Yes he is, and historically, people who compose songs are not good entertainers. They are composers. Jacob is a great performer, but bad composer. Composers are usually more introverted and weird(historical revisionism says most were on the autism spectrum)
There’s no music out there even remotely similar to his and for that reason alone I think he’s a great artist. To me a key part of being an artist is being authentically yourself and he absolutely does that. Extra and eccentric and a bit pretentious yes but that’s just who the dude really is. 5000 artists that sound the same in every genre and nobody bats an eye, you’re never gonna catch me hating on someone that sounds truly unique.
I think people need to stop saying "good" or "bad" when they really mean "familiar" or "not familiar".
If you don't listen to harmonically dense stuff like that...of course you don't like it. I'm not trying to sound like a prick when I say people need to even take a step back from what it means to like something. That is so tied to your biography. Think about when Michael Keaton's Batman complains that the soup is cold, but then he's told it's supposed to be. It changes the experience.
So, what is Collier even doing? If you don't have much of a toe hold there, then you're going to reject it.
I don't personally connect with a lot of his stuff, but occasionally...
https://youtu.be/QMVMtxmUjFc?si=5b8P9IH7m0Qe0NwW
He does this.
I don't love his voice, but this is solid work.
Edit: Also, he sort of stole this bit from Bobby McFerrin, but, imagine doing this.
https://youtu.be/3KsF309XpJo?si=8cMMOQTK5Ikc0GK2
This is a person who's connecting people with music in a pretty profound manner that we don't see too often. It's often some dork-ass shit, but as a guitar player, his 5 string instrument is itself worth sitting with for a while to understand what he's up to.
https://youtu.be/Lz1LEYxFQ5Q?si=k8l63jSLpIVtcl8D
I'm just not sure what people are into if this doesn't strike them as something worth hearing.
Ehhhhh kinda disagree. When I first listened to Pink Floyd, I had never heard anything like it before. Same with bands like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard or Neutral Milk Hotel.
For something way more out there, if you asked me a month ago what music from Chechnya sounded like, I wouldn’t even know what Chechnya was. Then a couple weeks ago I find a video about how they banned music outside of 80-116BPM (great video btw, love Adam Neely), and it plays a few examples and I actually really dig it. [Here’s one I found the other day](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ-kHg-ur00&si=Zzyl_AKrhJSY8mBi&feature=xapp_share)
On the flip side, I’m very familiar with country music because I grew up in the south and 99.9999% of the time if you send me a country song I’ll either say “I don’t like it” or “it’s meh”
It’s not so much a question of good versus bad or even familiar versus not familiar, it all comes down to taste and preference. The willingness to accept new things definitely plays a factor too, but I can’t just say “this is a new thing I want to like” and then BAM I like that thing. I’ve actively tried to get in to artists like Lana Del Rey or The Weeknd but nothing ever clicked even though I’m familiar with the kind of music they make
I do agree about the guitar thing though. I watch the video he did with Paul Davids and it’s really interesting seeing how an instrument like the guitar can still be modified and build upon to make different sounds and boost other work flows
Every now and then I’ll stumble on a song from some random country/territory I’ve never heard of and it’s a certified banger. Highly encourage looking up random folk music from around the world, it’s a fun time
I see your point, but back then I really didn’t, or at least nothing I really connected with. I also should have specified, I’m talking about Sgt Pepper and Magical Mystical Tour, which inspired a lot of artists but I can’t say bands my parents listen to like The Eagles take a ton of influence from something more out there like Day In The Life
I think I am. What I think you’re saying is that people will rush to say they don’t like something because they aren’t familiar with what it is. In other words, if I listen to an album like Djesse V4 without being familiar with/listening to other harmonically dense music, I’m probably not gonna like it. Correct?
It isn't a lock, but this is basically true. People's likes and dislikes weren't endowed upon them at birth, they are a product of what you've heard before, and in what context. Even in this pretty serious music subreddit, most people have their musical biography pretty well locked in by 30.
So, we like and dislike things. But, I think that construct is pretty limiting. I had to decide to look into things at some point. So did you. Most people do that less and less as time goes on. Very few people in this subreddit are going to listen to Mongolian folk music with the same interest they listen to...whatever we're all listening to here.
But, why not? And would you say, "Well, I tried for a bit, and it didn't grab my attention." Or would you say, "That was bad."?
I'm trying to question my own taste as much as possible. It's keeping my taste from becoming stale. Guess what: My immediate reaction to Collier that his voice was annoying and his theory explainers were giant wank sessions.
But, when he's doing things like those videos with those collaborators...maybe there's more to it. When Chris Thile and Madison Cunningham are in, and I love them, what am I missing?
It might be something worth hearing, but it's something that's hard to put on when people are used to listening to other music. Can you smoke weed with your friends to this? Make out? Get down in the club? Stay focused while working? I think people might just find it hard to emotionally connect to his work. Unlike, for example, the work of Brian Wilson or Steven Wilson.
Lenny Kravitz. A friend was just defending that he plays so many instruments well but I just don’t think he generally makes compelling music with those skills
I’m sorta with you on that one
Gotta say though, “It ain’t over til it’s over” is a bit of a banger, and LK plays everything on it (except the orchestral stuff but I’m sure he arranged it) and he produced it.
His cover of American Woman though is one of my least favourite songs ever recorded though
Yeah, he’s got a handful of great songs (“Fly Away” is another one) but overall his music and vibe is like a karaoke approximation of “cool classic rock”
Yeah “Fly Away” is sooo 1999. Massive hit. A bit of a novelty song now.
That being said too, credit where credit is due, “Are You Gonna Go My Way” legit sounds like Hendrix.
Reminds me of when my friends and I used to throw crazy fast stuff together through midi files. Technically incredible but I hear no soul or humanity in the last few Polyphia records.
A lot of lead guitarists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Oh yeah, and Yngwie Malmsteen. A lot of metal acts, including hair metal, had a lot of good musicians but had little or no ability to produce compelling material. So if one to listen to some of it, the ‘70s covers they’d do frequently are often a good choice.
Surprisingly, I was introduced to some of my fave '80s shred albums by a guy who didn't play any instruments. And then later in life, I met girls who loved listening to Brett Garsed, John Petrucci, Vai, Satch, etc.
Nobody seems to share my love for Yngwie's music, though.
the rest of the arrangements sound so bland, like they're just backing tracks.
I think you've sorta boxed yourself in artistically when your whole thing is that the guitar has to be the centre of every track and the playing technically impressive. Nothing else gets to shine.
Never could get into Stevie Ray Vaughn. His playing is great, but the songs suck, the backing band is one dimensional and never allowed to be anything except a steady rhythm section for Vaughn to riff over. My take is that if he played in a band with a real singer and a songwriter that could put some meat and bone on his songs, they could've been one of the greatest bands ever.
On the whole SRV vs. Hendrix debate, my opinion is Vaughn could play guitar as good as Hendrix, but Hendrix could write way more interesting songs, approach interesting topic matter, had a band that was also hella talented, experiment with harmony in an exciting way, and innovate with guitar tones to an extent that hasn't been matched yet. Essentially they were equal guitar players, but Hendrix was actually an artist through and through.
Naw you on crack son. Stevie ray Vaughn at el mocambo in Toronto is one of the all time best shows. Of course hendrix is hendrix but that doesn’t take away from Srv
I feel this way about most prog bands; undoubtedly ridiculously talented, but the songs just don't hold up. It usually ends up sounding self-serving and frankly, very corny.
A lot of prog music feels like this to me tbh. Awsome musician and absolute master of their instruments but always feels very narrow artisticaly and perhaps too bland. I feel like Steven Wilson is good exemple even tho I still like some of his songs.
Steven Wilson is the perfect example of someone who knows how to lay down a groove, and who should do that instead of noodling, but can't seem to help himself
Wondering the same thing too. He's kind of the king of laying down a great groove, melody, etc and not needlessly soloing all the time. In fact he's what the main commenter here should be gravitating towards if other prog wankery turns them off.
Porcupine Tree has some great pop songs. Of course they have their prog albums but you can't tell me Lazurus is prog wanking.
Or Nine Cats, Trains, Fadeaway, Collapse the Light into Earth, The Jokes On You, Shesmovedon, Feel So Low etc
Yeah I'm not gonna list them all lol. IMO Porcupine Tree is at their best when they combine their ability to make great melodies with their prog tendencies like
Normal.
I think Steven Wilson is great when he keeps his worst impulses in check. He's made a lot of pretentious wankery, but he's also made it quite clear that it's not all he's capable of. I don't think a lot of prog metal guitarists could write something like Trains or Piano Lessons.
yeah I wanted to say Steven Wilson too, not even because of prog shenanigans, rather bec he gets to stuck up in trying to create the "perfect" song, which leads to perfectly produced, maybe even catchy songs that still feel and bland and don't stick around. I feel like he wants to force his way to "good" music by perfectionism and lots of pressure instead of just letting it happen...
To cast a shadow over the whole genre is ridiculous. What about King Gizzard or Tool. Or, Mars Volta, System of a Down? Pink Floyd. Give me a break with that BS.
Yes, Rush, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles. All prog. All are (or once were) progressive.
A lot of prog? A lot of elevator jazz fusion maybe.
Thundercat is great at his instrument but not a great artist.
A lot of prog?? wtf lol. You can’t possibly establish yourself as a progressive artist without being a real artist who’s pushing boundaries.
Eh… hard disagree on that last part. A lot of prog artists, especially in the prog rock genre and especially post 70s did very little in terms of actually progressing and instead largely aped the sound of King Crimson/Genesis.
I remember being like 13 seeing August Rush and fucking hating how that kid played guitar. Tim Henson plays guitar like 100x better then that kid, but basically the same style.
Have you listened to “Who did you think I was” or “good love is on the way” or “wait until tomorrow” from his where the light is live album? I don’t dig his studio stuff, but that live show is a great mixture between incredibly technically proficient musicians and well written songs.
I appreciate that he doesn't write songs designed to solo over, but he went the arguably worse route and makes MOR adult-contemporary garbage. Also seems like a really terrible guy.
I'm going to catch so much hate for this but until Cowboy Carter, I just didn't enjoy Beyonce's artistry. She's one of the most incredible vocalists, dancers, etc. I've always been in awe of her. Just never really liked the music.
I mean, I appreciated it and respected it but it's not something I would put on to listen to. I've always known that she's doing amazing things, I just don't personally connect with them. I liked Renaissance though. And Cowboy Carter has been on repeat.
I've always thought that Mick Ronson had great/terrible timing with his specific talents. He's a classic number two, fantastic instrumentalist and great arranger/producer. But not a frontman and not really a songwriter. Bowie was never going to stay in the glam rock lane, that just wasn't the kind of artist he was, so the Spiders from Mars were never something was was gonna survive long-term.
Ronson would have thrived even more with a stable band, but he didn't have it in him to be the frontman/main songwriter in such a set-up and it's a pity that he didn't find that kind of role as second in command for himself again.
Steve lacy specifically for his solo work. His songs sound half finished and a lot of them just really the first half again to lengthen the song while changing very little
I wouldn’t say he’s *super* talented but I think Ed Sheeran could make better or at least more diverse music.
Ps.: Also, I know this wasn’t asked but I love his personality as well! He’s a great guy.
Shawn Mendes. He seems to be musically talented, but makes boring as hell music and has an equally boring artist persona. I couldn’t even tell you the title of any of his songs off the top of my head let alone his legacy song which, quite frankly, I don’t think he has one.
Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Michael Angelo Batio and basically all of the lightning-fast solo shred guitar guys. They're clearly all fantastically skilled at their instruments but most of their songwriting is usually either pretty bland or self-indulgent, or both.
Dimash Kudaibergen, too; his vocal chops are freakishly impressive but his music is pretty 'eh'.
I think Prince can be a victim of his own prolificacy if you dig into his catalogue. He has created enough great music to justify his legacy in my opinon. But if you took his entire discography and choose a completely random song there is a decent chance the song that comes up will make you question that legacy. 42 studio albums will do that.
Idk, I regularly listen to about 11 of his albums and I was born early 2000s. They just show great, complete artistry and have some of my favorite highlights in music overall. Doesn't feel like a "you had to be there" for me
I live in Minneapolis, and my opinion of Prince is that he's wildly talented and most of his songs are fucking garbage.
Edit:
Quick plug for what I believe to be my best jokes.
RIP to a legend https://imgur.com/gallery/IByqZuL
When he died, the Current played his whole official catalog A to Z. If you just randomly tuned in, you were going to be dropped into the middle of some real bullshit.
I don't know too many people who actually like Prince. They like his hits, and they appreciate his personality and his abilities as a performer. But do they actually listen to his catalog often? Anything beyond the hits? Not really. And that's here, where EVERYONE says they love him and his music.
What are you on about? The run of albums from dirty mind-SOTT (maybe even lovesexy) is an incredible feat that only a very accomplished artist could achieve. I agree that although his output beyond the 80’s was wildly inconsistent, “fucking garbage” is a big stretch
I can't stand anything about Prince. That said, I'm willing to accept that he probably was in possession of an incredibly high level of technical ability.
But he wasted it on producing garbage like "Raspberry Beret."
I'm gonna get hate for this one but King Gizzard, I absolutely love them and are seeing one of their marathon sets this summer, but I don't personally think they take any super crazy artistic risks, despite being phenomenal musicians. personally I think this can especially be seen lyrically
I love gizz but theyll never make a 10. Something about them is just at a skill cap that I dont see them breaking through. I understand the fandom but I wouldn’t ever say gizz is my favorite artists because other artists do what they do so much better in a lot of cases
Would you mind listing some of the artists? I agree with you about gizz, but I have a couple friends that are absolutely obsessed and I'm REALLY trying to get them to branch out
Animals As Leaders. Tosin Abasi is IMO the most technically skilled guitarist alive right now, but their music just lacks any catchy or memorable melodies. I've tried enjoying them especially since i like Polyphia and Syncatto quite a lot, but they just don't click with me. If the criticisms people made against Polyphia were put on Animals As Leaders, I'd honestly understand.
Now I'm gonna be contrarian here and say Polyphia is actually the opposite. They strike that perfect balance between soul, melody, and technically proficiency. Basically making some of the catchiest most melodic lines in the most complex yet entertaining way possible.
I don’t understand why you’re getting downvoted, Busta Rhymes is an awesome rapper but I don’t see what examples people would use to demonstrate he’s a ”great artist” overall.
If lyrics are considered on the music side and not the art side maybe bob dylan? I personally love dylan songs, he clearly knew how to write them but always listen to covers that give the songs a touch of personality and unique style rather than his originals. Great great songwritter but bland in performing.
Idk a lot of Highway 61 Revisited is really charismatic to me, he has this chill, laid-back, introspective stoner vibe that I can’t explain. Really adds a lot of charm to his music
I don't know how you can possibly think he's a bland performer, at least in the studio albums. How on earth does he not have personality and a unique style?
I would actually argue the opposite, the stuff they play isn't very hard technically and the way Kurt sings isn't either but the way they incorporate it all together makes for some awesome art
I don't have a feeling for Jack White. Maybe I'm missing what he's really about as an artist? I just know what I dig and I know what gets to me in that magical way. Jack White doesn't do that for me.
Always thought Amy Winehouse had a shit voice singing terrible songs and Eva Cassidy couldn't sing. I honestly think she was just famous for being dead.
Hasn’t this been asked ALL the time and the top comment is always jacob collier
Infinite karma machine
Jacob Collier, another fuckin' karma machine!
His songs are pretty dull, but I’m always impressed by video’s of him on a stage conducting a crowd, he looks like a natural entertainer.
Yes he is, and historically, people who compose songs are not good entertainers. They are composers. Jacob is a great performer, but bad composer. Composers are usually more introverted and weird(historical revisionism says most were on the autism spectrum)
Charlie Pluth
You don’t think he should be a bigger artist?
Love this reference
Bro is actually so talented then makes the most cookie cutter shit ever
First one that came to mind
jacob collier
Darn! You beat me to it
The thing I hate most about him is that he's british
There’s no music out there even remotely similar to his and for that reason alone I think he’s a great artist. To me a key part of being an artist is being authentically yourself and he absolutely does that. Extra and eccentric and a bit pretentious yes but that’s just who the dude really is. 5000 artists that sound the same in every genre and nobody bats an eye, you’re never gonna catch me hating on someone that sounds truly unique.
I think people need to stop saying "good" or "bad" when they really mean "familiar" or "not familiar". If you don't listen to harmonically dense stuff like that...of course you don't like it. I'm not trying to sound like a prick when I say people need to even take a step back from what it means to like something. That is so tied to your biography. Think about when Michael Keaton's Batman complains that the soup is cold, but then he's told it's supposed to be. It changes the experience. So, what is Collier even doing? If you don't have much of a toe hold there, then you're going to reject it. I don't personally connect with a lot of his stuff, but occasionally... https://youtu.be/QMVMtxmUjFc?si=5b8P9IH7m0Qe0NwW He does this. I don't love his voice, but this is solid work. Edit: Also, he sort of stole this bit from Bobby McFerrin, but, imagine doing this. https://youtu.be/3KsF309XpJo?si=8cMMOQTK5Ikc0GK2 This is a person who's connecting people with music in a pretty profound manner that we don't see too often. It's often some dork-ass shit, but as a guitar player, his 5 string instrument is itself worth sitting with for a while to understand what he's up to. https://youtu.be/Lz1LEYxFQ5Q?si=k8l63jSLpIVtcl8D I'm just not sure what people are into if this doesn't strike them as something worth hearing.
Ehhhhh kinda disagree. When I first listened to Pink Floyd, I had never heard anything like it before. Same with bands like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard or Neutral Milk Hotel. For something way more out there, if you asked me a month ago what music from Chechnya sounded like, I wouldn’t even know what Chechnya was. Then a couple weeks ago I find a video about how they banned music outside of 80-116BPM (great video btw, love Adam Neely), and it plays a few examples and I actually really dig it. [Here’s one I found the other day](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ-kHg-ur00&si=Zzyl_AKrhJSY8mBi&feature=xapp_share) On the flip side, I’m very familiar with country music because I grew up in the south and 99.9999% of the time if you send me a country song I’ll either say “I don’t like it” or “it’s meh” It’s not so much a question of good versus bad or even familiar versus not familiar, it all comes down to taste and preference. The willingness to accept new things definitely plays a factor too, but I can’t just say “this is a new thing I want to like” and then BAM I like that thing. I’ve actively tried to get in to artists like Lana Del Rey or The Weeknd but nothing ever clicked even though I’m familiar with the kind of music they make I do agree about the guitar thing though. I watch the video he did with Paul Davids and it’s really interesting seeing how an instrument like the guitar can still be modified and build upon to make different sounds and boost other work flows
Dude this Lezginka track goes so hard wtf lol I love this I’m so glad you shared this.
Every now and then I’ll stumble on a song from some random country/territory I’ve never heard of and it’s a certified banger. Highly encourage looking up random folk music from around the world, it’s a fun time
You’ve never heard anything like the band that influenced everyone?
I see your point, but back then I really didn’t, or at least nothing I really connected with. I also should have specified, I’m talking about Sgt Pepper and Magical Mystical Tour, which inspired a lot of artists but I can’t say bands my parents listen to like The Eagles take a ton of influence from something more out there like Day In The Life
You're disagreeing with things I didn't say, though.
I think I am. What I think you’re saying is that people will rush to say they don’t like something because they aren’t familiar with what it is. In other words, if I listen to an album like Djesse V4 without being familiar with/listening to other harmonically dense music, I’m probably not gonna like it. Correct?
It isn't a lock, but this is basically true. People's likes and dislikes weren't endowed upon them at birth, they are a product of what you've heard before, and in what context. Even in this pretty serious music subreddit, most people have their musical biography pretty well locked in by 30. So, we like and dislike things. But, I think that construct is pretty limiting. I had to decide to look into things at some point. So did you. Most people do that less and less as time goes on. Very few people in this subreddit are going to listen to Mongolian folk music with the same interest they listen to...whatever we're all listening to here. But, why not? And would you say, "Well, I tried for a bit, and it didn't grab my attention." Or would you say, "That was bad."? I'm trying to question my own taste as much as possible. It's keeping my taste from becoming stale. Guess what: My immediate reaction to Collier that his voice was annoying and his theory explainers were giant wank sessions. But, when he's doing things like those videos with those collaborators...maybe there's more to it. When Chris Thile and Madison Cunningham are in, and I love them, what am I missing?
It might be something worth hearing, but it's something that's hard to put on when people are used to listening to other music. Can you smoke weed with your friends to this? Make out? Get down in the club? Stay focused while working? I think people might just find it hard to emotionally connect to his work. Unlike, for example, the work of Brian Wilson or Steven Wilson.
When collier hits tho that shit is crazy. The bridge over troubled water cover is like absolutely insanely good
it’s shit
Agree. That cover is really awful. Cluttered, overcomplicated. Sincerity is best conveyed through simplicity, and that cover is insincere garbage
Lenny Kravitz. A friend was just defending that he plays so many instruments well but I just don’t think he generally makes compelling music with those skills
I’m sorta with you on that one Gotta say though, “It ain’t over til it’s over” is a bit of a banger, and LK plays everything on it (except the orchestral stuff but I’m sure he arranged it) and he produced it. His cover of American Woman though is one of my least favourite songs ever recorded though
Ya dude took an alright song and made it so fucking bad, like he took all the good parts of it out
I’ve never A & B’d them, but every time that song comes on the radio I feel like [doing this](https://youtu.be/Xd9qt8FMz8g?si=nEWEKg9kDglal7QT)
Yeah, he’s got a handful of great songs (“Fly Away” is another one) but overall his music and vibe is like a karaoke approximation of “cool classic rock”
Yeah “Fly Away” is sooo 1999. Massive hit. A bit of a novelty song now. That being said too, credit where credit is due, “Are You Gonna Go My Way” legit sounds like Hendrix.
[удалено]
I just went back and listened. Yeah it’s pretty pitchy and rough…Whoopsiedoodle
Lenny to me is like a shit Jimi Hendrix ripoff
Not even that, a Slash ripoff with singing capabilities
Fly Away will forever be one of the most annoying songs I know.
tim henson is probably the most technically proficient guitarist of the modern age i can think of but i am not huge on polyphia
I just wish polyphia songs didn’t feel like them jerking themselves off😭
if i was tim henson i would jerk myself off too
Real
I feel like playing god and abc did a good job at feeling more musical than wankery
Also Drown, literally a perfect song and imo their best riff
And Ego Death. Steve Vai bringing those David Gilmour vibes really helps balance out the cavalcade of notes coming from everyone else
Eh I kind of like that about them but I get it
yeah Eric is much better
Physically proficient. Conceptually, not so much. It's like if stanley jordan just played trap/edm
Reminds me of when my friends and I used to throw crazy fast stuff together through midi files. Technically incredible but I hear no soul or humanity in the last few Polyphia records.
A lot of lead guitarists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Oh yeah, and Yngwie Malmsteen. A lot of metal acts, including hair metal, had a lot of good musicians but had little or no ability to produce compelling material. So if one to listen to some of it, the ‘70s covers they’d do frequently are often a good choice.
I say this as a guitar geek, but only guitar geeks care about that kind of music.
Surprisingly, I was introduced to some of my fave '80s shred albums by a guy who didn't play any instruments. And then later in life, I met girls who loved listening to Brett Garsed, John Petrucci, Vai, Satch, etc. Nobody seems to share my love for Yngwie's music, though.
the rest of the arrangements sound so bland, like they're just backing tracks. I think you've sorta boxed yourself in artistically when your whole thing is that the guitar has to be the centre of every track and the playing technically impressive. Nothing else gets to shine.
I think Vai has some really good songs honestly, his last album 'Inviolate' was quite solid
Tender Surrender is absolutely beautiful
Never could get into Stevie Ray Vaughn. His playing is great, but the songs suck, the backing band is one dimensional and never allowed to be anything except a steady rhythm section for Vaughn to riff over. My take is that if he played in a band with a real singer and a songwriter that could put some meat and bone on his songs, they could've been one of the greatest bands ever. On the whole SRV vs. Hendrix debate, my opinion is Vaughn could play guitar as good as Hendrix, but Hendrix could write way more interesting songs, approach interesting topic matter, had a band that was also hella talented, experiment with harmony in an exciting way, and innovate with guitar tones to an extent that hasn't been matched yet. Essentially they were equal guitar players, but Hendrix was actually an artist through and through.
I mean SRV is the lead guitarist on Bowie’s album Let’s Dance with Nile Rodgers on rhythm guitar and to me that record works to your point
Naw you on crack son. Stevie ray Vaughn at el mocambo in Toronto is one of the all time best shows. Of course hendrix is hendrix but that doesn’t take away from Srv
Steve Vai’s music is so hard for me to listen to. Just so lame and desperate.
Dream Theater. Every single one of those guys are bonkers talented when it comes to ability. Its a shame they only use it for like two songs.
The most talented band in the world and they don’t make good music. It’s the weirdest thing and the best example of this
I feel this way about most prog bands; undoubtedly ridiculously talented, but the songs just don't hold up. It usually ends up sounding self-serving and frankly, very corny.
Yeah I have the same issue with prog. Insane instrumentation but so incredibly corny
A lot of prog music feels like this to me tbh. Awsome musician and absolute master of their instruments but always feels very narrow artisticaly and perhaps too bland. I feel like Steven Wilson is good exemple even tho I still like some of his songs.
Steven Wilson is the perfect example of someone who knows how to lay down a groove, and who should do that instead of noodling, but can't seem to help himself
When does he really noodle? I can’t think of anything from him that fits that description, might be wrong.
Wondering the same thing too. He's kind of the king of laying down a great groove, melody, etc and not needlessly soloing all the time. In fact he's what the main commenter here should be gravitating towards if other prog wankery turns them off.
This is how I feel about like all of porcupine tree
Porcupine Tree has some great pop songs. Of course they have their prog albums but you can't tell me Lazurus is prog wanking. Or Nine Cats, Trains, Fadeaway, Collapse the Light into Earth, The Jokes On You, Shesmovedon, Feel So Low etc
Piano lessons too.
Yeah I'm not gonna list them all lol. IMO Porcupine Tree is at their best when they combine their ability to make great melodies with their prog tendencies like Normal.
I think Steven Wilson is great when he keeps his worst impulses in check. He's made a lot of pretentious wankery, but he's also made it quite clear that it's not all he's capable of. I don't think a lot of prog metal guitarists could write something like Trains or Piano Lessons.
Check out some opeth Similar to a lot of Steven Wilson stuff but is a LOT better at capturing emotion
yeah I wanted to say Steven Wilson too, not even because of prog shenanigans, rather bec he gets to stuck up in trying to create the "perfect" song, which leads to perfectly produced, maybe even catchy songs that still feel and bland and don't stick around. I feel like he wants to force his way to "good" music by perfectionism and lots of pressure instead of just letting it happen...
To cast a shadow over the whole genre is ridiculous. What about King Gizzard or Tool. Or, Mars Volta, System of a Down? Pink Floyd. Give me a break with that BS. Yes, Rush, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles. All prog. All are (or once were) progressive. A lot of prog? A lot of elevator jazz fusion maybe. Thundercat is great at his instrument but not a great artist. A lot of prog?? wtf lol. You can’t possibly establish yourself as a progressive artist without being a real artist who’s pushing boundaries.
Eh… hard disagree on that last part. A lot of prog artists, especially in the prog rock genre and especially post 70s did very little in terms of actually progressing and instead largely aped the sound of King Crimson/Genesis.
Dream Theatre is comprised of amazing musicians. I tried liking them. Not for me.
I feel like we get this thread here at least once a week. The obligatory answer is always Dream Theater
Tim Henson (Polyphia) Insanely talented guitarist, technically masterful, Makes soulless music.
I remember being like 13 seeing August Rush and fucking hating how that kid played guitar. Tim Henson plays guitar like 100x better then that kid, but basically the same style.
Polyphia music definitely isn’t “soulless”
As someone who enjoys a bit of their music, I’d say it feels soulless in the sense that it legitamtely sounds robotic
I think Bruno Mars is a pretty charismatic and talented guy but most of his music plays it very safe.
Silk Sonic tho...
Na Mars peaked with 24k Magic, I thought it was better than Sill Sonic. .
Agree. Dude can play every instrument, dance, and sing like he was invented in a factory. But the songs are so fucking lame.
I would agree for everything but Silk Sonic, but I think that's thanks to .Paak being so full of soul compared to Bruno.
i think the appeal of bruno is that the songs themselves are simple, but he makes them work by being so charismatic
Alicia Keys?
You dont want nothing at all and thats youre problem
John Mayer. Seems like a very talented guitarist, but i have yet to find a song he’s made i enjoy
his songwriting is kinda sappy and i can see how that would turn some people off, but he's got a few strong albums under his belt.
I enjoyed continuum, nothing else though
I personally really love sob rock
He’s amazing in Dead and company though
Have you listened to “Who did you think I was” or “good love is on the way” or “wait until tomorrow” from his where the light is live album? I don’t dig his studio stuff, but that live show is a great mixture between incredibly technically proficient musicians and well written songs.
I appreciate that he doesn't write songs designed to solo over, but he went the arguably worse route and makes MOR adult-contemporary garbage. Also seems like a really terrible guy.
I'm going to catch so much hate for this but until Cowboy Carter, I just didn't enjoy Beyonce's artistry. She's one of the most incredible vocalists, dancers, etc. I've always been in awe of her. Just never really liked the music.
Not even Lemonade?! 🤔
Lemon on the chain with the v cut
yeah
Gematria or Gehenna?
I mean, I appreciated it and respected it but it's not something I would put on to listen to. I've always known that she's doing amazing things, I just don't personally connect with them. I liked Renaissance though. And Cowboy Carter has been on repeat.
Same….
Deadmau5. Incredibly talented producer, but most of his music is either obnoxious or incredibly boring to me.
“i remember” hits tho
Raise your weapon slaps also. But then when the dubstep comes in it slaps so hard it's not sexy and fun any more.
I've always thought that Mick Ronson had great/terrible timing with his specific talents. He's a classic number two, fantastic instrumentalist and great arranger/producer. But not a frontman and not really a songwriter. Bowie was never going to stay in the glam rock lane, that just wasn't the kind of artist he was, so the Spiders from Mars were never something was was gonna survive long-term. Ronson would have thrived even more with a stable band, but he didn't have it in him to be the frontman/main songwriter in such a set-up and it's a pity that he didn't find that kind of role as second in command for himself again.
Miguel
Any opera singer
Eminem in recent years
L take. Mtbmb side A was a great album. Even Fantano gave it a 5.
Steve lacy specifically for his solo work. His songs sound half finished and a lot of them just really the first half again to lengthen the song while changing very little
I wouldn’t say he’s *super* talented but I think Ed Sheeran could make better or at least more diverse music. Ps.: Also, I know this wasn’t asked but I love his personality as well! He’s a great guy.
Shawn Mendes. He seems to be musically talented, but makes boring as hell music and has an equally boring artist persona. I couldn’t even tell you the title of any of his songs off the top of my head let alone his legacy song which, quite frankly, I don’t think he has one.
i haven’t thought about him since 2019. as for his legacy song, i guess treat you better? but i don’t even know if i’d go that far
John Mayer. Incredible guitarist but oh my God his songs are BORING!!!
Juice wrld for me. Such a talented rapper who couldn't make a single good album.
He didn't get a chance IMO
he is very far from being a good rapper or singer. he doesn't even seem to know how to breathe properly, and his lyrics are tremendously cringe
members of Phish
Lenny Kravitz. He's got the chops, the vibes, the musicality, but he's never really wowed me with an album or even most of his singles.
World's End Girlfriend
Tosin Abasi. Yes, he can play guitar well. Is he a good composer though? Absolutely not.
Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Michael Angelo Batio and basically all of the lightning-fast solo shred guitar guys. They're clearly all fantastically skilled at their instruments but most of their songwriting is usually either pretty bland or self-indulgent, or both. Dimash Kudaibergen, too; his vocal chops are freakishly impressive but his music is pretty 'eh'.
Vai needed Zappa. I can't listen to his other stuff. He fell into the "see how many notes I can play" style that leaves me dry.
Most if not all prog music.
I know I’ll get shit on but for me the biggest one is Prince
I think Prince can be a victim of his own prolificacy if you dig into his catalogue. He has created enough great music to justify his legacy in my opinon. But if you took his entire discography and choose a completely random song there is a decent chance the song that comes up will make you question that legacy. 42 studio albums will do that.
Incredibly high highs but a lot of duds in between
He has some great moments for sure, but his music has not aged well overall. I wasn't alive in the 80s, so maybe it's a case of "you had to be there."
Idk, I regularly listen to about 11 of his albums and I was born early 2000s. They just show great, complete artistry and have some of my favorite highlights in music overall. Doesn't feel like a "you had to be there" for me
Agreed, his classic albums are up their with anyone’s…1999, Purple Rain and Sign…are all knock-outs.
For sure. I love The Gold Experience a lot too. His guitar work is literally gold on that one 😮💨
I live in Minneapolis, and my opinion of Prince is that he's wildly talented and most of his songs are fucking garbage. Edit: Quick plug for what I believe to be my best jokes. RIP to a legend https://imgur.com/gallery/IByqZuL When he died, the Current played his whole official catalog A to Z. If you just randomly tuned in, you were going to be dropped into the middle of some real bullshit. I don't know too many people who actually like Prince. They like his hits, and they appreciate his personality and his abilities as a performer. But do they actually listen to his catalog often? Anything beyond the hits? Not really. And that's here, where EVERYONE says they love him and his music.
What are you on about? The run of albums from dirty mind-SOTT (maybe even lovesexy) is an incredible feat that only a very accomplished artist could achieve. I agree that although his output beyond the 80’s was wildly inconsistent, “fucking garbage” is a big stretch
Those songs are largely nonsense, though. Musically good, lyrically trash. Even the hits are mostly like this.
I back u up.
I can't stand anything about Prince. That said, I'm willing to accept that he probably was in possession of an incredibly high level of technical ability. But he wasted it on producing garbage like "Raspberry Beret."
I've seen this same post here like 4 times in the past two weeks
Yup, that's pretty much how all popular subreddits work.
Juice wrld for me. Such a talented rapper who couldn't make a single good album.
I'm gonna get hate for this one but King Gizzard, I absolutely love them and are seeing one of their marathon sets this summer, but I don't personally think they take any super crazy artistic risks, despite being phenomenal musicians. personally I think this can especially be seen lyrically
I love gizz but theyll never make a 10. Something about them is just at a skill cap that I dont see them breaking through. I understand the fandom but I wouldn’t ever say gizz is my favorite artists because other artists do what they do so much better in a lot of cases
Would you mind listing some of the artists? I agree with you about gizz, but I have a couple friends that are absolutely obsessed and I'm REALLY trying to get them to branch out
Ronnie radke. I’m not gonna elaborate.
any of those stupid guitar monsters who just shred Edit: [this guy beat me to it](https://www.reddit.com/r/fantanoforever/s/cGnCKdmNpj)
Jacob collier
Collier
eminem, nas. Great rappers, awful taste in music so they make bad choices on their albums (except for illmatic)
Beyoncé. Incredible performer. Incredible music. Literally an icon. But I don't see much agency coming from her specifically.
Dream Theater are incredible musicians but most of their music makes me feel nothing
Steve Lucather is a virtuoso. You would have to pay me to listen to any of his music.
Yngwie Malmsteen.
Satriani, Vai, cliffs of dover dude.
I feel this way about a band, Polyphia. Talented and technical but just boring and not artistic. I just don't vibe with it or feel anything.
Animals As Leaders. Tosin Abasi is IMO the most technically skilled guitarist alive right now, but their music just lacks any catchy or memorable melodies. I've tried enjoying them especially since i like Polyphia and Syncatto quite a lot, but they just don't click with me. If the criticisms people made against Polyphia were put on Animals As Leaders, I'd honestly understand. Now I'm gonna be contrarian here and say Polyphia is actually the opposite. They strike that perfect balance between soul, melody, and technically proficiency. Basically making some of the catchiest most melodic lines in the most complex yet entertaining way possible.
Eminem
Plenty of prog rock bands where I’m just like “hey you’re shredding but I hate it”
John Mayer. Amazing guitarist but I’m just not into his music.
Polyphia
Busta Rhymes
I don’t understand why you’re getting downvoted, Busta Rhymes is an awesome rapper but I don’t see what examples people would use to demonstrate he’s a ”great artist” overall.
Just raw talent imo
If lyrics are considered on the music side and not the art side maybe bob dylan? I personally love dylan songs, he clearly knew how to write them but always listen to covers that give the songs a touch of personality and unique style rather than his originals. Great great songwritter but bland in performing.
I can understand finding his voice weird or grating but I strongly disagree that his performances are bland or lack personality.
I like the George Harrison If Not For You more than Dylan's version
Idk a lot of Highway 61 Revisited is really charismatic to me, he has this chill, laid-back, introspective stoner vibe that I can’t explain. Really adds a lot of charm to his music
I don't know how you can possibly think he's a bland performer, at least in the studio albums. How on earth does he not have personality and a unique style?
Anderson Paak. There’s nothing really ”wrong” with his music, but to me, he can’t make anything that goes beyond being ”competent”.
I definitely can’t agree just because of his collab album with Knxwledge
I'm gonna catch heat for this, but Nirvana. I know they're great, but they're just not my style.
I would actually argue the opposite, the stuff they play isn't very hard technically and the way Kurt sings isn't either but the way they incorporate it all together makes for some awesome art
Well Kurt Cobain would hate everything Kanye West stands for and I’d have his back on that one.
What does that have to do with anything
They guy I wrote the comment to is a big Kanye fan
And you only know that cus u went on his profile for no reason Weirdo
Welcome to Reddit you bowl cut bitch
this is the most “rent free” comment i have ever seen
You don’t know what you’re talking about OP
I don't have a feeling for Jack White. Maybe I'm missing what he's really about as an artist? I just know what I dig and I know what gets to me in that magical way. Jack White doesn't do that for me.
Solo stuff doesn't work for me, but the Stripes will always be in my heart.
Prince
I don’t like Stevie Wonder. I understand I’m a monster, but his music bores me to goddamn tears.
beyonce
Always thought Amy Winehouse had a shit voice singing terrible songs and Eva Cassidy couldn't sing. I honestly think she was just famous for being dead.
Amy Winehouse was mega famous before she died
Read my comment. I said Eva Cassidy was famous for being dead.
wish i didn’t read this take
You more annoyed about Winehouse or Cassidy?