Monday, April 28, 2008

Listen with Conviction

The music industry is flooded with people who think they know what they're talking about.  You know how I know this?  Bands that are complete shit are still getting press.  I know it's a matter of personal preference.  Believe me.  I have friends who like Nickelback.  

Really though, something far more topical is just because a band puts together a string of notes and chords that hardly make sense (but are seemingly "cool") and throw together a vocal arrangement that is hardly mellifluous doesn't mean they are a good indie band.  Not to mention, just because a band has a "different" sound doesn't mean they are the second coming of the Lord Baby Jesus (think Vampire Weekend).

I guess I'm just annoyed.  When I listen to bands other people suggest, I wonder "are you really listening to this with some conviction?"...I mean, how can you really get in to a band like this?  I partially believe it is because people choose to like what will make them look the coolest, or the dopest, or the radest (yup, just made a couple of those words up).  I think we should be honest here and chalk it up to poor taste as well.  This probably doesn't come as a surprise to you intelligent readers, cognizant of what is right and wrong in the music industry, but it needed to be said.

What I have below is a list of bands that I feel very strongly about. Bands that I have a strong conviction towards.  Bands that I hope you'll enjoy as much as I do. 

Circa Survive (Listen to "In The Morning and Amazing")
The Sound of Animals Fighting (Listen to "The Heretic" and "You Don't Need A Witness")
The Most Serene Republic (Listen to "Sherry And Her Butterfly Net")
Tokyo Police Club (Listen to "Tessellate" and "In A Cave")
The Republic Tigers (Listen to "Buildings And Mountains")

What bands do you have conviction towards?

Also, going forward, this blog will be a lot less whiney.  I just felt I needed to prologue all the amazing music to come.

JMMP.