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The "retro" music debate

Jesus_Quintana [Edit] [Delete] 11 replies 04:03, 12 May '05
OK, so...

Jet = Shite

No one can dispute that fact.

But quite often, people will discredit something based purely on the fact that it is "retro" But what is retro? I listen to a fair bit of "Americana" which is essentially country, and quite retro. But I don't see people moaning about how retro Lucinda Williams or......The Old Crow Medicine Show are.

No one goes on about how "retro" I dunno.....Devendra Banhart is, but if I were to mention the White Stripes or Kings Of Leon, everyone would be going "retro bollocks"

Half the rubbish that's out these days is "retro" and yet there's barely even much of a backlash against it (well not the way there is for other types of 'retro' bands), all the magazines/media seem to be lapping it up. Franz Ferdiand, Kaiser Chiefs, Futureheads, Bloc Party, Razorlight, The Bravery (*is sick*) There's nothing new there, so why is it deemed ok by certain magazines which would instantly dismiss KOL as "beardy Creedence rip-offs" or something?

The way I see it is, if it's good, then it's good.

So I guess I answered my own question...

Good 'retro':
White Stripes
KoL
Black Keys

Bad 'retro':
Jet
The Black Velvets
Razorlight
The Killers
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  • Re: The "retro" music debate

    Every band on the planet since the beginning of time have had influences, eh? Unless the members learned to play piano/guitars/drums in a vacuum, but even then once the player deviated from 1,2,3,4 chords and scales and started playing someone else's song....

    "Retro" as I understand it has to do specifically if those influences are 70s fringe bands. I think the Dandy Warhols do it (did it?) well (on 13 Tales they do it very well indeed). For a time it seemed the Vines might do it well - turns out they can't. The Music's first record showed some promise. The tracks off their latest were horrible Led Zeppelin anthems without Page's guitar, without Plant's vocals. Where the White Stripes separate themselves from these guys is that Jack White is talented, if not an underrated lyricist as well. Instead of some bluesy Rolling Stones rip-off, WS are able to set a powder keg of musical twists in their tunes.

    There's a difference between being some lame AC/DC tribute band and taking those influences and elevating them to a new and exciting sound. Of course, it's an eye of the beholder thing. But you'd have to have a pencil sticking in yer eye if you thought Jet were any good.
    oceanRain | 12 May '05, 04:33 | X
    • Re: The "retro" music debate

      I gotta quite this novel shite.

      Me:
      Good retro.
      Dandy Warhols
      White Stripes
      Black Keys
      Secret Machines

      Bad retro.
      Jet
      Vines
      Music
      Louis XIV
      oceanRain @oceanRain | 12 May '05, 04:41 | X
  • Re: The "retro" music debate

    If it helps a label to shift its back catalogue of 'similar sounding artists from a bygone age' then retro is good for some. The White Stripes scare me with thier lack of imagination
    At the same time the way that boybands are given covers only depends if the song rights are owned by their label on the first place, then they dont have to pay anyone else if they already own the publishing - clever eh?
    prole-art-threat @PostModernPostMortem | 12 May '05, 12:20 | X
  • Re: The "retro" music debate

    Retro is basically excepting defeat, and making music that was popular before, lazy bastards, and retro is shit yes all of it
    zombie_crew_1985 @PostModernPostMortem | 12 May '05, 12:20 | X
    • Re: The "retro" music debate

      retro and emo arent comparable terms.
      something being retro stops it from being innovative, and, therefore, in my opinion, almost certainly worthless.
      alcxxk @Jack_the_Biscuit | 12 May '05, 14:57 | X
    • Re: The "retro" music debate

      Yeah, I agree with a number of the posts up here already, though I don't think it's anything to do with 'good' or 'bad'.

      'Retro' (IMO) refers to music that not only apes a particular age (60s, 70s, etc) but pretends that nothing has happened since. Hence Jet and The Datsuns sound old and tired while The White Stripes don't, because the latter understands that we've all learned a lot in terms of production, lyrical ideas and politics since the 60s and 70s.

      Well that's my take.
      iShotTheDeputy | 12 May '05, 14:18 | X
      • Re: The "retro" music debate

        Nothing is original. Jet though, ripping off Lust For Life...amongst Beetle and Stone rip offs...come to think of it Australia has a dissapointing music scene.
        marilyninthesky @iShotTheDeputy | 12 May '05, 16:03 | X
        • Re: The "retro" music debate

          Imake no sense. But I am a mess of a woman today. The evils of tequilla.
          marilyninthesky @marilyninthesky | 12 May '05, 16:04 | X
        • Re: The "retro" music debate

          If the record labels keep signing these bands then they're gonna keep coming unfortunately

          but then record labels in the main are 'what we need is a band that sounds like x and looks like y that we can sell to demographic z' instead of going out and finding bands that are doing THEIR OWN thing and going 'hmm, these guys are really good, I wonder if we could help them in some way...'

          Anschul @marilyninthesky | 12 May '05, 16:09 | X
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