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User
Reviews 5
Approval 71%
Soundoffs 1
Album Ratings 78
Objectivity 59%
Last Active 05-01-10 5:34 am
Joined 04-21-10
Review Comments 97
| I Propose A Great New Genre Classification!
I, like many members of Sputnik, find it useful to use genre
classifications as tools to examine and contextualize music. Although I
once posted a list that gently poked fun at those who adhere to rigid
definitions of genres, I think that genre names, though some times
ridiculous sounding (ex: indie rock) can be extremely helpful for those
who wish to understand music.
There is a particular strand of undergound/somewhat mainstream
rock which has existed for a while and that, to my knowledge, has not
been bestowed with a genre title. I'm talking about modern rock
based music that makes heavy use of symphonic instruments and
orchestral dynamics while also incorporating a wide variety of
elements from other genres. And I'm not talking about prog rock or
anything that resembles prog rock.
The most popular band for this style is the Arcade Fire, though they
did not invent it. I propose the name Symph Wave (short for
Symphonic Wave). Doubtlessly, some of you will mock me for this
bold attempt at coining a new genre term, but read on and I think I'll
win yer heart. | | 1 | | Spiritualized
Laser Guided Melodies
Though I could be wrong, I think this is the first album that could be called a
symph wave album. Seamlessly integrating blues, gospel, ambient, folk, classical
and psych rock, this majestic album sounds like no other. | | 2 |  | Mercury Rev
See You on the Other Side
Even though it was released by Columbia Records, this hugely ambitious album
failed to even sell as well as a mildly successful indie record. But the album is
genius. The standard psychedelic rock bombast of early Mercury Rev is present,
but the incorporation of doo wop, jazz, hymnal music, blues, dance and soul
took the band to another realm entirely. "Kiss From an Old Flame (A Trip to the
Moon)" sounds like a ballroom waltz from some acid-kissed, sci-fi Disney
musical. The other songs. . .well, just go listen to it. | | 3 |  | Flaming Lips
The Soft Bulletin
Though the Lips had used plenty of orchestral flourishes in prior works, on this
album they were firmly entrenched in a fantasia of symphonic majesty that no
other band could ever have even conceived of. This is the first symph wave
album to actually receive a lot of indie level attention and even some cross over
success. | | 4 |  | Arcade Fire
Funeral
The music needs no description, but this awesome and extremely influential
record is the first big time symph wave hit. | | 5 |  | Arcade Fire
The Suburbs
I can't really think of any other record that is so stylistically diverse while also
possessing an amazing cohesion that almost makes it one single "piece" of
music. Not my favorite symph wave album, but it is the most emotionally
provocative one. | | 6 |  | The Dears
Degeneration Street
This is an ok but not all that great symph wave album. It is just one of the
numerous records of the past five years or so that carry a huge Arcade Fire vibe.
I pick this one only because I haven't listened to all that many post-Arcade Fire
symph wave bands (I have a lot of death metal, gospel and death-gospel to
listen to). I have read many reviews of albums that sound like they would
classify as symph wave, and it is exciting to think about where the genre can
go. | |
BallsToTheWall
07.02.11 | Listening to alot of psychobilly lately. | ziroth
07.02.11 | so many genres they'd add before something so obscure; ie ambient, shoegaze, doom metal, drone, noise, etc. | TMobotron
07.02.11 | he's not talking about adding it to the database, he's talking about... adding it to the world | dreamobile
07.02.11 | if you look for "orchestral pop" you'll find more stuff along these lines. | deepintheorchard
07.02.11 | What is ridiculous about the term indie rock? Why does everybody over analyze the shit out of everything?
| stillexist
07.02.11 | What's funny is that I wrote this while fully aware of the pretentiousness of my words. It's actually a very informative piece but I'm guessing none of you guys like doo wop, blues, spiritual music, or gay shit like that | stillexist
07.02.11 | I'm not saying it's genius but it seems anything even vaguely "Pitchfork" gets mocked automatically around here | stillexist
07.02.11 | It is my undying belief that symph wave is actually a rather clever term for a type of music that is typically referred to as "indie rock", a term that is fine but rather confining, don't ye think? | stillexist
07.02.11 | All I'm saying is that calling the Arcade Fire indie rock is not really consistent with popular conceptions of that genre. Call me horribly pretentious, but I don't think it's outrageous for me to SUGGEST talking about their style in this way. Just talkin bout their precedents and their contemporaries | Zo0lz
07.02.11 | Why catergorise music in the first place? Music is music, just listen to it and be happy. | stillexist
07.02.11 | Okay, nullpoint, fair enough. From now on I will call the Arcade Fire indie rock, as is proper, and Zoolz I will certainly stop categorizing music, because now I realize that reviews should be extremely vague and use no terms to give some kind of idea about the music being described. Huey Lewis and the News and Black Flag are both rock, I guess |
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