British Music and Why America Can't Compete

[MGS32]

Elephant is by far a Modern Classic, it was top 10 just about every end of the decade list for a reason. And I do think WPSITWIN is an amazing album, but 19th all time is a no. I don't mean to burst your bubble but NME is well known for overrating Oasis and Arctic Monkeys - they put A Certain Romance as like the 5th best song of the decade or something like that, and in most other ones it doesn't even crack the lists. They weren't necessarily unheard of because the British media had been hyping them up for a long ass time.


There's plenty of modern classics that have come out of the US that are 'less known' also. Every Fleet Foxes album, Fiona Apple's discography, like I mentioned before Neutral Milk Hotel and Death Grips are just some. Even onto hip-hop, I do think there's a reason why grime music has never truly kicked off outside of the US. It's a really niche genre and isn't as accesible here as others - and frankly, it's not as good as US Hip-hop. There's a reason Atlanta is the heart of hip-hop right now


While I will admit I forgot Blackstar, and maybe would put Franz Ferdinand and WPSIATWIN in the consideration, a lot of those certainly aren't classics. The Balcony is certainly not a well-received album, neither is any of the modern Oasis records outside of NME's dick-riding, EYCTE was a massive disappoint (was a fan of Age of the Understatement), and a lot of those other ones are just average alternative rock bands that won't end up really on any lists or have major influence down the road. I'd also add Kala by MIA to the list of modern UK classics, but outside of that I don't think any hold a candle to the great releases that have come out in recent times.

I wasn't using NME as the be all end all, I am by far aware of how much they love to ride Alex Turner's dick its by far obvious. NME has always had a tendency to have a favourite band, it was Oasis then it was The Strokes and currently its Arctic Monkeys which can be seen as they post a "IS ARCTIC MONKEYS RECORDING A NEW ALBUM?" article every week. I was using it more to put things into perspective of how beloved that album is over here because it really is. I don't believe for one second Whatever People Say I Am is the 19th best album ever that is just silly.

I will argue with you on A Certain Romance though, that song is truly excellent and when I think of truly excellent songs over the last decade I could definitely see it up there.

I can get your point because I think honestly this entire argument will fall down to personal preference, for example I would absolutely call EYCTE a modern classic I think lyrically its Miles Kane's best work and is some of Alex's best, as a Bass player I adore Zach Dawes' bass lines. I think songs like The Bourne Identity, The Dream Synopsis and Sweet Dreams, TN are the best work TLSP have done together.

I think you're looking more at the critical aspect, The Balcony was very mixed but I don't think that automatically excludes it from being considered a Modern Classic. The definition of Modern Classic will always fall down to whether you like it or not, for example I know people who absolutely hate Is This It and call it poorly produced nonsense so they wouldn't hold in the same regard as I do as I personally think its the best album that has come out in the last 17 years and its what inspired me to start my band and we're heavily influenced by Julian Casablancas. I will continually fight the corner of Wolf Alice as I think they are truly something special. I think also a lot of it comes down to the test of time, CATB might age awfully and my opinions could change or 10 years from now I could still be arguing it. I will disagree with you on Oasis, I personally only consider 3 of their albums to be of quality that being Definitely Maybe, Whats The Story? (Morning Glory) and Don't Believe The Truth, both Liam and Noel consider DBTT to be the best of the last Oasis albums and it has a different style as its more of an Oasis Album rather than a Noel Gallagher album and he even said that himself so I definitely hold it up there.

Its all about perspective and personal taste really, again like I said I know people who adore The 1975 and I honestly think its just garbage, I think The 1975's newest album is probably one of the worst I've ever listened to. I'd put it with the likes of Jet of just being trash. And like I doubt anyone on here would hold Blink 182 in the same regard I do where as I think Enema Of The State and Take Off Your Pants And Jacket are probably two of the best pop punk albums to come out, I'd say Enema Of The State is a Modern Classic as not only does it have excellent songs and isn't bogged down by the more jokier songs of their other albums but was also largely successful to mainstream audiences which isn't that common, not uncommon but no common if that makes sense. EOTS feels a bit more down to earth and less jokey like Going Away To College and Adam's Song.

For hip hop I am not too well versed in the genre but I do dislike the overrated hype around artists like Tupac and Biggie, I think their premature deaths haven't exactly helped but to claim they are the best MCs of all time is just silly to me. Maybe you'll disagree but I just think its kinda tunnel minded, like when I was super into Eminem and would claim that he's the best.

Its all just personal preference, taste and timing. I wouldn't hold AM in the same regard as I do if it wasn't the first Arctic Monkeys album I listened to and my first real step into music that wasn't the same AC/DC records I had for years or whatever WWE PPV theme I liked. Or I wouldn't like Paramore's old stuff the way I do if I didn't listen to it during my teenage angst, things like that. Sure you can try and look at things more objectively but we all have bias, its fun to debate about it though. I do think however if you completely stick to one genre and never break out of it that is just tunnel minded and completely useless, I can understand disliking a genre (I hate Metal) but like if someone who's opinion I trusted told me "Oh theres this really great Metal album" I'd check it out because that is how music should be, you should just discover and enjoy at your own pace. That is how I found The Strokes, its my best friends favourite band and he gave me his Is This It record and I listened to it and thought it sucked, then I listened a second time and fell in love. Now they are like my second favourite band and would've been my No.1 if all their albums after Room On Fire weren't so inconsistent where as my No.1 band (AM) have a pretty consistent discography if we ignore half of Suck It And See.

 

[britishheel]

I think Oasis is over rated personally, it was just the cool thing to like because every man and his dog liked them or still do, I liked blur more or more recently I've got into Ocean Colour Scene and their music is very well produced.
Obviously we have to mention Motorhead and from there we can lead on to Black Sabbath both amazing bands who were the first of their genre's. Obviously I should mention The Sex Pistols from that genre/era and well the never mind the bollocks album is an amazing album within itself one of which i brought at the age of 11 and was captivated by.
Then if we're going down the rock route, The Rolling Stones are one of the best ever, but I think/see Led Zepplin as the most complete band ever, all of their songs are different and the way the sounds complement each other I've never seen any american match it.
More recently we have Ed Sheeran, who I will give credit to as being a musical genius, something of which i've only seen one maybe two american's being, one of them being Dave Grhol, the drummer from Kurt Kobain's band. Then Adele also.

America, always having to copy Britain to try to win but failing.