maybe this band is just really popular amongst ceos and business analysts?

their blorbo band

Album Rating: 3.0

A sports commercial for instrumental math rock?



So suspicious

sports commercial break bumper music are often pretty eclectic. callaous daoboys had one on mlb network last year that i caught and actually got back to the band lol.

i think they have a lot of leeway in what they use because it's a really short snippet. i remember sunday night football playing understanding in a car crash by thursday once.

Shout out to TSN for using Blindfolds Aside by Protest the Hero for some hockey commercial or something back in the day. Shit went hard. Sportsnet maybe.

Album Rating: 5.0

"Idk man, I think people just write these guys off before giving them a fair chance. But then I feel like a lot of people listen to an album once, slap a rating on it, and call it a day. Disliking this (or anything) is totally valid. I'm not trying to be elitist here; it's just that most of the criticisms I see make me think the people making them haven't really engaged with the material. Not liking the looping samples is totally valid. Just not being a fan of this genre is also fine. It's when I hear that they "sound like every other math rock band" that I start thinking, "probably didn't actually listen." Or when people say that nothing happens, tracks aren't distinct, etc... Also just not accurate. That's the take I formed after quickly skimming each track for the first time. I was already fatigued at the end of the day, and I kind of skipped around the tracks to get a general feel for it, and I thought it sounded a little nondescript at first, everything kind of blending in together.



As for your take, Ars: I think you’re overestimating how rare that kind of visibility is now. Stuff gets picked up quickly if it hits the right pockets online, especially something rhythm-forward like this. Easily digestible, unique aesthetic. They were "unheard of" to me too. There’s a ton of stuff that’s effectively invisible until it suddenly isn’t. Nothing about this rings suspicious to me. Those kinds of criticisms sound like, "I don't really dig these guys; therefore, their sudden rise in popularity is suspicious." Had iamamiwhoami received as much praise and visibility in a short time span, would you have thought to yourself, "something's not right here"?"



My thoughts exactly. The main reason it exploded so much is the KEXP performance, which was incredible. Sherpa in particular is a monster track, to me it's as strong and groundbreaking as Slint's Good Morning, Captain.

we sherpin'

Album Rating: 3.0

Clown core did this better

"I’m here with you Ars. I’m not sure if they are plants but I certainly wouldn’t be surprised, the blow up is sus. Big President vibe"

I remember when we used to just call this marketing but "industry plant" does have a much funner ring to it in this age of everything-is-a-conspiracy yeah

Album Rating: 3.0

Might be ars’ single greatest contribution to the site couldn’t agree more

Album Rating: 3.0

@Artax36: I don't know, even if Ulcerate (in my eyes the best band of the past decade) would get this rise in popularity, I would think it would be weird. Even though they would deserve it a million times... So feeling that this hype is odd, doesn't necessarily just have to be because Ars doesn't think they're phenomenal.



Still not sure if I buy the 'big industry is pushing them'-theory. I think there are quite some examples of all kind of stuff going viral without being pushed. This time it happened to be music...

Album Rating: 5.0

@Donchivo



I agree it's not only the music, even though the music itself for me is amazing; it's also clearly the visuals, the concept, the humor, the playfulness which contrasts with the serious musicianship. I'll check out Ulcerate.

Album Rating: 4.0

Album rules.

Album Rating: 5.0

@Donchivo



Ulcerate is great

Did not expect the Hawks dig

Album Rating: 3.0

Two very good if not exceptional tracks on the back half. Rest is pretty forgettable. I didn’t find the experience as a whole unenjoyable but was looking forward to some actual weirdness or something more unique. I assume they are a much more compelling live act than a proper studio band. 3.3/5

Album Rating: 3.0

@Artax: Glad you dig them! Which album did you check?



@Uncle - yeah that's my feelings about this too...

Album Rating: 3.0

I do love the theatrics and the costumes a lot it seems like a lot of fun and I’d totally catch a show.

Album Rating: 5.0

@Donchivo: I shuffled all their stuff for 1-2 hours and there wasn't any skipping.

Album Rating: 2.0

"The fact Google has a special visualization for them despite them being nearly unheard of until 2 months ago is suspicious. Normally to get one of those, you have to be MEGA FAMOUS or a historical figure (am I wrong about this?)"



^^^