Whenever I'm driving, the rock stations seem to be infatuated with this new band called Flyleaf. I think this is more strong evidence that the music industry doesn't pick the next big hit by talent, but by what they want people to enjoy.
Their big single right now, "Falling Alive", begins with a vocalist that sounds so much like Avril Lavigne that I thought it was her until I heard differently. Seriously, the resemblence is uncanny. Each verse of lyrics is followed by a really slow, really generic guitar riff that sounds like it should be played about twice as fast for it to sound decent. This goes on and on until the chorus, in which our Avil-alike begins to moan and wail like a broken siren, or maybe a dying quail. The point is it doesn't sound good.
So we have a band that can be distilled into a heaveier, angstier Avril and her brand cronies. It makes perfect sense why this band would be hyped up; it has a similar sound to something else formerly popular, but with enough of a twist to throw people off. Why look for something new and good when a label can find a good retread and repackage it?
What doesn't make sense is how they can do this time and again and not enough people notice it.
In other music news, I bought the new Who album for my father during Christmas, and I think I'm listening to it more than he is. Its nothing like their old blend of rock, but the slower, almost folkier style feels right for these aging rockers, and is catchy for its own reasons. I don't think I've had a modern song stuck in my head quite like Endless Wire has been for the last month.
2 comments:
I definitely agree about Fully Alive. It's probably one of the weaker songs on their album.
I also agree about them being an edgier version of Avril Lavigne.
Granted, I didn't like Avril because I felt she was hardcore fake and manufactured. I'm not sure Flyleaf is as manufactured.
My friend and I happened across their album about a year before they even made radio. He bought it (and I later bought it on AllofMP3). I think it's a decent freshman effort with some potential, but you are definitely right about some things. There are songs on there that were obviously misguided by some profiteering piece-of-shit producer out to make a buck.
Luckily for me, I've enjoyed their work before they made it "big," so I get credit for not being a PR shill or radio following lemming.
But you know me, I'm far from either.
You've definitely peaked my interest in this new Who album. It sounds like something I could definitely dig.
This was a synergistic post that enhances the blogosphere.
Seriously, thanks for the facts buddy.
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