As much as I like lostprophets and Ian, I have to disagree with him. Emo is just as much a fashion style (or lifestyle, whatever you want to call it) as it is a sound. People can make up their own definitions as much as they want, but if you ask me, it's only people who don't want to be labeled who are suddenly offended by it -- and I'm not arguing with that, it's a very good reason. That, however, doesn't change the fact that the perception of "emo" is still a stylistic choice by people. For instance, look at this Wikipedia article on one definition of "emo" (the slang variety): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo_(slang) I'm not saying I don't like how the lostprophets are dressing, or that I care. I'm not saying the new music is bad. I'm just saying it's a little foolish to say emo absolutely isn't a style. It's all in personal opinion, however. To me, Ian seems offended by the emo comments -- yet I have to say, he had to know it was going to happen. I don't think he's trying to be "retro" like "Motley Crue" as he's claiming. If that were the case, then why does he not have the sterotypical hair? Motley Crue's hair looked absolutely nothing like that, so I'm amused he actually referred to his look as something from hair metal -- when his hair is the main thing that sets him apart from that. I don't care that he dresses like that, that his hair looks like that, or anything. I'm just saying he probably knew darn good and well that's how he was going to be sterotyped when he dressed like that. The thing he doesn't get is that people aren't that dumb and shallow -- they're not going to stop listening to the band because of how they dress. If they're going to stop listening to the band, I promise you it will be because the new music sucks. Everyone said the same thing about 30 Seconds to Mars when the promotional material for "A Beautiful Lie" was released, but guess what: pretty much no one stopped listening to them because it was a good album still. So, in summation: is he dressing emo? Maybe sort of. But I don't care. Do I think the new song sucks? No, it's just a little different. Is he dressing hair metal? A little.
Ian's talking about emo in the musical sense, not appearance-wise. He believes the origins of the term "emo" are based on the music from the bands he listed, and not on what they looked like. He thinks "emo" is too loosely thrown around to describe stereotypical views of appearance. If people want to be idiots and continue to carelessly use the term "emo" to describe physical appearances, it's up to them. But it's just one of many different definitions of a term that has become virtually meaningless due to such ignorance and widespread variation. As far as I'm concerned, the term no longer exists, and you'll never find me using it to describe music or appearances because it's such a poor term. It's been so misconstrued that it has become nothing. Ant: I wouldn't underestimate the shallowness of some people nowadays. I know reasonable people wouldn't stop listening to a band because of how they look, but then again not everyone is reasonable. Heh. There's alot of bigots out there.
This is doing my head in now. This arguement about 'emo' has been dragging on ever since people thought that label's should be made based on what people look like. It's there so that people can base pre-concieved judgements on other people they've never even met without having to talk to them. I believe that all musicians need to be emotional. If I really wanted I could say that Killswitch Engage are emo. I'd be right. People would dislike my decision to label a 'metal' band emo, but I'd still be completely correct. Same with other bands such as blink-182 who have done 'emo' songs. As have Kelly Clarkson or even Slipknot. They're just not labelled because they dress in a different way, put across their ideas in a different way or simply aren't being labelled due to them being popstars or whatever. You all need to remember something; anyone labelling bands 'emo' or 'hardcore' or 'emocorepoppunktrancedance' or whatever fucking labels are being made for no reason are people who are doing it just to fall into a group I like to call 'conformists'.
People get so pissed over a 3 letter word. It's just the easiest way for most people to describe that style of music, and that style of dressing. Nobody flips out when someone calls Nirvana grunge, or Linkin Park nu-metal. Reacting to the word in this way is just as bad as ignorantly using the word, in my opinion.
The world would be a better place if we just called all music music. No matter what it is. Just call it music. No more rock, rap, emo, pop, bass & drum, punk, poppunk, metal, metalcore, metalpolkacore. Just call it music.
But therein likes the problem, that style of music is not the definition of emo. Nor is the dressing. It's when people wrongly use the term to describe things that aren't that way that makes me and others annoyed. And I don't agree that reacting to the wrongful usage of a meaningless term in a derogatory sense is on par with the ignorance of people using it.
Clips of the new album can be streamed here: http://www.sonymusicstore.com/store/catalog/MerchandiseDetails.jsp?selectionId=096531&skuId=109800 EDIT: Album sounds great, but really radio-friendly. Of course, these are just 30 second clips but they don't seem to have any edge to them. Except for Everyday Combat.
Uh-oh. I hear no "Start Something" or "We Still Kill The Old Way"-esque songs with heavy guitars and screaming. They do seem to be lacking an edge, Buried. But I can't rule that out until I hear the full album, so I'll reserve judgement.
Listening to the samples again, I'm liking them more. I'm still hoping one of these turns into a screamfest during a bridge or something.
http://www.7digital.com/stores/productDetail.aspx?shop=34&partner=23&product=36021&sid=405801 Different clips from the album
There are a couple of songs that I know I'll like but for the most part, it doesn't sound as good as Start Something.
Well, first, I didn't liked the previews... After downloaded the album, and heard it, I think it's a great album, it's sounds a little bit different than old Lostprophets albums, but not too much. I liked the melodies on the songs, all that voices and chorus, after listened the album just 1 time, my favorite songs are Everyday Combat and Everybody's Screaming!!! , but there are like 4 or 5 songs that sounds really great. The only think I disliked a little bit, was the fact that I think that the verses of most of the songs sounds similar , but anyway , it's a great album, I need to listen it again and again to say if it's better than the other albums. At the moment, I'll give a 8/10.
I'm really looking forward to this album. And I'm not sure if it matters or not, but here is a larger / better quality picture of the album cover. http://www.absolutepunk.net/gallery/files/5/8/3/3/3/740276792_l.jpg
I'm let down by this album. This band is much better than this. If it was released by another band under another name, I'd probably like it alot more. But the fact that they've underachieved like this is just depressing, really. Hey, maybe it'll grow on me. But this is not the Lostprophets of old, and why fix something that's not broken?