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they seem to be maligned as the start of the new NYC hipsterism and they got turned on, I think, to a degree by the same crowd that loved them (but, that is life in music, isn't it).
Yes.
'Twas ever thus.
And we could do an entire thread on a artist's street cred being equated with authenticity, and/or consumer demographics.
What cracks me up is the synchronicity of an indie band making it big with the word "vampire" in their name. They'll capture 'tweener listeners, as well as their parents.
Let me rephrase. The Strokes always struck me as a mixture of style and substance (which is pretty common throughout R&R history) and the fact that the trashy, glammy, dirty NYC style that they showed was in pretty stark contrast to the overseas boarding school/elite prep school reality. Vampire Weekend on the other hand has an image that embraces that elite prep school reality. Different sides of the same coin perhaps.
I wasn't trying to take away from The Strokes. Maybe a better example would've been Kid Rock, who grew up in a pretty wealthy suburb of Detroit but cultivates an image that is used to make people think he was born in a trailer someplace.
Having said that, life experiences shape your music and I don't know enough about the lives of the members of the guys in The Strokes to know how life post silver spoon has influenced their sound. I do feel sort of bad for them though, as they seem to be maligned as the start of the new NYC hipsterism and they got turned on, I think, to a degree by the same crowd that loved them (but, that is life in music, isn't it).
The lead singer lost his voice I think.
The riffs and drums are tight as ever but without that wonderful voice of the first 2 (3?) albums...well...it's just not the same.
my 3 cents.
The lead singer lost his voice I think.
The riffs and drums are tight as ever but without that wonderful voice of the first 2 (3?) albums...well...it's just not the same.
my 3 cents.
Off topic (sorry OP!), but did you hear the solo record he put out late last year? He sounds like one jaded ****. Check out the lyrics to "Out of the Blue". I didn't think the album was bad. Real heavy on the synths.
Let me rephrase. The Strokes always struck me as a mixture of style and substance (which is pretty common throughout R&R history) and the fact that the trashy, glammy, dirty NYC style that they showed was in pretty stark contrast to the overseas boarding school/elite prep school reality. Vampire Weekend on the other hand has an image that embraces that elite prep school reality. Different sides of the same coin perhaps.
I wasn't trying to take away from The Strokes. Maybe a better example would've been Kid Rock, who grew up in a pretty wealthy suburb of Detroit but cultivates an image that is used to make people think he was born in a trailer someplace.
Having said that, life experiences shape your music and I don't know enough about the lives of the members of the guys in The Strokes to know how life post silver spoon has influenced their sound. I do feel sort of bad for them though, as they seem to be maligned as the start of the new NYC hipsterism and they got turned on, I think, to a degree by the same crowd that loved them (but, that is life in music, isn't it).
There is nothing wrong with "sounding" gritty when someone is from the suburbs because who knows, they might of had things to be gritty about (abuse, addiction etc) not to mention that a sound is just that, a sound. I don't think that one has to be from a certain income level to be into dark or aggresive music.
My issue is with all the rapper who have lyrics about "gangsta life" and meanwhile they grew up in a suburb and the only thing they ever got shot with was a water gun. It's people like half a dollar (fifty cents, half a dollar, same thing) Kenya East (purposely used the wrong name) and Glo Rider or whatever the heck their names are that are the real frauds.
They are a good band but indie hipsters have made them larger than they should be which is ironic.
LOL. I was thinking the same thing. I listen to a good amount of modern rock (i.e. Indie), and I think that Vampire Weekend is the poster child for over rated hipster band. This song, and their music in general, does not do much for me.
Haha...its cool. It definitely isn't for everyone (my friends give me hell all the time for listening to it). I guess thats why I find it strange that a band like this is at number 1.
Help me with something. I'm not being sarcastic here, I really dont know the answer. As some one commented already about my age, yea I am from the old school.
You said this song was #1. Who rates things these days and how? It used to be record sales. The band who sold the most records had the #1 album. But no one is buying CDs anymore. Are songs rated by how many downloads? How many hits on youtube? I still dont understand all this indi stuff and searching for music. How can something be rated that is underground so to speak? An item needs to be purchased to count. If no one knows others are listening to it because they downloaded it then how can it be a number one or any number for that matter?
Do only under 22 year olds know about this crazy almost invisable music that you will never hear about unless you search? I have said earlier that music should be for listening pleasure. Searching just seems like a task, a job, a high physical output. But as one of you told me, you see searching for music as like a hobby.
It's too bad, for the whole "Indie" genre that these guys breakthrough, since there are waaay better acts out there, but this is always how it goes. (It's official I'm old!)
....Anyway these guys sound like a poor man's English Beat but even poorer than General Public, you know? Kinda diet ska with really limited musical ability. Reminds me of a fellow high school band of mine. Sheesh!
The poor guitar playing on that other mild hit they had last year made me want to stick my fingers in my ears and yell, "I can't hear you I can't hear you!" until the guitar "solo" was over.
Hope they make back their advances from their labels and get better at playing.
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