Sing It Back is a Toronto-based music blog written by a teenaged girl with questionable taste. It is meant to accompany a podcast of the same name.

8.10.2006

Like A Zero Drowning In A Sea Of Higher Numbers...

(I have absolutely no idea how to make a title, so I'll settle for bolding and italicizing for now.)

In light of Death From Above 1979's split - which was not really news to people who followed the band but still shocking enough to everyone else to get media coverage - I wanted to make a post about bands I wish would call it quits. I even discussed the subject with friends Martina, Jay and Andi last Friday. I'm not talking about bands that every music blogger wishes would just disappear... Fall Out Boy and Staind don't top my list. I'm talking about bands for whom indie kids everywhere would fall on their demin-distressed-on-purposed knees and cry woefully "why couldn't they have made another album?!" These are bands I've disliked from the first time I heard them and bands who will never be able to re-create the glory days; bands who have lead and bands who have followed; bands whose time has, well, passed.

1) Metric

Now that she's got a solo album coming out later this year, Emily Haines's already all-encompassing ego doesn't even need her unstellar backup band anymore. Their performances have gone downhill since the release of the lacklustre Live It Out. Here's a snippet from a review I wrote of their Toronto performance at the Kool Haus in February:

"I didn't know what to expect. I know I'm going to get lynched by everyone ever, but Live It Out wasn't all that great and Emily Haines as a person has totally overshadowed my view of Emily Haines as a performer. I don't even think Emily Haines as a performer is as great as people say. Their music isn't really innovative and I've stopped trying to figure out what they're trying to say in their songs. It's catchy, it's fun and it doesn't mean anything to me, and I think that that's why I didn't have an AWFUL time: I didn't care that Emily is terrible at stage banter (She spoke to the audience twice, once to thank the opening bands and once to say that we were the first show on the tour), or that she was more focused on showing off her underwear than she was on acknowledging the crowd.
Here's a suggestion, Toots: It's not cool to spend the whole performance singing to stage left. Maybe you could get the roadies to position the keyboard so that you can look at the audience. You've got a great voice but maybe have the mic a little louder so that the audience doesn't out-sing you. Maybe you could look like you're NOT bored out of your mind. Were you not Emily Haines I don't think the audience would have put up with that kind of malarky."

In an ideal world, the audience wouldn't. My suggestion would be to call it all off now and get Emily more publicity. You know it's not about Joules, Jimmy and The Other One With A J-Name anyway...

2) Audioslave

It's mostly about me hating the sound of Chris Cornell's voice and that I had to wake up to "Show Me How To Live" all through grade 11.

Soundgarden was one of the better uber-popular grunge bands, but now Cornell just seems to be following general trends. After grunge came post grunge (Alice In Chains), followed by a singer-songwriter schtick before finding his home making Generic Alternative Rock. While GAR seems to be losing steam (and thank Murph for that [yes, I diefied Chris Murphy, get used to it]), it was all rock radio would play back when Audioslave formed in 2001. Remember the #1 song of that year? It was "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback, who are arguably the KINGS of the Generic Alternative Rock genre. I never understood the appeal of having Chris Cornell as a frontman. His wikipedia entry says "He is considered to be one of the most talented vocalists and songwriters in the rock industry." Compared to who? Corey Taylor? Fred Durst?! Okay, comparitively I can see it. Just don't make me listen to it.

Following this trend, Audioslave aren't gonna last to make another record - Cornell will have grown a beard and moved on to indie crooning. THAT will be even more painful than "Like A Stone."

3) Modest Mouse

Effing hell, did you hear about Johnny Marr joining Modest Mouse as a permanent band member? Yet ANOTHER thing standing in the way of a Smiths reunion! My friend Evan told me to check them out four years ago, and I was unimpressed with the songs he sent me. Then, just a little over a year later they become super-popular with "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty" off of Good News For People Who Love Bad News. I bought the album secondhand for $6 and I felt like I overpaid. So bored was I that I left the Broken Social Mouse show (which they were headlining) after two tracks. I wasn't the only one - the ferry trip back to Toronto was packed. If a mildly mainstream band can't keep the interest of the mildly mainstream kids both before AND after re-inventing itself as a pop band, you're not doing it right.

Also, Isaac Brock seems like the second most boring interviewee in indie rock.

4) The Arcade Fire

Two lines up I mentioned that Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse seemed to be the second most boring interviewee. The winner of the prize, though, is Richard Reed Perry of The Arcade Fire. I had to transcribe Nardwuar's interview with him and it was the longest three hours of my life. My hate-on for the Arcade Fire isn't even a recent thing (you know, now all the cool kids have disowned them since they became popular). First of all, I REALLY dislike Funeral as an album. Win Butler's caterwauling is ridiculously overrated and the whole business is far too prententious by half. When I express my feelings, I usually hear something like "well don't judge them until you've seen them perform live!!!!"

I have. I saw them play with DFA1979, Sam Roberts, Buck65, BSS, Pilate, The Constantines, The Stills and Sloan. I had no idea who they were and, judging by the turnout for the first two bands (which were DFA1979 and TAF), neither did anyone else. They were tight enough, I guess, but nothing mind-blowing. RĂ©gine had a glazed look on her face, and it seemed as though she had no idea what she was doing. The saving grace was Howard Bilerman, their producer/drummer. My friend Bevka and I made up a song about him (and how much he resembled our grade 10 science teacher) to the tune of Spiderman:
Bilerman, Bilerman, friendly neighbour of Spiderman / gets his mail every day / pays his rent / might be gay / LOOKOUT! / here comes the Bilerman. Unfortunately for everyone, he doesn't drum for the Arcade Fire anymore so I have no qualms with saying that the praise heaped on them is undeserved. Besides, aren't there 2057820572 more talented Canadian bands who struggle for a SLICE of the success that The Arcade Fire receive(d)? Time to bow out gracefully while they're ahead.

Have I offended anyone? Good. Get pissy-defensive in the comment box so that I can laugh at you. I need that right now, kay?

Now Listening To: Zero 7 - "Destiny"

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Allegra, you shit-disturber! I'm sure you didn't talk to me about my own picks in this category so I could do my own post on the subject, which I will. No slight intended, I'm sure!

Metric - I have zero investment in this band. Haines is a more interesting lyricist than, say, Feist, but there's still nothing special going on here...

Audioslave - I notice you say not a word about the former Rage members, particularly Tom Morello, who is really the only reason to listen to this band for me. Cornell annoys me, too, but the prospect of Morello's monster riffs and crazy solos keeps me around. But I really don't think "indie kids" care much about this band, either...

Modest Mouse - I like "Float On". Otherwise, this band just sounds like shit. I give Brock points for producing/mentoring Wolf Parade, though, who are thirty times better than the Mouse will ever be, Marr or no Marr...

The Arcade Fire - Well, I just disagree profoundly in every conceivable way, but you don't sound like you can be convinced otherwise...

Heehee... that sounded fairly adversarial, didn't it? I guess that's what you were going for, though. Watch for my own contributions soon enough...

14/8/06 11:36

 
Blogger Cap'n Allegra said...

Indie kids don't care about Audioslave, but a lot of bloggers really do. I've never been a member of a message board where they weren't revered as, like, the second coming. I just can't stand his voice. I'm pretty sure one of the factors in my most recent breakup was an argument over that. I guess there's also some sour grapes about that.

Have you heard Feist's early material or her collaborations with Peaches? Let It Die is waaaay too mellow. Love Feist to death, but Monarch is far superior in almost every possible way, especially the lyricism. I hope A&C does a re-issue of it because La Feist deserves to be making a whole lot of money off of it.

I REALLY want to read your list! This will be interesting and I KNOW you'll include a bunch I forgot to include.

14/8/06 11:51

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My list is up now. I kind of hate it. Whatever.

15/8/06 14:21

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

allleegraaaaaaaaa...

i love metric. I hate Emily. I agree with what you wrote APART from calling Jimmy, Joules and Joshua UNSTELLAR. They are AMAZING musicians and they are the only reason I am still a fan.

24/8/06 13:55

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with you on Metric. I don't really think they're all that special. However, the guy in me doesn't mind watching Haines. I wouldn't pay money to see them though.

Audioslave is a band where I have to disagree with you. Soundgarden strikes a chord with me, but Temple of the Dog and his solo stuff are the best. Cornell roomed with the lead singer from Mother Love Bone, until he died from an OD. Mother Love Bone found a new singer(Eddie Vedder) and became Pearl Jam. Cornell wrote an album dedicated to his diceased friend and collaborated with Pearl Jam to record it. Check out "Hunger Strike" and "Say Hello 2 Heaven". Listen to them with an unbiased perspective (which is hard when you hate his voice).

He's one of my favourite studio vocalists, but everybody has their own opinions. However, I don't think he deserves to be slumped in with guys like Fred Durst. Audioslave is worth listening to because it's fun, basic jam rock, with Tom Morello's really interesting guitar effects work and Cornell's voice. That said, I think his Soundgarden/Temple of the Dog/solo stuff is better than all of his Audioslave work. I think he needs to be recognized as a credible artist if anything. Even if you never heard him sing, he writes all the songs for every band he has ever been in, including most of the instrumental parts as well. If you pasted the lyrics to "Hunger Strike" and "Nookie" side by side, I don't think it's difficult to make the choice.

I like the Arcade Fire. I was at the Olympic Island show as well, and I came away from their set thinking, "that was alright". I didn't have an opinion on their stuff until I listened to their full album a half dozen times while working in a record store. Eventually I began craving that album. I really like it a lot, and the versions of their songs that they do with Bowie are so good. I can't really go more specific than that. I likes them.

Dan

26/8/06 10:32

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My name is Anne Gallagher and i would like to show you my personal experience with Allegra.

I have taken for 3 months. I am 43 years old. Forgot that last year my legs ached after taking Allegra, it wasn't until yesterday that I remembered that this same thing happened last year. I stopped Allegra 3 days ago and my aches are slowly starting to go away. My insurance denied Zyrtec. I don't know if they are the same, but I would never take Allegra again.

Side Effects :
Lower leg pain from the back of my knee to my ankle. Both legs ached and felt very stiff.

I hope this information will be useful to others,
Anne Gallagher

17/9/08 07:46

 

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