The "New" Old Sound

I am a huge fan of music from many eras and genres. Listening to music is a huge part of my life and is something I partake in everyday. I am also a student of music and have studied the violin and music theory and what-not to better enhance my understanding of the thing I love so much.

However, despite my classical training I am still at my core a rock music fan. For years I waited for a rock revival after the “Seattle Sound” died off and I only kept recieving mediocre bands such as Nickleback, Creed, Puddle of Mudd and various other unoriginal angst-filled bands. Then about a year ago I started hearing all these names of rock bands from my friends that I had never heard before, like The White Stripes, The Strokes and The Hives. After months of hearing those bands described as “just good rock music” I decided to give them a try, and I checked out name after name of this new wave of rock groups.

Is anyone else on to how piss poor this “new” sound is? Even The White Stripes, which seem to be the most widely acclaimed new band, aren’t very good. I’d go as far to say that they are a Doors like fluke, just dancing around under a trendy guise looking really pretty but still talentless.

Is this the “New” rock! And if it is, “Why?” If you want to here that type of music go buy a Ramones record or The Velvet Underground. I’m so sick of a lack of inventiveness in music. What happenned to the Radiohead’s and the Smashing Pumpkin’s and the Beck’s of music. Those bands have faded and who has risen in their place, the quirky and trendy teenager who fell in love with the Sex Pistols album they found in there parents attic.

I am of the general opinion that giant steps backwards, in all facits of life, are a generally bad idea.

Why are you waiting for MTV and Clear Channel to deliver good music to you? There are plenty of indie bands out there who put out terrific music but will never get any recognition.

What sort of music are you looking for exactly?

I dig for music all of the time. I just recently discovered Grandaddy and Pavement who I think are excellent bands. I have other venues of descovering it’s just that the dominance of such terrible stuff is absurd. Where is the little guy going to get exposure. Even some world wide giants can’t squeeze their music in on the U.S charts. Radiohead just put out the album of the year and no one is playing any of it. It’s sad and frustrating.

I am really into a band called Criteria. The main guy was formerly the lead of a band called The White Octave. I think both bands are great guitar driven rock. The vocals can leave a bit to be desired at times, but I think its solid stuff. You can download an mp3 from Criteria’s record label at:

http://www.initialrecords.com/