I am sure that all of us, at some or other point, have been accused of listening to music “that just all sounds the same”. It is certainly something I have heard before, and I have to admit, it does certainly serve to raise my hackles. It is quite an accusation to make, especially when it is against an album one actually really likes. I have always considered it a bit of a black spot- a card signifying execution in the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, as somehow, I find it can be very easy for an album to subsequently lose its sheen.
This is due to my being prompted to question as why the listener is so dismissive of the album. I re-scrutinise the album, looking for the damage, or at least to know that the other listener is a pillock and incapable of appreciating it. But it is a valid complaint to make, and for all my rancour at the accusation, I am guilty of using it myself. It does come down to taste, on a certain level, as certain aesthetics within genres require some uniformity. If there were no uniformity, there would be no genre. And yet, I have always thought that there is something innate (perhaps, even intangible) as to what makes each song sound different, but still remain within its genre. It is a turn of phrase, a guitar solo, a use of rhythm and timing. It is an ability to navigate those tricky waters that are demanded in making an album.
I am, obviously, a particular fan of the album, and it is with some disappointment in the modern age which shows the resurgence of the single, that high profile acts (such as Radiohead) seem to be moving away from it. Listeners certainly are, as the mp3 becomes the viral flood into the market place. Suddenly, tweensters are watching Twilight, replete with its soundtrack including Bon Iver and St. Vincent. The world has gone mad. In fact, I was privy to a conversation recently in which it was mentioned that one should come and listen “to all your favourite songs that are featured on the OC and Grey’s Anatomy!” And few knew who the artists being referred to are, although the songs are certainly familiar. Indie bands are cropping up in the mainstream at an alarming rate, and although I am incredibly pleased to see (and hear) this, it is a little disconcerting that they do not seem to have been able to capture as much of the popular imagination as their exposure may suggest.
It seems to me that the music still remains foreign (for the most part) and although there is an “indie” sound that has now developed, those bands now sit in limbo as they have moved away from their indie fanbase. It is smart business, and a logical step. The good bands deserve to be applauded, but unfortunately, it seems to me, the corporate world remains as it ever was - demanding results, and continuity such as to guarantee success. Death Cab For Cutie are one such illustration, the corporate indie rock megosaur that they are. They are now phenomenally successful, and although they sell immeasurable quantities of albums, I can’t seem to escape my own personal opinion that they have never been able to top
Transatlanticism. It was all just downhill from there, and as to where it stops, who is to say?
But this is an all too familiar tirade, and one which, I am sure, many are tired of hearing. Indie rock is now popular, blah blah. At the end of the day, it is out there, and the true indie fans are going to continue to find new music and new challenges, irrespective of what the popular world states. Trends and fads come and go. And criticism will always remain- the negative bleat because it is simply far easier that to be positive. I hate to knock critics, as I think they perform an incredibly valuable service. But there does need to be an informed awareness of them (and, equally, they also need to be aware of their effect, and hence their manner of expression) as they can do great damage and simply be rude where it is undeserved. In philosophy, the simplest position is simply to be the skeptic, as one never needs to offer anything positive or constructive. The warning is perhaps best passed on.
I tread into difficult territory with the accusation that an album sounds “too similar” as it can be a very difficult line to draw. In fact, I have heard the accusation made and refuted within one peer group, with the protagonists violently disagreeing with one another. So what is it then? Perhaps just an expression of displeasure? I am looking for fault, and hence I shall find it be any means necessary? I think this is unfair, as it is a valid criticism, and one which can be fatal. It can also be a tool, as bands mine a specific talent to produce something that is inescapable of them. I was considering Green Day recently, and they have been largely unable to really produce anything new, well, ever. The fact is that they are extraordinarily good at what they do, and hence everything is based on a rather simple pattern. Is this a bad thing? I would say no, however I find it hard to listen to all their stuff in an extended sitting. One album is enough, and I am moving on.
I also have to acknowledge that uniformity can also be a source of comfort. At this time when the end of year fatigue sets in properly, I can think of few things better than parking off to something unchallenging, reveling in sunshine songs, and blaring power chords. It is simple, the lyrics are consistent and catchy, and all in all, is just easy. I think of it something akin to comfort food, a smile and the promise of things to come.
In this mood, I am easily prompted to say, “So what if something sounds the same? I like it, and it fits my state of mind at present.” But public opinion can be incredibly cruel, and it can damage something personal. Does this mean it should not be put out there? To the contrary, it is the risk that must be taken. For all my love of indie rock, I do want people to hear it. There are those bands that will remain “mine” but if others appreciate them too, I am all the better for it.
Perhaps my line of thought is simply rooted in the problems that one faces as an artist when one puts something out. There are uncounted difficulties in getting something out, circumstances surrounding the artists themselves and the world they find themselves in. If this is compounded with the fickle nature of the fan, one is left to flounder helplessly in the void. One cannot predict how something will come across, and whilst one thing will sound uniform to a person, to another there may be perceived nuances, or simply an insatiable desire for that sort of sound. A band, equally, needs to have a sound such that they are marketable. They need to be self-defined, but at the same time, moving within those self-imposed confines. And one thinks that the music industry provides easy waters to navigate and a portal to wealth and fame. I can think of few things further from the truth. But, I still find the accusation of similarity, irritating.
