Alt-J - Forgive me, but....

[tskerrett]

Got some great tracks i think, i have never saw them live though to be honest

[dentalplan]

I've always thought if they were marketed a bit differently and didn't rise so quickly with so much hype attached, they'd be a lot less hated. After all, they're not exactly miles away from stuff like The xx and Wild Beasts and Four Tet. Then again I'm not a fan of alt-J and I am a fan of those three listed so kinda makes me a hypocrite.

[pentura]

Less boring than Alt-J but not particularly more credible. The lead singer is an annoying little rat as well.

One google images search later - they look like the run of the mill hipster band. But again, haven't listened so can't make a judgement on that front. I reckon I'll leave it at that

[ThomThomDrum]

Alt-J are the current Coldplay, Mumford etc etc

Their uber popularity in some way makes their "whatever" type music really really offensive it seems.

They are by no means a great band, but I have been exposed to far more offensive stuff in my time and I really could not be arsed wasting energy jumping on their hate band wagon. The hate band wagons around these parts irritate me more than shit music in reality

Their style is not suited to large open venues I feel. If they were not so popular and could play some of the smaller stages id say their gigs would be a lot more palatable

Less boring than Alt-J but not particularly more credible. The lead singer is an annoying little rat as well.

Re Foals - smashing band IMO. Really consistent on the production side of things and have a handful of really top tunes. Their gigs are a good bit of fun too.

[Mr November]

I've always thought if they were marketed a bit differently and didn't rise so quickly with so much hype attached, they'd be a lot less hated. After all, they're not exactly miles away from stuff like The xx and Wild Beasts and Four Tet. Then again I'm not a fan of alt-J and I am a fan of those three listed so kinda makes me a hypocrite.

Couldn't agree more (whilst I love WB and like most XX and alt-j stuff, I just can't get into Four Tet for the lid of me). I fully believe their meteoric rise is what drives the hate, which is what I meant by my mainstream music comment.

[Troop Dogg]

I think they're awful. Its his voice. Arrgghh!

[Anarion]

Agree that they can be a bit boring and I expect they won't suit the Pyramid stage, but they have some songs I really enjoy - like Taro, Breezeblocks, Bloodflood pt. II and Every other freckle.

For me they are more interesting than most new pop acts today. Will probably watch them at Glastonbury.

[bennyhana22]

Within a subject based largely upon subjectivity, there is still the opportunity for some objectivity.

Alt-J are not a rubbish band. They write their own material, which has considerable musical merit, whether it is to one's taste or not. Their musicianship is very good - including their now departed original member. Their sound is unusual compared to most other stuff out there, meaning that they are at least less directly derivative than much current music.

Their singer has a particular style that seems to be a bit Marmite^TM, but he sings in tune and varies his delivery to suit the mood of the song, though there does seem to be a 'typical' ambience to Alt-J's songs, meaning that Joe's vocal delivery is a little one-dimensional.

Their first record was very well produced.

Now, you may not like them, but that doesn't make them rubbish. No.1 selling single artist Joe Dolce was rubbish.

Personally? I become increasingly meh about them as time goes on. When they first started, I enjoyed the early released tracks. When An Awesome Wave landed, I bought the white vinyl and enjoyed it. When I first saw them live (tent at Green Man 2012) I was disappointed by their ability to convey the songs in a live environment. When I saw them for the second time (Academy 2, Birmingham, 2012), I thought they had developed the live performance a bit, but was ultimately left a bit flat.

I was only passingly interested in the second record and, despite my eldest owning it on rather lovely multi-coloured vinyl, I have never listened to it all the way through. I like atypical vocals and, at times, very much enjoyed the way Joe's voice sits over their style of music. At other times I find it less engaging (Hunger of the Pines etc.).

I saw their set on telly at R1BW last weekend and was phenomenally underwhelmed. I am really surprised that they have not developed and evolved a way to make their on-record understated sound an altogether bigger and more engaging live show. I fear for their ability to hold the Obelisk crowd at Latitude this summer...

So that's my tuppence. Initial interest has waned to unoffended indifference.

Are they are a rubbish band? No. Am I interested in them anymore? No.

Ben

Edited May 29, 2015 by bennyhana22

[ThomThomDrum]

Within a subject based largely upon subjectivity, there is still the opportunity for some objectivity.

Alt-J are not a rubbish band. They write their own material, which has considerable musical merit, whether it is to one's taste or not. Their musicianship is very good - including their now departed original member. Their sound is unusual compared to most other stuff out there, meaning that they are at least less directly derivative than much current music.

Their singer has a particular style that seems to be a bit Marmite^TM, but he sings in tune and varies his delivery to suit the mood of the song, though there does seem to be a 'typical' ambience to Alt-J's songs, meaning that Joe's vocal delivery is a little one-dimensional.

Their first record was very well produced.

Now, you may not like them, but that doesn't make them rubbish. No.1 selling single artist Joe Dolce was rubbish.

Personally? I become increasingly meh about them as time goes on. When they first started, I enjoyed the early released tracks. When An Awesome Wave landed, I bought the white vinyl and enjoyed it. When I first saw them live (tent at Green Man 2012) I was disappointed by their ability to convey the songs in a live environment. When I saw them for the second time (Academy 2, Birmingham, 2012), I thought they had developed the live performance a bit, but was ultimately left a bit flat.

I was only passingly interested in the second record and, despite my eldest owning it on rather lovely multi-coloured vinyl, I have never listened to it all the way through. I like atypical vocals and, at times, very much enjoyed the way Joe's voice sits over their style of music. At other times I find it less engaging (Hunger of the Pines etc.).

I saw their set on telly at R1BW last weekend and was phenomenally underwhelmed. I am really surprised that they have not developed and evolved a way to make their on-record understated sound an altogether bigger and more engaging live show. I fear for their ability to hold the Obelisk crowd at Latitude this summer...

So that's my tuppence. Initial has waned to unoffended indifference.

Are they are a rubbish band? No. Am I interested in them anymore? No.

Ben

Good post............

[CaledonianGonzo]

Shaddap You Face > An Awesome Wave

[Huckleberry Finn]

Most recent album went to number one [a cynical view would say because of the rollover from the mercury music prize winning debut] so there is clearly an audience out there. Do like the second album in particular but I can't help thinking, though having never seen them, that they would be quite a boring live act. Would like to see them but I won't go out of my way.

[jparx]

Within a subject based largely upon subjectivity, there is still the opportunity for some objectivity.

Alt-J are not a rubbish band. They write their own material, which has considerable musical merit, whether it is to one's taste or not. Their musicianship is very good - including their now departed original member. Their sound is unusual compared to most other stuff out there, meaning that they are at least less directly derivative than much current music.

Their singer has a particular style that seems to be a bit Marmite^TM, but he sings in tune and varies his delivery to suit the mood of the song, though there does seem to be a 'typical' ambience to Alt-J's songs, meaning that Joe's vocal delivery is a little one-dimensional.

Their first record was very well produced.

Now, you may not like them, but that doesn't make them rubbish. No.1 selling single artist Joe Dolce was rubbish.

Personally? I become increasingly meh about them as time goes on. When they first started, I enjoyed the early released tracks. When An Awesome Wave landed, I bought the white vinyl and enjoyed it. When I first saw them live (tent at Green Man 2012) I was disappointed by their ability to convey the songs in a live environment. When I saw them for the second time (Academy 2, Birmingham, 2012), I thought they had developed the live performance a bit, but was ultimately left a bit flat.

I was only passingly interested in the second record and, despite my eldest owning it on rather lovely multi-coloured vinyl, I have never listened to it all the way through. I like atypical vocals and, at times, very much enjoyed the way Joe's voice sits over their style of music. At other times I find it less engaging (Hunger of the Pines etc.).

I saw their set on telly at R1BW last weekend and was phenomenally underwhelmed. I am really surprised that they have not developed and evolved a way to make their on-record understated sound an altogether bigger and more engaging live show. I fear for their ability to hold the Obelisk crowd at Latitude this summer...

So that's my tuppence. Initial interest has waned to unoffended indifference.

Are they are a rubbish band? No. Am I interested in them anymore? No.

Ben

I don't believe for one second that the people claiming they are 'rubbish' genuinely believe that. I think some people find it difficult to convey a critical opinion unless they go to the absolute extremes. I can completely understand why people feel ambivalent towards Alt-J, but there really isn't much to actively hate about the band.

[CaledonianGonzo]

I can completely understand why people feel ambivalent towards Alt-J, but there really isn't much to actively hate about the band.

Perhaps that very lack of remarkable attributes / strong positives or negatives can be infuriating in and of itself.

[Neil C]

I saw them after Django Django on the Thursday night at Williams Green. Django Django completely blew them out of the water.

[Hugh Jass]

Perhaps that very lack of remarkable attributes / strong positives or negatives can be infuriating in and of itself.

This is true, I often find myself generating a lot more hatred for acts that just inoffensive and bland (Snow Patrol for example) then those who are actually just shit (Nickleback).

[cornish hick]

bland beige dull inoffensive nothingness - incidental music on a sunday afternoon c5 film

[pentura]

Most recent album went to number one [a cynical view would say because of the rollover from the mercury music prize winning debut] so there is clearly an audience out there. Do like the second album in particular but I can't help thinking, though having never seen them, that they would be quite a boring live act. Would like to see them but I won't go out of my way.

Did they win a mercury? Sweet jesus. Thinking of previous winners and them and it's making me depressed

[nofunciona]

I've liked their first album since it came out and saw them headline the NME tent at Reading in 2013 where I thought they smashed it. The band and crowd was excellent and everyone around was dancing throughout which I hadn't expected. They finished with Taro and filled the whole tent with a blizzard of fake snow. When they finished, the PA blasted Higher Ground by TNGHT and the whole crowd just stayed and skanked. So they can be great.

However, I saw them again last year at Ally Pally and it just wasn't the same- probably because the new songs don't live up to the debut. Depends on clashes as to whether I'll see them at Glastonbury.

[McCor]

They should be replaced with Vampire Weekend IMO.

[bennyhana22]

Did they win a mercury? Sweet jesus. Thinking of previous winners and them and it's making me depressed

Well yes, pentura, but...

I'd take Alt-J's An Awesome Wave over...

Ms Dynamite

M People

The Klaxons

Speech Debelle

Dizzie

Not sure the Mercury is a reliable yardstick!!

Ben

[ThomThomDrum]

Did they win a mercury? Sweet jesus. Thinking of previous winners and them and it's making me depressed

Thinking of the Klaxons, James Blake, Antony and the Js etc etc?

The list of dross the MMP goes to is quite big to my ears

Edited May 29, 2015 by ThomThomDrum

[russycarps]

Music for men who wee sitting down.

[bennyhana22]

Music for men who wee sitting down.

It comes to us all, eventually, russy...

Ben

[ThomThomDrum]

M People

Not sure the Mercury is a reliable yardstick!!

Ben

Yeah that year was particularly farcical to me. Their crap beat the likes of Music for the Jilted Generation and Parklife!! Ha Ha!

The MMP is a joke

[russycarps]

music for men who take into consideration other people, women even, might use the toilet after them

that's an odd genre

my god, you are one of them..........