TAUK – Melvin’s Mind
Similar artists: Umphrey’s McGee, Dopapod, The Disco Biscuits, Papadosio, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Genre: Progressive Rock, Post Rock, Alternative Rock
It’s remarkable what audiences used to think pop music was only a few decades ago and what most modern audiences are willing to accept from pop music. Constructed as frivolous entertainment, pop music has worked its way to the rank of art form. Bands like TAUK believe in preserving the musical complexity for which others fought.
But modern music also faces great challenges. When pop music began, the way that bands looked was, at least, equally as important as the way that they sounded. Things changed later on, and new layers of musical complexity were brought in by artists and accepted by listeners. But, in recent years, we’ve seen a dip in our willingness to strain our ears and truly listen to music.
TAUK’s “Melvin’s Mind” is a modern expression of progressive rock. It’s constructed with the idea that musical complexity should be encouraged whenever it can be and that solos ought to be the spice of any composition. But this is not merely a pointless example of virtuosity. It’s a mix of old and trendy sounds. And, if you do strain hard enough, there are plenty of interesting stories being told by the instrumental pieces here.
Venter – the things to come
Similar artists: Cloudkicker, Russian Circles, TOOL, Sigur Rós
Genre: Post Rock
How many blues-rock songs about your wife running away with the postman can you have? How many pop-punk songs about running naked through your mall can you write with the same three power chords? Thousands of musicians have been asking themselves this for many years, and the answers are what has kept them in business.
If you thought you may have had too much of all those lazy songs written by people, just wait until AI gets a hold of these tired cliches. Why you could have a new Blink-182 album every Thursday now that co-writers can be cut out of the picture? Motley Crue will never have to retire. And we could have Olivia Rodrigo stay nineteen forever.
For all those people tired of all of the old cliches and rock n’ roll songs that all arrive at the exact same place, Venter’s “the things to come” may be an option. The band does not produce three-minute singles. Imagine that! And their music is complex and unpredictable, and the band doesn’t even need to put up with a fat singer losing their hair and their voice. Instead, the group creates concentric circles of arpeggios that lead all the way to heaven and back down again. AI can do a lot of things (badly), but it can’t tell jokes and can’t write Venter-type songs.
