The Mighty Musical Observations Thread

[revbob]

Whenever I'm at the in laws, they play modern country music. I've talked at length around here about my disdain for the genre and my inability to understand the root of my visceral disgust for it.

Regardless, I had two observations yesterday:
1. A song was playing and I thought, "this is basically Nickelback in terms of songwriting, production, and performance." I looked up the song and it was Rascal Flatts which I understand is a very popular band. More importantly, the song sounded like all the songs that came before and after it which lead me to realize that the base quality of modern country is the same as Nickelback which is considered pretty much the worst modern rock band. So standard modern country is the equivalent of the worst modern rock.

2. I got really excited when I heard a song I knew. It took me pretty much the entire song to figure out what it was, but it was "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles. I've never been excited to hear The Eagles before in my life.

From my limited exposure to it, modern country music is basic rock with a twang. When hip hop took over the mainstream, rock found a home in country. I'm sure there's nothing, no sir, racial in any of that.

My understanding is there is the country industry controls the songwriting and production and that's likely responsible for the sterile, generic approach to the music. I don't think there is much of an analog to rock in that respect, though I may be wrong.

Its really no different from most other styles of music or other things that marketed for consumption. That is to say the stuff with the most exposure and broadest appeal is usually the safest, blandest and depending on ones tastes the shittiest. Plenty of good/decent country music that doesn't follow the gnu country format of sterile shit. Remember that's where the darling of white pop Taylor Swift came from. Her music is still shit, just a different style, perhaps less corn.

[matedog]

Whenever I'm at the in laws, they play modern country music. I've talked at length around here about my disdain for the genre and my inability to understand the root of my visceral disgust for it.

Regardless, I had two observations yesterday:
1. A song was playing and I thought, "this is basically Nickelback in terms of songwriting, production, and performance." I looked up the song and it was Rascal Flatts which I understand is a very popular band. More importantly, the song sounded like all the songs that came before and after it which lead me to realize that the base quality of modern country is the same as Nickelback which is considered pretty much the worst modern rock band. So standard modern country is the equivalent of the worst modern rock.

2. I got really excited when I heard a song I knew. It took me pretty much the entire song to figure out what it was, but it was "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles. I've never been excited to hear The Eagles before in my life.

From my limited exposure to it, modern country music is basic rock with a twang. When hip hop took over the mainstream, rock found a home in country. I'm sure there's nothing, no sir, racial in any of that.

My understanding is there is the country industry controls the songwriting and production and that's likely responsible for the sterile, generic approach to the music. I don't think there is much of an analog to rock in that respect, though I may be wrong.

Its really no different from most other styles of music or other things that marketed for consumption. That is to say the stuff with the most exposure and broadest appeal is usually the safest, blandest and depending on ones tastes the shittiest. Plenty of good/decent country music that doesn't follow the gnu country format of sterile shit. Remember that's where the darling of white pop Taylor Swift came from. Her music is still shit, just a different style, perhaps less corn.

Yeah, the main struggle I have is my defense of a lot of modern pop like CRJ, T-Swift, Charli XCX, and Dua Lipa. Perhaps it's the lack of pretense that allows me to enjoy it way more. Like modern country is pretending to be deep, meaningful and band based music when it's very much not that. Like the modern pop that I enjoy is a lot more upfront about what it is.

[Kory]

Whenever I'm at the in laws, they play modern country music. I've talked at length around here about my disdain for the genre and my inability to understand the root of my visceral disgust for it.

Regardless, I had two observations yesterday:
1. A song was playing and I thought, "this is basically Nickelback in terms of songwriting, production, and performance." I looked up the song and it was Rascal Flatts which I understand is a very popular band. More importantly, the song sounded like all the songs that came before and after it which lead me to realize that the base quality of modern country is the same as Nickelback which is considered pretty much the worst modern rock band. So standard modern country is the equivalent of the worst modern rock.

2. I got really excited when I heard a song I knew. It took me pretty much the entire song to figure out what it was, but it was "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles. I've never been excited to hear The Eagles before in my life.

From my limited exposure to it, modern country music is basic rock with a twang. When hip hop took over the mainstream, rock found a home in country. I'm sure there's nothing, no sir, racial in any of that.

My understanding is there is the country industry controls the songwriting and production and that's likely responsible for the sterile, generic approach to the music. I don't think there is much of an analog to rock in that respect, though I may be wrong.

Its really no different from most other styles of music or other things that marketed for consumption. That is to say the stuff with the most exposure and broadest appeal is usually the safest, blandest and depending on ones tastes the shittiest. Plenty of good/decent country music that doesn't follow the gnu country format of sterile shit. Remember that's where the darling of white pop Taylor Swift came from. Her music is still shit, just a different style, perhaps less corn.

Yeah, the main struggle I have is my defense of a lot of modern pop like CRJ, T-Swift, Charli XCX, and Dua Lipa. Perhaps it's the lack of pretense that allows me to enjoy it way more. Like modern country is pretending to be deep, meaningful and band based music when it's very much not that. Like the modern pop that I enjoy is a lot more upfront about what it is.

In country, even the singers have exactly the same vocal tone and accent. I can't tell one from another. As soon as I hear that accent I go into defense mode.

[Olaf]

That new country music is mostly unlistenable. And I like country.

[revbob]

Whenever I'm at the in laws, they play modern country music. I've talked at length around here about my disdain for the genre and my inability to understand the root of my visceral disgust for it.

Regardless, I had two observations yesterday:
1. A song was playing and I thought, "this is basically Nickelback in terms of songwriting, production, and performance." I looked up the song and it was Rascal Flatts which I understand is a very popular band. More importantly, the song sounded like all the songs that came before and after it which lead me to realize that the base quality of modern country is the same as Nickelback which is considered pretty much the worst modern rock band. So standard modern country is the equivalent of the worst modern rock.

2. I got really excited when I heard a song I knew. It took me pretty much the entire song to figure out what it was, but it was "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles. I've never been excited to hear The Eagles before in my life.

From my limited exposure to it, modern country music is basic rock with a twang. When hip hop took over the mainstream, rock found a home in country. I'm sure there's nothing, no sir, racial in any of that.

My understanding is there is the country industry controls the songwriting and production and that's likely responsible for the sterile, generic approach to the music. I don't think there is much of an analog to rock in that respect, though I may be wrong.

Its really no different from most other styles of music or other things that marketed for consumption. That is to say the stuff with the most exposure and broadest appeal is usually the safest, blandest and depending on ones tastes the shittiest. Plenty of good/decent country music that doesn't follow the gnu country format of sterile shit. Remember that's where the darling of white pop Taylor Swift came from. Her music is still shit, just a different style, perhaps less corn.

Yeah, the main struggle I have is my defense of a lot of modern pop like CRJ, T-Swift, Charli XCX, and Dua Lipa. Perhaps it's the lack of pretense that allows me to enjoy it way more. Like modern country is pretending to be deep, meaningful and band based music when it's very much not that. Like the modern pop that I enjoy is a lot more upfront about what it is.

Yeah, pop music in general rarely resonates with me so I see them all as different heads on the same monster.

Im not predisposed to like country music but I do like folk music and rockabilly and I like this.

[Silent Majority]

Most - but not all - of the country singers I like are either dead or so close to dead it makes no practical difference

[Wolter]

Most - but not all - of the country singers I like are either dead or so close to dead it makes no practical difference

Same. There aren’t many mainstream country songs I truly love that are younger than I am.

[Silent Majority]

Most - but not all - of the country singers I like are either dead or so close to dead it makes no practical difference

Same. There aren’t many mainstream country songs I truly love that are younger than I am.

Even Dwight Yoakam is 20 years older than I thought he was.

[Dr. Medulla]

Most - but not all - of the country singers I like are either dead or so close to dead it makes no practical difference

Same. There aren’t many mainstream country songs I truly love that are younger than I am.

Even Dwight Yoakam is 20 years older than I thought he was.

His role in Panic Room was shocking for just his appearance.

[matedog]

Most - but not all - of the country singers I like are either dead or so close to dead it makes no practical difference

I absolutely adore Sturgill Simpson, but he's an outspoken leftist whose last album had an anime film tie-in, so I doubt he qualifies as mainstream country:

[gkbill]

Most - but not all - of the country singers I like are either dead or so close to dead it makes no practical difference

I absolutely adore Sturgill Simpson, but he's an outspoken leftist whose last album had an anime film tie-in, so I doubt he qualifies as mainstream country:

Hello,

I'm not a country fan (I think I've told my Big Al's Pump House story here on some thread). I do like the Waco Brothers but I'm not sure if they're country. I would call them punk honky-tonk. Are they country? Can I go into Big Al's and ask the band to play some Waco Brothers?

[JennyB]

Would Brandi Carlile be considered country, or is she more Americana? Because I really like her.

[WestwayKid]

Would Brandi Carlile be considered country, or is she more Americana? Because I really like her.

I think a lot of music labeled Americana is really county. It's the "new" underground to the mainstream crap most people consider country. I feel like the history of country follows a common pattern: mainstream country gets too shitty and then an underground develops. Sort of like how the Bakersfield Sound was created in response to the syrupy Nashville Sound or how the Outlaw movement was a response to the way too smooth "Countrypolitan" of the early 70's.

[WestwayKid]

For those looking for good current country, I recommend any (and all) of the following: Nikki Lane, Angaleena Presley, Ward Davis, Colter Wall, Brandy Clark, Tyler Childers, Margo Price, Cale Tyson, Marlon Williams, Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Whitey Morgan, Cody Jinks, Jason Isbell, Parker Millsap, Andrew Combs, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Sam Outlaw, and Lydia Loveless.

There is a lot of great artists working in the genre who don't get played on country radio...but who are far more legit than what gets played on country radio.

I also like Midland quite a bit.

[101Walterton]

For those looking for good current country, I recommend any (and all) of the following: Nikki Lane, Angaleena Presley, Ward Davis, Colter Wall, Brandy Clark, Tyler Childers, Margo Price, Cale Tyson, Marlon Williams, Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Whitey Morgan, Cody Jinks, Jason Isbell, Parker Millsap, Andrew Combs, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Sam Outlaw, and Lydia Loveless.

There is a lot of great artists working in the genre who don't get played on country radio...but who are far more legit than what gets played on country radio.

I also like Midland quite a bit.

I don’t know if it is just me but there is a whole world of music in the US I have no idea of its existence.