Bloggers take yet another hit with Marc Hogan's 5.0 review for Cold War Kids' Robbers and Cowards. It's not that I strongly disagree with what he's saying (this time), because while CWK may sound like a great band, further "analysis" by Hogan suggests otherwise... it's his continual baiting of bloggers made effective by the elevated position he and Pitchfork are in that really gets to me. How many times does Pitchfork mention bloggers in reviews of buzz bands they love?
Oasis, totally like the best band EVER, has received the Outstanding Brit Award for excellence in...being British. As if the self-referential masturbatory narcissism of such an award isn't enough to make you vomit, check out the leak of Oasis' new greatest hits album Stop The Clocks... which totally isn't a spiteful hidden reference to Coldplay...at all.
Apple sold 8,730,000 iPods this quarter, 35% more than the same quarter last year....nice... (<-- I love you if you get the reference)
Kill Rock Stars is ceasing operation of it's more "avant garde" sister label 5RC. Hella, BARR, XBXRX, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and others...sorry? News is that KRS will probably pick up those artists, but if not be sure to expect pretty much the same meaningfull/less postmodern banter from the aforestated bands.
The Departed. Fucking see this movie. Do it. You know how everyone you know has told you it's the best movie they've ever seen? Well that's because it probably is.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Thursday's Links
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13 comments:
and the teacher's hot? nice...
well cold war kids DO suck
she's a victim too!
dammit, she took the mel gibson response.
anyone else think the mark foley thing makes that comment 10x funnier
the video for the oasis song 'the masterplan' is pretty great and made only because of this greatest hits package coming out. I just wish some of those new songs they promised would be on the disc. wankers!
Well sometimes my Uncle would have me make out with my twin sister and then he would take pictures...nice
Reaction upon reading today's commentary about CWK by Marc Hogan over at Pitchfork: So as Bloggers we are responsible for people liking similar sounding music to what they already like? That sounds an awful lot like satire to me. Pitchfork must mean that all your blog readers are just brainless cattle! I mean if nobody but Pitchfork and their writers had an opinion the world would be a better place, right? As long as bands like the Cold War Kids and Soundteam produce music there are going to be people who like it. It's music for human beings who like music - not specifically intended for social critics and angry Christians. Follow? Just a modest proposal - perhaps we should all wear the same color shirts, stop publishing blogs and eat our toast plain! And you readers of blogs, you should really stop buying and listening to music. Unless Pitchfork tells you to, that is. Wow.
By the way, Cold War Kids are amazing. As far as I am concerned, Mr. Hogan - you are still entitled to your opinion.
Since when have influences become a bad thing? Cold War Kids may not be incredibly unique, they write some pretty kick-ass stuff.
Also, if the stories told on Robbers and Cowards are 'cookie-cutter' than what isn't?
As much as I love Sufjan, (Ive seen him 3 times and CWK 0) how does none of this relate to him. If 'Hang Me Out to Dry' is cookie-cutter than how are a lot of Sufjan's stuff not?
I understand that Sufjan has more talent than CWK, the double standard just baffles me. He is saying that all those things are wrong and make the music bad, but it's alright if an artist he likes does the same. Sounds pretty biased to me. And yehh, it's a review, it's going to biased---it's someone elses opinion, but god Hogan just seems to be talking out of his ass.
And on the note of his thinking that Pitchfork is superior to blogs, I'll take IGIF over Pitchfork any day, and I'm sure a lot of people feel that way.
i agree with the previous comments, why the pitchfork hate for CWK's? It seems misplaced to me, anyone not excited by listening to Hospital Beds defys logic to me. Even if you don't agree with bloggers opinion their opinions are still valid and dont need to be belittled.
I'm not on either side of the arguement as to wheather cold war kids are great or suck, I haven't listened to the whole record yet.
However, pitchfork reviews, especially hogan's are increasingly pissing me off.
Reason 1: They never talk about the actual MUSIC! If you read the CWK review and haden't heard the band you'd have no idea what they sound like, at all. They never go into detail about the songwriting, vocal melodies, timbre, production, individual musicical talent, or energy. Instead choosing to spout off random other bands/musicians or references to somehow discribe this band's sound.
Reason 2: They put way too much stock in the lyrics and subject matter. If they don't like or don't agree with what the band is saying/trying to say/or way they are saying it they make the entire review about that. Lyrics are important but they are hardly what makes a great song great or a great band great. ex. review of latest strokes album and CWK amongst many others.
Bottom line: serious music reviews should focus on the music.
I know that it's only one person's opinion and it shouldn't matter but the popularity and influence pitchfork has makes it unsettling. Keep up the good work here at IGIF.
was that a reference to Kevin from the Office...if so, then...nice...
just saying... pass those CWK comments along:
marc@pitchforkmedia.com
Yeah, I was thinking Kevin from "The Office" too
About two months too late, but is that 'nice...' reference from the fast show? If it's not it should be, it was the funniest thing out of england before the office.
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