whiteferrari Posted May 3 Posted May 3 Taylor for me, I feel like an outsider but I can't get into her work. (besides those outliers like cardigan, cruel summer, labyrinth, her older hits) 3
PoisonedIvy Posted May 3 Posted May 3 22 minutes ago, Virgos Groove said: The 1975. WHY does Pitchfork keep putting them on the same level as Frank Ocean or Jamie xx? I'm gonna be honest they have a phenomenal fusion of alternative rock and indie pop that no other band is capable of. They can do amazing pop tracks like "It's Not Living" or "Somebody Else" and great rock tracks like "Me & You Together Song" or "About You." And they make musical masterpieces like "I Always Wanna Die Sometimes." Maybe you'd like their softer sounds, like their electronic or jazzier offerings? Songs like "What Should I Say," I Think There's Something You Should Know," "Mine," or "Playing on My Mind." 2 3
Devin Posted May 3 Author Posted May 3 2 minutes ago, whiteferrari said: Taylor for me, I feel like an outsider but I can't get into her work. (besides those outliers like cardigan, cruel summer, labyrinth, her older hits) subjectively – many of us dont get the type. objectively – her above avg songwriting skills brings the hype. esp in a climate where most pop artists arent good at the pen. just my two cents. 1
gustavothehuman Posted May 3 Posted May 3 (edited) 38 minutes ago, Virgos Groove said: The 1975. WHY does Pitchfork keep putting them on the same level as Frank Ocean or Jamie xx? Also, most of those B-tier pop girls this place stans for (Sabrina, Ava, Kim Petras, etc.). EDIT: And Bruno Mars! Ultra talented performer, but his music is just Xeroxes of different eras of music (70s funk, 90s NJS, 80s Police-style rock). He got his start as a hotel entertainer and it shows. He'll never be on MJ and Prince-level since these two actually innovated and had distinctive soundscapes. Hell, even Abel, though not as good of a performer, has a far more interesting discography. Couldn't agree more with you. I saw Sabrina live and, even though she is charismatic, the music has no personality. People love to call Dua faceless but these Tate McRae-esque girls are even worse. About Bruno, what you said is exactly the reason he has hype: talent and nostalgia. Edited May 3 by gustavothehuman
joanabt Posted May 3 Posted May 3 (edited) ava max edit: actually no, i havent tried w her Edited May 3 by joanabt 1
PoisonedIvy Posted May 3 Posted May 3 3 minutes ago, whiteferrari said: Taylor for me, I feel like an outsider but I can't get into her work. (besides those outliers like cardigan, cruel summer, labyrinth, her older hits) Honestly she's more like an author at this point, and not every writer connects with every listener/reader. Even as a hardcore fan of 15 years I understand that she's not for everyone 4
Virgos Groove Posted May 3 Posted May 3 1 minute ago, PoisonedIvy said: I'm gonna be honest they have a phenomenal fusion of alternative rock and indie pop that no other band is capable of. They can do amazing pop tracks like "It's Not Living" or "Somebody Else" and great rock tracks like "Me & You Together Song" or "About You." And they make musical masterpieces like "I Always Wanna Die Sometimes." Maybe you'd like their softer sounds, like their electronic or jazzier offerings? Songs like "What Should I Say," I Think There's Something You Should Know," "Mine," or "Playing on My Mind." You usually serve taste, so maybe I'll give them another shot and report back
Devin Posted May 3 Author Posted May 3 29 minutes ago, halcyonday said: Bille Eilish @bad guy 19 minutes ago, sweetblindness said: Billie ntm on billie. 23 minutes ago, Siberian Tiger said: Lana, Billie E. lana????? 1
PoisonedIvy Posted May 3 Posted May 3 1 minute ago, Virgos Groove said: You usually serve taste, so maybe I'll give them another shot and report back That means a lot to me coming from the best track on Renaissance 1
PoisonedIvy Posted May 3 Posted May 3 I think for now, the answer for me is Bjork. Like, I ALMOST get the hype, because she's definitely the most innovative artist I've ever heard. The issue is.. the music is rarely listenable From what I've heard at least, which is about 4 of her albums so far. No disrespect at all because her experimentation has opened the door for so many others. It's just, those others took that window of opportunity and actually make listenable music imo
XtiRih Posted May 3 Posted May 3 Beyonce - her 2000s discography is simply tragic Mariah Carey - her music sounds the same to me Taylor Swift - just no and all those faceless artists like Charlie xvx 2 7
Strawberry Bubble Posted May 3 Posted May 3 ed sheeran, please god let me rest from his music being played everywhere.
Cruel Summer Posted May 3 Posted May 3 21 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said: I think for now, the answer for me is Bjork. Like, I ALMOST get the hype, because she's definitely the most innovative artist I've ever heard. The issue is.. the music is rarely listenable From what I've heard at least, which is about 4 of her albums so far. No disrespect at all because her experimentation has opened the door for so many others. It's just, those others took that window of opportunity and actually make listenable music imo Oh this is fun because I can try to convince you a little Spoiler I'm not sure what you've already heard, so some of this may not be applicable for you or might be what you've already tried. I just get excited to give my perspective on her to anyone I already know I get along with and with whom I share some other music tastes. The trick with Björk, for me, was first to give it a lot of time, and second to try to start with her tracks that are essentially made to be more listenable. The barrier to entry is almost always her voice and her vocal choices - she has some of the most stunning vocals and melodies I've ever heard in my life, but she also has some very harsh, difficult moments, sometimes in the very same songs. Time is the most essential component, and I didn't fully fall into the Björk pipeline until COVID gave me an incredible abundance of time. One of the really common starting points is Jóga. It's relatively straightforward for Björk, and I found it to be a great way to tiptoe into her world, just opening the door a little. From there, you can maybe open up to more of Homogenic, though it still has some incredibly harsh tracks like Pluto that I would avoid for a while. That's the kind of song that really gives that "unlistenable" impression, and I struggle to enjoy that one even today. Vespertine, her fourth album, is the one where I started to engage with a whole record, because it's her most easily-listenable and palatable for people who already like pop music. It still has a couple clunky moments, but by and large it's the most melodic, most intricately produced, and the most reliant on the kinds of sounds you'd expect out of a (very good) pop record. It's still my favorite of all her albums, I think. Her earlier albums are largely much easier to get into than her later ones, too. Her debut has some straightforward 90's dance-pop moments like Crying and some simple excellent pop songs like Venus As a Boy. Her second album, Post, has some of her very best music, and in particular hosts what I consider the greatest pop song ever recorded, Hyperballad. That song is the shimmering core of her discography for me, and also has a beautiful strings-only version with the Brodsky Quartet and re-recorded vocals on her remix album Telegram. Homogenic, her third album, has things like Alarm Call, which like Venus As a Boy is just a really ******* good pop song (with a little classic Björk yelling and growling, of course). If you happen to enjoy some of that music, and happen to have her grow on you, then I would dive into her later albums with Vulnicura, which is basically a darker counterpart to Vespertine. The journey into later Björk is more or less a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing, but that tends to be the average favorite. Also, if you ever do get into her - don't let the girls scare you away from Medúlla. It absolutely has some of her weirdest and most difficult material, but it has several straightforward pop songs like Mouth's Cradle, and it has some of the best songs ever crafted in Oceania and Desired Constellation. Medúlla stans will inherit the earth, even if the world isn't ready for that conversation.
bielneira Posted May 3 Posted May 3 I think Lana deserves hype because she is indeed very talented, but I don't understand why she gets that much. People call her sound "a style", but to me it's just her playing safe and not wanting to take risks. Her music is good, but her artistry is boring.
Cry Posted May 3 Posted May 3 I tried to get into Taylor Swift but can't really get into her music. I liked most of 1989 and Reputation. With Lover was somewhere in the middle but by Folklore I realized that she's not exactly releasing the type of music I'd listen to. Tried again with Midnight but still couldn't. Kind of the same with Lana Del Rey. I liked her first album with its deluxe EP + some songs on Ultraviolence. But by the 3rd album, I realized that I can't really get into her either. With Bjork, I think what keeps me away from getting into her is the weird vocals she uses for her songs. Like the melodies and instrumentals are phenomenal ... and the she uses more or less out of tune vocals on them and lowkey ruins them. I guess that might be her style but it's not exactly for me. 1
whiteferrari Posted May 3 Posted May 3 58 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said: Honestly she's more like an author at this point, and not every writer connects with every listener/reader. Even as a hardcore fan of 15 years I understand that she's not for everyone interesting... i am def a melody/vocal oriented listener so this makes sense
Virgos Groove Posted May 3 Posted May 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, PoisonedIvy said: I'm gonna be honest they have a phenomenal fusion of alternative rock and indie pop that no other band is capable of. They can do amazing pop tracks like "It's Not Living" or "Somebody Else" and great rock tracks like "Me & You Together Song" or "About You." And they make musical masterpieces like "I Always Wanna Die Sometimes." Maybe you'd like their softer sounds, like their electronic or jazzier offerings? Songs like "What Should I Say," I Think There's Something You Should Know," "Mine," or "Playing on My Mind." Okay, I listened to the tracks you recomended and I have to say... you were right. (Love It If We Made It, my first taste of their music, is really not their best, wow. I did know (and like) Somebody Else) About You was my fav, LOVE the stringwork and the shoegaze-y vibe. (I can see Taylor was inspired for Snow on the Beach ). What Should I Say and I Think There's Something are BANGERS. Mine is kinda giving me George Michael vibes with the jazz-n-piano instrumentation. M&YTS is the only one that didn't do it for me :/ What album would you recommend for a beginner? Edited May 3 by Virgos Groove
PoisonedIvy Posted May 3 Posted May 3 15 minutes ago, Cruel Summer said: Oh this is fun because I can try to convince you a little Hide contents I'm not sure what you've already heard, so some of this may not be applicable for you or might be what you've already tried. I just get excited to give my perspective on her to anyone I already know I get along with and with whom I share some other music tastes. The trick with Björk, for me, was first to give it a lot of time, and second to try to start with her tracks that are essentially made to be more listenable. The barrier to entry is almost always her voice and her vocal choices - she has some of the most stunning vocals and melodies I've ever heard in my life, but she also has some very harsh, difficult moments, sometimes in the very same songs. Time is the most essential component, and I didn't fully fall into the Björk pipeline until COVID gave me an incredible abundance of time. One of the really common starting points is Jóga. It's relatively straightforward for Björk, and I found it to be a great way to tiptoe into her world, just opening the door a little. From there, you can maybe open up to more of Homogenic, though it still has some incredibly harsh tracks like Pluto that I would avoid for a while. That's the kind of song that really gives that "unlistenable" impression, and I struggle to enjoy that one even today. Vespertine, her fourth album, is the one where I started to engage with a whole record, because it's her most easily-listenable and palatable for people who already like pop music. It still has a couple clunky moments, but by and large it's the most melodic, most intricately produced, and the most reliant on the kinds of sounds you'd expect out of a (very good) pop record. It's still my favorite of all her albums, I think. Her earlier albums are largely much easier to get into than her later ones, too. Her debut has some straightforward 90's dance-pop moments like Crying and some simple excellent pop songs like Venus As a Boy. Her second album, Post, has some of her very best music, and in particular hosts what I consider the greatest pop song ever recorded, Hyperballad. That song is the shimmering core of her discography for me, and also has a beautiful strings-only version with the Brodsky Quartet and re-recorded vocals on her remix album Telegram. Homogenic, her third album, has things like Alarm Call, which like Venus As a Boy is just a really ******* good pop song (with a little classic Björk yelling and growling, of course). If you happen to enjoy some of that music, and happen to have her grow on you, then I would dive into her later albums with Vulnicura, which is basically a darker counterpart to Vespertine. The journey into later Björk is more or less a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing, but that tends to be the average favorite. Also, if you ever do get into her - don't let the girls scare you away from Medúlla. It absolutely has some of her weirdest and most difficult material, but it has several straightforward pop songs like Mouth's Cradle, and it has some of the best songs ever crafted in Oceania and Desired Constellation. Medúlla stans will inherit the earth, even if the world isn't ready for that conversation. I love you for this, and it gives me a little bit more of a roadmap. I was kinda shooting arrows in the dark when I chose what to explore before I'll give myself some time and follow your guide, because I very much trust your ears as a listener, and will eventually report back if my opinions have evolved 1
PoisonedIvy Posted May 3 Posted May 3 (edited) 42 minutes ago, Virgos Groove said: Okay, I listened to the tracks you recomended and I have to say... you were right. (Love It If We Made It, my first taste of their music, is really not their best, wow. I did know (and like) Somebody Else) About You was my fav, LOVE the stringwork and the shoegaze-y vibe. (I can see Taylor was inspired for Snow on the Beach ). What Should I Say and I Think There's Something are BANGERS. Mine is kinda giving me George Michael vibes with the jazz-n-piano instrumentation. M&YTS is the only one that didn't do it for me :/ What album would you recommend for a beginner? Look how I ate that It's a little hard to recommend a full album, they tend to be long and immersive experiences bear with me as I type out my very elongated thoughts and come to a conclusion right before your very eyes. Spoiler • The 1975 — Their debut album, at 50 minutes with 16 tracks on the standard release, is predominately alternative rock. You might know Chocolate, but Sex, Robbers, and Pressure are three of my favs. Robbers is a discography highlight and kind of similar to "About You," which you mentioned loving. • I Like it when you sleep… — 17 songs, 1h 13 mins. Their second longest album, but also one of their most liked online. It gave the world "Somebody Else" which basically certified them diamond on tumblr lol. Introduced new sounds that would become recurring for the band, like electronic/indie pop & downtempo, moody jazz/folk/acoustic tracks. The pop songs on this are kind of hard to get into imo for a new listener but everything else is great. This is probably what most people would tell you to listen to first but I'm actually gonna say no, don't do that. It's something you'll appreciate more if you become a fan! • A Brief Inquiry… — 15 songs, at 58 minutes. This is where the band truly elevated their sound, their lyricism, and the album as an experience. In my opinion, I'm leaning towards this being your start. It's got their best pop songs, some beautiful ballads, puzzling & thought provoking interludes, and one of their best tracks of all as the closer. It does have the track you mentioned not liking though (Love it if we made it) • Notes on a Conditional Form — their longest and, probably most "experimental" record so far. 22 songs, 1h 20 mins. I like a lot of these songs, but even as a fan this wasn't easy to enjoy on first listen. It's all over the place sonically. I'd definitely save this for later too, but if you become a fan you'll enjoy this one for being a good fusion of everything they are great at. • Being Funny.. — their latest album is their shortest, with 11 songs at 43 minutes. It is easily their most cohesive. It's got a great blend of pop and rock, but less of their electronic experimentation. Which is fine, it makes for a solid concise record that is easy for new listeners to get into. So I'd also recommend this one if you want something short and digestible. Plus you really liked "About You" which is on here. So this is how I'd rank the albums, not by quality but by how much I think you should listen to them "first" as a new listener 1. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships 2. Being Funny in a Foreign Language 3. The 1975 4. I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it 5. Notes on a Conditional Form No matter which album you choose, definitely listen to "Robbers" from their first album and "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" from their third album. Since you liked "About You" so much you'd be missing out if you didn't check those out. Sorry for the late reply, I was driving to work lol Edited May 3 by PoisonedIvy 1
Virgos Groove Posted May 3 Posted May 3 5 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said: Look how I ate that It's a little hard to recommend a full album, they tend to be long and immersive experiences bear with me as I type out my very elongated thoughts and come to a conclusion right before your very eyes. Hide contents • The 1975 — Their debut album, at 50 minutes with 16 tracks on the standard release, is predominately alternative rock. You might know Chocolate, but Sex, Robbers, and Pressure are three of my favs. Robbers is a discography highlight and kind of similar to "About You," which you mentioned loving. • I Like it when you sleep… — 17 songs, 1h 13 mins. Their second longest album, but also one of their most liked online. It gave the world "Somebody Else" which basically certified them diamond on tumblr lol. Introduced new sounds that would become recurring for the band, like electronic/indie pop & downtempo, moody jazz/folk/acoustic tracks. The pop songs on this are kind of hard to get into imo for a new listener but everything else is great. This is probably what most people would tell you to listen to first but I'm actually gonna say no, don't do that. It's something you'll appreciate more if you become a fan! • A Brief Inquiry… — 15 songs, at 58 minutes. This is where the band truly elevated their sound, their lyricism, and the album as an experience. In my opinion, I'm leaning towards this being your start. It's got their best pop songs, some beautiful ballads, puzzling & thought provoking interludes, and one of their best tracks of all as the closer. It does have the track you mentioned not liking though (Love it if we made it) • Notes on a Conditional Form — their longest and, probably most "experimental" record so far. 22 songs, 1h 20 mins. I like a lot of these songs, but even as a fan this wasn't easy to enjoy on first listen. It's all over the place sonically. I'd definitely save this for later too, but if you become a fan you'll enjoy this one for being a good fusion of everything they are great at. • Being Funny.. — their latest album is their shortest, with 11 songs at 43 minutes. It is easily their most cohesive. It's got a great blend of pop and rock, but less of their electronic experimentation. Which is fine, it makes for a solid concise record that is easy for new listeners to get into. So I'd also recommend this one if you want something short and digestible. Plus you really liked "About You" which is on here. So this is how I'd rank the albums, not by quality but by how much I think you should listen to them "first" as a new listener 1. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships 2. Being Funny in a Foreign Language 3. The 1975 4. I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it 5. Notes on a Conditional Form No matter which album you choose, definitely listen to "Robbers" from their first album and "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" from their third album. Since you liked "About You" so much you'd be missing out if you didn't check those out. Sorry for the late reply, I was driving to work lol Thank you, sistren And just to add to the Bjork discourse, lemme say: don't sleep on Debut! It's not as "high-brow" as her future work, but it is filled with alt-pop and house gems. A perfect urbanite record. She recorded it while experiencing London's nightlife, and it sounds like it. Overall, I feel like her records take a while to truly "get it". All the little details deserve to be experienced to the fullest, so don't feel like you have to consume it all in one go. It's why I take months between checking out each record. (I started early last year and I'm still only on Vespertine. ) 2
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