Overall, 2011 produced some really good music (we'll see next week) and I was only disappointed with a couple of purchases I made. However, the bad music that was out there in 2011 was really bad. I now dread parties and other gatherings where I may be forced to listen to the same crap that everyone who doesn't know better than to listen to pop radio. So yeah, every rose grew in a pile of shit, so here's the pile of fertilizer that was dumped on us in 2011.
Against Me - Total Clarity
I really like Against Me!, I honestly think they're one of the better Punk bands out there. Also, I'm usually one of the first people to complain when an "indy" band starts to sound more mainstream, however, in the case of Against Me! the band really does sound better with more complex post-production. Both New Wave and White Crosses (their previous albums) are really solid albums that explore a variety of themes and push what can be done with Punk Rock. However, Total Clarity is a return to oldskool Against Me! with its screaming dunk narrowback vocals and "How the hell do I tune this thing?" guitar work, this album sounds like the kind of thing Against Me! was putting out in 2001. The band has grown over the past decade and it's not a crime to show it; just to demonstrate the dip in quality since the last album, here's the title track off White Crosses:
So yeah, Against Me!, disappointing. You can do better.
LMFAO
I'm not even putting up a video for this one, because we've all been forced to endure this "band" at least once in the past six months. Once I had heard that this Uncle/Nephew duo "just happened" to be related to one of the biggest Motown producers in history, I was concerned. Being fair minded I listened to Party Rock Anthem. When I was done vomiting, I decided that it was the worst song I had heard all year. Seriously. PARTY ROCK ANTHEM IS THE WORST SONG I HEARD ALL 2011. Worse than Friday, worse than Bieber. There is no chorus, only an annoying beeping, the song doesn't mean anything or try to convey any ideas. Some of my friends really enjoy this band, telling me that they like the theme of cutting lose and having fun because of the crushing weight of reality. Really? Andrew WK was doing this ten years ago! But wait! Apparently it's really just a parody! Apparently people don't know what parody means! Read some Jonathan Swift or watch some Mel Brooks (High Anxiety or Young Frankenstein for starters) and then tell me that LMFAO is clever and and topical. This "music" is so close to the lowest common denominator that I now go out of my way to avoid it. Shame on anyone who bought this shit. Here's some Andrew WK to show you damn kids what real party music sounds like:
Hipsters
This isn't the generic Hipster-bashing you're familiar with, but actually a legitimate complaint. Hipsters, I have no problem with you, just please stop appropriating the affectations of other Subcultures. If I run into one more Hipster at a Punk gig, I swear I'm going to murder it.
Next Week: The Top Ten!
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