On either side of 2010, there were suddenly all these bands who were image perfect, like they'd risen fully-formed from the pages of a style magazine, left open on the counter of an independent coffee shop where a member of Godspeed! You Black Emperor had briefly worked as a barista. When I got around to listening to the music itself, generally something was off. Girls were one of those bands. Two more from approximately the same period were Savages and Hockey. Great look, but otherwise a bit mediocre, which in the vernacular of the music reviewer who is mindful of not treading on too many toes, translates into 8 out 10.
There was a band in the early 2000s called Ooberman whose debut album - The Magic Treehouse - I would describe as execrable. Later on, when nobody cared, they made some great and really good records that I am very pleased to own. Perhaps this is the fate of artists who were talked-up and elbowed to the front before they were ready. There really needs to be an adjective that describes the phenomenon.
I vaguely remember Ooberman from around the time No Ripcord started in 1999. I had no idea they had even released a second album!
I agree regarding that 2008-12 period. The music industry was in a weird place and artists were starting to market themselves via social media prior to signing deals. Also online outlets with music festivals were hyping up their favourites faster than you could say conflict of interest. I certainly don’t find myself returning to too many debut records from that era.
On either side of 2010, there were suddenly all these bands who were image perfect, like they'd risen fully-formed from the pages of a style magazine, left open on the counter of an independent coffee shop where a member of Godspeed! You Black Emperor had briefly worked as a barista. When I got around to listening to the music itself, generally something was off. Girls were one of those bands. Two more from approximately the same period were Savages and Hockey. Great look, but otherwise a bit mediocre, which in the vernacular of the music reviewer who is mindful of not treading on too many toes, translates into 8 out 10.
There was a band in the early 2000s called Ooberman whose debut album - The Magic Treehouse - I would describe as execrable. Later on, when nobody cared, they made some great and really good records that I am very pleased to own. Perhaps this is the fate of artists who were talked-up and elbowed to the front before they were ready. There really needs to be an adjective that describes the phenomenon.
I vaguely remember Ooberman from around the time No Ripcord started in 1999. I had no idea they had even released a second album!
I agree regarding that 2008-12 period. The music industry was in a weird place and artists were starting to market themselves via social media prior to signing deals. Also online outlets with music festivals were hyping up their favourites faster than you could say conflict of interest. I certainly don’t find myself returning to too many debut records from that era.