The most average albums ever made

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LemonMelon

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It's easy for one to state what their favorite and least favorite albums are. They get a rise out of the listener, one way or another. This is a big reason why threads made to list the aforementioned have become such a cliche; it's easy to rant on about something that causes such a stir. But what about the albums that are so mediocre that they literally cause no reaction whatsoever?

In this thread, you are to name off an album (preferably in your genre(s) of choice; it would be too easy to name off the aural wallpaper of muzak or easy listening) that is so completely unremarkable and disappointing that this thread is the first time you've felt it necessary to muster the energy to talk about it.

I nominate The Fray's newly-released eponymous album.

Thefrayst2.jpg


The slick, blurry, poorly-lit, pseudo-artistic front cover says it all. It's been done at least 10,000 times before, it's record company-sanctioned, and it feigns artistic inspiration. Pretty much sums it up for an album that finds itself so lacking in dynamics that it resorts to rhyming homophones (here, hear) because anything else would prove too eclectic.

Things I learned while listening to The Fray:

1. Sometimes, the difference between a rocker and a ballad is the way it's marketed.

2. Consistency and coherence is not always a good thing.

3. A 1/10 can be infinitely more enjoyable than a 5/10.
 
I made a thread about how much the Fray sucks a couple years ago. It's safe to say I can't comment, as I don't find them average. I find them insufferable.

I'm shocked you listened to the entire thing.
 
I dont know who the fuck the fray is, but that photo has got to be the ugliest album cover I've seen. Whoever shot that should be shot
 
I love how this thread has inadvertently become a Fray-bashing thread. They really are the most mediocre, MOR band I can think of though. At least Nickelback is horrible in a humorous way. We can all mock Joey for whatever it is that's on his head, but with lines like "Her bag is now much heavier/I wish that I could carry her/But this is our ungodly hour," we all lose.
 
We can all mock Joey for whatever it is that's on his head

I hear the jury's still out on that.

Nickelback makes me laugh. I can put on 30 seconds of the new Nickelback album's first track on iTunes and have fun talking about what a gigantic strip club song it is. I can mumble "I'll have a quesadilla" and get a response every time. I can ask my buddy if he's playing baseball in the bathroom. I can chuckle when thinking of Chad Kroeger liking someone's pants around their feet in an attempt to be powerful and sexy. Nickelback is just funny. I'm glad they exist.

The Fray just makes me angry. Angry that people think they're making some sort of profound statement, that they're an exceptional, important band. No one feels that way about Nickelback, not even their fans. And that's the difference.
 
The Fray are not exactly creative, and it sounds a tad like what middle school girls would swoon over, but their lyrics are quite heartfelt, so I appreciate them sometimes.
 
I hear the jury's still out on that.

Nickelback makes me laugh. I can put on 30 seconds of the new Nickelback album's first track on iTunes and have fun talking about what a gigantic strip club song it is. I can mumble "I'll have a quesadilla" and get a response every time. I can ask my buddy if he's playing baseball in the bathroom. I can chuckle when thinking of Chad Kroeger liking someone's pants around their feet in an attempt to be powerful and sexy. Nickelback is just funny. I'm glad they exist.

The Fray just makes me angry. Angry that people think they're making some sort of profound statement, that they're an exceptional, important band. No one feels that way about Nickelback, not even their fans. And that's the difference.

The new Nickelback album is mindblowing. I had no idea they could get that bad. I hope Chad Kroeger keeps acting like he's 13 until he's 70. Worked for Jagger. He's on the right track:

Dirty little lady with the pretty pink thong
Every sugar daddy hittin on her all night long
Doesn't care about the money she could be with anybody
Ain't it funny how the honey wanted you all along

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone
(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb
You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth



Public reaction to The Fray:

Metacritic - 56/10
rateyourmusic - 2.58/5

About as average as you can get. I can only wonder if their objective to carve out their mediocre niche until it's as smooth and round as a bowling ball.
 
See? I'm sitting in class with a stupid grin on my face hoping no one notices it after reading those lyrics. It's incredible. Nickelback is wonderful for the same reason I often watch the worst movie I can find on TV if I'm bored: sometimes laughing at something so epically bad is even more enjoyable than appreciating something amazing.

I agree with you. I hope they never go away, and I don't think they will if they haven't by now. They're here to stay, gang!
 
Man, couple years ago I was at a pub/club in Toronto called the Horseshoe. None other than Chad Kreuger was standing at the bar like a total arrogant prick. It took every ounce of strength not to walk over and try to break his fingers to keep him from ever playing guitar again. Anyway, on the long and drunken walk home from the bar, we stopped off at a Hotel lobby downtown because the girls needed to pee. A few minutes later a photographer comes running through the doors and hides behind the lobby desk. Some guy comes running in after him and was trying to pull the camera from around the photographer's neck. I assume he was from Chads 'entourage' of fellow skids. He was going on about how the guy took a photo of Chad Kreuger and that he wanted the film (or CF card, i dont remember). How full of yourself do you have to be to send your buddy after somebody for that? You're in public, you're fair game. besides, whos gonna pay for a picture of chad kreuger? Anyway, the guy working at the hotel said he didnt know who that was and asked chads crony to leave and that was pretty much the end of it.........true story
 
i would have to throw Snow Patrol's new album in this thread. it saddens me to say this too. Final Straw was such a great album but it just seems like they're going more and more bland with each effort.

i'm still excited to see them open for U2 in Chicago. after almost killing myself during Dashboard Confessionals last tour, Snow Patrol will be a welcomed upgrade.
 
same reason I often watch the worst movie I can find on TV if I'm bored: sometimes laughing at something so epically bad is even more enjoyable than appreciating something amazing.

May I recommend to you Hard Ticket to Hawaii....I just watched it on Saturday. Its fucking EPIC
 
Good call. I loved Final Straw for a long time, first hearing "Spitting Games" with the release of MVP Baseball 2004. Eyes Open wasn't any good, but there are one or two nice songs ("Shut Your Eyes" is actually all the comes to mind). I didn't listen to the latest because I don't want to hear all the Grey's Anatomy-ness of their hit singles from the previous record.

May I recommend to you Hard Ticket to Hawaii....I just watched it on Saturday. Its fucking EPIC

Noted. My recent best worst I watched a good chunk of was Alvin and the Chipmunks. I can't believe David Cross was in that. Then I watched Hot Rod this weekend and wound up loving it on a non-ironic level. Weird.
 
But Santana teamed with Rob Thomas for a music revolution.
 
Speaking of opening acts that make a person want to kill themselves, here's another nominee:

pe-kings_of_leon-only_by_the_night.jpg


In the dark of the night
I can hear you calling my name
With the hardest of hearts
I still feel full of pain


Hurts to say; Because Of The Times was actually really decent. Unfortunately, they're as bland as they come at this point.
 
Hurts to say; Because Of The Times was actually really decent. Unfortunately, they're as bland as they come at this point.

Okay record with some nice songs. Aha Shake Heartbreak is quite good, far and away their best. But they're horrible now. Only By the Night was the worst album I listened to last year. "Use Somebody" is dreck.

I hope andyuk doesn't find this post. He might hang himself.



JT, I'll check out that trailer when I'm no longer in a lecture hall.
 
John Mayer

Good choice. I don't hate him at all, but would never steal one of his albums, let alone buy one. If a song of his is playing, I never shut it off, because I wouldn't acknowledge it in the first place.

Same for DMB, except Dave Matthews' voice grates on me.
 
4:13 Dream by The Cure
Sounds of the Universe by Depeche Mode

Seriously, some 80s big bands from the 80s should call it quits. Although that would mean they would stop touring, which is something I don't want to.
 
Good choice. I don't hate him at all, but would never steal one of his albums, let alone buy one. If a song of his is playing, I never shut it off, because I wouldn't acknowledge it in the first place.

Same for DMB, except Dave Matthews' voice grates on me.

I think both of their voices sound more or less the same for some reason

I turn it off if it's "Waiitin' on the World to Change", as I think that song has one of the shittiest messages of any pop song of the last few years. "If you don't like how the world is, don't do anything about it, just wait for someone else to!"
 
4:13 Dream by The Cure

Seriously, some 80s big bands from the 80s should call it quits. Although that would mean they would stop touring, which is something I don't want to.

I agree this album was unbelievably average, and for a band like The Cure, it makes it that much more difficult for me to deal with. Ultra dissapointing album, but I don't think they should call it quits by any means. I'm sure Robby still has a few good albums left in him.
 
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