Contributed by:
Eric J. Lubbers/YourHub.com
Article Contributed on: 7/12/2006 11:40:51 PM
Oh, where to begin.
First of all, I'd apologize to
YourHub.com Community Journalist
Annie Hundley (she likes
Death Cab for Cutie), but I can't, because I hate them so much.
I've got an adjective and a noun to describe why I hate them so much: Indie Pretense.
My hate for DCFC is comprised of equal parts utter disdain for their music and blatant, aggressive hate for their image and fan base.
Let's start with their music. It's drippy, whiny, super-sensitive electronic pop. In otherwords, it does not need to exist. This is the kind of music that choady frat boys listen to appear down-to-earth and awesome. It's pretentious, which I usually don't mind, but they've got absolutely nothing to back it up.
Basically, DCFC is the new
Dave Matthews Band, whom I've always kind of hated, too.
Now I know it's not right to judge a band based on who listens to them and I usually avoid it, but in light of the fact that their music sucks so much and their annoying little fans are multiplying like larva, I feel I've got to say something to maybe stem the tide.
First of all, they are the quintessential "indie darlings" of our era and they totally know it. They continue to wear their sweaters and thick glasses and look pained in their videos, all of which just amplifies their "indie" image. Look at the photo at right. That guy is wearing a white tiger screen-printed shirt. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, but look at the expressions on all of their faces. They are all so
aware of how "ironic" it is that he's wearing that shirt for their photo shoot. They are what killed irony.
Their fans (see second photo at right) are basically vapid, suburban, middle-class kids who can totally see their pathetic little problems reflected in the glasses Ben Gibbard wears when he needs an "indie" boost.
Music has always been about girls, but this has occupied a new, tiny little alcove of the genre that deals exclusively with the distant unrequited love of a high school boy for a high school girl or the sweet, gentle, boring sort of soul-connected love they share after they hook up. Who actually wants to listen to this kind of artistic expression? Boring college kids, that's who.
At least other crappy bands (i.e. Good Charlotte, Nickelback) are unabashedly sucky. They know it and just don't care. DCFC seem like they'd burst into tears if you told them you didn't like their music. And I just can't get behind that.
I've got more to say, but by now you either agree with me wholeheartedlyor are planning my demise, so there isn't really a point.
I gleefully accept all comments/criticisms. Send them to
lubberse@YourHub.com.