Lately here I have been going through a musical fit. And it will not get away from me. I can’t seem to want to listen to anything except for alternative. More specifically the alt./indie rock of ridiculously and unabashedly pop-ish nature. We the Kings, Gabirella Cilmi, and A Day to Remember are the three latest.
Since I passed the age of 12, I have scorned pop – though there are times when the infectious beat or a good hook will make me tune in just long enough to catch myself before I fell deeper. This all steams from when the Backstreet Boys and then N*SYNC broke up. At that point, I felt there was no hope for the genre of pure, cavity inducing pop and turned me back on it.
But it’s different now. I’m from a ROCK family – yes I truely do mean that much rock – and according to each and everyone of them, pop is something that you drink, not listen to. So, that got me to thinking as to why I have begun to listen to it again – even if it is cleverly disguised as alt. rock. And that’s it – there is enough rock in it to make me forget about it’s chart placement or the fact that little tweens know the exact lyrics I do (that usually doesn’t happen when Crazy Train or White Rabbit comes on the radio -and if that were to happen, I may just shit a brick).
And I am not sure how to take it. I. Like. Music. That. My. Younger. Cousins. Do. But I really do like it. Somehow, it fits right now into my life. Maybe it is the addictive nature of its lyrics and hooks. Perhaps it is the fact that these people actually have musical chops: they play actually quite well on their instruments and they sing surprisingly well. The content is also so much different than from the 90’s. And better. Far better.
Instead of “Oh gee…I wonder if he likes-likes me as much I like-like him..” or “Let’s stare at eachother in a oddly akward way and say we will always love eachother…” you hear about loss and struggles and hurt far older in content than the intended audience can comprehend. And it is so hilarious to me to know that bit of information. This pop-infused alt. rock seems to be almost like a in-between-guy for hard, dedicated rockers to slowly side step their way towards the new face of alt. rock.
That’s good. I think. Maybe pop alt. rock is loosing the too-sweet edge it has held onto for as long as I can remember. Maybe now it is disapearing completely – so all that is left is the alt. rock. Too wishful of thining? Mayhaps. But you’ve got to hold onto some dreams now don’t cha?
Incase you were intrigued:
what is on the shelf 