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

Greetings my (mostly) Mancunian chums.
Sadly work, alot of Union stuff and COVID had kept me away from partaking of much online over the last couple of weeks.
I did dip in very very briefly to last weeks offering, but not sufficiently to thow my tuppence worth in...but wonderful as ever to listen to Down In The Tube Station.

So to this week and one that I actually do own. I would hazard that a high proportion of middle aged men in UK probably own this or have at least given it multiple listens.

First off I like this as it gives that almost Phil Spectorish wall of sound on many of the tracks. Its strength but also its humour coming through. Many have commented on it being a case of them simply going out and doing what they want, not really caring what people think but just wanting to have/give a good time. Hooks/Tunes a plenty, irrespective of the lyrical content. From tunes that could be considered as beer soaked laddish "anthems" to tunes that appear to be piss takes...we dont care and we dont take ourselves too seriously. especially cartoon loudmouth Liam.

It's a good time album and to my ears has fewer "fillers" than many of the offerings we have had recently.

Makes me smile most of the time I listen to it ...helped by the fact that each time I do I hark back to Soccer AM and their piss take (Stones Cagoule/No WiFi)

Its a 8 from the Derry jury
 
Saddleworth2 said:
Really?
I have yet to identify an artist (group or individual) that doesn't want their art to be recognised and listened to by as many people as possible. They may choose to execute that art differently but they didn't go into this business 'just to play'. Your definition makes Led Zeppelin or any other 'super group' a pop group.
I thought your categorisation might have said something about the nature of the music....
Click to expand...
Ever heard Captain Beefheart? The Residents? My grandma friend Vicki who plays guitar in a random bluegrass band who tours around the Bay Area? Think if they had some asshole approach them and say, “I’ll join your group but only if I can write all the songs and be the leader and we try to be as commercial as possible”, any of them would say yes? Think any of them said “Gee, I need to make sure this next tune has a declamatory chorus that everyone at the Garden will sing along to when we shine the stage lights on the audience?”

I’m sure it offends some Oasis-lickers to call them “pop” — I note a person who regularly castigates my posts but contributes nothing of value here liked your post, which makes me think I’ve struck a little nerve — but I honestly don’t mean it as any kind of an insult — look at the results! It worked for them, for us, and for millions. And that takes some kind of talent.

And also reminds me I should have noted it’s not just the chords but the ability to write those anthemic choruses. “Soooooo Sally can wait . . .” on “Don’t Look Back In Anger” never fails to give me chills — it’s one of my favo(u)rite moments in ALL of music, which I’ve written here before (and another reason I rate WTSMG higher than DM).
 
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FogBlueInSanFran said:
Ever heard Captain Beefheart? The Residents? My grandma friend Vicki who plays guitar in a random bluegrass band who tours around the Bay Area? Think if they had some asshole approach them and say, “I’ll join your group but only if I can write all the songs and be the leader and we try to be as commercial as possible”, any of them would say yes? Think any of them said “Gee, I need to make sure this next tune has a declamatory chorus that everyone at the Garden will sing along to when we shine the stage lights on the audience?”

I’m sure it offends some Oasis-lickers to call them “pop” — I note the person who regularly castigates my posts but contributes nothing of value here liked your post, which makes me think I’ve struck a little nerve — but I honestly don’t mean it as any kind of an insult — look at the results! It worked for them, for us, and for millions.
Click to expand...
Ooohh smell her....
 
RobMCFC said:
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.
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I hear you. It’s probably where my misgivings for that brand of American pop come to the surface. It probably goes some way to explaining my ambivalence towards the likes of VanHalen, and others. I was trying to articulate to OB1 earlier.

Having a foot in both camps, it can be difficult to bring both audiences with you, but some bands do it a lot better than others.
For example even with my misgivings towards the American brand of Rock-Pop, I would have it over the European versions of Pop-Rock any day of the week.
‘The Final Countdown’ immediately springs to mind.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I’m sure it offends some Oasis-lickers to call them “pop” — I note the person who regularly castigates my posts but contributes nothing of value here liked your post, which makes me think I’ve struck a little nerve — but I honestly don’t mean it as any kind of an insult — look at the results! It worked for them, for us, and for millions. And that takes some kind of talent.
Click to expand...
No nerves struck mate at all. I simply didn’t agree with your definition of pop and rock. I think it’s silly to categorise as the overlaps and inconsistencies are massive.

Yes I’ve heard of Captain Beefheart. Even listened to him back in the day. Not an ‘Oasis licker’ either. They wouldn’t make it anywhere near my favourite bands.
 
mancity2012_eamo said:
I hear you. It’s probably where my misgivings for that brand of American pop come to the surface. It probably goes some way to explaining my ambivalence towards the likes of VanHalen, and others. I was trying to articulate to OB1 earlier.

Having a foot in both camps, it can be difficult to bring both audiences with you, but some bands do it a lot better than others.
For example even with my misgivings towards the American brand of Rock-Pop, I would have it over the European versions of Pop-Rock any day of the week.
‘The Final Countdown’ immediately springs to mind.
Click to expand...
Genesis was a rock band who turned into a pop band. I’m one of those weirdos who likes them a bit better as a pop band though I do still like them as a rock band too, but I find their “transitional” phase by far the most interesting — “Duke” is my favo(u)rite of their records in total, and the only one I play cover-to-cover.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
No nerves struck mate at all. I simply didn’t agree with your definition of pop and rock. I think it’s silly to categorise as the overlaps and inconsistencies are massive.

Yes I’ve heard of Captain Beefheart. Even listened to him back in the day. Not an ‘Oasis licker’ either. They wouldn’t make it anywhere near my favourite bands.
Click to expand...
I wasn’t referring to you mate :)
 
mancity2012_eamo said:
I hear you. It’s probably where my misgivings for that brand of American pop come to the surface. It probably goes some way to explaining my ambivalence towards the likes of VanHalen, and others. I was trying to articulate to OB1 earlier.

Having a foot in both camps, it can be difficult to bring both audiences with you, but some bands do it a lot better than others.
For example even with my misgivings towards the American brand of Rock-Pop, I would have it over the European versions of Pop-Rock any day of the week.
‘The Final Countdown’ immediately springs to mind.
Click to expand...
I saw both Europe and Bon Jovi live in 1989 and they both put on a great show.

We're all different as would rather listen to some average hair metal band than some of the po-faced new wave that plenty on here love :)
 
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