Before It's Ripe
I posted this to the wrong journal, like a spanner. So here it is again, from Thursday;
Just reviewed the recent Good Shoes EP. We're making good time on the ol' website. However I made the point in the Second Opinion (which, to be honest, we set up so we could namedrop other bands, something there's still an embargo on for the main review) that bands like Good Shoes get a bit too much hype. Not even hype, a bit too much support. Too much support too soon. We hear bands like ¡Forward, Russia! or O Fracas, even lesser known bands like People In Planes or less adventurous bands like The Departure and they seem to fall into our hands pretty much complete. The Departure will probably, in five years, be one of those bands only a few people remember who get a re-issued CD that music lovers at the time question the relevance of, however now they're the real deal, a band who know what they want to sound like and, pretty much, sound like it.
The likes of Good Shoes or Shitdisco and dozens of their ilk, that we give the same credit to, actually have a bit of development still ahead of them before their music sounds as complete. Maybe it's production values, maybe it's proficiency with the instruments, maybe it's just a few songwriting tweeks. However the difference between The KBC or GoodBooks and Good Shoes or Wolf & Cub is pronounced and if we ignore it and simply say "woo Good Shoes, you are great" because they sound similar and sound like they will be great, the less impetus they have to tighten up their sound. And if they don't they'll miss out on longevity and we'll miss out on a good band.
Just reviewed the recent Good Shoes EP. We're making good time on the ol' website. However I made the point in the Second Opinion (which, to be honest, we set up so we could namedrop other bands, something there's still an embargo on for the main review) that bands like Good Shoes get a bit too much hype. Not even hype, a bit too much support. Too much support too soon. We hear bands like ¡Forward, Russia! or O Fracas, even lesser known bands like People In Planes or less adventurous bands like The Departure and they seem to fall into our hands pretty much complete. The Departure will probably, in five years, be one of those bands only a few people remember who get a re-issued CD that music lovers at the time question the relevance of, however now they're the real deal, a band who know what they want to sound like and, pretty much, sound like it.
The likes of Good Shoes or Shitdisco and dozens of their ilk, that we give the same credit to, actually have a bit of development still ahead of them before their music sounds as complete. Maybe it's production values, maybe it's proficiency with the instruments, maybe it's just a few songwriting tweeks. However the difference between The KBC or GoodBooks and Good Shoes or Wolf & Cub is pronounced and if we ignore it and simply say "woo Good Shoes, you are great" because they sound similar and sound like they will be great, the less impetus they have to tighten up their sound. And if they don't they'll miss out on longevity and we'll miss out on a good band.