i'm kind of disappointed.... i really liked "the power out," despite a few uninspired tunes gumming up the second half. "axes" seems less creative and more predictable, with practically every track building up on a one note jam from minimal to full. it's not hard on the ears, but it leaves me kind of cold. it's almost like faust without the weirdness and virtuosity.

darn.

I'm not surprised you're disappointed, they're not a very good band. All the songs sound the same... like boring Stereolab -or should I say more boring Stereolab... The only reason anyone pays attention is because they are all women. Ask a simple question: if it was all guys would most people that like them, still like them?

Gramsci wrote:I'm not surprised you're disappointed, they're not a very good band. All the songs sound the same... like boring Stereolab -or should I say more boring Stereolab... The only reason anyone pays attention is because they are all women. Ask a simple question: if it was all guys would most people that like them, still like them?

Just because you don't like them, don't assume others do because of their gender.

You dislike the band's music, some people love it. I love the new album and find it innovative, surprising, and in places quite beautiful. The Stereolab comparison doesn't work for me. Don't turn it into a gender issue, it's offensive.

EDIT: I'd go as far to say that the band's all-woman status has on balance worked against them, which the above reaction demonstrates. People who don't like the records blame their modest success on this, rather than the fact that they're a great and distinctive band. Some get offended when they see them on the cover of The Wire instead of some intense looking man with a beard (say, Angry Dragon). I think there's also an unconscious feeling in many that women should stick to simple tunes rather than experimental music.

Rant over. I'm not accusing you of all this Gramsci, but the manner of your criticism annoyed me.

You kind missed my point totally by getting wrapped up in my critique as a "gender issue", which it is not. My problem is with the music, which I find unoriginal and repetitive- not that they are women.

The point of my saying that I doubt that they would have been noticed if they weren’t an all women band is an indictment of the music business, not of women in bands or some form of sexism on my behalf.

To clarify; I think their music offers nothing new, droning 10 minute songs aren’t anything special, nor are they “experimentalâ€

I stick by my point. You critique of the music itself is valid in that it is your own opinion, although I wholly disagree with it. It was your assertion that they would not have been noticed were they not an all-female group. Is it not possible not those championing their music are picking up something in their music that they love, rather than their gender?

My point is that just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean that their popularity is a corollary of their sex. I find them an exciting band. I have no problem with extended drones or improvisation providing it's stimulating. I love the textures on the record and I've been listening to it very day for the past week.

sparky wrote:You[sic] critique of the music itself is valid in that it is your own opinion, although I wholly disagree with it.

I wish my friends would express this kind of diplomacy when I tell them that certain things are gae.

sparky wrote:I stick by my point. You critique of the music itself is valid in that it is your own opinion, although I wholly disagree with it. It was your assertion that they would not have been noticed were they not an all-female group. Is it not possible not those championing their music are picking up something in their music that they love, rather than their gender?

My point is that just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean that their popularity is a corollary of their sex. I find them an exciting band. I have no problem with extended drones or improvisation providing it's stimulating. I love the textures on the record and I've been listening to it very day for the past week.

Sorry, I hate to press the point. But did you actually read my reply? I said their gender wasn't the issue it was the novelty factor. All you just did was repeat your first point, which kind of implies I don't like them because I'm a sexist...

But this is really about "you like 'em I don't"... of which arguing is about as pointless as jerking off with a cheese grater.

Gramsci wrote:
Sorry, I hate to press the point. But did you actually read my reply? I said their gender wasn't the issue it was the novelty factor. All you just did was repeat your first point, which kind of implies I don't like them because I'm a sexist...

But this is really about "you like 'em I don't"... of which arguing is about as pointless as jerking off with a cheese grater.

No apologies needed. perhaps I wasn't clear enough. I did read your reply and addressed my answer to that. This is basically a you like 'em I don't argument, but my point is that we should do it that way, rather than introduce the novelty factor in this case, as it leads us into dodgy territory. It's kind of stupid that gender should be a novelty factor, but as you imply in your first reply, perhaps that's the nature of the industry.

Gramsci wrote:But this is really about "you like 'em I don't"... of which arguing is about as pointless as jerking off with a cheese grater.

I agree with sparky: Electrelane is a likeable enough band for their music alone that to blame their success on their gender is inappropriate. I've only seen them live, & I was cynical - right or wrong, I view the all-girl business as a schtick, & always assume the worst; but I dug the music on its own merit.

spoot wrote:
I agree with sparky: Electrelane is a likeable enough band for their music alone that to blame their success on their gender is inappropriate.

READ EARLIER POST: First, I'm not sure if you can "blame" success.

Second, I said this wasn't about gender. Read all of my points, don’t just pick the controversial bit and run with it!

Please