Name the BEST 5 bands out there today

I'm not a gigantic fan but I like Muse. One of the few bright sparks in an otherwise appaling era of British music, IMO.

Not in any type of order...

Radiohead
The Shins
The Raconteurs
Dave Matthews Band
... fifth is wide open, not too sure who to go with. Music, in general, is in a state of emergency at the moment.

harmless_little_f*** wrote:

What if I think Muse is musically stunted shite?

Well then I would think you were being purposefully antagonistic! Either that, or we have completely different understandings of the term 'musically stunted'. Muse have evolved a lot since their debut, they have complex arrangements, unusual time signatures and display a high level of musical ability. If that is your definition of 'musically stunted' then so bit it. I think the fact they released Knights of Cydonia, a six minute plus song as the first single in America, shows that they are far from playing it safe - again not the act of a 'stunted' band. I also think the inspiration for the song is probably closer to Zeppelin's Achilles Last Stand, or any number of Iron maiden songs.

I don't want to start any major arguments here, but I do get tired of this predictable cyclical arguing. And it inevitably ends in someone saying "well this is my opinion and that is yours" - like they are making some sort of revelation. To me, that is as plainly obvious as the sky is blue. Of course we have our own opinions, and of course we should respect each other.

Where I have a real problem is when people make antagonistic comments about people's tastes, and when questioned about it you get the same boring and predictable responses. I know we're all guilty of it from time to time, but quite honestly the fact that we all spend so much time on these boards, surely ought to indicate that we have an interest in actually discussing music in some depth? Otherwise why do we post comments? I made a reasonable statement about a highly popular band who have pretty much conquered every country they've been to, and was mostly basing my views on the huge Wembley shows on the dvd/cd - clearly a lot of people have respect for the band and enjoy their music.

The assertion that all of their songs or a lot of their songs sound the same to me does not make sense. Particularly if the opening piano part of New Born was suggested as something that they have repeated. I can't think of a single song where they reuse that, or even something similar.

1. Pearl Jam
2. Deftones
3. A Perect Circle
4. Soulfly
5. Tool

facepollution wrote:

Well then I would think you were being purposefully antagonistic! Either that, or we have completely different understandings of the term 'musically stunted'.

Why would you assume that he is being antagonistic? Some people around here seem incapable of other people not feeling the same about their favourite bands. I can't imagine why it should bother me if you didn't like one of mine. This is what I was talking about before. I really resent the notion that I just don't "get" Muse. That's bullshit. Some people just don't like them. It's arrogance to assume that you are somehow better equipped to understand what a band is trying to do than someone else. Maybe you just like different things in music.

Maybe I'm being presumptious but I shouldn't imagine a fan of Muse and Alter Bridge would be a big fan of a band like, let's say Godspeed You! Black Emperor, if he heard them, and that's fine. I don't think that they're my favourite band because I "get" them and somehow you don't because you don't understand their music. You just might not like that kind of thing. I'm all for musical eclecticism and you might love such a band but I can't see a person cracking out Open Your Eyes and then some 20 minute, canadian symphonic post-rock songs with glockenspiels and contrabass. And if you didn't, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to defend their music valiantly and assert my opinion that they are somehow above criticism and should be viewed as a band that is unquestionably brilliant and any naysayers just don't have the required musical understanding to appreciate them. I'd just accept that some people like different kinds of music and that, far from accepting that the bands I don't like are actually brilliant and just not for me, I am perfectly entitled to say that I find their music bad. As far as my appreciation of it goes. After all, Images & Words by Dream Theater is unquestionably musically proficient, has many fans that think of it as a masterpiece and is still, without a doubt, in the top 3 worst albums I have ever heard in my life.

Jeremy1012 wrote:

Why would you assume that he is being antagonistic? Some people around here seem incapable of other people not feeling the same about their favourite bands. I can't imagine why it should bother me if you didn't like one of mine. This is what I was talking about before. I really resent the notion that I just don't "get" Muse. That's bullshit. Some people just don't like them. It's arrogance to assume that you are somehow better equipped to understand what a band is trying to do than someone else. Maybe you just like different things in music.

Maybe I'm being presumptious but I shouldn't imagine a fan of Muse and Alter Bridge would be a big fan of a band like, let's say Godspeed You! Black Emperor, if he heard them, and that's fine. I don't think that they're my favourite band because I "get" them and somehow you don't because you don't understand their music. You just might not like that kind of thing. I'm all for musical eclecticism and you might love such a band but I can't see a person cracking out Open Your Eyes and then some 20 minute, canadian symphonic post-rock songs with glockenspiels and contrabass. And if you didn't, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to defend their music valiantly and assert my opinion that they are somehow above criticism and should be viewed as a band that is unquestionably brilliant and any naysayers just don't have the required musical understanding to appreciate them. I'd just accept that some people like different kinds of music and that, far from accepting that the bands I don't like are actually brilliant and just not for me, I am perfectly entitled to say that I find their music bad. As far as my appreciation of it goes. After all, Images & Words by Dream Theater is unquestionably musically proficient, has many fans that think of it as a masterpiece and is still, without a doubt, in the top 3 worst albums I have ever heard in my life.

I think Facepollution's point was that Muse are, whether people like the songs or not, pretty great musicians, and not "musically stunted".

Jeremy1012 wrote:

Why would you assume that he is being antagonistic? Some people around here seem incapable of other people not feeling the same about their favourite bands. I can't imagine why it should bother me if you didn't like one of mine. This is what I was talking about before. I really resent the notion that I just don't "get" Muse. That's bullshit. Some people just don't like them. It's arrogance to assume that you are somehow better equipped to understand what a band is trying to do than someone else. Maybe you just like different things in music.

Dude that's why I asked, do you think it's 'possible' that people can not sometimes 'get' music? I also followed it up by saying that I think sometimes I don't always get stuff - certain bands can take time to grow on you, and can hit you when you least expect it. Often I will find that I finally appreciate certain types of music because they match a particular mood or feeling that I haven't felt before. I wasn't saying that one person is better equipped than the other at all. Muse are definitely a band like that for me. I went for so long during the 90's only listening to music that was emotionally engaging that I would never have given a band like Muse a chance back then. But as I got older I eased out of all the heavy depression that bound me to bands like AIC and Pearl Jam, and realised not all music has to be like that.

Not liking something and respecting something are two different things in my book. I respect the music the Beatles made, but I can not stand to listen to them. I also respect the fact they were probably an amazing live band for their time.

Jeremy1012 wrote:

Maybe I'm being presumptious but I shouldn't imagine a fan of Muse and Alter Bridge would be a big fan of a band like, let's say Godspeed You! Black Emperor, if he heard them, and that's fine. I don't think that they're my favourite band because I "get" them and somehow you don't because you don't understand their music. You just might not like that kind of thing. I'm all for musical eclecticism and you might love such a band but I can't see a person cracking out Open Your Eyes and then some 20 minute, canadian symphonic post-rock songs with glockenspiels and contrabass. And if you didn't, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to defend their music valiantly and assert my opinion that they are somehow above criticism and should be viewed as a band that is unquestionably brilliant and any naysayers just don't have the required musical understanding to appreciate them. I'd just accept that some people like different kinds of music and that, far from accepting that the bands I don't like are actually brilliant and just not for me, I am perfectly entitled to say that I find their music bad. As far as my appreciation of it goes. After all, Images & Words by Dream Theater is unquestionably musically proficient, has many fans that think of it as a masterpiece and is still, without a doubt, in the top 3 worst albums I have ever heard in my life.

Actually I do know Godspeed You Black Emperor! One of my mates is a big fan so he loaned me some of their stuff. And I know you said you don't want to be presumtuous, but I can't help feeling that the same accusation of arrogance, should perhaps be directed back at yourself. Would you have been better able to predict that if you knew me as just a Pearl Jam and Fall Out Boy fan ?

Like I said, I find the whole need to point out that everyone is entitled to their own opinion to be a completely redundant point - I know that, I think most right thinking people know that. It's a cop out to me. You make a provocative comment, that a lot of their songs sound the same, but then cry 'don't tell me I'm not entitled to my own opinions'. All I did was to ask for some reasonable examples of where they sound the same. Of course your retort will likely be, I don't care enough to bother coming up with any - but then what's the point in making any disparaging comment in the first place? It's kind of like the 'right to bear arms', sure you have the right, but what is the purpose?

facepollution wrote:

Actually I do know Godspeed You Black Emperor! One of my mates is a big fan so he loaned me some of their stuff. And I know you said you don't want to be presumtuous, but I can't help feeling that the same accusation of arrogance, should perhaps be directed back at yourself. Would you have been better able to predict that if you knew me as just a Pearl Jam and Fall Out Boy fan ?

I don't think you understood my point. My point was, if you had heard GY!BE and hated them, I wouldn't say to myself "he likes Muse and Alter Bridge, he doesn't know shit about music", I'd say "perhaps not all music is for everyone" and I wouldn't feel superior BECAUSE if you told me GY!BE were shit then I'd smile and tell you I felt the same about Muse. It wouldn't change my feelings on either band and it wouldn't change yours either. I think it's perfectly possible for a person to like a lot of great music, totally get what GY!BE are about and still hate them. I know plenty of people that do. It doesn't bother me. I know they like good music, the accept that GY!BE can play their instruments. They still think the music sucks. I think Muse's music sucks. It's NOT that I don't "get" it. I have heard all of their albums, several times. I just hate their sound.