Things you know you SHOULD like but don't

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what "influential" records and bands you know have all the elements that would normally make up something you'd enjoy, but for some reason, leave you cold?

For me:

Elvis Costello. I like Accidents Will Happen, but I always try to listen to his records (I have all the "good" ones - This Years Model, Armed Forces, etc) and get nothing out of them. My feeling, after about ten years of trying to apprecaite the dude is - NO HOOKS!! Am I just insane? Do I have a mental block that prohibits me from grasping Elvis Costello melodies?

13th Floor Elevators. I mean, electric jug?? Sign me up!!! but, of the first two albums, I like maybe one or two songs. I find the lyrics insipid and the playing to be fairly pedestrain. I LOVE Roky's stuff with the Aliens, though, and much of his solo shit.

New Order. I like the first album on Factory because it sounds like something Kranky would put out today, but after that, it does nothing for me. Im not exactly the hugest Joy Division fan either, while we're at it, but I do enjoy their records from time to time. Never dug New Order. Oh, I do like "True Faith," though, mostly for the video...

roger adultery (roger adultery), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 18:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I should like Galactic. I've seen them 4 times now trying to force my brain to realize something it was struggling against, but in the end, I don't like their music.

However, their drummer plays with some other projects I'm a huge fan of; such as Garage-a-Trois with Skerik and Charlie Hunter.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 18:35 (twenty-three years ago)

metal: i loved hardcore so much as a kid, i love glossy 70s/80s pop metal/hard rock, i love sabbath and some of their followers, i love zep when they're being weird, but for the most part i just don't get it.

jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 18:36 (twenty-three years ago)

(hah, i have just prevented myself from getting anymore v voice work, evah)

jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 18:37 (twenty-three years ago)

re: elvis costello - i vaguely remember julie burchill in some NME review of the time calling him "mr one note" so you're not alone.

phil turnbull (philT), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:31 (twenty-three years ago)

I second Elvis Costello and metal, for the most part.

I should like Sun Ra given my tastes, but I've only got a few things and I hardly ever listen to them.

hstencil, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:32 (twenty-three years ago)

I've never understood the appeal of Costello. Can't stand him. Can't understand all the praise he receives.

He's boring.

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:33 (twenty-three years ago)

yes, you can add sun ra to my list too

jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:33 (twenty-three years ago)

J-Pop. It's manufactured tuneful gleeful synthesised pop music which sells a shitload in a foreign country which means given my love of eurodisco, 'mershed-up versions of 'world musics', Bollywood etc I should adore it but I think I've heard one example ever that I can even bear.

Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Please tell me it was Tomoe Shinohara.

"KURU KURU?"

donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:43 (twenty-three years ago)

It was the one on the ILX listening chamber of yore DB!

Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I should totally be into Can and Wire and Neu but I'm not, I confuse them with each other all the time.

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:46 (twenty-three years ago)

ouch, tracer - all great bands. give them another chance. Wire and Can sound nothing alike.

roger adultery (roger adultery), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Daft Punk, they're OK and all but they should be more...whatever it is they are

dave q, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:51 (twenty-three years ago)

totally with you on elvis c. don't get it.
never will. should get it. don't.

piscesboy, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Starsailor. I love every band they are being lumped together with, but I just cannot stand the voice of their singer. Not impressed by their songs either.

I guess the same goes for Stereophonics, and my reason for not liking them are also the same as in the case of Starsailor - boring melodies, and a singer with a terribly annoying voice.

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I should like Galactic.

No you shouldn't.

I should like black metal more than I do. I'm totally into the costumes and weapons and church-burnings but the music is like bad thrash fronted by evil Smurfs.

adam (adam), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:57 (twenty-three years ago)

No you shouldn't.

Ha! Good one!

It's just that my friends like them, are friends with them, and love their music, and they say "oh dude, you like Medeski Martin and Wood, you like Project Logic, you'll REALLY like these guys!" and I'm met with this bland-as-can-be pseudo-jam-crap, which I expect to be much better, considering these guys are from N'Awlins. Bummah.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mekons and X -- I like the idea of lumping country and punk together and like several bands that do this, but I detest both X and the Mekons (maybe because I own something like 5 albums by each thanks to repeatedly trying "to get it").

Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:07 (twenty-three years ago)

I like the idea of lumping country and punk together and like several bands that do this...

Have you ever heard Nine Pound Hammer? They're from around these parts (methinks)...they were one of the first bands I ever saw. They fucking ROCKED.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:09 (twenty-three years ago)

give mekons another chance, man, they rule - start with Honky Tonkin', Retreat from Memphis, I love Mekons, Fear and Whiskey, Curse of the Mekons...fuck it, most of them are great. Oh, and definitely see them live - that's half of it right there

roger adultery (roger adultery), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:10 (twenty-three years ago)

9lb hammer - features Blaine Cratwright from Nashville Pussy - Smokin' Taters good record - hard to find tho

roger adultery (roger adultery), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:11 (twenty-three years ago)

I own all of those records, Roger. I'm done with giving them chances.

Never heard Nine Pound Hammer, Nick. Maybe I'll look 'em up.

Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:12 (twenty-three years ago)

noise records.

i love noise shows and noise bands. noise records are 99% poop.

gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I never feel like I should like noise. I just laugh at the people who make it.

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Jeff Mills. He's alright, but why the devotion?

Nathan Webb (Nathan Webb), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:18 (twenty-three years ago)

(maybe I should put that on the knee-jerk thread but I don't really care to overcome it)

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Joy Division, Billie Holiday, the Mekons.

Burr, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Steely Dan, except for just a few tracks, have always bored the hell outta me.

christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:41 (twenty-three years ago)

tom, you really need to hear that puffy track where they rip off "won't get fooled again" or whatever who song it is

jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:19 (twenty-three years ago)

galaxie 500

weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Hendrix. And Elvis (Presley).

They just don't move me.

Jay Vee (Manon_70), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:26 (twenty-three years ago)

You know people are always telling me, Carey you would looove the Bloody Stools", and that they are my type of thing. But, I just can't get into them. Maybe I just need to hear more Bloody Stools before making my decision.

Carey (Carey), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Bloody Stools just don't move me either.

Carey (Carey), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Bloody Stools just don't move me either.

But do you move bloody stools?

nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Guns n Roses. I was thinking about them recently and realized they're really not that bad. I mean, yes, they are a touch derivative and overrated but that doesn't always stop me. They're certainly better than most hard rock bands of the time and have some solid songs. I just hate everything about them. I want to like them but I really don't get much pleasure from them most of the time. It's hard to explain why. It's like the way some people feel about Fred Durst is kind of how I feel about Axl Rose. Like they crystallized hard rock into a certain kind of badass white boy asshole sleaze that rubs me the wrong way that for some reason I totally don't get even from Deep Purple or Bon Scott AC/DC or old Aerosmith even. That stuff has a totally different atmosphere for me.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Luomo's VOCALCITY. Some of the Perlon stuff.

Jeff Sumner (Jeff Sumner), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, and guitars in jazz (for the most part).

Jeff Sumner (Jeff Sumner), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 22:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Elivs C and P respectively. There not horrible but I wouldn't go out and buy an album by'em.

Dylan-Great songwriter-horrible singing voice.

Wilco- Indie rock fo those who hate indie rock.

brg30 (brg30), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising."

maria b (maria b), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 23:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I think I might be able to like Thirteenth Floor Elevators if every song didn't have that annoying dig-a-dig-a-dig-a-dig-a sound in the background.

David Beckhouse (David Beckhouse), Thursday, 13 March 2003 03:55 (twenty-three years ago)

jay vee i agree. i can't stand the overrated hendrix and his false credibility. i'm also not huge into the Clash except for a few songs...and Tool as well

JP Albin (John Paul Albin), Thursday, 13 March 2003 04:07 (twenty-three years ago)

i am gonna have to vote for rush on this one. am i the only one who can't stand geddy lee's voice. i know awesome guitars and all but i just can't bear the vocals...never got me.

bryan kennedy (bryan kennedy), Thursday, 13 March 2003 04:27 (twenty-three years ago)

JP - Hendrix as an overrtaed singer, songwriter, sure - but that motherfucker was a guitar innovator, man. Not saying that this will provide the average person with enough reason to like him, but a fact's a fact!

roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 13 March 2003 04:35 (twenty-three years ago)

The Beach Boys in Brian Wilson's more ambitious/experimental phase.

The Beatles are my favourite band. I loved 60's pop as a kid. Many of my favourite records then are still favourite records now. My 8 year old self loved ALL The Beach Boys singles, and I actually preferred later stuff like "Good Vibrations", "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows".

I now know enough about music to appreciate what a stupendous piece of musical imagination "Pet Sounds" is. I don't have the iconoclastic attitude to "The Canon" prevalent at ILX. I admire Brian Wilson both as a person and as an idea.

All of which should point to undying love for PS. But as an adult, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is the only track on it I actually like very much. The rest of it either doesn't move me, or moves me only slightly, and in ways I don't like. Outside of PS I still like "Good Vibrations" and a lot of the early singles, but "Surf's Up", "Smile" etc leave me just as cold as most of PS.

ArfArf, Thursday, 13 March 2003 09:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Hendrix as an overrtaed singer, songwriter...

Honestly, I thought he was one of the greatest songwriters of that era. He had quite a gift for melodies, his lyrics were very distinct and powerful, especially for being so out-there as he was. Now his voice, I like it quite a bit, but I can also admit that it wasn't the greatest around. But Hendrix-as-a-songwriter I think deserves every bit of respect as Hendrix-as-a-guitar-player. And some castles made of sand melt into the sea eventually.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 13 March 2003 13:42 (twenty-three years ago)

am i the only one who can't stand geddy lee's voice.

!

sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 13 March 2003 22:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Led Zeppelin. Used to wear a Led Zep shirt I found at a thrift store, just because the ghost of grunge was still hanging around and it was cool to wear ancient band shirts and ripped jeans. This was hypocritical of me because I can't STAND them. The stupid, Norse-fixated, quasi-mystical lyrics. The bastardized cock-rock blues riffs. The legions of long-haired imitators. Argh. Otherwise, I don't really dislike any "canon" bands. Though I'm not very crazy about the Beatles, save the White Album, and I find the Sex Pistols to be little more than a tattered proto-boy band (now the Clash, on the other hand...)

soundnfury, Saturday, 15 March 2003 03:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Heh. A weird semi-parallel to my Buffy thread elsewhere in ways. ;-) Er, 69 Love Songs is my answer, I guess.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 15 March 2003 15:35 (twenty-three years ago)

I now know enough about music to appreciate what a stupendous piece of musical imagination "Pet Sounds" is.

How fascinating!

V

V (1411), Saturday, 15 March 2003 16:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Animal Collective are totally the big one here for me, though. I fucking hate them.

Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:25 (sixteen years ago)

hahaha! I don't feel so old! At first it reminded me of Flaming Lips which wasn't necessarily such a damning thing, and then a few songs in, I just couldn't take it anymore.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:26 (sixteen years ago)

Kiss and Christian Death both seem like my kind of bands on paper in their own ways, and I have tried, but the music just doesn't grab me.

They both seem like bands where the appeal should be instant or not at all - chin-stroking contemplation and "ah, see what they did there?" just isn't going to happen.

Soukesian, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:42 (sixteen years ago)

Actually I feel the same way about those bands.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:48 (sixteen years ago)

Thing is, there are plenty of bands 'the canon' says that everyone should like who I really don't give a flying fuck about and don't care either, it's the ones where I feel I'm missing the party that rankle.

Soukesian, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:55 (sixteen years ago)

Definitely. I don't give a fuck that I don't really like Dylan, for instance, but the fact that I hate Animal Collective irks me; all the signifiers and descriptors people use to describe them are ones that attract me, but I still think they're horrible.

Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:57 (sixteen years ago)

only about 12 internet people like anco. not feeling the pressure.

FREE DOM AND ETHAN (special guest stars mark bronson), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 10:58 (sixteen years ago)

btw u should like dylan

FREE DOM AND ETHAN (special guest stars mark bronson), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:00 (sixteen years ago)

Haha as if he needs someone to tell him that.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:01 (sixteen years ago)

Beach Boys, more, maybe

the pinefox, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:02 (sixteen years ago)

. . ooh look, there go a couple of canonical flying fucks.

Soukesian, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:06 (sixteen years ago)

yeah, I tried Beach Boys Pet Sounds years ago at the college radio station and couldn't understand what the big deal was either. Sorry.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:17 (sixteen years ago)

Kiss and Christian Death both seem like my kind of bands on paper in their own ways, and I have tried, but the music just doesn't grab me.

Are you fucking kidding me? : )

My Neighbor Toronto (kingkongvsgodzilla), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:30 (sixteen years ago)

I'm guessing this is more likely to be "What, are you some kind of Goth?" than "How can you deny the majesty of XD?".

Either way, no, not kidding, I'm afraid!

Soukesian, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:46 (sixteen years ago)

You know, I fucked up. I actually thought Bimble posted that.

My Neighbor Toronto (kingkongvsgodzilla), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:49 (sixteen years ago)

Although he feels the same way about those bands, apparently

My Neighbor Toronto (kingkongvsgodzilla), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:50 (sixteen years ago)

Based on everything else that I Iisten to, it's both annoying and baffling to me why I don't like Pavement or Sonic Youth.

Jazzbo, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 13:36 (sixteen years ago)

on paper the animal collection sound seems like exactly the kind of thing i'd expect you to hate, nick, so maybe they don't belong on this thread.

caek, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 13:43 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah? Why's that?

Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 13:52 (sixteen years ago)

I tried the new Animal Collective album. I really did. I tried. I'm old, I think.

You're not the first to reach that conclusion with them and you won't be the last.

kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 14:10 (sixteen years ago)

The dBs:Stands For Decibels

It's right in my musical wheelhouse, as it were, early American indie rock. I should love this record. And Black and White is a great song. But apart from that it's barf city, baby.

kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 14:13 (sixteen years ago)

I really don't get the appeal of Pavement.

I can't stand Devo.

I like Fugazi all right, but I've never gone crazy for them as I feel like I should have. I LOVE Minor Threat more than any other hardcore.

I really love a few Joy Division songs, but trying to listen to their full albums bores the shit out of me.

DJ Mr. Face Stabba, M.D. (Whitey on the Moon), Thursday, 16 April 2009 03:48 (sixteen years ago)

If "things" include songs then definitely "Heartbeat" by Annie. People pretty much describe it as my dream song, yet it sounds like album filler to me. Same goes for The Knife's "Heartbeats".

Also Stars, the band (supposedly influenced by the Smiths, New Order, St. Etienne, etc). I can't stand them (and I tried).

daavid, Thursday, 16 April 2009 04:21 (sixteen years ago)

"I really don't get the appeal of Pavement"

it's this thing called "rock" and it is sweeping the nation

europeen handball (k3vin k.), Thursday, 16 April 2009 04:28 (sixteen years ago)

Lotta people explaining exactly WHY they don't like so-and-so, and giving perfect credible reasons - isn't that kinda antithetical to the spirit of this thread?

Myonga Vön Bontee, Thursday, 16 April 2009 05:24 (sixteen years ago)

Steely Dan.

Popture, Thursday, 16 April 2009 05:35 (sixteen years ago)

The last.fm recommendations thing seems to only ever tell me about bands I've already heard that do nothing for me.

ecuador_with_a_c, Thursday, 16 April 2009 07:56 (sixteen years ago)

I'm a metalhead at heart but have never been able to stomach iron maiden. and yet they are often held up as exemplars of the form.

as a teenager, I felt I SHOULD like them, so had plenty of their albums and listened to them dutifully. one day I was able to admit to myself that I couldn't stand them. too warbly, too gallopy, too flimsy. where's the crushing weight that's so appealing about metal?

abandoning maiden was highly liberating.

m the g, Thursday, 16 April 2009 08:09 (sixteen years ago)

Haha. Oh man, that's a great story, and I don't give two bits of shit about metal.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Thursday, 16 April 2009 08:21 (sixteen years ago)

it was an act of heavy apostasy.

m the g, Thursday, 16 April 2009 08:25 (sixteen years ago)

"I really don't get the appeal of Pavement"

it's this thing called "rock" and it is sweeping the nation

I really should love Pavement, but I only like them OK.

SORCEROUSES..roll on stage! (Pillbox), Thursday, 16 April 2009 08:41 (sixteen years ago)

Unrest were better

SORCEROUSES..roll on stage! (Pillbox), Thursday, 16 April 2009 08:42 (sixteen years ago)

Steely Dan.

Rhymes with Suggest Ban.

Pat Phoenix Wright, Messageboard Attorney (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 16 April 2009 08:45 (sixteen years ago)

Can - sure crucial somehow, never got the hype. i do even sympathize with Czukay.
The Residents - missed because of my illiterate mediocre boredom
Velvet Undergrund, Joy Division, Killing Joke, XTC - yes, yes, yes
100% of hiphop after 1992 - maybe lack of testosterone

meisenfek, Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:23 (sixteen years ago)

Rhymes with Suggest Ban.

Hahahhah omg PWNED

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:26 (sixteen years ago)

Also I was surprised in the end how absolutely boring as hell The Residents were.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:33 (sixteen years ago)

Beatles, Dylan, Van Morrison, Bjork, Kate Bush, Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello etc etc. Not exactly losing any sleep about not liking them either. Suggest banning myself.

Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:35 (sixteen years ago)

Joy Division, New Order, Prince - though I like some songs of each, just don't get them as so called geniuses.
Lil Wayne, Kanye West, T-Pain and all those Auto-Tune rappers.

zeus, Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:41 (sixteen years ago)

After years of trying now and then, I'm starting to adore Can. I've long loved Kraftwerk, Neu!, Faust, etc, so it was pretty mysterious. Tago Mago did it, "Oh Yeah" specifically unlocking the door.

bendy, Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:43 (sixteen years ago)

You Can fence-sitters are a fucking bafflement.

SORCEROUSES..roll on stage! (Pillbox), Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:48 (sixteen years ago)

Why?

Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:49 (sixteen years ago)

that is just drunken subjectivity.

SORCEROUSES..roll on stage! (Pillbox), Thursday, 16 April 2009 09:50 (sixteen years ago)

most late 00s House i guess

Hard House SugBanton (blueski), Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:10 (sixteen years ago)

Can and, in fact, Krautrock generally, just not happening for me, and, again I feel I'm missing the party somehow: Julian Cope loves this stuff, I've seen the current Faust line-up on three occasions, and been bowled over every time, but the records . . nope.

Soukesian, Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:17 (sixteen years ago)

Most of that Japanese stuff Cope also likes

Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:18 (sixteen years ago)

Pretty much any grime album. I like grime when it doesn't suck but it nearly always does for some reason.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:21 (sixteen years ago)

It warms my heart that people come around to Can, however slowly. I've told the story elsewhere, but Ege Bamyasi sat on my CD shelf for some years before I finally had the "Ah Hah!" moment.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:22 (sixteen years ago)

Stereolab

The Unbearable Skegness of Being (NickB), Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:23 (sixteen years ago)

TVOTR and Akon/Family

the next grozart, Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:26 (sixteen years ago)

Akon Family, hahaha

zeus, Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:33 (sixteen years ago)


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