Anyone familiar with an Australian group called Papa vs Pretty?

[Kieran McConville]

Their singer... is this 2011's idea of what constitutes a great rock vocalist? I find this band almost literally unlistenable. Fussy vocals, fussy lyrics, fussy wank-off guitar work. Just really terrible stuff.

It's the singing that really grinds my spinal cord into glass, though. That fucking over-emoted, over-enunciated, gymnastic but essentially tuneless honking...

it's just the worst music in the world, ever.

 

[LemonMelon]

Sounds good

Listening now

 

[LemonMelon]

Australia is a fucking hell hole

 

[Axver]

I saw them live a couple of times as a support act in 2010. First time they played a really energetic set to a receptive crowd so that glossed over their shortcomings. It was quite fun. The second time, the vibe just wasn't there. The mixing was crap (despite it being the same venue) and the guitar was way too quiet ... which doesn't help when they get most of their live energy from the guitarist. The vocalist's shortcomings were a bit more obvious this time around!

And then I heard the Heavy Harm EP. Man, that just fails to spark entirely and their slow songs aren't very good. I haven't heard last year's album ... its cover somehow manages to suck even more than their band name.

 

[LemonMelon]

I heard two songs: Heavy Harm, which had awful vocals but I actually enjoyed the "fussy" guitar work and the tune was OK, then I heard Wrecking Ball, which was just unspeakably horrible.

Something like 5 people have given them any ratings at all on rateyourmusic, so I'm surprised Ax knows who they are.

 

[Axver]

Something like 5 people have given them any ratings at all on rateyourmusic, so I'm surprised Ax knows who they are.

... why?

 

[LemonMelon]

How did you hear of them then, a sadomasochistic friend?

 

[cobl04]

You do have to remember Kieran is passionately anti-Australian music

 

[Axver]

How did you hear of them then, a sadomasochistic friend?

Didn't you read my post? Walked into a gig and they were the support act. That's how I keep abreast of most of the Aussie music scene, just following the gig listings.

Plus, it's harder to find an Aussie or Kiwi band that has a decent amount of RYM ratings than it is to find one with only five or ten (or isn't even on there).

 

[Kieran McConville]

You do have to remember Kieran is passionately anti-Australian music

True enough, probably.

heh.

Oh, there's a few gems scattered here and there, I guess... but it's the lack of creative ambition that gets me. We - perhaps unsurprisingly - really don't punch above our weight.

 

[Kieran McConville]

You just know that the guys from Papa Vs Pretty have spent some serious time with their Muse collection.

 

[Axver]

Oh, there's a few gems scattered here and there, I guess... but it's the lack of creative ambition that gets me. We - perhaps unsurprisingly - really don't punch above our weight.

I don't know; the live music scene in Melbourne is keeping me very satisfied at the moment. Thing's thriving.

 

[LemonMelon]

Didn't you read my post?

Yeah, I did, but I didn't get the impression that you were necessarily unaware of them prior to the gig. I suppose I too have discovered a bunch of bands through support slots that I had never even heard of prior (like, uh, The National just before the release of Boxer), but I don't go to nearly as many gigs as you do.

 

[cobl04]

it's the lack of creative ambition that gets me. We - perhaps unsurprisingly - really don't punch above our weight.

I think this is true. At least for most of the Australian bands that are popular, or I've heard of. There's numerous exceptions to the rule.

 

[Axver]

Let's not have too much cultural cringe now!

 

[Kieran McConville]

There are exceptions, obviously. But they are far from popular.

I guess I miss the days when the ambitious types were to some extent also popular. Where's today's Midnight Oil? I'm not saying they were the greatest thing ever, but they did have their moments. And sold a lot of records. So where's today's?

 

[Axver]

What's the point of even looking for "today's [past thing]"? Why can't we just have today's thing of its own? I'd rather that.

 

[LemonMelon]

In 2042, we'll all be looking for the new Quiet Minority.

The old one will have alienated themselves from the US after their massive hit cover of Matchbox Twenty's 3 AM through their socialist politics and general old bastardness.

 

[Axver]

Suits me.

 

[LemonMelon]

Yeah, your last concert in the US will involve you standing on the stage of Madison Square Garden flipping off the crowd in various ways. The encore closes with a middle finger semaphore version of 3 AM.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

In 2042, we'll all be looking for the new Quiet Minority.

The old one will have alienated themselves from the US after their massive hit cover of Matchbox Twenty's 3 AM through their socialist politics and general old bastardness.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Cloud Control's 'There's Nothing In The Water We Can't Fight' is the best Australian song of the last two years. The live version of it is simply stunning.

Oddly enough, I don't really care about them otherwise. Some nice songs, some ok songs, whatever. But that one, yeah.

 

[Axver]

It's a good song, but I barrack for My Fear #2 when it comes to their catalogue.