When a Once Great Band Gets a Forever Pass

see also: Radiohead

 

or Blink, if you're me.

 

This is such a common phenomenon. I think it also explains why people flock to those huge cover bands like Led Zepagain and Queen with Adam Lambert. Some things need to know when to roll over and die.

 

Arcade Fire think pieces and hot takes are my least favorite think pieces and hot takes. Writing like this is so tiring.

 

Is this implying their new song is not good? It's fantastic.

 

Completely disagree with Radiohead, but I'll say: U2. There, I said it!

 

I like the new song more than most of Reflektor

 

I feel like Brand New gets a forever pass too. They put out 4 memorable releases and have left us hanging for what feels like "forever"!!!

 

Love the song too, but it could have easily been two minutes shorter.

 

I'd say this is fairly common. I mean its insanely difficult to churn out one great album after another. If a band I like has two really good albums and a bunch of other decent ones I'd be happy.

 

I wasn't a massive fan of Reflektor, but really enjoy Everything Now (the song). Maybe not quite as big of a high as some of their past highlights (think Neighbourhood #3, Wake Up, Keep the Car Running, We Used to Wait, Sprawl II, etc.) but still a great track.

 

False. In fact you couldn't be more wrong.

 

Correct.

 

Sadly, this is the case for Say Anything.

 

Radiohead can't have a forever pass because most of their best albums are their newer ones.

Article itself is hilarious. This guy think he discovered nostalgia.

 

Metallica

although I like their entire discography personally, and Hardwired is a very good record.

 

If the next Radiohead album is mediocre though, do you think it would get panned?

 

I agree and I think maybe they realize this because when I saw them a couple of weeks ago, about 75% of their playlist was from their first album.

 

I don't know, what's the general consensus on Pablo Honey?

 

People are pretty hard on King of Limbs?

 

Nope. Hebrews is their 2nd best album, and there's only been one album since then.

 

I must have dreamed the last 20 years of fans pissing and moaning about Weezer not writing another 'Pinkerton.'

Seriously, this is a strange take, because it's the exact opposite of what I see literally every day - a band being blamed for not being as good as they once were in yesteryear.

Arcade Fire isn't even a great example, even if this were true - tons of people hated Reflektor, and critically, it was terribly reviewed compared to 'album of the year' The Suburbs.

Unless by 'too big to fail,' the writer means 'won't stop making music because I don't like it very much,' then I'm not sure his complaint has much basis in reality.

 

I think the point is that, despite those criticisms, and the disappointment from fans, the bands persist and never really fade away. I mean you said it yourself - 20 years of anger for Weezer's post-Pinkerton work, and they still draw massive crowds and there is always hype surrounding their new releases (although recently it's been a little more deserved at least).

But I do agree this is just kind of a very cynical take on things. This comes down to the same argument that's been had 1,000,000 times. If a band keeps the same sound every album, the whole thing becomes boring. If they change too much, people will be angry they don't sound like they used to.

 

The Lorne Michaels phrase is "The longer you're on, the longer you're on." If you've got a wide enough appeal and can make that peak last long enough, you're untouchable because you become an institution and something familiar that people look for, even if what's coming out then isn't great.