I'm mostly talking about "art" genres. Out in the real word, I've brought up the genres when talking about Kate Bush and Radiohead and the names have been criticized. It's hard talking about music out here, especially with this COVID-19 problem keeping us socially distanced. If people criticize it as soon as you say it, it makes the conversation quickly end because it's clear the opposing view just doesn't want to talk about it.
The problem here is that these artists exist and that their music goes beyond the norm. You could lump Beatles and The Velvet Underground together because both albums are class-S rock canon and bevause they're both "artists," but to say they sound like each other isn't entirely true. Add the fact that everyonw has their own definition of the word "art," which can depend on style preferences, toleration of certain extremities, unconventionality vs. poptimism, etc., the discussion is endless. _________________ Do it yourself and let me play my music: https://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=61802
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
I think whenever an artist tries really hard to sound like another specific artist that would be a good definition of pretentious for me (pretending to be something you're not). I'm talking about not simply inspiration but forcing oneself to sound like something else to the point that it just feels like a parody or joke of the real thing (Think Greta Van Fleet, for example). That being said, under the definition I just gave I still like some pretentious music every now and then. Script for a Jester's Tear by Marillion sounds an awful lot like Genesis but I quite like it. (Compare "Forgotten Sons" to "The Knife")
The only artist who jumps to my mind as pretentious is Father John Misty.
Thankyou 👏 He's also a pretty great songwriter on occassion but I still agree with this. And yet BEA downvoted me so badly for calling Pure Comedy pretensious/ self-indulgent on the album page 🙁
I guess you could describe something as "pretentious", I'm fine with that. But what I hate is when people say "I don't like it, it's pretentious". That's probably the worst criticism you could give, it doesn't even mean anything. Is it boring, too experimental, the songwriting is not good enough? No, it's "pretentious"... Hate that. Just say "it's pretentious because it's too experimental and boring", to me that's a much better criticism and shows that you've actually listened to the music in question before dismissing it. _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
Thankyou 👏 He's also a pretty great songwriter on occassion but I still agree with this. And yet BEA downvoted me so badly for calling Pure Comedy pretensious/ self-indulgent on the album page :(
Glad to hear I'm not alone. Most people go to album pages because they enjoy the albums, so almost any critical comment will get you downvoted.
I will agree with others that pretentious is an overused and empty criticism in general, absent elaboration. But boring is even worse, LedZep! _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
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