Author |
Topic  |
The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 06:51:02
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quote: Originally posted by IBreed
Of course people sing along to Tame and Allison and guitar solos and death metal and ringtones. It doesn't mean they're all cut from the same cloth.
Then you should use a different argument, obviously. |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
 
Belgium
1875 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 07:01:09
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
I find a huge irony in comparing the tabs of Another Toe and Green and Blues. One *looks* like a Frank Black song and one looks like what you might imagine a Nickelback song to look like. But not in the order you'd expect. But then again I don't think Another Toe sounds like Nickelback
Wait... even the chords looks like Nickelback to you...?? 
Well, they both use standard chord progressions & time signatures...?
(wait... I got it: they both write rock music !!)
I'm having a hard time finding analogies between Another Toe and Nickelback songs. Same thing happened to me a few years ago when I couldn't find any relation between Smeels Like Teen Spirit and the Pixies discography... still haven't found yet...
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Edited by - picpic on 01/13/2014 07:03:27 |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 07:03:06
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quote: Originally posted by The Champ
quote: Originally posted by IBreed
Of course people sing along to Tame and Allison and guitar solos and death metal and ringtones. It doesn't mean they're all cut from the same cloth.
Then you should use a different argument, obviously.
Heaven help me, dude. I don't know if it's purposeful or otherwise but you're not a thorough reader. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 07:07:25
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
I find a huge irony in comparing the tabs of Another Toe and Green and Blues. One *looks* like a Frank Black song and one looks like what you might imagine a Nickelback song to look like. But not in the order you'd expect. But then again I don't think Another Toe sounds like Nickelback
GnB http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21130
Toe http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21101
PS Credit picpic and BrankFlack
By the way my EP2 is here but I can't play it as I broke my record player playing EP1 :(
I'm not sure what you're implying here. That Nickelback is disliked because of a perceived simplicity in their music?
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
 
1356 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 07:59:29
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Hmmm I may have been too subtle for my own good. Let me spell it out.
1. Frank Black has a reputation for using unconventional chording in some songs 2. A sizeable minority of fans slag off Another Toe as being boring unconventional AOR type of stuff (comparisons to Nickelback, Blink 182 and bad Foo Fighters have been made) 3. Green and Blues has had a much more positive reaction 4. But chord wise Green and Blues is the simpler song (to me at least) 5. As a big fan of both I find that a bit ironic. 6. That is all As to why Nickeback are disliked I'd suggest because they're music is a bit bland and derivative. This can often (but not exclusively) be associated with simplistic chording. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 08:23:15
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
Hmmm I may have been too subtle for my own good. Let me spell it out.
1. Frank Black has a reputation for using unconventional chording in some songs 2. A sizeable minority of fans slag off Another Toe as being boring unconventional AOR type of stuff (comparisons to Nickelback, Blink 182 and bad Foo Fighters have been made) 3. Green and Blues has had a much more positive reaction 4. But chord wise Green and Blues is the simpler song (to me at least) 5. As a big fan of both I find that a bit ironic. 6. That is all As to why Nickeback are disliked I'd suggest because they're music is a bit bland and derivative. This can often (but not exclusively) be associated with simplistic chording.
Cool, thanks for the clarification.
You're right that Another Toe has a turn or two that's interesting. It doesn't do anything for me though. Too much of the song is based around that really boring progression. It doesn't have any of the tricks I like the Pixies for, except the cool as hell bridge chords.
Greens is also super simple and not exactly reinventing the harmonic wheel, but that drop to the B major is so categorically Pixies. It's Where Is My Mind. Gigantic. Wave of Mutilation. I really love the song. I think if it drops the ball anywhere, it's in the bridge which strikes me as a tad too on the nose, but it's such a small part it doesn't really matter. |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
 
Belgium
1875 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 08:25:18
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Uhhh.. Pixies have tons of classic rock songs with only a few chords and standard time signatures... vast majority of their catalog...
___ "Service Unavailable" |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 08:27:23
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quote: Originally posted by IBreed
quote: Originally posted by The Champ
quote: Originally posted by IBreed
Of course people sing along to Tame and Allison and guitar solos and death metal and ringtones. It doesn't mean they're all cut from the same cloth.
Then you should use a different argument, obviously.
Heaven help me, dude. I don't know if it's purposeful or otherwise but you're not a thorough reader.
I read everything you said perfectly. You have not given a single point which isn't from your arbitrary subjective judgement which demonstrates the songs are any more "poppy" or "stream lined" than anything they have ever recorded.
Meanwhile, I have stated evidence to the contrary. People have always found the pixies catalog quite poppy and singable (your words, not mine), as you see people singing along with their songs at every show. And it is no coincidence that probably half of the fans in the shows are girls/women. In fact, that is actually what made many people not like them as they weren't abrasive enough. Ex, My bloddy valentine, sonic youth.
I am not saying you don't like the new songs either. I don't think anyone suggested that. But your comments about the new songs are totally invalid.
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
 
1356 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 09:01:02
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quote: Originally posted by picpic
Uhhh.. Pixies have tons of classic rock songs with only a few chords and standard time signatures... vast majority of their catalog...
1. Frank Black has a reputation for using unconventional chording in some songs.
But hey, better men than me have noticed it.
"When I heard the new Pixies record [Trompe Le Monde] I was kind of jealous. In its first four minutes the record lays out more ideas than some bands do in their careers. Pixies records are a big challenge. You've really got to dig in. a 6/8 break with a walkie-talkie? Critics might hone in on that, but I'm not sure if everyone gets it. And there's this great turn, a phrase, it's kind of like the "Popcorn" break, it just comes along at a perfect time." (Bob Mould in Musician) |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 09:11:56
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quote: Originally posted by The Champ
quote: Originally posted by IBreed
quote: Originally posted by The Champ
quote: Originally posted by IBreed
Of course people sing along to Tame and Allison and guitar solos and death metal and ringtones. It doesn't mean they're all cut from the same cloth.
Then you should use a different argument, obviously.
Heaven help me, dude. I don't know if it's purposeful or otherwise but you're not a thorough reader.
I read everything you said perfectly. You have not given a single point which isn't from your arbitrary subjective judgement which demonstrates the songs are any more "poppy" or "stream lined" than anything they have ever recorded.
Meanwhile, I have stated evidence to the contrary. People have always found the pixies catalog quite poppy and singable (your words, not mine), as you see people singing along with their songs at every show. And it is no coincidence that probably half of the fans in the shows are girls/women. In fact, that is actually what made many people not like them as they weren't abrasive enough. Ex, My bloddy valentine, sonic youth.
I am not saying you don't like the new songs either. I don't think anyone suggested that. But your comments about the new songs are totally invalid.
OK, Champ.
I said: “as far as the streamlined sound, the songs still include FB/JS's idiosyncrasies, but all of the manic delivery is gone”
to which you replied: “Not every song the pixies record should be a pathetic caricature of their old work. If they did that it would sound amazingly forced and way too similar to Mother Banger. In many ways it would be a parody.”
You immediately made the assumption this difference was a negative one and that utilizing musical ideas that have come to be associated with the band would render them pathetic (so do you take issue with Indie Cindy? Greens? Andro? Magdalena?). More, you stated:
“Many, many Pixies songs are not delivered like a schizophrenic who discovers they really are following him. Velouria, Ana, Dig for Fire, Alec Eiffel, etc etc etc... I don't know why taking a laid back approach is considered a bad thing based upon their history.”
Here you are making the assumption that manic delivery related only to the vocals. Worse, you’ve again imputed a negative connotation when all I was commenting on was THE FACT that, across the board, they’ve toned it down. Even the screaming on Blue Eyed Hexe is more AC/DC than say, Threshold Apprehension, another newer song that's way more in line with their old manner of performance. Is that a bad thing? No, it’s just a different thing.
You cap it off with this slice of foolishness: “I have never heard a new Pixies song on the radio. And I mean radio, not Sirius or whatever internet stations you might be referring to. Internet stations play literally everything.”
Seeing as we’re playing the anecdotal game, I replied: "it was terrestrial radio". It really was.
Here’s another nugget from you: “As I said before, if Ep 1 and 2 were streamlined for the radio, they have totally failed because I have never heard them played at all in NA.” Because ultimately, this is something you would know. In all of NA.
Further, and I made a very clear distinction, that while the Pixies have made accessible songs in the past, they’ve never done so with the consistency of EP1 and 2. Crucial “the band has always dabbled in accessibility but never with the consistency of EP1/2.” Goddamn. Almost verbatim.
I'm not sure how to explicate the difference to you. Frank has written tunes you *can* sing along to, but they're often unconventional in presentation or even at their core. The new songs are much more conventionally presented and arranged. There was always an element of corruption to the band's prettier songs, the primary exception being Here Comes Your Man, again, a song Frank was reticent to include on Doolittle. I think that's important to the narrative.
I'm not even going to comment on that girls at the show thing because jesus, dude.
Plus you just said that the fact that they weren't as abrasive as other bands was why "many people didn't like them", information you would have access to, obviously. Thanks for sharing all your facts with me and citing my argument as subjective and also disproved.
Here's a question for you, Champ. Are the new songs in any way different than the older songs? If so, how? If not, why? |
Edited by - IBreed on 01/13/2014 09:13:53 |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
   
Niue
7446 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 09:46:57
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On a related note, googling "girls at the show" gives some interesting results. Way more interesting than this debate, actually.

Denis
Obsidiana Bijoux |
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
 
1356 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 09:51:15
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Is that Hollande behind her? |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
 
Belgium
1875 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 10:01:44
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
quote: Originally posted by picpic
Uhhh.. Pixies have tons of classic rock songs with only a few chords and standard time signatures... vast majority of their catalog...
1. Frank Black has a reputation for using unconventional chording in some songs.
But hey, better men than me have noticed it.
"When I heard the new Pixies record [Trompe Le Monde] I was kind of jealous. In its first four minutes the record lays out more ideas than some bands do in their careers. Pixies records are a big challenge. You've really got to dig in. a 6/8 break with a walkie-talkie? Critics might hone in on that, but I'm not sure if everyone gets it. And there's this great turn, a phrase, it's kind of like the "Popcorn" break, it just comes along at a perfect time." (Bob Mould in Musician)
Where did I said otherwise ? BF use strange time signature on many songs (sometimes only parts of, which is what makes them special, actually).
Just said that 4 chords (kind of) standard rock tunes represented the majority of their catalog. Which is a fact... (like almost every rock band btw...)
___ "Service Unavailable" |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
   
Niue
7446 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 10:02:11
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
Is that Hollande behind her?
Let's see... Nope, doesn't look like him.

Denis
Obsidiana Bijoux |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 10:34:03
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quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: Originally posted by Sprite
quote: Originally posted by picpic
Uhhh.. Pixies have tons of classic rock songs with only a few chords and standard time signatures... vast majority of their catalog...
1. Frank Black has a reputation for using unconventional chording in some songs.
But hey, better men than me have noticed it.
"When I heard the new Pixies record [Trompe Le Monde] I was kind of jealous. In its first four minutes the record lays out more ideas than some bands do in their careers. Pixies records are a big challenge. You've really got to dig in. a 6/8 break with a walkie-talkie? Critics might hone in on that, but I'm not sure if everyone gets it. And there's this great turn, a phrase, it's kind of like the "Popcorn" break, it just comes along at a perfect time." (Bob Mould in Musician)
Where did I said otherwise ? BF use strange time signature on many songs (sometimes only parts of, which is what makes them special, actually).
Just said that 4 chords (kind of) standard rock tunes represented the majority of their catalog. Which is a fact... (like almost every rock band btw...)
___ "Service Unavailable"
That would be interesting to check out properly. |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 10:39:52
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For the last time, you have not stated any objective difference between the new songs, and the old. Not one.
You said ALL of the manic delivery is gone. This is factually inaccurate, as blue eyed hex clearly demonstrates, as does What Goes Boom. They have released 9 songs, two of them are heavy. I guess you consider 22% to be 0.
There are definite gender differences in musical taste. I am surprised you haven't noticed that men gravitate on average towards heavier, less poppy music then women. To dismiss that is very, very dense. One of the reason there are so many women at Pixies shows is because of the blatant pop element which has always been there. I think you are the only person who never noticed that. Ignorance is, well, ignorance.
Sorry to break it to you, but they aren't playing Pixies in NA on traditional radio stations the way they are playing their contemporaries (that you seem so eager to compare their new sound to for some reason ex. "Streamlined"). If you don't realize the argument is based upon times played vs. other bands of similar levels of popularity, you are just making yourself look ridiculous. And even more desperate. Your biggest failure in what you have written is that you have not once backed up anything you have said. As seen by this gem.
"...the touchstones are more rooted in popular music, britpop, classic rock. the songs are far more digestible in melody and structure-- clear cut verses, choruses and bridges."
That is simply ignorant of everything the pixies have done in the past. They have always had clear cut choruses "here comes your man, holiday song." They have always had clear cut verses "tame, debaser, wave of mutilation." They have always had clear cut bridges "Bird Dreams, Gouge away, Nimrods son." Have you even been listening at all? As I said; FB was heavily influenced by Boddy Holly, who could be the most influential Pop Rock pioneer of all time. FB has made use used his song templates, and other artists like him time and time again. Mostly traditional arrangements.
"The new songs are much more conventionally presented and arranged." Please prove it using examples, because you failed at your earlier attempt. Here are some examples of "more conventionally presented" pixies songs for you. Veloria, Allsion, Here comes your man, Winter long, Ana, Cecilia Ann, Letter to Memphis, Wave of Mutilation, Where Is My Mind. The list goes on. They are all comparable to the new songs, and especially in their arrangements. It is not a new thing.
As for your question. The songs are different from their earlier works, obviously. But they are not using any new elements that weren't already in use in their earlier work. Last time I checked, it was the same three dudes cranking this stuff out. Their signatures on these songs are like finger prints. Unmistakable. You can't miss them if you actually know what to look for. The songs are more mellow, on average, but that isn't new. I am thinking you might be new to this.
Basically, if the Pixies made a traditional country music album, it would still sound like Pixies. Think about it.
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =

France
786 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 10:56:06
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Pot, come baaack The debates were more interesting then
-- "Aristophanes! (gong sounds)" |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 11:24:40
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Yes, where is that lunatic anyway? |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 11:25:43
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quote: Originally posted by The Champ
For the last time, you have not stated any objective difference between the new songs, and the old. Not one.
You said ALL of the manic delivery is gone. This is factually inaccurate, as blue eyed hex clearly demonstrates, as does What Goes Boom. They have released 9 songs, two of them are heavy. I guess you consider 22% to be 0.
There are definite gender differences in musical taste. I am surprised you haven't noticed that men gravitate on average towards heavier, less poppy music then women. To dismiss that is very, very dense. One of the reason there are so many women at Pixies shows is because of the blatant pop element which has always been there. I think you are the only person who never noticed that. Ignorance is, well, ignorance.
Sorry to break it to you, but they aren't playing Pixies in NA on traditional radio stations the way they are playing their contemporaries (that you seem so eager to compare their new sound to for some reason ex. "Streamlined"). If you don't realize the argument is based upon times played vs. other bands of similar levels of popularity, you are just making yourself look ridiculous. And even more desperate. Your biggest failure in what you have written is that you have not once backed up anything you have said. As seen by this gem.
"...the touchstones are more rooted in popular music, britpop, classic rock. the songs are far more digestible in melody and structure-- clear cut verses, choruses and bridges."
That is simply ignorant of everything the pixies have done in the past. They have always had clear cut choruses "here comes your man, holiday song." They have always had clear cut verses "tame, debaser, wave of mutilation." They have always had clear cut bridges "Bird Dreams, Gouge away, Nimrods son." Have you even been listening at all? As I said; FB was heavily influenced by Boddy Holly, who could be the most influential Pop Rock pioneer of all time. FB has made use used his song templates, and other artists like him time and time again. Mostly traditional arrangements.
"The new songs are much more conventionally presented and arranged." Please prove it using examples, because you failed at your earlier attempt. Here are some examples of "more conventionally presented" pixies songs for you. Veloria, Allsion, Here comes your man, Winter long, Ana, Cecilia Ann, Letter to Memphis, Wave of Mutilation, Where Is My Mind. The list goes on. They are all comparable to the new songs, and especially in their arrangements. It is not a new thing.
As for your question. The songs are different from their earlier works, obviously. But they are not using any new elements that weren't already in use in their earlier work. Last time I checked, it was the same three dudes cranking this stuff out. Their signatures on these songs are like finger prints. Unmistakable. You can't miss them if you actually know what to look for. The songs are more mellow, on average, but that isn't new. I am thinking you might be new to this.
Basically, if the Pixies made a traditional country music album, it would still sound like Pixies. Think about it.
Champ, surely you see the hilarious hypocrisy in your own post.
On one hand you're stating I either have not, or can not, objectively prove the songs have been streamlined. On the other, you're telling me there are "so many women at Pixies shows" (1) because of the band's pop sensibilities (2). This is some straight up stupid shit.
Further, you're again ignoring points I've made in service of your increasingly redundant rants. Discussing music is why I'm here, but I'm not going to keep rewording the same ideas in the hopes you'll eventually start reading. Here's where I'll leave it for at least the third time:
YES, THE BAND HAS RELEASED MORE TRADITIONAL SONGS, BUT NEVER WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF EP1 and 2.
Songs I agree with you on to an extent: Velouria, Here Comes Your Man, Dig For Fire, Where Is My Mind, Letter, but the bulk of the Pixies catalogue are songs outside of the purview of the mainstream listener (even with their current popularity), and are corrupted through things like structure, screaming, discordance, lyrical subject matter, whatever. The majority of the songs you listed don't make sense. Ana starts off with a guitar solo over its verse/chorus (the latter of which barely exists) Cecillia Ann is an instrumental. Alison Is like three verses and an extended tag. Jesus Christ man, Winterlong is Neil Young. I'm not even sure why this is an argument. You're hung up on one facet of the discussion in place of everything else I've offered.
To end with the tone you've insisted on; if you can't hear the difference, "ignorance is, well, ignorance".
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frankblackphx
= Cult of Ray =

USA
287 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 11:28:12
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I'll say it again, sometimes Charles wants to be Dylan (esoteric) and sometimes he wants to be Springsteen (pop). Both styles he writes are great songs. The man has always written catchy songs so this isn't anything new. I don't understand the disdain for Another Toe either and the chord progression is right in line with a Charles composition.
Religion won't save me, the damage is done. The future has ended before it's begun. Damaged Soul - Black Sabbath
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 12:03:02
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quote: Originally posted by IBreed
quote: Originally posted by The Champ
For the last time, you have not stated any objective difference between the new songs, and the old. Not one.
You said ALL of the manic delivery is gone. This is factually inaccurate, as blue eyed hex clearly demonstrates, as does What Goes Boom. They have released 9 songs, two of them are heavy. I guess you consider 22% to be 0.
There are definite gender differences in musical taste. I am surprised you haven't noticed that men gravitate on average towards heavier, less poppy music then women. To dismiss that is very, very dense. One of the reason there are so many women at Pixies shows is because of the blatant pop element which has always been there. I think you are the only person who never noticed that. Ignorance is, well, ignorance.
Sorry to break it to you, but they aren't playing Pixies in NA on traditional radio stations the way they are playing their contemporaries (that you seem so eager to compare their new sound to for some reason ex. "Streamlined"). If you don't realize the argument is based upon times played vs. other bands of similar levels of popularity, you are just making yourself look ridiculous. And even more desperate. Your biggest failure in what you have written is that you have not once backed up anything you have said. As seen by this gem.
"...the touchstones are more rooted in popular music, britpop, classic rock. the songs are far more digestible in melody and structure-- clear cut verses, choruses and bridges."
That is simply ignorant of everything the pixies have done in the past. They have always had clear cut choruses "here comes your man, holiday song." They have always had clear cut verses "tame, debaser, wave of mutilation." They have always had clear cut bridges "Bird Dreams, Gouge away, Nimrods son." Have you even been listening at all? As I said; FB was heavily influenced by Boddy Holly, who could be the most influential Pop Rock pioneer of all time. FB has made use used his song templates, and other artists like him time and time again. Mostly traditional arrangements.
"The new songs are much more conventionally presented and arranged." Please prove it using examples, because you failed at your earlier attempt. Here are some examples of "more conventionally presented" pixies songs for you. Veloria, Allsion, Here comes your man, Winter long, Ana, Cecilia Ann, Letter to Memphis, Wave of Mutilation, Where Is My Mind. The list goes on. They are all comparable to the new songs, and especially in their arrangements. It is not a new thing.
As for your question. The songs are different from their earlier works, obviously. But they are not using any new elements that weren't already in use in their earlier work. Last time I checked, it was the same three dudes cranking this stuff out. Their signatures on these songs are like finger prints. Unmistakable. You can't miss them if you actually know what to look for. The songs are more mellow, on average, but that isn't new. I am thinking you might be new to this.
Basically, if the Pixies made a traditional country music album, it would still sound like Pixies. Think about it.
Champ, surely you see the hilarious hypocrisy in your own post.
On one hand you're stating I either have not, or can not, objectively prove the songs have been streamlined. On the other, you're telling me there are "so many women at Pixies shows" (1) because of the band's pop sensibilities (2). This is some straight up stupid shit.
Further, you're again ignoring points I've made in service of your increasingly redundant rants. Discussing music is why I'm here, but I'm not going to keep rewording the same ideas in the hopes you'll eventually start reading. Here's where I'll leave it for at least the third time:
YES, THE BAND HAS RELEASED MORE TRADITIONAL SONGS, BUT NEVER WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF EP1 and 2.
Songs I agree with you on to an extent: Velouria, Here Comes Your Man, Dig For Fire, Where Is My Mind, Letter, but the bulk of the Pixies catalogue are songs outside of the purview of the mainstream listener (even with their current popularity), and are corrupted through things like structure, screaming, discordance, lyrical subject matter, whatever. The majority of the songs you listed don't make sense. Ana starts off with a guitar solo over its verse/chorus (the latter of which barely exists) Cecillia Ann is an instrumental. Alison Is like three verses and an extended tag. Jesus Christ man, Winterlong is Neil Young. I'm not even sure why this is an argument. You're hung up on one facet of the discussion in place of everything else I've offered.
To end with the tone you've insisted on; if you can't hear the difference, "ignorance is, well, ignorance".
You have offered nothing else of any merit.
Your whole argument is that the songs are fundamentally different in that they are not structured as they used to be, and that they aren't as intense. This is flat out wrong, as I showed you. You have not proven any difference at all. Failing grade for your weak thesis. Shameful.
Also, if you haven't noticed the gender differences in music, then you probably live in cave. Go to a Metallica or Sound Garden show and tell me the genders are evenly distributed as they are at a pixies gig. Oh well.
BTW, you are full of shit.
Posted by Ibreed
"there's a lot of weird generalities and gross hyperbole in your post, but the button point is right on. the more i sit with EP1 the more i dislike it and what it represents. that hesitancy. it's a half measure. the want to release new music, tour and yet still avoid having to go up against their older material/legacy (even though that's absolutely impossible). how it's arbitrarily carved up to suit their promotional needs. they landed with a sputtering thump when skepticism was at an all time high... given the songs in their 2013 repertoire, it's almost unforgivable. each previous pixies release was so cohesive, so representative of a shift, a new era. this is just a smattering of shit thrown against the wall to see what sticks. indie cindy and what goes boom are great fun, but half a release does not a classic make... and the sonsofguns had it in them to put out something really strong- a statement of intent. forget "EP1". jesus. none of this comes across as a bold move for the songs and band to be judged on their own merits- presentation and titles be damned- it comes across as a passionless shrug to keep the money maker alive. shouldn't this thing be getting better in time, not worse?
where the fuck is classic masher and greens & blues. a year away, likely. when they announce their canadian casino tour."
Sure sounds like you love the new songs. I rest my case, again.
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
 
1356 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 12:23:25
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I give up. Hopefully when I wake up there will be a new set list waiting for me. |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 12:51:58
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quote: Originally posted by The Champ
quote: Originally posted by IBreed
quote: Originally posted by The Champ
For the last time, you have not stated any objective difference between the new songs, and the old. Not one.
You said ALL of the manic delivery is gone. This is factually inaccurate, as blue eyed hex clearly demonstrates, as does What Goes Boom. They have released 9 songs, two of them are heavy. I guess you consider 22% to be 0.
There are definite gender differences in musical taste. I am surprised you haven't noticed that men gravitate on average towards heavier, less poppy music then women. To dismiss that is very, very dense. One of the reason there are so many women at Pixies shows is because of the blatant pop element which has always been there. I think you are the only person who never noticed that. Ignorance is, well, ignorance.
Sorry to break it to you, but they aren't playing Pixies in NA on traditional radio stations the way they are playing their contemporaries (that you seem so eager to compare their new sound to for some reason ex. "Streamlined"). If you don't realize the argument is based upon times played vs. other bands of similar levels of popularity, you are just making yourself look ridiculous. And even more desperate. Your biggest failure in what you have written is that you have not once backed up anything you have said. As seen by this gem.
"...the touchstones are more rooted in popular music, britpop, classic rock. the songs are far more digestible in melody and structure-- clear cut verses, choruses and bridges."
That is simply ignorant of everything the pixies have done in the past. They have always had clear cut choruses "here comes your man, holiday song." They have always had clear cut verses "tame, debaser, wave of mutilation." They have always had clear cut bridges "Bird Dreams, Gouge away, Nimrods son." Have you even been listening at all? As I said; FB was heavily influenced by Boddy Holly, who could be the most influential Pop Rock pioneer of all time. FB has made use used his song templates, and other artists like him time and time again. Mostly traditional arrangements.
"The new songs are much more conventionally presented and arranged." Please prove it using examples, because you failed at your earlier attempt. Here are some examples of "more conventionally presented" pixies songs for you. Veloria, Allsion, Here comes your man, Winter long, Ana, Cecilia Ann, Letter to Memphis, Wave of Mutilation, Where Is My Mind. The list goes on. They are all comparable to the new songs, and especially in their arrangements. It is not a new thing.
As for your question. The songs are different from their earlier works, obviously. But they are not using any new elements that weren't already in use in their earlier work. Last time I checked, it was the same three dudes cranking this stuff out. Their signatures on these songs are like finger prints. Unmistakable. You can't miss them if you actually know what to look for. The songs are more mellow, on average, but that isn't new. I am thinking you might be new to this.
Basically, if the Pixies made a traditional country music album, it would still sound like Pixies. Think about it.
Champ, surely you see the hilarious hypocrisy in your own post.
On one hand you're stating I either have not, or can not, objectively prove the songs have been streamlined. On the other, you're telling me there are "so many women at Pixies shows" (1) because of the band's pop sensibilities (2). This is some straight up stupid shit.
Further, you're again ignoring points I've made in service of your increasingly redundant rants. Discussing music is why I'm here, but I'm not going to keep rewording the same ideas in the hopes you'll eventually start reading. Here's where I'll leave it for at least the third time:
YES, THE BAND HAS RELEASED MORE TRADITIONAL SONGS, BUT NEVER WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF EP1 and 2.
Songs I agree with you on to an extent: Velouria, Here Comes Your Man, Dig For Fire, Where Is My Mind, Letter, but the bulk of the Pixies catalogue are songs outside of the purview of the mainstream listener (even with their current popularity), and are corrupted through things like structure, screaming, discordance, lyrical subject matter, whatever. The majority of the songs you listed don't make sense. Ana starts off with a guitar solo over its verse/chorus (the latter of which barely exists) Cecillia Ann is an instrumental. Alison Is like three verses and an extended tag. Jesus Christ man, Winterlong is Neil Young. I'm not even sure why this is an argument. You're hung up on one facet of the discussion in place of everything else I've offered.
To end with the tone you've insisted on; if you can't hear the difference, "ignorance is, well, ignorance".
You have offered nothing else of any merit.
Your whole argument is that the songs are fundamentally different in that they are not structured as they used to be, and that they aren't as intense. This is flat out wrong, as I showed you. You have not proven any difference at all. Failing grade for your weak thesis. Shameful.
Also, if you haven't noticed the gender differences in music, then you probably live in cave. Go to a Metallica or Sound Garden show and tell me the genders are evenly distributed as they are at a pixies gig. Oh well.
BTW, you are full of shit.
Posted by Ibreed
"there's a lot of weird generalities and gross hyperbole in your post, but the button point is right on. the more i sit with EP1 the more i dislike it and what it represents. that hesitancy. it's a half measure. the want to release new music, tour and yet still avoid having to go up against their older material/legacy (even though that's absolutely impossible). how it's arbitrarily carved up to suit their promotional needs. they landed with a sputtering thump when skepticism was at an all time high... given the songs in their 2013 repertoire, it's almost unforgivable. each previous pixies release was so cohesive, so representative of a shift, a new era. this is just a smattering of shit thrown against the wall to see what sticks. indie cindy and what goes boom are great fun, but half a release does not a classic make... and the sonsofguns had it in them to put out something really strong- a statement of intent. forget "EP1". jesus. none of this comes across as a bold move for the songs and band to be judged on their own merits- presentation and titles be damned- it comes across as a passionless shrug to keep the money maker alive. shouldn't this thing be getting better in time, not worse?
where the fuck is classic masher and greens & blues. a year away, likely. when they announce their canadian casino tour."
Sure sounds like you love the new songs. I rest my case, again.
dude, you are totally jerking my chain, right.
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 12:54:54
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
I give up. Hopefully when I wake up there will be a new set list waiting for me.
Four more tunes? Classic Masher? I'll pee. Just a little. |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 13:28:30
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Your words, not mine. As were these.
"i listed several reasons why i felt the new songs were "streamlined", and in a completely uncharged way. they are observations, not judgements. the only song of the bunch i dislike was expressively named. i personally feel frank is showing considerable craft and growth as a songwriter in many of these songs.
there's just so little artistry on display here. i'm reminded of that old albini quote where he talks about having never met a band so willing to be led around by their collars.
well, i was arguing the EP releases lacked artistry and were instead motivated by commerce. that's ok. it's disappointing, but it's ok."
Please, forgive me for not believing you when you said you just love the new "streamlined" Pixies sound.
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 13:37:10
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Dude, what is up with your brain. You'll notice I'm discussing two different ideas there: the songwriting and the release methods. |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 13:42:50
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quote: Originally posted by IBreed
Dude, what is up with your brain. You'll notice I'm discussing two different ideas there: the songwriting and the release methods.
Desperate.
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Discoking
* Dog in the Sand *
 
Belgium
1141 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2014 : 22:26:21
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I completely missed out on a vinyl copy of EP 2. I was away on a 18-day vacation far away, without proper internet access. Even the US store was sold out by the time I got back. :(
[edit: ebay'd]
it's educational |
Edited by - Discoking on 01/19/2014 01:00:35 |
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Mac E. Doobage
= Cult of Ray =

503 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 01:05:51
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yawn |
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rivum
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
271 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 02:28:46
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is anyone other than ibreed and champ reading their posts?? |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
 
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 03:33:47
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I stopped awhile back. God I hate myself for even chiming in but in general, and objectively, the new songs are more complex than the good old days. Time signatures is the measure I used for this. Compare the 8 tracks from the EPs to the first 8 tracks from the gold standard, Doolittle.
Debaser 4/4, 2/4, few sig shifts Tame 4/4 Wave 4/4, 6/4 few shifts I Bleed 8/8 Man 4/4 Dead 6/4, 4/4 maybe 20 or so shifts (estimate) Monkey 4/4 Grieves 4/4, 8/8, 6/8 10+ shifts
Andro 4/4 Toe 4/4 Indie 4/4, 6/4, 7/4, 8/4, 13 shifts before the 1st chorus Boom 3/4, 4/4, 2/4, 12 by 1st chorus Hexe 7/4, 4/4 (or 4/4 3/4) Magdalena 4/4, 2/4 greens 4/4 Snakes 3/4, 4/4, 6/4 15+ shifts by the first chorus
Overall, Doolittle's first 8 are mostly 4/4 most of the time. EP's show way more structural development and complexity.
Sorry for that. I was sitting here thanking about it and sketched it out on a notepad without listening so it might be a little off.
"A word to the wise is infuriating." |
Edited by - johnnyribcage on 01/14/2014 06:23:57 |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 04:31:25
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The present study extended previous findings of gender differences in young people's musical taste by examining whether identification with gender-related expressive or instrumental traits contributes to these differences, and by examining the underlying structure of musical taste by gender. The results confirmed greater liking of heavier contemporary music among men and of chart pop music among women. Gender was a stronger predictor of taste for gender-stereotyped styles than identification with gender-related traits. The structure of style preferences in dimensions relating to mainstream styles varied by gender. Men and participants with higher scores on expressiveness gave higher ratings to more styles. The findings are discussed in relation to gender differences in the use of music and gender-role socialization.
Sorry, had to. |
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Discoking
* Dog in the Sand *
 
Belgium
1141 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 04:33:13
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did anyone say gender?
it's educational |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
 
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 04:57:02
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Sounds like you're coming unhinged a bit. Might want to step away from the ole computer for awhile.
"A word to the wise is infuriating." |
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IBreed
= Cult of Ray =

310 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2014 : 06:22:04
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Has anyone ever chimed in with more than a word or two about the Pixies album demos that some people seem to have? I'd love to know what's different about the tracks. |
Edited by - IBreed on 01/14/2014 06:23:03 |
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