I listen to several radio stations down here in San Diego, one of which is KPRI. They call themselves “Authentic Rock”, and in this case, that means a niche usually called Adult Alternative. It’s what you find on VH1; on the odd chance they’re actually playing videos. Anyway, since it is the end of the year they did a quick reader poll to name the top five… well, top 5 what is up in the air, as it’s called top 5 bands, but it’s really singles. This is what they come up with?
5-U2/Vertigo
4-REM/Leaving New York
3-Counting Crows/Accidentally in Love
2-Jet/Look What You’ve Done
1-Los Lonely Boys/How Far is Heaven
Does that look backward to anyone else? Two of the most influential bands of the past 20 years release excellent albums and they finish 4 and 5? Let’s see, U2’s album is a masterpiece obviously intended to cement them as the Biggest Band in the World, while REM releases a lovely, quiet return-to-glory album and they finish behind these guys? Counting Crows is a fine band, one of my favorites (I know, I am NOT COOL. I deal with it), but this song is a movie-theme trifle. The Jet song is nice. A shameless Beatles rip-off, but Jet is always shamelessly ripping-off somebody. The Los Lonely Boys are an over-hyped Tex-Mex mediocrity. Those three songs and bands are better then U2 and REM? Seriously?
It could have been worse though. KPRI plays Train. They play Train a lot. They love Train.
Nothing sucks more than Train.
Posted by Frinklin at December 30, 2004 09:33 PMPuddle of Mudd is worse than Train, Frinklin.
Oh, and R.E.M. has been dead to me since Bill Berry left the band.
Posted by: Jeremy at January 1, 2005 12:02 PMYeah, you can probably put Nickleback in there too.
As for REM, I've safely ignored just about everything since Monster, but Around the Sun is the best they've done in a long time.
Posted by: frinklin at January 1, 2005 12:16 PMI got the new REM album for Christmas. It's the first album of theirs I've gotten since I bought Life's Rich Pageant in 1986. No good reason for the long gap, just sort of grew apart.
I haven't even had a chance to listen to the recent album yet. Somehow buying the new one has encouraged me to go through my old ones again and I can't get enough of Reckoning. I have to get it on CD. I have a cassette tape copy made from my (now given away) vinyl copy.
Posted by: John at January 5, 2005 06:23 AMKPRI just flat out sucks. It's programming is boring (irritatingly boring) music that has failed to offend any listeners on other stations long enough that it is deemed safe for them to play.
I am offended by this station's lack of playing anything interesting. Yet I am forced to listen to it at work due to the tyranny of majority rule.
Please let a freak lightning storm take out their transmitters.
Posted by: Brad at July 8, 2005 11:44 AM