In one of his recent posts in Facebook Guille Mostaza has raised the following issue: when we post something we like in social networks - we post it to show what? To show what we really like or to be liked for what we show we like? And then, what we show we listen to and what we really listen to - is it the same thing? Guille didn't clarify what audiences he was appealing to - regular users or his colleagues from music business, or his colleagues from music business as regular users of social networks. For me, I believe I have stepped over this period in my life when I had to stage my tastes up to be liked for it over 20 years ago. But what I'm really interested in is the flip side of Guille's question as applied to professional music reviewers' community. When they show they like something, do they really like it or just try to stay in line with the common opinion of the colleagues? I just feel like the universal praise of some artists looks like staged. I can't contradict the universal praise of Arca or FKA Twigs because it's not my kind of music, and I don't understand how it functions and how it impacts its fans. But look at Phoebe Bridgers, for instance. All the year through I'm reading how great her "Punisher" is, then I listen to it - and hear nothing exceptional. Ok, these are the songs. There are some good songs in there. But comparisons to Elliott Smith? Seriously? I hear nothing in "Punisher" that could relate to Smith's level of songwriting. This is surely my kind of music and I know how this music works, so I'm kind of forced to think: is this hype staged? Do all these reviewers really think it's that great, or they forced to show something they don't really think as the common opinion prevails? Or is something wrong with me? And then I look into the [Spanish national] annual polls and get concerned of what I don't see in there. Do you know what I don't see? I don't see my Best Album Of The Year in there. It is completely absent. It looks like my poll is the only poll where this album sits. And I'm forced to think again: is something wrong with me and my music tastes? But then I think: I don't care. For me, with thick sound, great melodies and perfect drive/emotion balance this album sparks brightly amongst tons of music released this year. And the next 9 albums spark brightly as well.
Slowly processed within 3 year span this album is worth every minute of waiting. It's such a pity this strongest pack of songs rooted within post-Vetusta indie rock context seems to be overlooked as the band is not from this pool of bands (some call it mafia, haha) whose names come to mind first you hear the words 'Spanish indie".
The man formerly known as Ran Ran Ran drummer made an album where he did literally everything. It took some years for Ran Ran Ran to grow from obscure underground act to the local scene staple. "L'Home Sense Dits" is crafted so perfectly that his auteur jumps into the same category of 'local scene staples' with his only release.
They've got groove, they've got vibe, they've got their own face in the post-garage jangle pop scene. Their second album is almost huge, and this 'almost' leaves them enough space for growing even bigger. And this is that moment when I can proudly declare: I loved them before they got famous.
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-14811039-1582054664-2961.jpeg.jpg)
