Surprise! I hate this!

I'm not sayin' "THEY SUCK" or anything (as, were I to assert this opinion, there'd be absolutely no gray area involved wherein I might allow the reader to misinterpret my ire) and I applaud their inventive sound (specifically the echoey, upright piano shtick), but that Hamilton Leithauser's (nice name) vocals really ain't my bag, man. I'm having an exceptionally hard time finding a way to enjoy the band while tuning out his whiney, lethargic presence. Someone needs to zap that guy in the ass with a tazer or something. He's gonna electrocute himself if he keeps slurring all over that microphone.

While I dug WOLF SONGS FOR LAMBS, I remember seeing Jonathan Fire* Eater open for Luscious Jackson (whose idea was that?) at the Roxy and not being especially blown away either. So far, unless the Walkmen were change my impression radically onstage (I'm seeing them open up for the woefully superior Firewater at the end of the month), I can't envision revisiting this disc too often. I know they're not aiming to be mistaken for Slayer, but I'd prefer a bit more "oomph," y'know? If rock were architecture, this band would be a tattered lean-to made of dry, brittle plywood and cheese-cloth; not especially sturdy nor substantial, and easily blown over in a strong wind. There are fleeting moments of promise when tracks like, say, "Rue the Day" get off the ground -- but it's a short flight grounded by Leithauser's wobbly howl.

If you haven't the stomach for the Strokes' arguable foibles, I do hope you won't be snowed by this lot's brand of -- sorry, this is my only mine own pig-headed opinion, now -- rather precious dilettante rock.

Hate. I shall ponder hate...

It's a concert, not a wrestling match.

Awfully snippy for someone named "Reggie."

http://www.neumu.com/fortyfour/2002/2002-00052/2002- 00052_fortyfour.shtml

I wouldn't. Clinic have gotten more boring with time. The early singles were great. The singles collection was great. Internal Wrangler was good and Walking With Thee is dull. It's not that they are repeating themselves neccessarily, it's that they are taming their sound on each release.

and how is this any different from MHTRTC?
It's not! That's part of the problem. MHTRTC does share that same characteristic and it's a definite weakness of both albums in my eyes.

You're right- Geogaddi's tone is not as light and gentle as MHTRTC, but that hardly qualifies as a significant change that overshadows all the other blatant similarities.
By a big step back, I meant that, chronologically, you'd think Geogaddi would have come out before MHTRTC. It sounds like it was made in the early 90's. Not that all electronic music has to sound like it uses the newest technology, but, in a way, Geogaddi already sounds outdated! ;)

This reminds me of the long-running squabble I've had with people over Spiritualized. Many others: "They keep changing with every album!" Me: "It's the same album with different arrangements!"

The most recent thing for me then is All Is Dream which after multiple tries I still can't enjoy, and it's gone back through time and ruined Mercury Rev's last album for me, too. It's a bit sad because for a good 3 or 4 years M.Rev were my favourite rock band and now - eh.

and as for boc i don't see how anyone in the world could dislike geogaddi. who cares if elements are similar to mhtrtc, they're simplying refining ideas what worked on previous tracks. i don't feel it was all that close anyhow.

Re BOC - I'm sure I would dislike MHTRTC just as much.

Actually, the BoC guys said in an interview that this was exactly the effect they were going for. I personally don't have a problem with the consistency of the material (within and between albums and tracks). It's like watching clouds, and looking up 4 years after 98, you're comforted to see the sky is still there but the color has changed slightly.

As for the original thread question, I expected to like The Streets more than I have been although I certainly don't hate it.

Well, it's an exaggeration for me to say Geogaddi sounds EXACTLY like MHTRTC, but they definitely share one too many similarities for me to accept Geogaddi as a decent album. If I felt like they were refining ideas from MHTRTC, that would be one thing- I wouldn't be so critical. But I think Geogaddi is a regression- I don't think anything on Geogaddi comes close to what they achieved on MHTRTC.
It's also a blatant exaggeration, I think, to say you can't understand how ANYONE could dislike Geogaddi (or to say that about any album for that matter).

ASTOUNDING! ;-)