Train & Counting Crows: Bland Bands

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Agree/Disagree?

Here's a hint: if Matt Lauer from NBC's "Today" show cites Train as one of his favorite bands...

― Derek Dalek (Derek Dalek), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:20 (twenty-three years ago)

You forgot: Vertical Horizon, Marcy Playground, Better Than Ezra, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Matchbox Twenty, Semisonic, Sixpence None the Richer, Lifehouse, Dishwalla, Seven Mary Three, The Gin Blossoms, Fastball, the Verve Pipe, Sister Hazel, Tonic and Fuel.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Griel Marcus to thread! (with Counting Crows at least)

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:27 (twenty-three years ago)

set em up and knock em down guys! take that you bad bland bands.

what makes train or semisonic or whatever any different from the wedding present or superchunk or even (gasp!) pavement? i doubt the average non-rock listener couldn't really tell you except for production sheen.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Potential threads:

James Taylor does not rock.

Chan Marshall has problems.

Sly Stone hasn't made a great album in twenty years.

Paul McCartney's solo stuff isn't as good as the Beatles.

I miss the Spice Girls.

The new Missy Elliot is really good.

The Streets. I don't get it. (American's only)

200x is a weak year for music.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:34 (twenty-three years ago)

you forgot:

why does everyone pick on goths?

def jux: classic or dud

i can't believe i like [pop song], am i CRAZY?!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:36 (twenty-three years ago)

the indie labels releasing their records of course.

but seriously, when did the opinions of average non-rock listeners become such a valuable commodity? when did average opinions of anyone become relevant?

while i agree that top40 one hit wonders manufactured by major labels are an easy target, saying "controversial" post-elitist things about underground indie "heroes" is equally dire.

― gygax!, Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:43 (twenty-three years ago)

What about Third Eye Blind? Yes, Counting Crows are bland, but also quite annoying... the recent Sprite? Dr Pepper? Taco Bell? ad was bad, but I read an interview years ago where the singer admitted his dreadlocks are indeed fake, but he had never felt that he was really himself until they were installed.

Somewhere, one of you is murmuring, "B-but, Pete Yorn is different..."

― andy, Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Jess - you forgot:

Kurt Cobain - not God.

Bush is a stupid stupidhead - C or D?

Electroclash - I just figured out it's just revivalism!

Situationist International - who is the Bez?

Jeff Porcaro vs. Dave Grohl (dave q only)

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Pete Yorn is different - Pete Buck owes him money (apparently)!

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:46 (twenty-three years ago)

The Wedding Present were brilliant. Semisonic are shit.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:48 (twenty-three years ago)

when did average opinions of anyone become relevant?

oh beautiful...for spacious skies...

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:52 (twenty-three years ago)

i just put one of those qs up on ile (guess which one)

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 26 September 2002 21:53 (twenty-three years ago)

isn't jess's point that the distinction between (stupid word alert) "cutting edge" and (even stupider word alert) "bland" is as much to do with the narcissism of small differences in a particular musicworld than anything audible from a distance

the 12-CD ppl are invoked because they are assumed not to be party pris

true musical objectivity however can only found in those who NEVER LISTEN TO ANYTHING (ie me)

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:03 (twenty-three years ago)

what he said.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:04 (twenty-three years ago)

i met this guy recently who seemed cool, then it turned out his favourite bands were Dave Matthews Band and Counting Crows...is God playing some kind of cruel joke on me???

anyway he proceeded to explain how the Dave Matthew Band were such brilliant amazing musicians and agreed with me that 'The Space Between' was totally shite...DARE anybody do a Dave Matthews S/D thread is what i wanna know???

― blueski, Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:29 (twenty-three years ago)

the opinions of average anybodies matter if you're asking a question like 'how could people like x?' and you want to try to give them some credit, and see why they might find something incredibly important and valuable in their lives; the alternative of assuming they are deficient in some way misses a fundamental point about the irrelevance of whether or not they are deficient to the importance of the music for them.

― Josh (Josh), Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:44 (twenty-three years ago)

The drummer for Counting Crows lives in Athens.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:54 (twenty-three years ago)

the alternative of assuming they are deficient in some way

like being unable to distinguish between "jackals, false grails: the lonesome ear" and "mr. jones"?

― gygax!, Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:56 (twenty-three years ago)

or being unable to see why anyone wd care about the difference

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 26 September 2002 22:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Were the Black Crowes as bland as Train?? Nah, c'mon...

― Sean (Sean), Thursday, 26 September 2002 23:07 (twenty-three years ago)

The Wedding Present were brilliant. Semisonic are shit.

It's the other way around, actually.

― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 26 September 2002 23:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah yes, you're right. It should've read:

Semisonic are shit. The Wedding Present were brilliant.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 27 September 2002 03:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Sasha, Morcheeba, Faithless, Groove Armada and Telepopmusik come to mind right now.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 27 September 2002 09:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Porcaro was better but I still wouldn't trust him to get the aphids out of my tomato patch

― dave q, Friday, 27 September 2002 10:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Alex: Careful, lad. I have suceeded in converting no less than seven people (including both a Craddle Of Filth and a Can fan) to the ways of Semisonic...don't think that if you continue this foolish insolence I will refrain from doing the same thing to you...

― Daniel_Rf, Friday, 27 September 2002 11:36 (twenty-three years ago)

As an aside (but kind of not), I know it's a bit of ILM slang denoting majority-culture folk...but I don't know anyone who has 12 CD's. Even people with absolutely dire taste and near-total indifference still have around 100, right?

I don't really know where I'm going with this...

― g.cannon (gcannon), Friday, 27 September 2002 12:49 (twenty-three years ago)

i do (maybe not *exactly* 12, but not more than 20)

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 27 September 2002 12:51 (twenty-three years ago)

My girlfriend hasnt got 12 yet!

Where did 12CD people come from? Kate wasnt it?

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 27 September 2002 12:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't care how many CDs my friends have.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 27 September 2002 13:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The thing is, people who talk about "twelve CD people" always seem to assume that the aforementioned CDs are going to be by Travis, Coldplay, Moby, Simply Red, The Lighthouse Family and Dire Straits.

I'm sure there are people who only own twelve CDs that are all absolutely BRILLIANT.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:07 (twenty-three years ago)

"i do (maybe not *exactly* 12, but not more than 20)"

get out, really?

― g.cannon (gcannon), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:12 (twenty-three years ago)

My girlfriends CD collection in full: Top Of The Pops Summer 2000, Maria Callas best-of, David Bowie best-of, More ABBA Gold, Black Cat White Cat soundtrack, Artful Dodger Mix CD, Burt Bacharach 2CD Best-Of. I think that's it.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:12 (twenty-three years ago)

you forgot the eighth, tom: merzbox

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Sixpence None the Richer?

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:16 (twenty-three years ago)

That's vanished Sterling, I think it may have gone to a car boot sale. A pity cos I quite liked it.

I forgot Merzbox in the form of THE LANTERNS though I think that terrible record is now officially part of my collection argh. I asked if she wanted it back and she said no.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Doesn't the connection between these bands and adult contemporary radio that gets piped into dental offices sour them even more? I mean, shit, I could end up hating Shellac if I had to hear it while I was getting a cavity filled. Once, no lie, I was getting my teeth worked on while my dentist was humming along to "Horse With No Name," so I reserve the right to hate America. Even "Tin Man."

― Yancey (ystrickler), Friday, 27 September 2002 14:25 (twenty-three years ago)

i have no defense for train, but I do think it's a mistake to lump counting crows in with this lot. Duritz's lyrics are one of the things that separate them from the tides of mediocirty, plus thetre'sa sense of knowing thier place in terms of the historicity of their musical origiens, the space in which they inhabit. Duritz has an uncanny ability to blend the right amount of despondency in both his voice and the lyrics at the same time, and then match it with a Band-like band. I'm inclined to say it's the singles most of you have heard, which is a record company driven ideal of what the ocunting crows might once have been.
Again, though it all depends on what you want from your music...

― Queen G (Queeng), Friday, 27 September 2002 15:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Certainly train have yet to produce anything as effective as "A Long December".

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 27 September 2002 15:33 (twenty-three years ago)

is 74/75 by one of this lot?

because I think it's a lovely song. although very bland.

― adam b (adam b), Friday, 27 September 2002 15:36 (twenty-three years ago)

"74/75" is by the Connells.

Etc.: Toad The Wet Sprocket, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Deep Blue Something, Shawn Mullins, 10,000 Maniacs, Crash Test Dummies, 4 Non Blondes, and the blandest bland band of them all: Hootie.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Friday, 27 September 2002 15:48 (twenty-three years ago)

You forgot: Vertical Horizon, Marcy Playground, Better Than Ezra, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Matchbox Twenty, Semisonic, Sixpence None the Richer, Lifehouse, Dishwalla, Seven Mary Three, The Gin Blossoms, Fastball, the Verve Pipe, Sister Hazel, Tonic and Fuel.

Actually, with the song "All About Chemistry", Semisonic justified their existence. And Sixpence None the Richer's cover of "There She Goes" is actually quite nice. The rest of 6PntR's stuff is rather dry, though.

― Lord Custos Alpha (Lord Custos Alpha), Friday, 27 September 2002 16:03 (twenty-three years ago)

what makes train or semisonic or whatever any different from the wedding present or superchunk or even (gasp!) pavement?

Less hooks, more slant. And whether or not the non-rock fan would notice is a bit well.... would a non-dance fan appreciate the subtleties of micro house? I think "it all sounds the same" is kind of a cop out. Pavement don't sound like Semisonic. And the Gin Blossoms don't sound like Nickleback. The differences can be small but crucial.

― bnw (bnw), Friday, 27 September 2002 17:10 (twenty-three years ago)

I think "it all sounds the same" is kind of a cop out.

are you unable to see why anyone wd care about a cop out?

― gygax!, Friday, 27 September 2002 17:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Another amusing post from Queen G, I must add. That guy's a riot!!

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 27 September 2002 18:01 (twenty-three years ago)

bnw, i wouldn't expect someone not familar with house to really be able to tell the difference between mri and blaze, and that was kind of my point. i don't think it all sounds the same! but the point of arbitrary distinctions based on extra-musical factors when a lot of these bands DO share similiarites, superficial or otherwise, with a lot of indie bands seems equally silly to me.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 27 September 2002 18:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Sean - keep the persoanl attacks to yourself.

I am neither a guy, nor a riot thankyou very much!

― Queen G (Queeng), Friday, 27 September 2002 18:26 (twenty-three years ago)

yes highly amusing post from this queen guy!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 27 September 2002 18:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh GAWD, you make one ill advised comment on a bad day at the office about "office people who own, like, 12 CDs" and it follows you for the rest of your life. Sigh.

Even my mother owns 20 CDs, and she is totally indifferent to music.

― kate, Friday, 27 September 2002 18:45 (twenty-three years ago)

but it's a good meme, kate

esp. when it co-exists w. 12-foot lizards!!

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 27 September 2002 18:50 (twenty-three years ago)

I didn't start that! David Icke did!

― kate, Friday, 27 September 2002 19:24 (twenty-three years ago)

"And the Gin Blossoms don't sound like Nickleback. The differences can be small but crucial."

Maybe not, but they both completely suck out loud in the most indefensibly blandest of ways.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 27 September 2002 19:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Geoff - My post was hardly meant as a personal attack; sorry to offend you. I was also operating under the assumption you were indeed a guy... again sorry to offend.

Counting Crows still suck, though :)

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 27 September 2002 19:45 (twenty-three years ago)

The first time I heard "Closing Time" I thought it was REM!!

― brg30 (brg30), Friday, 27 September 2002 21:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, it sucks to be me on this board.

I was one of those converted to Semisonic by the fanatic several posts up there.
I think the Counting Crows are a fine band.
I believe the Gin Blossoms put out some of the finest power pop I've ever heard and they've impressed me far more than, say, Teenage Fanclub.

Actually, now that I think about it, that's about it. Every other one of them I can't stand.

― My name is Kenny, Friday, 27 September 2002 23:59 (twenty-three years ago)

"I believe the Gin Blossoms put out some of the finest power pop I've ever heard and they've impressed me far more than, say, Teenage Fanclub." - I agree with the second half of this statement, and I hated Gin Blossoms (even the guy who killed himself - especially him!). Much love for "Closing Time" from these quarters.

― James Blount (James Blount), Saturday, 28 September 2002 08:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Sean, I am beyond gender, but not self-deprecating irony. No personal attack was taken.

― Queen G (Queeng), Saturday, 28 September 2002 09:49 (twenty-three years ago)

what makes train or semisonic or whatever ...pavement?

Stephen Malkmus used to admit fanship of Trip Shakespeare quite a lot. And then "Feeling Strangely Fine" got released. And then he stopped. Hmmm...

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 28 September 2002 10:12 (twenty-three years ago)

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