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KEXP Can Jock Some Lame-Ass Shit
I mean, they play some great stuff too, but seriously, KEXP, Wild Sweet Orange? Fo’ real?
For those of you who don’t know, Wild Sweet Orange is a band—a band from Birmingham, Alabama, actually, and KEXP has been playing their song for some time, and everyone over there apparently loves them. So much, in fact, they had the band fly to Seattle last weekend to play KEXP’s “John in the Morning at Night” shows with Jeremy Enigk (Jeremy Enigk was great, for the record; read more about his performance here). WSO is a five piece (although six were onstage) with three guitarists, a lead singer named Preston Lovinggood (I wish I were making that up), a girl who can’t dance (or even sing) all that well, and yeah they’re all pretty and young and smiley, but after watching them two nights in a row and then watching the crowd absolutely eat that shit up”¦ I wanted to stab myself in the brain with one of those cardboard Happy New Year’s tiaras.
They’re completely derivative—the majority of their songs sound like they were written by piecing together the scraps from Conor Oberst’s songwriting journal circa Letting Off the Happiness (seriously, go to their MySpace page and listen to the songs “Stupid Chords”¯ and “House of Regret”¯ and then try to tell me I’m wrong). They sing about lying on the floor and loving the rain and not loving pain”¦ Christ.
And the singer”¦ the singer, man, with his utterly unnecessary acoustic guitar. Sometimes he’d not play the guitar at all and instead opt to take the mic out of the stand and really “rock out”¯ by bending over and clutching the mic in both fists and stomping his foot in a fit of adolescent passion. When the Washington Post wrote up the Birmingham music scene earlier this fall they said “Preston Lovinggood of Wild Sweet Orange was John Mayer with a backbone.”¯ Maybe so, but even John Mayer with a backbone is still fucking John Mayer!
They’re young, they haven’t even cut a record, and man, I should probably be nice, but I don’t have the energy to sugar-coat anything, and honestly I’m pretty bummed that I had to sit through that crap TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW. As soon as the band broke into “House of Regret,”¯ a song about sitting cold and alone in the shower where the water and soap will never make you feel clean, all I could think about was how I would rather be at home, cold and alone, with a urinary tract infection.
Why, KEXP, why did you have to bring it to Seattle? There’s tons of local shit that’s massively better, and that’s what you decide to jock? Really? Ugh.
Whatever. End hissy fit. Now I feel better.
Comments
How was Walter Meego?
How was Walter Meego?
dammit
Thank you.
And Catfish Haven TOTALLY SUCK. What the hell, KEXP?
I have noticed that KEXP was sounding a little weak these days. Even Kevin Cole can get pretty weak obsessions from time to time, and I think he's the greatest.
Thanks to John Richards and his creepy head-up-his-ass prodigy Cheryl Waters we get CRAPPOLA KEXP. I heard that the reason why Pablo was playing and is being pushed really, really hard is that they are friends with fuggly Water's boyfriend. Now that emo-indie rock is winding down, which was Richards specialty, I guess we will be hearing more lame shit along the same lines. I can only stand to listen to the station on the week-ends when it sounds like the KCMU of yesteryear.
John Richards' and Cheryl Waters' taste in music is so so so boring, I'd rather listen to political a.m. talk radio in the mornings. I still can't believe that most of the money they raise with their pledge drives goes to paying the main DJ's high salaries. Spending money to fly some shit band to play here in Seattle? Typical.
Oooh!!! It's the "I hate KEXP rant again?" Shit... I need some time to compose my thoughts...
As a North Idaho native, where there are no less than three CCM, two Modern Country, and two MTV-rap stations (and not much else), I can't help feeling that people who complain about KEXP are a wee bit spoiled. WSO aren't that great ("Oberst-ripoff vocals" is never a promising first impression -- anybody remember An Angle? Didn't think so), but I'd gladly listen to a station that plays stuff like that occasionally than anything broadcasting out of Spokane.
For the record, this was not started as a "KEXP sucks" thread. It's a "Wild Sweet Orange sucks, and some of the folks of KEXP are misguided about them" thread. They are still good people who love music. They just love music you hate, evidently.
Me? I am unfamiliar with this KEXP you speak of. I'll have to check it out.
not everybody at kexp loves wild sweet orange..
just sayin..
Yes, this is the counterpoint to my criticism, which I acknowledge: KEXP does a lot of good for our community; DJs like Riz (sometimes), and former DJs like Jaspan, infuse the station's programming with some fun and interesting stuff. However, I will still argue that KEXP has robbed our music community of a vital resource- college radio...
Man. Oberst-ripoff is right. Saturday night, I leaned over to the girl next to me and said "The only thing, good or bad, that I have to say about this band is that he wants to be Conor Oberst." I didn't love or hate any of the bands that night (wasn't there of my own accord), and I'd rather feel anything but apathy.
KEXP drove me to buy satellite radio. The only program on KEXP I can tolerate is the punk show.
whoa...I'm so glad someone else shares my opinion for WSO.
Isn't that a name of a Tazo Tea? Are they Starbucks whores or something?
whoa...I'm so glad someone else shares my opinion for WSO.
Isn't that a name of a Tazo Tea? Are they Starbucks whores or something?
Oh thank goodness, I thought I was the only one and something was wrong with me.
Wait, doesn't The Stranger prop up weak indi rock on a not too infrequent basis? (NOTE:this comment has no bearing on my Mon Frere comment.They have talent)
Technically a tisane, Tazo's Wild Sweet Orange makes a fantastic iced tea. The band? They don't do it for me either.
haven't heard them but, i was wondering if anyone else here has felt like the morning show has been on a constant decline, (or, at least more boring) ever since his son was born? getting old maybe? i dunno..
Thanks Megan for saying what many people I know are feeling. It appears as though KEXP is now under pressure of the dollar. I high salary is probably a hard one to lose. The music is becoming predictable, john and cheryl and one in the same. I want my KCMU back!
Has anyone been listeing this afternoon? I have no reception at work therefore I stream sometimes...I'm about to kill myself.
Make the switch to WOXY.com online. I did, after the salary deal broke and haven't looked back.
Haven't heard this particular band, but...yeah...somebody had to say it.