the boundaries of their sound and incorporating Dub, Reggae, Jazz, all sorts of things. These albums are so good and have held up so well, I've always been taken a bit aback at the vitriol these guys inspire. Too each their own, I guess.... Last edited by Holerbot6000; 10-24-2014 at 10:27 AM.

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10-24-2014, 07:37 AM	#9701 (permalink)
kriswright Groupie Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 33	Here's one: I like Radiohead. Saw them when they were touring behind The Bends. But I think they're probably the most critically overhyped band in history. At a certain point it seems to have been decided that the definition of sophistication is how badly you can slobber over Kid A.

10-28-2014, 11:35 AM	#9706 (permalink)
Necromancer Divination Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,655	I personally don't think the Cars or Talking Heads were any more prominate than the Police were during the mid to late 70s, and on into the 80s new wave.