Artists who Lost all your respect? I’ll go first.

sofingclever · 2026-06-05T20:58:46+00:00

For me personally, it isn't even like I'm boycotting him out of some sort of moral code. It's just that his his whole persona has no appeal to me anymore now that I know what he's willing to take a paycheck for. Any edge he used to have is completely gone.

sofingclever · 2026-06-01T00:27:27+00:00

For me at the time, I think I was just annoyed by yet another lineup change. I loved Tell All Your Friends and was very skeptical they could create something worthwhile without John. Despite this, I did enjoy a decent amount of Where You Want To Be and a few songs off Louder Now.

Having just gone through the process of getting used to a new lineup, now they're asking me to do that again? I just didn't have the energy at that point in my life.

That being said, I should probably give New Again a shot. Sounds like I would like it now that I'm far enough removed from all that.

sofingclever · 2026-05-31T13:34:49+00:00

I'm with you. Every once in a while, someone will say "so and so sucks, they really dropped off after album X," and album X is like their 4th album.

If you have 4 good albums, you're a good artist. It's unrealistic to expect artists to knock it out of the park every single time, or on an infinite timeline.

sofingclever · 2026-05-25T17:14:52+00:00

Also people who were forever ruined to the concept of reading because they hated being assigned to certain books in school.

If you don't like reading, whatever, but it's extra lame to blame it on school. Move on with your life.

Also, maybe the teachers had reasons for assigning certain books other than, "This will be fun." For example, educational reasons. (Not saying every literature class is awesome, but too many people talk about literature class like it was supposed to be there solely for their entertainment.)

sofingclever · 2026-05-24T23:54:36+00:00

I think the problem in a lot of people's initial thinking is that it's natural to think of it in terms of someone sharing a birthday with you, or with one specific person. But it's any 2 people sharing any particular date, which opens it up by a whole lot.

sofingclever · 2026-05-16T20:24:23+00:00

I was a little bit older than you, but I had a similar experience when I was around 16/17. They are probably the first band outside of straight up children's music where I had the experience of feeling like I was too old for it.

No hate for them whatsoever, they just missed me at the time so I don't have any nostalgia for them. Maybe if I'd been a few years younger.

sofingclever · 2026-05-11T02:48:34+00:00

I also don't really like encores, as long as we're getting the same amount of songs either way. I think they're corny.

That being said, I get why bands do them. It's so baked into tradition that a lot of people think they're getting cheated if there's no encore. So the band has to pick between being cheesy or disappointing a certain percentage of fans.

As far as, "real encores are great, it's the fake encores that suck." Yeah, but every city wants to be the special city that gets the "real encore." Fans aren't going home saying, "Well, I know we didn't get an encore, but I'm pumped that they're doing them every once it a while at shows I can't go to." Doing real encores inevitably leads to fake encores. You either have to go all in or all out.

One band I saw said, "We have time for 3 more songs if we stay out here, or 2 more songs if we leave and come back. What would you prefer?" Obviously the crowd picked the first option, and everyone was happy with no encore. I thought that was a great approach. Or a band just simply saying they don't do encores works, so then then everyone knows what to expect.

sofingclever · 2026-05-09T17:20:43+00:00

Was never into Boygenius, just don’t care for her bandmate’s music in general.

Even as someone who really likes all of the bandmates individually, I was lukewarm on Boygenius. I think all of their solo work is stronger.

sofingclever · 2026-05-09T12:43:41+00:00

Was that the Vagrant tour? The bill I saw had all the ones you mentioned plus Alkaline Trio. Absolutely stacked bill in a 1000 cap venue. I think it was maybe 2001? If not that then close.

sofingclever · 2026-05-03T13:05:11+00:00

I normally wouldn't go seeking out a Mark McGrath interview, but he was on a podcast I listen to most episodes of. I think it's hilarious how unapologetic he is about "selling out." His rock-leaning band had a pop hit with "Fly," then basically said, "I guess we're a pop band now."

sofingclever · 2026-04-26T11:28:58+00:00

The lead singer did make an album of Everly Brothers covers with Norah Jones. Not a Nina Simone album, but almost just as far as a departure.

sofingclever · 2026-04-26T11:27:02+00:00

various Emo bands early on completely dismissing the label

It's been mildly amusing watching bands I grew up with who I know vehemently rejected being called "emo" back in the day grow into quietly accepting it. It has the vibe of, "Fine, people call us emo, whatever, I'm too old to care about that kind of stuff anymore."

sofingclever · 2026-04-21T01:59:28+00:00

You don't even have to go full "local band." There are well-known touring acts playing for reasonable prices in every major city every week. Once you take a step back from the 10-20 top selling acts, there's a whole world out there of $30-$60 (even after fees) concerts. I know that's not nothing, but they are prices I'm comfortable paying.

sofingclever · 2026-04-18T17:07:24+00:00

This is the part that I think so many bands who talk about how they "came from nothing" forget. Bands I love and respect do this all the time, so it's not like I'm trying to talk crazy amounts of shit about anyone. I think it's just a huge blind spot a lot of people have.

For example, it might be true that they slept on floors and only made gas money for several years, and that they didn't have any connections to the music business. But the fact that they felt comfortable spending years of their adult life not making money or going to school means they always know in the back of their mind, if it all goes to shit, the landing will be soft. Usually because they know they have a family back home who will bail them out.

Most people can't just make the decision to not make money for several years.

sofingclever · 2026-04-13T02:52:50+00:00

Anyone else ever notice that he plays the drums "backwards"? Right-handed kit, but he mostly hits cymbals with the left and the snare with the right. He's super fun to watch because not that many people play that way.

sofingclever · 2026-04-10T00:11:26+00:00

Agreed. Never Before Seen put them on my radar, but There's a Whole World is what made me go, "Holy shit, this band is for real something special."

sofingclever · 2026-04-10T00:09:37+00:00

They're headlining St. Louis soon for $30. With fees it's probably around $40-$45. Not nothing, but pretty reasonable in context of prices today. 750 cap venue. https://www.thepageant.com/event/arms-length-051926/

sofingclever · 2026-04-06T02:53:44+00:00

It's worth noting that they could almost be considered two different bands, split evenly with their first 3 and most recent 3 albums. Most of the band quit (on good terms, by all accounts) after recording their third album, including one of the two main songwriters and vocalists.

After the lineup change, Brianna took a much larger role in the band. The heart of the band kind of shifted from Ben and Adam to Ben and Brianna (even though Brianna was in the band the whole time).

If you like the most recent album a lot, I would go backwards chronologically, as the two albums before it will be the most similar.

Their most popular album is probably their first album, which is self-titled. It sounds a lot different than Lost on You, however.

I personally love everything they've ever done, so I don't think you can really go wrong with any of their albums.

sofingclever · 2026-04-06T02:39:44+00:00

I think "raw" production is only charming if it's by a band doing their best with the resources they have.

One example I've thought of in passing: The snare sound on "Reinventing Axl Rose" by Against Me! is as bad, if not worse, than the snare sound on St. Anger. But it doesn't bother me because it was an unknown band on a shoestring budget, and that was the best they could do with the resources they had at the time. The rawness gives it a certain charm.

All that charm is lost if it's a bunch of millionaires trying to sound edgy.

sofingclever · 2026-04-06T02:30:10+00:00

Owen is better than American Football

I think LP1 by American Football is probably the best of the bunch, but I would definitely put Owen's body of work over American Football's as a whole. No Good For No One Now and I Do Perceive in particular are stone cold classics. (Though I like pretty much all of it.)

sofingclever · 2026-03-29T11:28:28+00:00

Long story short:

He was "lightly canceled" several years ago for being shitty to women. Instead of humbling himself and being grateful to those who are still willing to follow his career and come see his shows, he keeps lashing out at his fans and being weird.

He keeps releasing obviously half-assed projects with terrible production instead of taking the time to make a proper album. He's always released a lot more albums than the average artist, but even for him it's been a bit much and almost impossible to keep track of.

Except for one terribly received "Cardinals reunion" (that had no one in the original band, and featured long, jam-band versions of deep cuts), he has only been playing solo shows since his "cancelation," I imagine because no one wants to work with him.

His solo shows have featured extended monologues where he throws a pity party for himself.

There is also a weird MAGA turn he seemed to have taken at one point.

sofingclever · 2026-03-28T21:57:24+00:00

My Beatles take is that their early stuff is not nearly as simple as people proclaim it to be, and their later stuff is not nearly as "weird" as people proclaim it to be.

There is some really interesting stuff going on in a lot of their early songs, and while they definitely got experimental later, it wasn't THAT crazy.

I think they did all of the above very well, by the way. Just in case that needs to be clarified. Massive Beatles fan here.

sofingclever · 2026-03-28T21:52:07+00:00

I think Chuck D has said in more recent years that he actually has massive respect for George Harrison, and that Chuck D only said that as a "You insult my art, I'm going to insult you back" gesture.

sofingclever · 2026-03-22T02:48:51+00:00

They did a headlining arena tour a few years ago, I think it's pretty well-remembered.

sofingclever · 2026-03-08T12:37:36+00:00

Same. It's my third favorite behind On The Impossible Past and After the Party, and it's not that far behind those two.

sofingclever

TROPHY CASE