Not Fair!!!!

You know it.http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/c...coffee26at.gif

I don't understand how these guys are above the rest of the Aeropostale easy-listening-indie CD compilation crap.

^^^^^^ Oh, thank, thank you, thank you (looks around to see if Adidasss is watching)

What bugs me most about Vampire Weekend isn't the whole indie flavor of the month appeal to them it's just that people run around saying they're so original when they're really not.

Well I agree with that, this isn't an original band. I wasn't sure why Pitchfork were trying to make out like they were. So, they have Afropop influences. So what? That'd only be relevant if it had contributed to some unique sound, presumably. This whole VW being world-music thing has been taken way too far - enough evidence of that exists in the point that somebody just tried to make a thread on them in the World, Country and Folk section. Ridiculous and nonsensical. I mean, I played this album to my brother for instance, and the first thing he thought of was NOT the Malagasy Coast or whatever, but Austin Texas and Spoon. So yeah, in reality this is about as American an indie pop band as can be...

...but, it's a good one in terms of decent catchy songs and melodies.

I fear the godless emulation clones that spawn from this one. I don't think I could handle more than one band sounding like this.

Is there something in particular about the sound that you don't like? Because I can't think of one characteristic that isn't shared by a million and one bands already. You talk as if nothing already sounds similar to this.

He doesn't listen to more than 10 bands a year, and he doesn't much like pop or indie. That pretty much disqualifies his opinion as anything worth debating over...;)

Yaaaaawn, total snoozefest of a band.

Word.


I take it you listened to the whole album, right? If so, cool - please tell me what you disliked about it in proper terms. I am interested.

Not this **** again. Yes, I listened to the whole album. What difference does it even make if I listened to one song or ten songs? If I dislike something, listening to it nine more times isn't going to make me enjoy it anymore or make my opinion any more valid.

I disliked it because it's boring, generic Indie Pop masquerading as something more. The afrobeat influence or whatever everyone is in love with them for is basically nonexistent, they're the same old bland, cookie cutter Indie Pop with a decent rhythm decent.

The one nice thing I can say about them is that they're catchy, but that's the whole point of making pop music so they don't really get points for that.

How can catchy music be boring? Isn't that sort of an oxymoron?...O.o

Just because something is catchy doesn't mean it's interesting, or even good. Look at any pop song on the radio today. Certainly the majority of them are catchy, in that they have pop hooks and pleasing melodies, but I don't think many people here would really enjoy listening to them.

I would...:\

I'm sure one characteristic is shared by a million and one bands. I'll bet a million and one bands use electrical equipment, or have drums but one characteristic is not what i'm bitching about, and wouldn't make a bad sound.

Its a combination of bad characteristics, or in this case a lack thereof. The hollow body of the songs, the wavering doe-eyed vocals, the loose composition of the arrangements. This is coupled with the auxiliary issues of terrible aesthetics, a kowtowing to what can only be fashion trackers, and that blood curdling affected look of apathy.

I think their an atrocity.

wow that was a ****ty thing to say. were you speaking to me on that one? Shows you what a e-lifetime of contribution will get you.

Completely different story. Most of the pop hooks on the radio are derivative rehashes of something else - THAT's why diehard music fans don't like them - we see right through those songs for what they really are: predictable, uninspired, uninspiring, insipid, faceless rubbish. But even then... like adidass says, a lot of songs on the radio may turn out to be pretty good. The only thing that stops the bands who write those songs being decent bands is that they can't sustain the quality of those hits for the duration of an album. That's the difference between the good bands in the indie scene and the rest of the flock - the former write albums full of good material. And frankly imo that's exactly what Vampire Weekend have done.

Oh, and it's far from generic. Pllllease. Generic = faceless. Vampire Weekend are nothing even close to that. They've got their own sound, like it or not. Yes, it is "indie pop" at the end of the day, and they might not be hugely innovative or anything, but they're doing something of their own within that niche all the same.

Which is exactly how I feel about Vampire Weekend.

Oh, please. If Vampire Weekend didn't have the whole "we're ivy league grads making *gasp* INDIE!" gimmick, no one would care about them at all. Their music is totally bland. They don't have their own sound at all, they just have their own image.

Meh, this is clearly going nowhere. I say they have their own sound, you say they don't. Not much argument can be made to supplement either of the claims.

What I will say is that, while I'm making no specific accusations, I've found that a lot of the hatas do seem to have this whole problem-with-the-image thing going on, and I don't think it's any coincidence.

I don't have a problem with their image at all. In fact, I figured they were just another blogger buzz band until I read a little about them and hoped they would be something more. So I guess you could say I bought into the image for positive reasons, until I realized they sucked and stopped listening.

Not that anything is particularly wrong with disliking a band for their image, it's just that in the case of Vampire Weekend it doesn't really make me like them any less.

No, fair enough, I wasn't accusing you of that. I've just found the sentiment quite widespread.

I love the attempt of an informed critique. Too bad there's no actual meaning behind the plethora of adjectives.

It's a fact sir, you don't listen to or like indie pop. You can talk all you want about alt. country or the newest Cake album, but don't come here and annoy the rest of us that actually know what we're talking about...

Em, yes we would, because we think the music is pretty good.:rolleyes: I really don't know anyone that listens to bland music simply because they're the new hot thing and have a cool image.

Then I guess you don't know any hipsters.

Lol, no I don't, but they couldn't possibly be that numerous...

I know of one type of music that people WILL listen to simply because it's cool and hip, and even admit to that (on occasion) and shamelessly declare that the music's alright but that it's the after-parties that it's really all about: minimal tech.

Not indie pop... for which I agree that people generally only listen to if they actually like the songs and the music. And in the case of Vampire Weekend, it's clearly a case of the latter. I alone (and others on these boards) can vouch for enjoying this album a lot, without thinking they're great or anything. Just objectively. And I see no reason why the rest of those who have said they like it should be posing. It's clearly a listenable and enjoyable record for those who dig the aesthetic.

People will listen to ANY music that they think is cool. Sure, there are a lot of scenesters into minimal these days because it's the "cool thing to do," but that's probably why there's backlash against it all over the place. It's not like it's a genre designed solely for cool people to hear at clubs. Besides, there's a lot more going on to make people like minimal than simply wanting to feel "cool."

You honestly don't believe that there are people who like Vampire Weekend solely because they're the new buzz band? That's an awfully naive sentiment.

Oh, not at all - course there are probably some like that. But really, I see no reason why the majority of fans would not be of the sort who simply enjoy it for it. Like I said, it's an enjoyable record for anybody who enjoys this sound and anything similar to it. I've played it to a few people who had no idea what or who VW are, and it was a hit with most (including my brother who doesn't follow music on the internet at all but likes indie pop). You talk as if it's some lump of crud, it isn't. It's not that great, but it's got plenty of good songs and hooks to keep seasoned music fans interested. Cripes, especially compared to most of the rubbish on the British indie circuit for example, it's not hard to see why some people would see this record as a godsend.

I'm not saying that lots of people don't like Vampire Weekend because they like the band, just that a lot of people also buy into the hype and the image.

Also, IMHO, it is a terrible album. Maybe not as bad as the majority of British indie at the moment, but then it's hard to reach that level of suck. Maybe some people should have higher standards?

People may listen to the album based on the hype, but they won't keep listening to it because of it. C'mon...no one's that retarded...

I saw them on SNL a couple weeks ago and thought they were pretty cool and unique-sounding. Heard they were going to be at Coachella this year. I wish I was going.

This band is beginning to grate on me.

This band grated on me in the first place.

And the second place?

They grated me all over. Bad times.

Well I love your attempt to be a ****ing ****, but unfortunatly this flash in the pan still sucks. As for my plethora of adjectives, don't attempt to subvert my critique, you havn't been an obnoxious fan boi in awhile old man, I like you better when you're not sporting a bands Lunch box and PJ's.

hmmm
 

it's hard to say, i basically agree with the "flash in the pan" sentiment, however I wouldn't totally dismiss them that quickly. Here's the deal, VW is not a great band (at least yet they're not), and it's not a GREAT debut album as far as amazing debut albums go (doesn't hold a candle to the Strokes "is this it?" or Biggie's "ready to die") But it's good indie pop, they have an interesting sound with the Soweto influence and we'll all just have to wait and see how prolific they'll really be (I honestly don't think that much)

But I bought the album, I like it. Will I go see a VW reunion show it 20 years? No. But they're worth 10 bucks...and yea, the album is already getting old. It doesn't have staying power.

I'm not a fan boy, nor do I think VW are the best thing since sliced bread. I'm merely trying to be objective here. It may not be to your liking, but to claim repeatedly that they "suck" can be a tad irksome when you can't actually suggest a better indie-pop alternative.:rolleyes:

this band isn't the greatest, but i have to give them credit. i am so burnt out on indie pop/rock, but these guys can hold my attention. also, i saw them live a few months back, and they were great. i can't blame for taking advantage of the hype and running with it. more power to 'em. if anything, it just means they'll get rich while hipsters continue to eat anything pitchfork feeds them, leaving everything but indie pop/rock alone

yea look, the reality of the music business or any other entertainment related business is if a hole opens up for you - you gotta shovel out as much money you can as fast as you can for as long as you can - cause you never know when that hole will close.

ya know...one thing i've noticed about people's general critiques of pitchfork is that they are, most of the time, incredibly appalling and shockingly uninformed.

one can love pitchfork, one can hate them, totally down to personal choice and affinity, but criticisms ought to be fair. crikey, i mean look at pitchfork's best new music section for the past 3 or so months. it has consisted of recommendations from all sorts of sides of the spectrum: primitivist bands, disco, noise, psych, folk, tropicalia, the range of genres has been impressive - and amidst all that, virtually no real bona fied "indie pop" at all save Vampire Weekend.

pitchfork is a review site focused on independent music of all sorts. their reviewers have opinions like all other reviewers, what is wrong with that? just because some people take their word as gospel doesn't make that pitchfork's fault. hating on pitchfork seems more of a bandwagon than anything else. like, it's supposed to be cool or something. well, it isn't cool, and it's not particularly funny either. and it comes across as being entirely idiotic when the claims made aren't even rooted in actual reality.