Am I just getting old? Is this me starting to experience that phenomenon that occurs when one generation doesn't understand the next generation's music? I consider myself pretty open minded when it comes to this kind of stuff... my iTunes shuffle today played songs by Death, Wu-Tang Clan, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, and Miles Davis.
That said.... I simply do not get this "band," Brokencyde.
They are on tour for what seems like forever, including every stop at this year's Warped Tour. They're MySpace player gets tens of thousands of plays a day. Little girls leave comments on their YouTube videos calling them "amazing" and "the best band ever." But all they do is literally scream nonsensical yells over cliche and uninspired "crunk" beats, while the auto-tuned "lead singer" invites the listener in one of their choruses to "Get freaky now/ lets get fucking freaky now."
Take a listen, if you dare:
I warned you.
Apparantly this new style of music is called emo rap, and there are a couple of other young groups doing something along the lines of what Brokencyde is. I took a listen at some of these contemporaries, and it just gets worse and worse. I've spent countless hours writing music and lyrics to the bands I've been in, and it literally makes me sick to my stomache when I see labels giving acts like this tons of money and they're able to go on the road selling out shows to audiences who make sorry excuses for music fans.
The legitimate music community has noticed Brokencyde and, thankfully, voiced opinions excrusiatingly similar to mine, including the band's own current touring partners.
I hope this trend goes away and I don't see magazines and websites raving about their "creativity," like when Pitchfork goes on an on about how Lil' Wayne is the one of the best rappers alive. The world is at stake.
Anyway, I feel dirty. I need to take a long shower and listen to In Rainbows on repeat, just to reassure myself that good music is still being made.
Friday, March 20, 2009
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