Controversial Music Opinions...

[Magnetic]

We kind of have a thread for that.

But yeah, I find it very hard to cotton to most country music. It's more the voice than the instrumentation, though. I wouldn't mind listening to country instrumental music, as long as it didn't have a fiddle in it.

Willie Nelson's album Teatro I think is good for a chill mood. Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton have some amazing songs for the "old" country. Before COVID hit, I was in Nashville for fun. Most modern country is "bro country," I'll agree.

The Brothers Osborne have upbeat "bro" sound on some songs that can be catchy, but they also have a blues-y, soulful sound as well (listen: Weed, Whisky & Willie / Slow Your Roll/ Loving Me Back/ Rum). They tap into the "older" country with blues/ modern feel I think.

AAAAAAND....they're openly LGBTQ friendly/ BLM/ activist forward. Apparently they had some backlash when they featured a gay couple kissing in a music video, and the lead singer said, "if that pisses you off, then I don't give a shit."

Sometimes I want uncomplicated music while floating out on the water...and this fits the bill. I don't feel like I'm supporting redneck conservative views with these guys, and maybe it's musicians like these that should gain traction for a change.

[onthewall2983]

Well who doesn't love Willie Nelson. He did a blues album about 20 years ago and then did a special on A&E I remember quite well.



That said I do have a few Johnny Cash albums too, some of the Rick Rubin stuff.

The Nashville episode of Grohl's Sonic Highways kind of opened my eyes to how much musicianship there can be in C&W, but also how much has been lost because of modern trends.

[BRoswell]

I always try to direct people to this when it comes to the topic of modern country music:

[MrLobster]

I think anyone who can't seem to get into country should watch the Ken Burns doc (and I'm very happy they didn't gloss over the roots of the genre either)...



...or listen to the soundtrack. I'm not saying they'll change their minds or that it's all worth listening to, but it's a good slice of a variety of country styles.

I'm definitely not a big fan of country (the forced ambient exposure in my neck of the woods is rather prevalent) but there are three new(ish) artists I quite like, Margo Price, Whitney Rose and Amy Nelson.

[allegate]

Well who doesn't love Willie Nelson. He did a blues album about 20 years ago and then did a special on A&E I remember quite well.



That said I do have a few Johnny Cash albums too, some of the Rick Rubin stuff.

The Nashville episode of Grohl's Sonic Highways kind of opened my eyes to how much musicianship there can be in C&W, but also how much has been lost because of modern trends.

Yeah the Sonic Highways episode is a pretty good high level brushing of what Nashville can be slash was about. When I was growing up in the 80s my dad listened to the local country station so it was a lot of old stuff like Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Waylon Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, The Judds, George Jones, Merle Haggard...I could go on but will just stop there. Anyway, they also played some up and coming like Randy Travis, Clint Black, George Strait, Alison Krauss, Pam Tillis, Emmylou Harris, and of course I'd be very remiss if I didn't mention Kathy Mattea.

Side note, I was getting lost in a wiki hole there and the country duo of the year stats boggled my mind here:

Brooks & Dunn (1992)
Brooks & Dunn (1993)
Brooks & Dunn (1994)
Brooks & Dunn (1995)
Brooks & Dunn (1996)
Brooks & Dunn (1997)
Brooks & Dunn (1998)
Brooks & Dunn (1999)
Montgomery Gentry (2000)
Brooks & Dunn (2001)
Brooks & Dunn (2002)
Brooks & Dunn (2003)
Brooks & Dunn (2004)
Brooks & Dunn (2005)
Brooks & Dunn (2006)

They were good, but for that long, and in the aughts?

[Magnetic]

Side note, I was getting lost in a wiki hole there and the country duo of the year stats boggled my mind here:
They were good, but for that long, and in the aughts?

They were still pretty big in 2003. I took my mom to one of their concerts that year (my dad refused to go, so I humored her). I think their single Red Dirt Road was big for them... *checks wikipedia* #5 overall for the year.

I completely agree with Bo Burnham's assessment that "stadium" country is disingenuous. But, there are still some artists that do still write/ perform music that is real to them. It's the same with pop music: you have the performers vs musicians argument.

[Soma]

Not a big fan of most country music nowadays, but I love Orville Peck & Sturgill Simpson (love that they both had a song in the background of Watchmen HBO)
As a teenager I hated country music with a burning passion. Now I realize I was just rejecting the small-town environment I grew up in.
In recent years I have developed an appreciation for certain artists like Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson.
Pretty sure that even TR himself is a fan of Hank Williams... he sampled lyrics from 'Weary Blues From Waiting' on 'While I'm Still Here'

[Krazy]

Far Beyond Driven is Pantera's best album.

Wouldn't say that's controversial. Most people say that or A Vulgar Display of Power.

My personal favorite is The Great Southern Trendkill. Very experimental, aggressive/angry, Floods solo/outro and dark.

Agreed, definitely not controversial and is probably their best album IMHO. It opened the charts at #1 back in ‘94! Vulgar was a bit more polished coming off of CFH and more “accessible” to your average fan so I totally get why that ones considered the favorite by many- and it still kicks ass.

[allegate]

Not a big fan of most country music nowadays, but I love Orville Peck & Sturgill Simpson (love that they both had a song in the background of Watchmen HBO)
As a teenager I hated country music with a burning passion. Now I realize I was just rejecting the small-town environment I grew up in.
In recent years I have developed an appreciation for certain artists like Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson.
Pretty sure that even TR himself is a fan of Hank Williams... he sampled lyrics from 'Weary Blues From Waiting' on 'While I'm Still Here'

If you watch Sturgill Simpson's anime / fuck you on Netflix and come away thinking it's "just" country music then ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[GulDukat]

Agreed, definitely not controversial and is probably their best album IMHO. It opened the charts at #1 back in ‘94! Vulgar was a bit more polished coming off of CFH and more “accessible” to your average fan so I totally get why that ones considered the favorite by many- and it still kicks ass.

Yeah, I guess I thought CFH/VDOP were considered to be the top two albums. That's why I listed FBD in this thread.

[Soma]

If you watch Sturgill Simpson's anime / fuck you on Netflix and come away thinking it's "just" country music then ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That's true, 'Sound and Fury' was somewhat of a radical departure in style. I love those fuzz guitars & synths. Fitting that it is nominated for Best Rock Album.

[allegate]

I just wish I had the space for a 5.1 setup so I could hear what the mix sounds like surrounded by the fuzz in "Fastest Horse in Town".

This popped up in my YT recommended. I'm pretty sure at least one person there wasn't expecting Brad Paisley to show up like that.

[Archive_Reports]

I'll take Paisley over Morello in terms of sheer guitar playing ability.

[GulDukat]

RE: Country Music--this cracks me up:

[Jinsai]

that Miley Cyrus album Bangerz is actually a pretty damn good pop album. I was a jerk about it when it came out, and I hadn't even listened to it. It may not be my kind of thing, but it's really good.

[Jazzkokehead]

I think Pusicfer is pretty terrible, and were it not for Keenan's fame with Tool, I don't think anyone would care about them.

[BRoswell]

I think Pusicfer is pretty terrible, and were it not for Keenan's fame with Tool, I don't think anyone would care about them.

I'm not really a fan of Tool and I like Puscifer. I don't think people like Puscifer just because it's an MJK project (same with A Perfect Circle).

[Jazzkokehead]

I dunno. I feel like I've given Pusicfer more than their fair shake, but they've absolutely never clicked with me.

I don't really enjoy A Perfect Circle either, but I've always been able to see why people like them, at least. That's not really been the case with Pusicfer.

[Jinsai]

I wouldn't call myself a "fan" of either, but imo Puscifer>APC

[eversonpoe]

I'm not really a fan of Tool and I like Puscifer. I don't think people like Puscifer just because it's an MJK project (same with A Perfect Circle).

for me it's about the lyrics/artwork. the music and maynard's vocals are solid, but all of the stupid "jokes" and stuff are super tiresome. i'd rather have pretentious bullshit than repeated bad sexual jokes.

[BRoswell]

*shrug* I like the silliness and tongue-in-cheek nature of the band. Not everything has to be super serious in my opinion. Besides, that sort of thing has extended to Tool and A Perfect Circle too, so it's not just a Puscifer thing. MJK likes taking the piss, and I'm okay with that.

[MrLobster]

MJK likes taking the piss, and I'm okay with that.

What?! You mean that wasn't really Satan baking cookies? Daaaamn...

[tony.parente]

I think Pusicfer is pretty terrible, and were it not for Keenan's fame with Tool, I don't think anyone would care about them.

Puscifer is fucking stupid

[BRoswell]

Since most people tend to focus on the humor, I'd like to know what's so bad about the actual music?

[Jazzkokehead]

Since most people tend to focus on the humor, I'd like to know what's so bad about the actual music?

I mean, MJK isn't exactly very funny, despite what he may think. And the music is okay, but not anything to write home about, either.

[fillow]

It looks as if many people formed their opinion of Puscifer based on stuff like Cuntry Boner, Queen B, Man Oveboard and 8-Ball Bail Bonds live album. This is like 10-15% of their material and I agree not their best stuff. If you don't think that songs like The Weaver, Green Valley, Oceans, The Humbling River, The Arsonist, Vagina Mine (live) and many others are amazing then I just don't know...

[eversonpoe]

The Weaver, Green Valley, Oceans, The Humbling River, The Arsonist

these are all very good songs. like i said, i like most of the music! a lot! but when he gets into some of his lyrical territory i just scoff and cringe and lose interest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Krazy]

Tool and APC fan here, and agree that Puscifer’s stuff wouldn’t have made it out of the studio had it not been for Maynard’s fame. The music just isn’t very good. It is “different” though, so I guess that’s helps him to get out of the “hard alt rock” genre mold. It’s a fucking commercial for his wine too, so that’s stupid IMO.

[BRoswell]

This is like 10-15% of their material and I agree not their best stuff.

Yep. It's not like every track is about dick and pussy jokes. There's some truly beautiful Puscifer tracks in my opinion. I can understand if some of the humor associated with the band isn't everyone's cup of tea, but the music itself is pretty solid for the most part, and that's where my focus goes first and foremost. That's why the idea that nobody would care about it if MJK wasn't at the helm doesn't ring true to me. If the music was that bad, and it just came across as some sort of vanity project, it would be much easier for people in general to dismiss it.

[r_z]

Puscifer’s stuff wouldn’t have made it out of the studio had it not been for Maynard’s fame. The music just isn’t very good.

I feel like this totally neglects the talents of the people involved. Why Matt Mitchell should be a less dedicated or talented producer than, say, Howerdel, I don't see.