The Confessions Thread

[unownunown]

that sounds awesome.

[siamesegun]

that sounds awesome.

+10000

[siamesegun]

Genres/labels ruin music for me in a big way, and I find it more beneficial to discuss what it sounds like (dreamy, agressive, urgent, epic, low, slow, etc) or compare a band to its contemporaries and peers.

[siamesegun]

Man this band sounds allot like that one band and they both sound kinda dreamy but kinda popish DREAMPOP ... I'm just saying it leads to the same problem when someone describes music with a catchy name and people start using that name.

Then the adjectives EVOLVE!

[jfrey]

Genres/labels ruin music for me in a big way, and I find it more beneficial to discuss what it sounds like (dreamy, agressive, urgent, epic, low, slow, etc) or compare a band to its contemporaries and peers.

Isn't that what genre labels do?

Thus if I say that something is Polish Blackened Death Metal, you know that:

A. They play an aggressive style of music.
B. They have a predominantly minor sound.
C. They play heavily distorted music that perhaps includes some fuzz.
D. The vocals may include growls and/or shrieks.
E. They likely use a lot of trem picking, and rhythms will probably include a lot of inverted chords.
F. They have the polish metal sound, which is noticeably different than Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, etc.

And, if you know what a genre is then it will of course bring to mind the noteworthy bands of that genre. So when I say Polish Blackened Death Metal at the very least Behemoth or Hate will spring to mind, being two of the more well know groups of the type.

I don't get how people say that genre labels ruin music for them. The classification of music, and the evolution of terminology is I think one of the most interesting aspects of music analysis and discussion.

[Achtane]

True, to some extent you need labels. Like if I told you a band was urgent bilecore avant-dreamska with tones of minimalist post-pre, you would know that:

A. It's shit.

I try to avoid relying on labels too much, but they're a usable method of categorizing music within a broad spectrum. Just try not to pigeonhole music. I know what you mean about describing music to other people, though.

[dubkitty]

as vile as descriptors are, you wind up having to use them at some point.

[snipelfritz]

I don't even like to use descriptors for forms of art/media. The term "Music" is so poseur.

[theavondon]

I don't even like to use descriptors for forms of art/media. The term "Music" is so poseur.

Jesus shit, your post count is astonishing for how long you've been here.

[snipelfritz]

I don't even like to use descriptors for forms of art/media. The term "Music" is so poseur.

Jesus shit, your post count is astonishing for how long you've been here.

And do you know how many of those posts have been at all constructive? None. Not one.

[theavondon]

I don't even like to use descriptors for forms of art/media. The term "Music" is so poseur.

Jesus shit, your post count is astonishing for how long you've been here.

And do you know how many of those posts have been at all constructive? None. Not one.

[Bellyheart]

Labels are fine if you can summarize it in my opinion to one thing, but when you're trying to describe the entire sound and it comes out to a run-on sentence, it's just absurd. I like a lot of bands that sound like no one other than themselves and I usually describe them as their own sound(i.e. the Locust, Arab on Radar, Lightning Bolt, White Mice, Zs, Pre, Zu, Tera Melos, Yip Yip, Deerhoof) and I'm not going to divulge into it...it becomes a matter of, "what am i going to expect when i hear the group?". So I'd rather just say, "Check this out, they have their own thing going."

Bands that fit in, I completely understand, and I'm not saying they aren't as sweet, but I do happen to look for music that is unclassifiable, so perhaps, that's why I have an opinion on the matter...I just end up calling it either new or anti-music...which are both satirical.

[bigchiefbc]

becomes a matter of, "what am i going to expect when i hear the group?". So I'd rather just say, "Check this out, they have their own thing going."

Except that, 90% of the time, that will not get me to give them a chance. I usually want some kind of idea what to expect before I devote my time to a music recommendation.

[foomanfat]

I nyan'ed for a half hour earlier today.

[bob the r0bot]

I nyan'ed for a half hour earlier today.

is that what the kids calling it these days