The Smiley Smile Message Board

Right, in the original version of this thread started by Retrokid67, things went really well until it jumped the shark at around page 12. From that point on the thread was doomed. Admittedly this is both my fault and Retrokid's, and we recently made an effort to revive the thread, but it looks like it's dead.
But we don't want to get sidetracked with this as well, so please make an effort not to start discussions about what happened in the last thread.
And Negativity will not be tolerated in this thread either, there's been a whole lot of that going around in this forum recently, so try and treat people how you would like to be treated.

And with all that said, let's get started  :)

I don't really care for a very large percentage of recent music that I've heard. As Retrokid said, much of it is "unoriginal and crappy". Though I don't mind Happy by Pharrell Williams, that was surprisingly good even if the lyrics weren't the best and it's been overplayed a bit. What do you guys think?

Why do you keep changing your name? I didn't even realize who you were until this post. It is very confusing.

 ???

lol I enjoy it. In that sense I'm sorta like Billy  :)

yeah but Billy has things that make him easily identifiable; such as his mod status. What is this? Your 5th name change? 6th?  :lol

does anyone listen to the group A Great Big World? I heard the song they did with Christina Aguilera which I thought was really good.

It gives people a challenge to find out who I am.

Now let's get back on topic, I don't want this to end up like the ill-fated last thread


Not yet, but I might check it out  :-D

Okay, I gave Say Something by A Great Big World a listen and I was quite impressed. It's a really good song, I highly recommend it.
Looks like you have to dig through a lot of crap to find gems like Say Something!

yea I saw them perform it on the Grammy's. I completely skipped this year's Grammy's but this past one's the one I shouldn't have skipped I guess (Beatle's tribute)  :(

I think its the 8th now. Maybe we should make LSM a mod, so he can change his name and we'll still know it's him  :)

:lol  You're good/

Why do we need another thread where people complain about how contemporary mainstream music is not worth listening to when there's already one terrible thread fifteen pages long that accomplishes the same uninteresting goal?

Well, you see, they locked that thread in an effort to shut it down.

They then subsequently created the same exact thread, rendering the previous locking of said thread entirely pointless.

it wasn't meant for that.  obviously music has changed since the Beach Boys' time and I know there are a lot of people out there who dislike it and a lot of people that don't.  it was meant for discussion not arguments  :-\.  and for someone who wasn't interested you were sure on there a lot...

Exactly. And this time we weren't really complaining much, we were praising one song and saying good things about another.

And will you guys stop derailing the thread? If that's all you're going to do and you're not going to contribute to this thread, then leave. Simple!

Better lock this thread.

obviously some people have nothing better to do...

Gotta say...I agree. I cannot understand why people reply in topics when they have an issue with the person posting it. The negativity on the board has gotten to a point where I honestly wonder why I even bother coming here anymore.

thanks Billy.  we've had peace up until this moment...it's really sad what's been going on here

As it's partly my fault for derailing this thread, I'll get it back on track. Please take this as my apology.
Here are some of my favorites from these past years:

"John Wayne Gacy, Jr." by Sufjan Stevens
I find the song to be quite beautiful, but others find it quite creepy. I suppose that's a valid point, as it's a song about a horrendous murderer.. but whatcha gonna do.
Anyway, I love the shifts in the song. The song builds to these frantic peaks and then drops back down into quiet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otx49Ko3fxw

"Get Lost" by Tom Waits
A highly catchy number with a 50's rockabilly vibe going on. Plus Tom Waits voice, which is always great. A nice, throwback-ish guitar solo from his great guitarist Mark Ribot. Keith Richards even makes a few appearances on the album this song hails from, which isn't too surprising as they've been friends since the 80's and Tom was even a special guest for one of the Rolling Stones recent shows in Oakland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_oxz4T9Sgs

"Kinski Assassin" by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
A good song from one of music's biggest weirdos. The song starts off with a really cool organ riff and then lands in Ariel's odd singing. This odd singing is also matched with his completely unexplainable lyrics about jacuzzis, Battleship, and even throwing in a "talk to your moms" for good measure. It was hard to pick only one song, so, if you enjoy this, search out his other stuff. Namely "Symphony of the Nymph" which has what may be my favorite lyric of all time ("I don't mean to burn any bridges, but I can't get enough of these bitches"), "Schnitzel Boogie," which is the "Hey Jude" of schnitzel, and "Baby," which is a startlingly good soul song (not sung by Ariel).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCd0Wzrxeyc

"Life's a Beach" by Django Django
A song with a great riff, nice harmonies, cool bass line, great sounding instruments, and it's all matched with lyrics that are great fun to sing along with. Also, has a really interesting middle eight that sorta comes outta nowhere with some cool organ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ji6YlKFJ8k

"Music to Walk Home By" by Tame Impala
A very accurate title. On an album filled with great songs, this one seems to get over looked to me. I've always thought it was really great. Their music is sort of hard to describe, but they really harken back to the days of 1967 with their music. If that's your kinda thing (and you don't already know about them because you probably do), then they are a good band to check out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Kb8wF_EFU

"The Equestrian Vortex" by Broadcast
This comes from the soundtrack to a really interesting movie called Berberian Sound Studios that, if you like strange movies, you should check out. The soundtrack is filled with some really original music and is also quite eerie. This one's probably my favorite (as it's the closest to a real song they get). I love the organ jamming and the way the drums swing back and forth from the left to the right channel (headphones probably needed). Really cool, unique stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7zIfUwwoQ0

"Young Hearts" by Maston
Alright, this is a newcomer that I genuinely like, but perhaps that's because he loves Harry Nilsson, Van Dyke Parks, and Brian Wilson (and it shows). He makes some really finely-tuned pop songs that have really great arrangements and singing. He also plays all the instruments on his album (except the harp), of which he is self-taught, and it all works together so well. Not to mention his fucking cool mustache.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM0_DkbiDjU



Oh, yeah, here's another one: "Ballad of Little Jane" by Jacco Gardner
Everyone drools over this guy as the next Zombies or whatever and that's a load of crap. His album is practically the same song over and over again - and it's not a Ramones situation where it's at least a good song. It's boring. Nevertheless, there is this one good song hidden at the end of his album that is quite different from his other stuff in its tone. The chorus is also really good on this song, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo_xPnHmkog

Agreed. I'm noticing this forum's in a bit of a decline at the moment. Several long-term members have left due to the decline, and many others are getting fed up with it, especially myself. And even Billy!
The root of the decline? The sheer negativity around this forum and the lack of interesting events in the Beach Boys world at the moment. It's a shame, really.

Anyway Retrokid, is there any other newer songs that you are enjoying at the moment? I was quite impressed by your last suggestion, perhaps there's more?

And thanks Bubbly for getting back on track  :)

thanks Bubbly  :) and I'm sorry too.  I honestly have learned a lot from the responses and all of these songs are new to me

Justin Beiber, you ain't got nothin' on this! (http://youtu.be/DNPjeIamsck)

Nice list Bubbly but not sure you could consider any/much of that mainstream?

I like 90s songs too

Valid point  :P

But it should be mainstream!

maston is a pastiche artist. not a fan. would rather stick to the classics than listen to a mimic

that's the only problem with the overabundance of music... there are so many gimmick artists around because everyone feels the need to occupy a niche rather than do something wholly original or serious. i just can't take someone seriously who admits to trying to replicate the beach boys.

I pretty much disagree with all of this.

To say that, just because someone makes a similar sound, that they are a mimic is an incredible oversimplification. So what if someone sounds like someone else? It's called a "genre" - big deal. Just because a genre is from an older time means no one should be able to touch it anymore? It's just supposed to languish in time? That's ridiculous. If someone likes that music, then by no means should they being ridiculed for doing something they love - especially if it's good.

Music doesn't always need to be moving forward - sometimes it can stretch out in its own space. New music doesn't just spring out of nowhere, it grows from somewhere else. Even a true original like Captain Beefheart had made music that was rooted in the blues, but bent and twisted it. The Velvet Underground incorporated the avant-garde music that John Cale had been making as part of La Monte Young's group and slapped it onto Lou's songs.

Without looking back, we don't have a forward. With your logic, we should abandon folk music (that's like, so over), rock & roll (should have stayed in the fifties), psychedelia (it's for the baby boomers), rock (it had it's time like 40 years ago), blues music (Muddy Waters is dead, guys), pop music (lol pop music), jazz (this isn't the twenties anymore), and any other genre that an old person had their fingers on. Pack up your stuff everyone, Gabo says it's over.

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Bubbly, never have I agreed with you more than I do now! Bravo!

I'm just going to leave this here for everyone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avMo9ssoQL0&hd=1) to enjoy.

I think we should all turn this thread into a "Modern Music that's great" thread instead of a complaining about modern music thread. 

... RIGHT after I complain a little bit.  I posted this video in the other thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ1gpwJbNpI

That's 1964, Lesley Gore performing "Maybe I know" live.  There's a simple band, a great rock & roll drummer, and a 17 year old girl singing competently.  I wish the f*** they still made music like this, it's 1.5 minutes of pure bliss.  They ought to lock up anybody who wants to be a female pop singer in a room and make her watch this video 100 times before she starts.   Her day.

Lesley's about 67 now.  She still sings great.  She ought to sign up for American Idol next year and show everybody how to put it down...

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Hey at least she went out in a good mood...  better than lying in a hospital bed!

Just yesterday I watched the whole T.A.M.I show on YouTube and was impressed, not having heard any of her stuff before.

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You may be right about this one, mate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjwvrYEJKTs

the other day I stumbled across this

I don't get to listen to much mainstream pop. The only mainstream music I hear anymore is country. Most of it makes me want to vomit.  It's so formulaic.  A lot of it sounds the same. I don't see why people like it. I really hope it's ignorance on their part.

I know a lot of people who feel that way about rap too  :-\

It could just as easily be ignorance on your part. The "sounds the same" argument, as is the case with its visual equivalent, seems most common among people not especially familiar. The more into something one is, the more obvious the differences become.

I hope you understand I'm not attacking you, just using your post to make a point. And of course there are examples of truly uncreative works that do sound the same. Mostly I must saying it's a big world with a lot of great stuff to like, yet it's no big deal where we differ on it.

this is from 2012:
http://danfromsquirrelhill.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/scientific-study-proves-that-todays-pop-music-really-does-suck/

The "loudness war" is a long-established and bemoaned factor. As for the blandness, I'd want more detail as to the methodology, specifically as to song selection. If it's pop-chart hits, I'm not surprised, because entities chasing commercial success work on proven models. By definition, that's limiting.

Today's mainstream music does indeed suck. None of the greatest songs written today even make the charts. It's all very same-y.  What modern pop audiences want to hear are very obvious hooks and dubstep arrangements. It's as banal as you can get.

I completely agree.  the fact that you have to "search" for a good song most of the time now is ridiculous when 10 years ago and before you didn't have to

Now that is hilarious. What was so much better or different 10 years ago? The Billboard pop chart's highest rated singles were:

"Yeah!" Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris
"Burn" Usher
"If I Ain't Got You" Alicia Keys
"This Love" Maroon 5
"The Way You Move" Outkast feat. Sleepy Brown
"The Reason" Hoobastank
"Hey Ya" Outkast
"Goodies" Ciara
"Lean Back" Terror Squad
"Tipsy" J-Kwom
"Confessions Part II" Usher
"Slow Motion" Juveline feat. Soulja Slim
"Freek a Leek" Petey Paulo
"Here Without You" 3 Doors Down

That is a comedically awful list. I count one really strong song--Hey Ya--and a few talented artists (Usher and Alicia Keys). But there is nothing different from today: Outkast would top the charts if they released anything, and the other two still do when they release anything. So unless you miss the grand ol' days of Hoobastank...

Stuff like Maroon 5 makes my ears bleed. How do you assess modern mainstream music, captain?

I love simple pop music, and electronics, but I just don't like the mainstream approach. It is marketed toward the same group of people who enjoy Michael Bay films... loud, dramatic, all flash..
 

No matter how open-minded and open-eared I work to be, I can't help but agree.


Honestly? I don't. Or at least I try not to, not any more than I want to hear about what "the 60s" or "the 80s" sound like. (The former wasn't all Beatles; the latter wasn't all Madonna.) To me, that generalization makes no sense: music is always almost inconceivably diverse--great, terrible, and everywhere in between, spanning styles, besides. Increasingly over the years I try to hear everything individually, and as much in good faith and as it was intended as possible. I'd rather find something I like in everything than not find anything I like in anything. Inclusive, not exclusive. It doesn't mean I want to listen to everything out there, or that I'll praise whatever comes around, but it does help me find things that are of some value (whether to me or to someone else). And if it's not for me? Meh, has nothing to do with it--it has only to do with me. It's not worse for it, you know what I mean?

That's my philosophy on it these days. And I'm happier that way than I was, say, 10-15 years ago as a total elitist asshole.

I'd say that I am more than familiar with it. I hear it all the time. It's not like I hear it once every now and then. I hear it 40+ hours a week. I am not ignorant about this at all.

ok ok 13 years and before then.  and what about "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson?  that came out 10 years ago, you wouldn't consider that a good song?

As I said, I was primarily using your point to make a more general point; I don't know you or what you know.

13 years ago, 2001.

1. Lifehouse, Hanging By a Moment
2. Alicia Keys, Fallin
3. Janet, All For You
4. Train, Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)
5. Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule, I'm Real
6. Matchbox Twenty, If You're Gone
7. Eve feat. Gwen Stefani, Let Me Blow Ya Mind
8. Dido, Thank You
9. Lenny Kravitz, Again
10. Destiny's Child, Independent Woman, Part I
11. Blue Cantrell, Hit Em Up Style (oops!)
12. Shaggy feat. Ricardo Ducent, It Wasn't Me
13. Joe feat. Mystikal, Stutter
14. Staind, It's Been Awhile
15. Usher, U Remind Me

The scene wasn't particularly grand 13 years ago, either... In fact, that seems like a worse batch than the '04 collection.

As for naming particular songs, that's a weak way out, because you can find a single great pop song any year. It doesn't matter whether one particular one can be found, that doesn't mean that things were better "way back then" when it was out.

well I'm lookin at that list and I see three songs on there that I actually like so I guess it comes down to personal taste  :lol

That's music for you!!  :lol :lol

Obviously it always comes down to personal taste, but if you like three of 15 songs versus maybe one or two (for example, the 04 list had Hey Ya, which I thought was a great, great single, as well as another decent tune or two), is that really so different? That's the only point I was making: the general landscape of the pop charts isn't much different now than 10 (or 13) years ago.

Shouldn't it tell you something that, in order to get away from the fact that top 40 radio stations play the same handful of songs in a set rotation throughout the day, there had to be a shift towards extraterrestrial radio before variety in music programming could occur? I think I'd be more salty at the corporations who own most radio stations and who hedge their bets rather than take risks; maybe labels for similar reasons too. There will never be a short supply of music, both good and bad. I'd rather be positive about music and (like the captain said) place more emphasis on things I like about a song than too much on what I don't.

I actually like Hey Ya too  :-D