Most inaccessible albums/artists ever (lyrics, hardcore, metal, punk)

boo boo · 07-23-2008, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainard Jalen

Perhaps "accessibility" could be defined in terms of what the general populace find accessible. That would allow it to be slightly more restricted in what it may encompass. In that case, the most of us on these boards, the proggies of us, the metalheads of us, the indie-kids of us, the hardcore rap fans, whatever, the lot of us listen to very inaccessible music - and that is the dividing line between casual music listeners and very serious well-researched diehard niche music fans. We're not chart whores. We look for something more out of what we listen to. So we're automatically listening, all the time, to music that is plainly inaccessible to the rest of the population. Hell, even the slightly more mainstream indie stuff like TV On The Radio for example is absolutely unbearable to your average listener, even a person who might've been a big fan of music throughout the 60s/70s (like my dad).

I remember when I first started listening to "niche" music: the band was Tool. At the time, I thought it was the sort of thing that few people would be able to listen to. From the perspective of considering a lot of the stuff I listen to presently, Tool is pretty accessible by comparison. I suppose it really depends what the music is, and what it is being compared to. I mean, boo boo can't listen to Deerhoof at all. To me, Deerhoof is some of the most listenable indie I've come across. I think something like Deerhoof is an awful lot more listenable than the likes of Neu or Can (both of whom I also like).

Yeah, it's all about taste really. I know it's funny that I call anything inaccessible when I'm constantly raving about great these guys are.

FireInCairo · 08-15-2008, 06:43 AM

has anyone mentioned metal machine music by Lou Reed yet?
even Lou doesn't understand how anyone could sit through the entire thing...
mmm...meandering atonal feedback

**Janszoon** · 08-15-2008, 09:02 AM

Has anyone mentioned Adult Themes for Voice by Mike Patton yet? I've owned that one since it first came out and though I love the idea that this album exists I bet I've only ever made it all the way through the thing twice in the past twelve years.

Also, Yes Sir, I Will by Crass is also a pretty tough listen. If you listen to bits and pieces of it, it doesn't sound like it would be, but the album as a whole feels like you're listening to the stuff that happened in between songs and they never got around to actually making the album.

lucifer_sam · 08-15-2008, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Has anyone mentioned Adult Themes for Voice by Mike Patton yet? I've owned that one since it first came out and though I love the idea that this album exists I bet I've only ever made it all the way through the thing twice in the past twelve years.

Also, Yes Sir, I Will by Crass is also a pretty tough listen. If you listen to bits and pieces of it, it doesn't sound like it would be, but the album as a whole feels like you're listening to the stuff that happened in between songs and they never got around to actually making the album.

Crass was the precursor to modern political punk, and Yes Sir, I Will was the defining pinnacle of their career. They aren't much harder on the ears than any other hardcore punk act.

I'd say that alotta Grindcore is pretty inaccessible, but that's just because it sounds like everything I hate about punk and everything I hate about metal at the same time. =p

**Janszoon** · 08-15-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucifer_sam

Crass was the precursor to modern political punk, and Yes Sir, I Will was the defining pinnacle of their career. They aren't much harder on the ears than any other hardcore punk act.

Other stuff I've heard by Crass doesn't sound like Yes Sir, I Will and I'd say that album is far less accessible than other hardcore. It's not that it's noisy that makes it inaccessible, it's that it never seems to go anywhere. Hence my comment about it sounding like they never got around to making the album.

I'm actually kind of curious what hardcore bands you're thinking of that you feel have a similar level of accessibility/non-accessibility to the sound Crass had on that album because most hardcore I can think of is much easier to digest than Yes Sir, I Will. I do like challenging myself with "difficult" music so: Suggestions?

lucifer_sam · 08-15-2008, 10:34 PM

I dunno. Crass were very unique, not so much hard to digest but really strange. I consider Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Suicidal Tendencies my limits of punk music...

**Janszoon** · 08-15-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucifer_sam

I dunno. Crass were very unique, not so much hard to digest but really strange. I consider Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Suicidal Tendencies my limits of punk music...

I dunno either.

I've been listening to bands like Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies (I've always liked Minor Threat too but for whatever reason never got around to buying anything by them) since I was in my early teens, along with quite a few other hardcore and hardcore-related bands, but for whatever reason I find this particular Crass album inaccessible in a way the others aren't.

I'm actually listening to Yes Sir, I Will as type this. I hadn't listened to it in a while and this thread inspired me to throw it in the old CD player again. My feelings about it haven't changed much since last time I listened to it. It's not louder than other hardcore albums, it's not noisier, it's not faster, but it does seem more directionless. It has some decent moments here and there but overall I do still find it pretty inaccessible.

Fruitonica · 08-15-2008, 11:40 PM

I really have trouble getting into the unintelligible guttural screaming vocals in alot of metal stuff. Often I'll be listening to the intro and really digging the music and then the singing starts and it just puts me off.

boo boo · 08-16-2008, 12:23 PM

Albums I love but wouldn't dare play if anyone was around.

lucifer_sam · 08-16-2008, 12:27 PM

My father's a Yes-man and I was surprised - he's got virtually the same taste as you. When I went to borrow his Close to the Edge album to rip it onto my computer, he told me that it wasn't nearly as good as Relayer or Fragile.

08-15-2008, 09:02 AM	#53 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	Has anyone mentioned Adult Themes for Voice by Mike Patton yet? I've owned that one since it first came out and though I love the idea that this album exists I bet I've only ever made it all the way through the thing twice in the past twelve years. Also, Yes Sir, I Will by Crass is also a pretty tough listen. If you listen to bits and pieces of it, it doesn't sound like it would be, but the album as a whole feels like you're listening to the stuff that happened in between songs and they never got around to actually making the album. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

08-15-2008, 10:34 PM	#56 (permalink)
lucifer_sam Unrepentant Ass-Mod Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,921	I dunno. Crass were very unique, not so much hard to digest but really strange. I consider Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Suicidal Tendencies my limits of punk music... __________________ first.am

08-16-2008, 12:27 PM	#60 (permalink)
lucifer_sam Unrepentant Ass-Mod Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,921	My father's a Yes-man and I was surprised - he's got virtually the same taste as you. When I went to borrow his Close to the Edge album to rip it onto my computer, he told me that it wasn't nearly as good as Relayer or Fragile. __________________ first.am

08-15-2008, 06:43 AM	#52 (permalink)
FireInCairo Later on... Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,235	has anyone mentioned metal machine music by Lou Reed yet? even Lou doesn't understand how anyone could sit through the entire thing... mmm...meandering atonal feedback

08-15-2008, 11:40 PM	#58 (permalink)
Fruitonica Pale and Wan Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Aus Posts: 917	I really have trouble getting into the unintelligible guttural screaming vocals in alot of metal stuff. Often I'll be listening to the intro and really digging the music and then the singing starts and it just puts me off.