The Album Review Club - Week #128 - (page 1587) - Pretty Vicious - The Struts

[Saddleworth2]

Ok. Other than, I didn't say everyone, did I.

No. You said there was no doubt which is just as definitive.

 

[Coatigan]

No. You said there was no doubt which is just as definitive.

Yea touché I guess. I said most punters, but I see I did also say that. Fair.

 

[Coatigan]

Worth pointing out the irony of, that according to them, the main reason they split was over the rock vs pop direction. Liam said he wanted to do more rock while Noel had gone all pop.

And given Noel did most of the writing, there was more pop than rock.

I will point out as well, that having already said I think this album is much purer than their other more successful ones, I am talking about the band as a whole, rather than this specific album.

 

[RobMCFC]

For me, rock music is about songs that have a larger emphasis on the instruments and instrumental passages than pop music.

As Saddleworth's definition says, Pop music is more about memorable and/or repeatable catchy choruses.

A song like Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" definitely has a foot in both camps.

 

[Coatigan]

For me, rock music is about songs that have a larger emphasis on the instruments and instrumental passages than pop music.

As Saddleworth's definition says, Pop music is more about memorable and/or repeatable catchy choruses.

A song like Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" definitely has a foot in both camps.

By that definition, Oasis are a pop band. Catchy sing-along choruses is their thing. And what has been the big reason for their success. The instruments are for the background sounds, and the image. The second of which has been the other but smaller reason for their success.

 

[Saddleworth2]

For me, rock music is about songs that have a larger emphasis on the instruments and instrumental passages than pop music.

As Saddleworth's definition says, Pop music is more about memorable and/or repeatable catchy choruses.

A song like Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" definitely has a foot in both camps.

Of course there is massive cross-over between every genre. Pop music is by definition any music folk like enough to sell well and get on t' radio.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik was the Wonderwall of its day (although it didn't make the radio back then, it did sell a lot of musical scores).

Labelling a band with a single category Pop/Rock/Country/Folk/Americana...... is a great deal trickier than my small brain is capable of.

 

[Onholiday(somemightsay)]

Worth also noting, that there is zero difference between Oasis and Coldplay. Like, none whatsoever! If anything, Coldplay are the better musicians and ever so slightly more original.

The only difference is the image, and how they managed to market themselves. Like all packaged products, the perception is easily amplified. But look inside the box, it is the exact same bland cereal. But one is considered cool and one not.

Barring the music, the personalities, their
backgrounds and overall approach to life they are indeed one of the same............ ;-)

 

[Coatigan]

Barring the music, the personalities, their
backgrounds and overall approach to life they are indeed one of the same............ ;-)

I was talking about music.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

A pop band starts off wanting to be popular. A rock band just plays and maybe gets popular.

I’m of the belief that some artists (like athletes) are motivated more by fame and money and ambition, and some more by the simple joy of playing, creating or crafting a message expressed through their art.

In general I respect the motivation of the latter artists more, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a LOT of what’s created in the primary pursuit of money and fame. The best is when the two come together.

And plenty of artists waft between the two camps, either moving from one to the other or even going back and forth several times. Some, like Kurt Cobain, can’t handle the battle between the two and self-destruct. Others just become shite.

I’ll leave it to those of you who know Oasis better than I to decide how their journey has evolved but there isn’t much question how it started — DM was made for arenas — obviously, right? Just listen to it! — and Noel joined Rain/Oasis assuming he’d drive the band to commercialism.

I should also note that I hear plenty of influences from great bands in Oasis (less Beatles, almost more Who) but that their sound is still their own, timing notwithstanding, and that counts for something.

I don’t think they’re overrated, and I’m of no view on the joy or drawbacks of the scene/craze they created. I think their best songs sound fucking great. Whether they ARE fucking great — well, I’m not quite as convinced there.

The great thing about this thread is that if you do actually participate open-mindedly, and you read others thought or ramblings in my case, you sometimes find your own feelings expressed and you find a deeper understanding of how you feel yourself about things.
I feel another topic coming on, or formulating, from what you have observed there.
There’s definitely been a few possibilities for a future theme in the discussions and debate from this one.

Right, now off to the political threads.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

I wouldn’t say it’s right or wrong but that’s not how I define a pop and rock. In fact, I’m not sure I have the words to define them but, for me, it is about how they sound. Pop does tend to be more commercial and that lines up with your definition to a degree. Pop bands do want to sell records but but so do a lot of rock bands.

I remember when it was simply the difference between an album or a singles band.