Album Rating: 3.0

That depends. Did you think Buckethead was an industry plant when his song was in Guitar Hero 2?

obviously not, not sure where that comparison even comes from when Buckethead was around for a decade before then and had a cult following, and even after that still was a pretty niche artist.

im not saying they are industry plants, i dont really think those exist. but something about their sudden rise does feel a bit engineered or inorganic

Album Rating: 3.5

I think their costumes just means they go viral when you consider things like the internet and tik tok. It feels unnatural but doesn't mean it's not legitimate

Album Rating: 2.0

Everything I've heard from this was awful

Album Rating: 3.0

Mysterious masked weirdos playing weird music? I mean the times are different and Buckethead did sudoku over any kind of continued fame by having zero filter and releasing every single musical noodle that pops into his head.

Album Rating: 3.5

"something about their sudden rise does feel a bit engineered or inorganic"



eh i don't think so. youtube algorithm initially picked them up pretty hard iirc and then kinda spread like wildfire to all the reaction channels and content creators. certainly some shock value with the costumes but i also think this is a lot of people's first time hearing microtonal music and it being played with such groove and proficiency esp in an era of AI music def helps

That’s exactly how the algorithm would work if someone flooded videos with comments and likes. It isn’t random. If a vid suddenly gets a lot of views likes and engagement, it pushes it to more and more people, especially if that buzz happens within the first few hours of being posted. Look at the hubbub around Geese (who I like) and their marketing shadiness last year. I’m not saying that’s def what happened here with these guys, but I FEELS a bit like it.

Also a buddy of mine got us tickets to see them so maybe I’ll change my tune between now and then

They were a bit of a sensation in Quebec prior to the KEXP vid. I don’t think the industry plant argument holds water considering they planned a Quebec tour in November that is currently happening, where they are playing dive bars in small towns like Dunham, Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, Richmond or Baie-Comeau. I don’t expect any of you to know where these places are, most Quebecers don’t either. Their record sales are going through the roof, which has been a scalpers paradise because they only pressed small amounts of their albums, never expecting the current demand. Point is, they’re all the buzz rn and currently doing shows in front of 100 ppl a night (which would have been business as usual for anytime in the last 3-4 years), not headlining world-renowned festivals only months into their existence

Album Rating: 3.5

i don't know anything re: Geese but what i'm getting at is the factors that incited the engagement feel like they check out. anonymous dudes in wacky costumes playing groovy math rock using a double neck microtonal guitar while doing crazy shit on a pedalboard getting swooped up into the algorithm makes sense to me. i guess i'd buy it more if things were more ~boring~ but there's the right combo of ingredients here that would get an initial audience engaged enough to ignite a firestorm

Album Rating: 3.0

"youtube algorithm initially picked them up pretty hard iirc"



tell me you don't think this is an accident? there are numerous ways to massage and influence the grand algorithm. I still don't really find this remotely unique, like I said before there are a dozen bands from france right now that sound just like this, so other than the funny get ups I honestly don't get the blow up. definitely feel like this would translate best in a live setting and in like 15-20 minute doses.

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah i get very little out of this, the songs feel like they each encapsulate a good idea but never really go anywhere with it.

Album Rating: 3.5

no not an accident because engagement is what drives algorithms to spread content and i think aforementioned reasons incited said engagement. i don't rly put much stock in it lacking originality as an argument for foul play either. for the vast majority of people (i.e. people who don't post on isolated & decrepit 00s music communities like us) this is the first time they've heard anything like this so for them it is fresh and creative. not that originality precludes popularity anyway



i guess i'd wanna know more about what seems fishy. like are we suggesting they hired a firm to deploy chatgpt in the comments or have kids in 3rd world countries thumbs up the KEXP videos? to me it just feels like they have a combination of good marketing shticks that make their stuff ripe for engagement and it hit at the right time with a great live performance video. let's also not forget KEXP had millions of weekly views prior so their reach was already pretty good. if that's "engineered" so be it

https://www.wordsfromeliza.com/p/fake-fans?r=2h87hy&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true&_src_ref=reddit.com

lol this Gen Z nonsense.

Decided to listen to this to see if there’s anything to it.

It’s just adebisi shank but lame lol

Album Rating: 3.0

trilo you should look up the velvet sundown. nothing is organic anymore lol

Album Rating: 3.5

yup and all the more reason to not give a shit. bow to your algorithmic gods!

Album Rating: 4.7

My god this thread is miserable. “Oh it’s popular now? Well then I hate it, and there has to be some conspiratorial reason as to why other people like it.”



“like I said before there are a dozen bands from france right now that sound just like this”



Please name them so I can have 12 more bands like this to listen to.