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[Christophe]

They were that band that briefly were a thing due to the release of this documentary:



However, I guess they took fame a little too much to their heads and did stupid shit and never released anything past one album or so. They were on tour with three bands who are much more household names than Kut U Up ever were, and yet Kut U Up imho made much more interesting music than them combined, a mix of sort-of mathy Fugazi-ish post-hardcore and Isaac Brock-ish wailing vocals. And yet, I look at info on the band and it seems that they're lumped in a lot with really shitty pop-punk bands, bands that are about a good 1/10000th as interesting. AllMusic doesn't have a review of it up and I can't seem to find a good objective take on the album anywhere.

Am I missing something here as to why people probably don't take this band too seriously, other than their party-animal behaviour that was on full display on Riding in Vans With Boys (or that they do suck and my ears are broken) or were they just underrated and perhaps in a way ahead of their time or the scene that they seemed to fraternize with? You tell me, here are some of their songs for you to decide:

S&M Dens
Destination
Night At The Beach
Haves, Have-Nots

[20 jazz funk greats]

huh. new music. interesting....maybe.

[KharBevNor]

Their music is pretty boring to my ears.

It is also worth noting that their name is embarrasingly terrible, to the kind of extent where even if I did like their music I would be embarrased to admit it in company.

[Cernunnos]

Yeah, I like the music, the guy's voice is so-so, and the name is flat out terrible. Overall, good.

[a pack of wolves]

That's some alright post-hardcore if nothing special, but since they only made one record and toured with past-it stadium bands instead of anyone people that listen to post-hardcore would be likely to go and see it's not at all surprising they've been rather forgotten.

Plus, Khar's right and that name is so bad they probably should be ignored as a cautionary lesson to other bands.

[Christophe]

Yeah, there is no defending the name of the band. It's probably right up there with Hoobastank in terms of flat-out awful.

[Sox]

Definitely better than the other bands you mentioned, but that doesn't take very much.
I listen to far worse bands, I am sure, don't get me wrong. But that's because I was listening to those when I was 14 years old. This is completely new to me, and I should be becoming an adult soon. So what's the point? For me, there is none. I wouldn't object to younger folk listening to this, though.

The three of you are understating how bad the name is, by the way.

[Johnny C]

past-it stadium bands

in 2003?? what

[a pack of wolves]

That's six years after the last decent Green Day album and the same amount of time since Blink 182 were vaguely passable, so yeah, past it. JEW were always appalling though, so you're right that it wasn't a fair characterisation of them.

[Emaline]

Actually, for early emo stuff, JEW were pretty good. But I like Promise Ring so whatevs.


And, yeah, even if the music was good(I haven't checked it out yet, and I'm not really inclined to*), the name is just so horrible(*this is why).



ETA: Ok, so I actually started listening to the tracks you posted. Overall, I can't get through a single song because....well because they are very boring and I don't think they are doing anything different. That topped with their "party animal attitude" as you said is probably why they never went very far(along with the name).

Yeah, I'm vaguely reminded of JEW(and I guess Fugazi, vaguely), but mostly it sounds like Sparta, and yeah, I like Sparta(And JEW and Fugazi), but even I know that they aren't making Good Music. And that really that first album(Wiretap Scars, I believe) is pretty alright, but I mean, its good background music, good for a few plays, I would only buy it on sale or if I was really in need of some nostalgia. But mostly, its just not that great.

And I really think nostalgia is what drives my continuing like of JEW. I love listening to anything Bleed American and anything older than of theirs because it takes me back to my days of listening to music that I was super super passionate about and going to shows every single week, and being a teenager, and etc etc etc. So, sure, if I had listened to this band back then, I'd probably love them now, but the fact that I've grown up and sort of past that whole "We really loved Minor Threat and Fugazi, and girls broke our hearts and our parents are not fantastic, and man why do I have feelings" and I'm just not interested in bands still dwelling on that unless they are from that part of my life.

[KharBevNor]

And I really think nostalgia is what drives my continuing like of JEW.

[Emaline]

(true story: I have a thing for Jewish men)

[a pack of wolves]

Actually, for early emo stuff, JEW were pretty good. But I like Promise Ring so whatevs.

Nonononono. Early Promise Ring is still great, I wasn't even big on them back when they were released but I still spin the early records now. JEW were always shite though, not just when they did the crappy Bleed American. And it's not like I can't handle the cheese, I'm far from immune to the charms of Cross My Heart, Farside, pre-On A Wire Get Up Kids or even sodding Brandtson (not Mineral though, fuck Mineral). JEW aren't even as defensible as By A Thread, and really I can come up with absolutely no reason that I still own The Last Of The Daydreams except just "it was on Rev".

[sean]

jimmy eat world has one good song.

one.

also man mineral rules >:c

[Sox]

People are awfully fussy about pop music for teenage boys who wear far too much black.

[a pack of wolves]

also man mineral rules >:c

Listen to Deicide! Resist the godmo!

[KharBevNor]

Why are so many American 'emo' or 'post-hardcore' or 'scene' or whatever we're calling it now bands Christian.

Is it because their parents wouldn't let them listen to real metal and hardcore with skulls on and songs about drugs and Satan?

[Sox]

They couldn't get laid in high-school, now they're saying they stayed virgins because they were super religious the whole time.
They weren't.

[a pack of wolves]

I say we blame Zao, Norma Jean and the Hari Krishnas.

There is no particular reasoning behind this, but they all deserve it so why not eh?

[KharBevNor]

Oh man, Zao. I had forgotten they existed. Fuck you!

[a pack of wolves]

Hah! What can I say? Misery loves company.

Oh man, I'd successfully forgotten about Misery Loves Company for years, that is not on. Fuck you karma.

[Johnny C]

That's six years after the last decent Green Day album

wait warning's easily their best (because they aped the kinks)

and the same amount of time since Blink 182 were vaguely passable

that last blink 182 record was better than the cargo shorts music they'd been peddling previously

so yeah, past it

oh i thought you meant like they weren't huge anymore but those bands were massive then. that's where the confusion came from

JEW were always appalling though, so you're right that it wasn't a fair characterisation of them

i don't have anything to add

[a pack of wolves]

Yeah but see, I actually like snotty pop-punk. Not that Blink were ever that good at it, but Dude Ranch has a few good moments like Pathetic and the rest is mostly listenable. Not something that can be said about their later output, which was just tedious and thoroughly lacking in charm. As for Green Day they were always a lot better at singing about fucked-up teenagers than they were knocking off The Kinks and attempting to grow up. I mean, Minority? Can you really say you can get through that one without turning into a ball of intensely painful cringe? Much worse than Insomniac's low point, Brain Stew looks positively appealing compared to that and, well, most of Warning.

[Melodic]

i maintain that the best thing green day ever did was international superhits, so i wouldn't have to stumble through their other albums again

[Sox]

that last blink 182 record was better than the cargo shorts music they'd been peddling previously

Dammit
Vs.
I Miss You

These guys: Edit'd. Thanks a pack of wolves


Vs.

These guys:




Both made unfortunate decisions regarding their hair, but one of these bands looks like they might listen to Superchunk, and the other looks like Gerard Way just stood the three of them up on a date.

[David_Dovey]

So I finally listened to the songs from this band and I have to say that even though they don't suck out loud there is absolutely no reason to listen to them as opposed to the literally 12,000,000 other bands who play a very similar style of music.

[Sox]

If you like this sort of music, y'know what you should listen to instead of Kut U Up?
Knapsack.

[KharBevNor]

Has that dude got his nsuit jacket slung over his shoulder or is he doing some goofy 'wear half a suit' shit.

[Sox]

I think the jacket is doing the same thing as his haircut.

[David_Dovey]

Being horrible, yes. But it'd be nice to be more specific beyond that.

[Sox]

Blink 182 got rushed by a mob of obsessed teenage girls while playing with a ouija board and they accidentally summoned an ancient demon.
Irrate, the demon laid a curse on the members of Blink 182.
Mark Hoppus had his balls removed.
Exactly half of Travis barker was submerged in the blood of Jerry Only.
The demon took one look at Tom Delonge and said "huh, you're pathetic enough already, I guess..."

[a pack of wolves]

If you like this sort of music, y'know what you should listen to instead of Kut U Up?
Knapsack.

That hadn't occurred to me before but you're right, and not just because Knapsack are usually a good idea.

You're wrong about the development of Blink 182 though, when they made Dammit they actually looked like this:



And really, those three guys could be in almost any decent '90s American indie or punk band.

[Sox]

There we go! I was trying to find a good one with Scott, but I got sick of wading through images of guys with long fringes, and had to settle.

[Sox]

All this talk about old pop punk really takes me back.

Remember these guys?


No?

[Sox]

How about these guys?

[Theriandros]

This thread has made me realize how deeply I hate blink-182.

It needs fire.

[a pack of wolves]

Remember these guys?

Goddamnit is pretty much perfect. Crack my head open on your kitchen floor, to prove to you that I have brains. Now that's good pop-punk. Such a shame what happened.

Oh well, let's look at Japanese pop-punk bands to cheer ourselves up.

[Ptommydski]

I'm far from immune to the charms of Cross My Heart, Farside, pre-On A Wire Get Up Kids or even sodding Brandtson (not Mineral though, fuck Mineral).

Really, Mineral? Of these bands, the one that gets your goat is Mineral? They always struck me as decent.

On topic, the subgenre of post-hardcore is amusing to me with hindsight because it was a movement doomed to a steady decline by of the mere existence of Vitreous Humor, a group which remains utterly unsurpassed outside of Dischord records. Christie Front Drive and Boys Life had their share of moments but practically anything produced after VH sounds positively silly by comparison.

[a pack of wolves]

They're so far on the wrong side of sappy you can pretty much kill that band just by thinking about Judge in their presence. Pop Unknown were godawful as well (if you'll pardon the pun).

I like Vitreous Humour and all, but everything after sounding silly? I just don't get that idea, a good band meaning that there's no point in making records that happen to sound somewhat similar. Besides, they're really not that good.

[Christophe]

I'm far from immune to the charms of Cross My Heart, Farside, pre-On A Wire Get Up Kids or even sodding Brandtson (not Mineral though, fuck Mineral).

Really, Mineral? Of these bands, the one that gets your goat is Mineral? They always struck me as decent.

On topic, the subgenre of post-hardcore is amusing to me with hindsight because it was a movement doomed to a steady decline by of the mere existence of Vitreous Humor, a group which remains utterly unsurpassed outside of Dischord records. Christie Front Drive and Boys Life had their share of moments but practically anything produced after VH sounds positively silly by comparison.

Giant's Chair were also pretty amazing--they were contemporaries of VH, no? I did find it funny when Vitreous Humor were mentioned off-hand in an Alternative Press article about JEW's early days, which is funny considering how much better they were as a band.

[David_Dovey]

The article being in a copy of AP probably should've tipped you off there, bucko

[DarkAvenger]

These guys do Pop Punk as well

[Sox]

Oh come on Jens, Kenickie were more brit-pop than pop-punk. They have literally nothing at all in common at all with any other band in this thread.
Admit it, you just wanted to talk about Kenickie, didn't you?
Didn't you?

Okay, good. Now that you've just admit it, we can talk about Kenickie.

[Sox]

Now that the thread is about absolutely anything at all, here's a video of Huggy Bear performing Her Jazz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfP5HNvsWAo
Hey, who's the extra member?

[Spluff]

Are all these band names terrible on purpose, or is it just some kind of horrible coincidence?

[David_Dovey]

1) The Ergs is an excellent name for a band
2) The 90s

[a pack of wolves]

I think they sound exactly like how I would imagine a pop and punk amalgam, so I call them pop punk, and I think I can defend that reasonably.

I'm with you on this. I really miss that sound from the mid-nineties where you had that whole British indie pop-punk type thing. This early Idlewild song from back when they were still good has a similar sort of thing going on to my ears. Ash used to be good at pop-punk too, yeah I know they're Irish not British but there's a lot of crossover there. You can also make a case for Bis being a pop-punk band if Kenickie are and even the frequently grandiose Delgados had songs like Teen Elf.

And I fully second the motion that The Ergs is a fantastic band name.