I don't see the point of your comment. The only thing I see it accomplishing is the creation of hierarchies and ingroup/outgroup relationships. It's not even in the form of an aesthetic criticism. You're not saying anything that's making me understand your lack of enjoyment.
I dunno, what I heard of the interaction between drums, guitar and bass in McClusky reminded me of some old Gang of Four songs. I love Gang of Four, just not sure I need to hear anyone else doing it. I can play Mutant Pop or Entertainment! anytime I want. Mclusky may not remind anyone else of Gang of Four, it could just be me, so who knows?
Aesthetic criticism? Of Mclusky? Why don't you go first? Where would you begin? Is there anything notable about them, aesthetically, that I'm missing? Did others in this thread post about aesthetics? It all sounded like, "awesome!" "awesome!" "I saw them!" to me.
I mean, empty sockets wrote:
I dunno, guys... not every rock band needs to be a garage band. I'm really happy with the sound on Travels... maybe there's a ton of overdubbing (I can't really tell), but at least you can hear each part distinctly, and nearly everything that's being played is smart and interesting.
There's a ton of deliberately lo fi bands out that clearly chose to go that way because better production would reveal a lack of ideas. I'm glad I can hear the vocals on this --because they're fucking awesome-- and I'm glad I can make out the lyrics without a lyric sheet.
In terms of what you can do in a recording, what I heard of FOTL sounds like a straight forward representation of a rock band, which is an aesthetic, I guess, but rather unremarkable, maybe even unambitious, but certainly very "professional" sounding. There isn't really a lot to talk about there, is there?
Also all I can comment on is their recordings, I haven't seen them live, but even live I'd be hearing them alongside room acoustics/PA artifacts, etc.
Emptysockets uses words like "smart" and "interesting", is this what passes for aesthetic criticism? He holds this type of recording above those of garage or distorted bands, maybe since it suggests a transparent quality, reflecting a faithful recording of a live band (whatever that is).
Personally, I find the element of distortion found on, say, Blank Dogs, Times New Vikings recordings quite striking. Distortion, tape hiss, mic\room colorisation etc., which make you aware that it's a recording, give personality, in my opinion, mud (Phil Spector?).
There's no need to suspect there's an attempt to hide a lack of ideas on non-linear recordings, just the opposite, something new is created, removed from the original sounds. I find it pretty amazing when distortions enhance an artist's songs to the point where you don't even care about the band as much as just the way the record sounds. Hearing the sum of parts, and not just "each part distinctly" is what can make it special.
Emptysockets makes a lot of generalizations, referring to a "ton of lo-fi bands". Which bands? Do you want to get into a discussion about that?
At the end of the day, it's all what you like. Nothing's better than anything else.
