After picking up coffee this morning and running back to my apartment to dive under the covers (brutal cold/flu), I opened up The Onion and went right to the music section. There sat two band photos, one of the band Fucked Up and the other of Los Campesinos! As is the case with 95% of grating present-day indie bands, both photos were predictably oh so cool. The Fucked Up photo is a full-band shot, all members tightly packed. One dude is holding up the female member's head, while the woman has a look of shock on her face. Then there's the predictable fat bald guy, the emo suck and well, another emo suck. Then there's Los Campesinos! (Why the !? How many times has the explanation point been used by other bands?) The band is standing in a field and they're spread equidistant while each holding some sort of bird. Flannel shirts, hip t-shirts and beards abound.This whole thing is getting beyond bearable. I guess that would make it unbearable. Why must every damn Pitchfork band have an over-the-top image? Like that cow from Les Savvy Fav or Kayne's shades or whatever the hell Of Montreal's doing to garner attention or Santogold or the fucking Fuck Buttons. (And enough of the expletives and animals in your names.)
Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young or hell, even The Ramones or The Clash didn't have to shove some rehearsed look down your throat round-the-clock. You're making music. Yes, the images help create a bigger picture of the act, but what the majority of these bands are putting forth is just that, an act.
Confession: I think I love Vampire Weekend.
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