Acts that are better when they become "more accessible"

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Hold Steady
Deerhoof
Jesu

a theory:
recently, bands that were once more innovtive and now more accessible sounds better than they used to, as oppose to what has happend usually (i think) in the past - that accessiblity that comes in time equals worse records.

True or False?+ more examples

― The clouds and the sea (emekars), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:07 (eighteen years ago)

fugazi

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:11 (eighteen years ago)

Cabaret Voltaire, until they became TOO accessible.

― Phil Knight (PhilK), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:15 (eighteen years ago)

Yes

(I realize this may be construed as "Geir bait")

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:18 (eighteen years ago)

Maybe Flaming Lips, till it became a formula?

Scritti Politti remained excellent and exciting for one album after becoming radically more pop-oriented.

― I.M. (I.M.), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:42 (eighteen years ago)

Pj Harvey..love all her stuff - but the album's with "hit singles" ( in an alternative sense) are the best - stories from cities..and to bring you my love

― toe-foo (toe-foo), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:54 (eighteen years ago)

Black Dice
Animal Collective

― Treblekicker (treblekicker), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 12:01 (eighteen years ago)

Scritti Politti remained excellent and exciting for one album after becoming radically more pop-oriented.

You are wrong and should never post again until you realise why.

― It's Tough to Beat Illious (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 12:18 (eighteen years ago)

You're a 'Cupid & Psyche' fan?

― I.M. (I.M.), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 12:25 (eighteen years ago)

Green Gartside has never, EVER, released a note that isn't deathless genius.

― It's Tough to Beat Illious (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 12:28 (eighteen years ago)

I like the new Jesu but it isn't as good as the 1st album. No way.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 13:31 (eighteen years ago)

A lot of grunge fits here

Nirvana
Hole
Soundgarden

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:08 (eighteen years ago)

Are you saying Superunknown was better than Badmotorfinger?

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:09 (eighteen years ago)

Green Gartside has never, EVER, released a note that isn't deathless genius.
-- It's Tough to Beat Illious (noodle_vagu...), February 7th, 2007.

http://www.dirkgently1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/harry.jpg

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:10 (eighteen years ago)

Are you saying Superunknown was better than Badmotorfinger

Yes. Let me guess...you disagree?

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:25 (eighteen years ago)

Blondie

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:28 (eighteen years ago)

Green Gartside has never, EVER, released a note that isn't deathless genius.

I suffered through Anomie and Bonhomie for my sins AND yours.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:30 (eighteen years ago)

Are you saying Superunknown was better than Badmotorfinger

Yes. Let me guess...you disagree?

crazy talk! badmotorfinger was their peak. superunknown is ace, but not quite as good. down on the updside...hmmm. not so good.

I'd disagree on nirvana too.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:44 (eighteen years ago)

Boredoms

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:48 (eighteen years ago)

agreed...if you class super AE as more accessible than chocolate synthesizer. I think that's debatable.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:52 (eighteen years ago)

Cuurent 93

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:53 (eighteen years ago)

headswim.

only joking.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:55 (eighteen years ago)

Sugar Ray is answer #1 with a bullet here

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:55 (eighteen years ago)

weren't they always unbearably bad though?

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 15:56 (eighteen years ago)

Kraftwerk.

― nerve pylon (flat_of_angles), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 16:13 (eighteen years ago)

"Green Gartside has never, EVER, released a note that isn't deathless genius."

I suffered through Anomie and Bonhomie for my sins AND yours.

'Anomie & Bonhomie' surely means he was being sarcastic, right?

Actually, hearing that record put me off of further investigations of Scritti Politti for at least a couple years. And it might still reverse-echo onto 'Cupid & Psyche' for me.

― I.M. (I.M.), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 16:35 (eighteen years ago)

I like Melt-Banana's later pop-grind much more than their early noise.

― shieldforyoureyes (shieldforyoureyes), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 17:06 (eighteen years ago)

down on the updside...hmmm. not so good.

Down On The Upside is one of the worst offenders of the overlong album syndrome. If it was 40 minutes it would be all killer, no filler.

Do you really think Bleach is better than Nevermind? Seriously?

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 17:13 (eighteen years ago)

I like Melt-Banana's later pop-grind much more than their early noise.

I love their early stuff, so the thought of them going pop filled me with horror. consequently, I put off getting cell-scape for months. durrrrrrrr. it's by far their best album.

Do you really think Bleach is better than Nevermind? Seriously?

aye. it's much nastier, has a lot more grime and viciousness. nevermind is a bit dry, and never did owt for me really, outside of 'territorial pissings'.

that being said, I'm not overly fond of bleach either, but if I had to pick one out of the two...

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 17:18 (eighteen years ago)

Low, Flowchart - I find most of the early stuff by these two pretty tough going.

― Kim Tortoise (petergat), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 17:22 (eighteen years ago)

Sam Rivers. Accessible being a relative term.

― Hoosteen (Hoosteen), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 18:47 (eighteen years ago)

Cluster, until the early 80s. While I think that say, "Cluster 71" is pretty good, it's got nothing on "Zuckerzeit" or "Sowiesoso."

No one has mentioned Sonic Youth. I'm specifically thinking about the early 80s to mid/later 80s transition.

― William Selman (William Selman), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 20:43 (eighteen years ago)

Sonic Youth also became better when they became less accessible though (see SY EP to Confusion is Sex, etc.)

Cluster is a good answer. Kraftwerk too. Faust probably. Captain Beefheart definitely.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 20:47 (eighteen years ago)

when was nirvana not accessible??

― 69 (plsmith), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 20:48 (eighteen years ago)

They weren't, but I think most people agree that Nevermind was "more accessible" than Bleach.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 20:49 (eighteen years ago)

I heart Anomie & Bonhomie :(

Melt-Banana is a good call I think.

It's not really accurate to say "more accessible" but I like Merzbow's forays into something vaguely more melodic. (Basically I'm just continuing to go on about how great Merzdub is.)

― It's Tough to Beat Illious (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 20:49 (eighteen years ago)

Deerhoof and Animal Collective, definitely. Liars, too.

The Notwist? Comets on Fire? T. Rex?

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:07 (eighteen years ago)

Oh. The Fall. HEH and Nation's SAving Grace >>> Dragnet.

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:08 (eighteen years ago)

Nah pre-Brix Fall >>>>> Brix Fall.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:10 (eighteen years ago)

No. Golden era = Hex Enduction - Bend Sinister.

― It's Tough to Beat Illious (noodle vague), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:11 (eighteen years ago)

I'll take Grotesque and Slates over Bend Sinister and This Nation any day of the week.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:15 (eighteen years ago)

Royal Trux

― Chuck Keller (c keller), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:16 (eighteen years ago)

Golden era = Live at the Witch Trials - The Infotainment Scan

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:16 (eighteen years ago)

Errghh.. Slates is unfuckwithable. i was thinking more Live at the Witch Trials.

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:17 (eighteen years ago)

Animal Collective is different but not better now, Id say. Disagree on Deerhoof.

― Period period period (Period period period), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:20 (eighteen years ago)

Early PJ absolutely SMOKES the rest of her career so I'd have to disagree there...

― about:coffee (fandango), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:04 (eighteen years ago)

Roxy Music
The Velvets
The Go-Betweens
Rosanne Cash

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:06 (eighteen years ago)

Roxy were better once Eno left? Nuts.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:07 (eighteen years ago)

Simple Minds
The Human League

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:08 (eighteen years ago)

For Your Pleasure is unlistenable after the first side; the first album is equally spotty.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:08 (eighteen years ago)

These are getting sillier and sillier. Simple Minds?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:08 (eighteen years ago)

"No one has mentioned Sonic Youth."

I would have done but I've only just got here.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:09 (eighteen years ago)

I like the new Jesu but it isn't as good as the 1st album. No way.

OTMFMx1000, the self-titled remains their best work to date by a country mile

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:15 (eighteen years ago)

XTC
The Hives
The Soft Boys

― zeus (zeus), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 23:23 (eighteen years ago)

Teenage Fanclub

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 8 February 2007 02:23 (eighteen years ago)

hole

― jimbo (electricsound), Thursday, 8 February 2007 02:30 (eighteen years ago)

Black Dice
Animal Collective
-- Treblekicker (neilmajo...), February 7th, 2007. (treblekicker) (link)

Black Dice i might agree with. but if you want to fight over Animal Collective, i am ready to-- their first albums blow their newer albums OUT OF THE FUCKING WATER. Feels was like a shriveled penguin dick compared to the monstrosity of teh Danse Manatee.

― the table is the table (treesessplode), Thursday, 8 February 2007 02:53 (eighteen years ago)

also, Deerhoof's older records are tight. newer records= eh. good, but eh.

― the table is the table (treesessplode), Thursday, 8 February 2007 02:54 (eighteen years ago)

Prefab Sprout ("Swoon" was OK, but hardly up to their later standards)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:14 (eighteen years ago)

black dice is accessible now? perhaps they are less abrasive, but accessible? really?

― M. Biondi (M. Biondi), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:17 (eighteen years ago)

Metallica. Before they got even more accessible, that is.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:21 (eighteen years ago)

The Hold Steady?! Puh-leeze.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:24 (eighteen years ago)

Maybe insofar as Separation Sunday is better than the debut, but the most recent one is nowhere near as good as the first two.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:24 (eighteen years ago)

Black Dice and Blonde Redhead.

― brightscreamer (brightscreamer), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:33 (eighteen years ago)

One might well argue that California is Mr. Bungle's masterpiece.

― to scour or to pop? (Haberdager), Thursday, 8 February 2007 03:41 (eighteen years ago)

SWANS!

― mayhaps (mayhaps), Thursday, 8 February 2007 04:20 (eighteen years ago)

David Sylvian and Talk Talk both got worse as they became less accessible.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 8 February 2007 04:21 (eighteen years ago)

well, No Doubt had nowhere to go but up after the shitty ska debut but the last two albums were arguably better than Tragic Kingdom, not that that was particularly 'inaccessible'.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 8 February 2007 04:38 (eighteen years ago)

The Go-Betweens

Songs like Lee Remick sounds like the stuff of a garage band. I mean, they didn't have the technology to make it as glossy as they might've wanted, but it wasn't like there were blasts of feedback that they would later remove.

― Cunga (Cunga), Thursday, 8 February 2007 04:43 (eighteen years ago)

blonde redhead definitely.

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 8 February 2007 04:43 (eighteen years ago)

One might well argue that California is Mr. Bungle's masterpiece.

one might, but I see it and DV as companion pieces and equals. both are much better than the debut, but DV is much less listener-friendly than its predecessor and its descendant. so where does that leave us? in alaska, playing dominoes in the snow.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Thursday, 8 February 2007 08:19 (eighteen years ago)

an apt turn of phrase as it turns out. off to hunt for some mittens...

― to scour or to pop? (Haberdager), Thursday, 8 February 2007 12:09 (eighteen years ago)

Hüsker Dü

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 8 February 2007 12:10 (eighteen years ago)

Scritti Politti remained excellent and exciting for one album after another after becoming radically more pop-oriented.

Better. I know that took a while, but hey!

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 8 February 2007 12:23 (eighteen years ago)

The Buzzcocks?

― Tom D. (Dada), Thursday, 8 February 2007 12:24 (eighteen years ago)

Low, Flowchart - I find most of the early stuff by these two pretty tough going.

re: Flowchart, do you find their house music phase to be their most accessible work? Because I think it couldn't be more dull and ordinary ...

I personally think their most accessible stuff was the uber-poppy faux-Stereolab stuff from "Multi-Personality Tabletop Vacation", but that wasn't their best stuff either. (see: "Cumulus Mood Twang"'s MBV-worship)

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 8 February 2007 16:22 (eighteen years ago)

The Dead C

And I don't mean Bad Attidude. But stuff like Mighty, or stuff that actually has melodies and some structure.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 8 February 2007 16:52 (eighteen years ago)

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