Good to know we're on the same page, even if our viewpoints are vastly different. Thanks for bringing intelligent conversation to this album, it definitely deserves to be discussed.

Kwame Brown was a stretch though

Album Rating: 5.0

Nobody agrees with your opinion for many reasons.



1. There is no album that sounds like this one that came before it.

2. There is much more to the album than just the lyrics and Jacob Bannon.

3. All bands are members of some kind of scene. Converge were in the Boston hardcore scene just like Miles Davis was in the jazz scene. It doesn't affect the music itself. It's simply a community of similar artists and fans. If I take your attitude, then I could say that Miles Davis didn't write his own music, but Kind of Blue simply is a byproduct of an old jazz scene, even if it was the best album to ever come from jazz.

Album Rating: 4.5

lol

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

it was the best album to ever come from jazz.

Album Rating: 4.5

close enough though

Album Rating: 4.5

Charles Mingus is all sorts of amazing.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Bitches Brew and The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady are always duking it out for best jazz album in my head.

Coltrane Coltrane Coltrane Coltrane.


That is all.

I def prefer Coltrane to Miles, but I can't deny how hugely influential Miles was on Coltrane's modal period records, so I have to give credit where it's due. I think Coltrane was the better soloist though. I can still remember my reaction the first time I heard My Favorite Things, and my subsequent Coltrane listens have all been just as mind-bending as my first taste.

I like what I've heard of Django, although admittedly that isn't a whole lot.

I still fail to see how external factors like popular culture and their impact on a work of art make it any less valid.

In the same way that you claim the hardcore scene "produced" Jane Doe, there are countless examples of legendary artists whose music was influenced strongly, if not entirely, by the scene or society in which they were conceived.

The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, there are literally dozens upon dozens of artist that can thank their success to the times in which their music was created. Why invalidate something just because it's a product of its time? Does true art need to be created without external factors playing any part at all?

I feel these questions are ones that you as a reviewer need to address. The backbone of all your criticisms against this album hinge on the fact that it was spawned by a scene, but you fail to mention why that is such an undesirable thing in the first place.

Album Rating: 3.0

I would like to assert that, in one way or another, all lyrics are personal. Even if they are not directly about yourself, the author is in them. Which is why, if you look hard enough, you can find the author of a story in one or many of the characters.



In this way, I'm not sure "personalism" really works. I could understand if you were asserting that society and the scene puts too much stock in failed relationship lyrics as the end all, be all subject matter for any song, but to assert that it's "too personal" is interesting. And hardly something you could argue as actually being "bad". I happen to like lyrics that are personal. It means the author means it. This comes down to you saying "I don't like it". There's nothing intellectual about it, really.



Although I could be wrong. Exactly how should one go about writing lyrics if "personalism" is wrong? And what is an example of an artist that does not fall into "personalism"? I'm curious.



And, to be clear, I don't even like this album. I don't even like this band. I think the music is good, but I despise his vocals. I hate them. But your claims are utterly pathetic. Your ego is incredible. Not only do you claim insight into whether or not this album means anything, but you seem to think you can define what art is.



And when it comes down to it. I can just look you in the eyes when you tell me what art is and tell you "No". Because it's just a word. And you love your words. But they only mean as much as humans decide they do. It's all made up. You're nothing but a sack of meat making sounds and pounding away at a keyboard. Silly monkey.



Opinions like this aren't solid, they're not true or untrue. This review is the equivalent to you hating a kind of food because of something in it, claiming it's inherently bad, and then saying the chefs didn't make it because the culture from which they came from built to this moment, built to this dish. The chef gets no credit for making it because his surroundings influenced him and brought him there.



I'm all for discussing and debating opinion. But when it comes down to it, a lot of things are subjective and can't be argued. Even so, it can be fun anyway. It's not fun with you, because somewhere along the line, you forgot that what backs up your subjective opinion is utterly meaningless.



"So, just shut your face, and take a seat, because after all, you're just talking meat... And music... Well, it's just entertainment, folks." ~ Devin Townsend

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

I find it shocking that you've given Pinkerton a 4.5 MJ.

Album Rating: 4.5

i love this MJ guy. so fun

Album Rating: 3.0

I personally think you need to better explain why "personalism" is bad. Also, I literally do not believe Chino has not written about his own problems or experiences. But that's another topic entirely.



As for why it is significant that you're talking meat; it's just that you seem to have forgotten that your opinion isn't really quantifiable. But you hammer away as if you can actually prove or disprove your point. But, by all means, perhaps I'm wrong, maybe you know it's purely a subjective opinion and you can admit that what you think is bad or not good is purely what you feel is not good. Maybe you know that sometimes the reason you dislike something is the reason some one else likes something, and that you can't actually be "correct" about whether or not the music is good.

Album Rating: 4.5

Nice quoting 'Earth Day'. Awesome line indeed, and I think what makes it even more awesome is the sarcasm, especially towards the end.



edit: music is obviously (obviously..haha) serious buisness

Chino writes bad lyrics

Album Rating: 4.5

@MichaelJordan: Cutman was quoting a line from a Devin Townsend song *

Album Rating: 2.5

yea that song is awesome

Album Rating: 4.5

one of the best