411 Music Fact or Fiction 03.15.13: Don't Stop Believing
Posted by Joseph Lee on 03.15.2013
Is Drake's new track a disappointment? What did we think of Mumford & Sons' latest music video? Is Ke$ha's song "Vampire" any good at all? 411's Robert Cooper and Sean Garmer debate these topics and more in this week's Fact or Fiction: Music!
Welcome to another edition of Fact or Fiction: Music. I'm your host, Joseph Lee.
This week we have Sean Garmer against Robert Cooper.
While it wasn't exactly "Thriller", it fit the sound of their music quite well. The video showed the 4 members of the band and what they were doing on their way to the concert. It was quiet, and kind of person, which really meshed well with the folky sound that they have going on that just oozes a down home flavor. It shows that a video doesn't have to be really exciting to be enjoyable, just nice and simple will sometimes fit the bill.
Sean Garmer: FACT.
I liked it because it was different yet confusing. I'm guessing they are trying to express how different each member of Mumford & Sons is, but how they come together when it is showtime. The split-screen can get annoying though, but at the same time it makes you pay attention to what's going on.
I don't quite know what the expectations were for this song. But I found it enjoyable. I've never been a fan of the guy, but this was much better than the last song I had to listen to by him, this one was pretty nicely done, with some barbs and people like Chris Brown thrown in. I found the beat to be pretty good, and the flow of the song works pretty well. I wont be listening to any more Drake unless I have to, but this song makes me look forwards to hearing more from him.
Sean Garmer: FACT.
Wow, well that was something I guess. Sorry, this is just not my cup of tea and much less when half the time Drake is talking about he "made Forbes list" and "every song sounds like Drake featuring Drake." I don't mind self-loathing when it is being joked about, but he is angry and serious here. I don't know I just find it dumb. I know he is really intending this to be a shot at other rappers mostly, but go brag about yo money to somebody else.
I personally wouldn't. I really wasn't around for the boat was Marky Mark and the Funk Bunch, but the songs that I've heard from them really don't grab me and say, "These guys need to come back". For what they were, they were fine. They were plenty of fun, and the ladies got to stare at them some Marky Mark, but besides those two facts, they'd be more novelty than anything. Besides, Marky Mark has had a little bit of a career after the group stopped making music. I personally like it a bit more than the music he was making.
Sean Garmer: FACT.
Just to see if Mark Whalberg can still do it. I mean its been what almost 20 years? Maybe this time they can get something besides good vibrations to chart ya know.
I don't hate Arctic Monkeys; I like some of their music. Honestly though, its not a band I'm really that into so personally it doesn't get me all happy when they release another album. Ill probably listen to some of it though. I'm sure with rock making a comeback on radio, I'll hear some of the songs on there as well.
Robert Cooper: FICTION.
This has nothing to do with their music, I just don't really care about them. I've listened to a song here or there for them when they're on, or I have to, and they're a fine band. But they're not really my style. I just have to go with Fiction, because it's asking if I am looking forwards to it, which I'm not, but that's because of more apathy towards them than anything else.
I actually don't mind Kesha. Sure, she really isn't offering anything groundbreaking in her music, but how many hip-hop songs do we hear on the radio that don't offer anything either. This song in particular though, just wasn't very good at all. I've actually enjoyed some of the stuff off her new album, but this song just was not one of them.
Robert Cooper: FACT.
I usually compare listening to Kesha to getting a proctology exam from Freddy Kruger. Luckily, this time it was much more subtle, this time it was like slowly asphyxiating on carbon monoxide. I was actually surprised, because this song was slow, and sounded kind of trancing. I actually found Kesha's voice to be better than usual, since she was actually singing, but I still don't like it all that much. This song pretty much bored me, which I guess is better than her usual, "I want to go rip my eardrums out with a fish hook", sound. Though that change in sound doesn't mean that you have to bore the pants off of me; I guess one thing that this song has going for it is that it does have a catchy sound to it. Perhaps if she does a few more tracks like this, I can go from despising her, to only disliking her, but for now, I still remain unimpressed. Better luck next time, woman with a dollar sing in her name.
I've listened to their new singer doing old journey songs. He isn't Steve Perry, but the guy can sing and his love for the songs comes through in his singing. Why should they not make another album? If they have faith in the guy, they have material they feel is strong enough to make into a new album why not? You never know until you try as they say. At least if it flops you know that you can always tour with the classic songs.
Robert Cooper: FICTION.
I think they can still put out some good tunes. It's not like they're some of the hill band who just release shit albums and coast on their namesake and their airplay through classic rock radio. These dudes are still going strong. I just started listening to their latest album (that came out in 2011) when I got to this question, and listening to bits of it, the stuff sounds better than a good half of the stuff on the modern stations. Arnel Pineda sounds great, and the rest of the band, Neal Schon, especially, are still on their game. This and the past decade have both been great for classic bands, with the internet helping people to discover more of their music, and I feel it helps a lot of bands come back from the dead. It's been happening a lot in both rock and metal. I say that Journey should keep releasing music as long as they can with a high quality, which doesn't seem to be any time soon.
Score Card: 4 for 6
Anything you agree with? Disagree with? Sound off in the comment section.
