music snobs: critically acclaimed albums vs listenability

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i have listened to many supposedly complex and genius albums and many times i just don't get it. it sounds 'ok' to me but not being someone raised with a musical background i guess i'm missing something. the word 'boring' comes to mind.

i have entire mp3 CDs burned with this type of music and they are usually in my car visor gathering dust.

however give me some 'candy' like 'black light' by groove armada or even some lily allen or gorillaz or metric and i will wear the plastic off the CD

guess i'm a luddite.

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I can honestly say that I pay absolutely no mind that what anybody else writes about an album or says about an album. I don't ready music reviews at all. I think they're silly.

Why?

Because they're superfluous. We as individuals hear music, and we either like it or we don't. Now, I may hear a song and I love it, and you may not like it. And that's cool. This happens. But then would I try to persuade you that you're wrong for not liking it? Of course I wouldn't. What kind of an a-hole would do that?

Music critics, actually. This is basically what they do for a living. I don't blame them. I just feel sorry for somebody who forms an opinion on music using anything -- I repeat anything -- other than the "how does it sound to me" test.

If I love it. I love it. Game over.

Even if one day I happened to love a Nickelback CD, I would listen to my ear. This will likely never happen, but if it does, I wont' think about whether I should like it or what other people think about it. Nope. If I like it, I like it.

Basically what I'm saying is that I do the very opposite of what hipsters do.

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

According to the music snobs (Pitchfork), this is basically the best album ever written. I happen to agree, which I suppose makes me a music snob. Nonetheless, I still spin this at least once a week.

EDIT: besides Pet Sounds. Pet Sounds is the best album ever written.

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Pinkerton is Weezer's best album. That's nonsense. It's the blue album, and it isn't close.

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i concur

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radiohead - ok computer wilco - yankee hotel foxtrot

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I find both of these extremely "listenable".

I'm not familiar with the Bonnie Prince one.

I think a better example of what this thread is about would be My Bloody Valentine's Loveless.

Derek and the Dominoes - layla album

Originally it did not receive much success commercially, but since as been described as Clapton's finest work...and it jams all the way thru - except that last track. Can't listen to it.

I thought Radiohead's best albums were "Pablo Honey" and "The Bends". "Ok Computer" is my definition of exactly what you are talking about. Along with Coldplay, their sound to me is just not what I like in rock. If we sub-categorized music a ridiculous amount more than we already do, maybe I could accept them under something.

I also said the same thing about Modest Mouse about this time a week ago and then I actually understood why music snobs dig them. Matter of fact, you do not have to be a snob because you like them. I am not a full-blown mouse lover, but Seaward helped me understand them a lot better and I have begun a new appreciation for them. Before, I had heard "Float On" and said, so what? I didn't realize they have such an incredible catalogue.

I will say this and it's hard to deny. 1990's rock>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2000's rock. The garage sound and the natural part of what one should love about rock and roll has been replaced with halfway talented assclowns and cocktits who get in a studio and sound like they'd be mistaken for a different band if heard live. I'm talking about Papa Roach, Good Charlotte, Breaking Benjamin, Staind, Disturbed, Puddle of Mudd, Seether and on and on and on. Those bands do not hold a candle to any grunge and even phony post grunge outfits.

Maybe Creed started that whole sound; at least they might have made it famous and noticeable. Some guy singing like he's Elvis on helium and meth about how awful life is in Orange County while his 3 piece guitar/bass section sounds as if they're playing power chords that are entirely flat = recipe for tenny bopper and FM radio fanatic frickstix. Nickelback is also a part of that. Seether or whoever sings that "Ladies and Gentlemen/Do you Need it?" song should go buy some taste. I hate that shite...sounds like the music for 22 year old TNA wrestlers to walk down toward the ring to or BMX trickter cool daddies to perform to at X Games. That music just doesn't rock compared to the heavier rock bands of 15-20 years ago and I hate to sound like my parents, but it is true. Also, I love stuff that preceded my era and like just a couple of bands of today.

That is my .02. People will disagree on many accounts I am certain, but someone out there has to feel the same.

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Originally it did not receive much success commercially, but since as been described as Clapton's finest work...and it jams all the way thru - except that last track. Can't listen to it

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WTF is up with that last song? Sounds like an 80s love song or something. I don't like that one at all.

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What would be an example of a critically acclaimed album you find boring?

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OK Computer.

There, I said it.



Airbag and Subterannean are the only ones I can listen to.