can anyone explain my sudden and surprising love for the enemy's "we'll live and die in these towns"?

I have to listen to Radio 1 all day & it is unbearable.

Top 3 worst bands currently on playlist: 1. The Wombats; 2. Scouting For Girls; 3. The Pigeon Detectives.

The Enemy might have been on the list, were it not for the fact I had to ask every time who it was cos it was SO generic and blustery and graceless. And still I forgot who it was next time.

I saw them on the TV -- really repulsive midgets on tracksuits. I had to ask who it was again, though, cos I didn't remember the song despite having heard it dozens of time.

Then, next time they came on the radio, I listened hard so I wouldn't annoy people by forgetting the song again.

Suddenly "Don't let the sun set on our empire" sounded so tragic and romantic, and I misheard the quite bland lines of the chorus "You're not alone, not at all" as "You're not a rebel, you're a whore", which got me going a little.

So, next to most other things played by Jo Whiley, I'm quite fond of them now. I think of them as passionate and true. I wouldn't fancy listening to a whole CD, but I'm quite fond of them, when they come on, in the daytime, three or four times.

in tracksuits

I mean, when I hear the single, I keep thinking of the Kulkarni line quoted in the Melody Maker/Kula Shaker thread:

"Indie is four people getting together wanting to create something sublime and immortal having had their lives swallowed by pop and needing to do the same, surveying the infinite possibilities and deciding three guitars some drums and some good songs will just about do."

And I hear the limitations, but the pathos moves me, and I'm fooled into thinking that the band may have a little of the first half of the sentence in them, in contrast to the more cynical stuff I have to hear also.

thank you, eyeball kicks: i think that's exactly what i hear in them, too, but you articulated it better than i ever could.

1. The Wombats; 2. Scouting For Girls; 3. The Pigeon Detectives.

should i be concerned that i know not a fucking jot about any of these bands? i doubt it, somehow.

also ... generic and blustery and graceless ... well, that describes early wedding present pretty much perfectly, and we all know all about my love for them. so yeh, this makes a little more sense now.

probs the most conformist band ever. if a band came out now that said "we just wanna make money and fuck girls, we're horrible people" that would more rebellious.

i saw a video by these guys on tv the other week and didn't instantly hate it as much as i normally hate songs by british indie bands. that's as far as i'm willing to go. also i was pretty drunk.

overwrought bragg-meets-weller yelping

I'd be acquitted in two seconds.