i remember picking this up in the mid 90s on massive mad rec from the smashing pumpkins online fan community (alt.fan.smashing-pumpkins) and just being massively disappointed. there was a sort of basic aesthetic similarity, the drummer is obviously a jimmy chamberlin fan, but it sounded like the pumpkins post-lobotomy - no passion, no emotion. the delivery is just totally cold and robotic. the lead work has no individuality whatsoever. keep in mind that adore hadn't even been released yet...
i ended up finding what i was looking for in sonic youth, and, a little later on, my bloody valentine.
brandon blackwell
The muted vocal style brings out the background and lyrics and really, the song itself.
I love the 90s Pumpkins and all but Hum is king.
deathtokoalas
when you separate yourself this far from the music, you eliminate the art form and reduce it to some kind of stale academic exercise. it's boring...
Dale Hensley
I think you'd be more impressed with downward is heavenward. That's got more forward tunes on it. He's always had that monotone voice though. I don't know if it's this deliberate separation, with the goal of being this obviously individual band. Hum is associated with that whole mid-west emo scene, but I think they're closer to bands like Codeine (sad-core, or whatever the hell it is). I think they stick out more because the music has this nice progression to it, and it's more emotionally involved. I think the monotone voice compliments that idea. It's fucking awesome, in my humble opinion.
deathtokoalas
i actually picked them both up at the same time, and i did indeed like downward is heavenward a bit more.
KDowah
"seperate yourself" from the music? That sounds rather subjective.
deathtokoalas
they seem to be approaching the task of writing a song in the same way that people solve math problems, rather than as an outlet of expression. ironically, i find that this is a dominant characteristic of what has been strangely called "emo" - it's lack of emotional investment, in favour of this stale, clinical approach.
Andrew D
You are only here to criticize and that is sad. Im sure you can find better things to do with your life than try to be a cold glass of water.
deathtokoalas
sometimes, we all need a cold glass of water dumped on us.
i'm here to analyze. there's a difference.
