People wonder about the term “selling out”. What does it mean? Why do people get so upset at this? This is a shining example why.

A band spends their entire life trying to carve out a place in an already overpopulated niche of music. This particular niche is the sad-eyed bedroom acoustic indiepop niche. I have no problem with this type of stuff, i like some of it, some of it is a little derivative, and some it is pure crap.

DCFC is the type of band that spent a decade trying to build a fanbase, develop their own style and make a living out of something they obviously love. So they finally put out Transatlanticism, on barsuk records. it seems they finally found their place, their niche, their fanbase. awesome! good for them!

Then they jump ship from a label that let them put out whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want. Barsuk did nothing but get them to where they are. So they sign to atlantic. now we get into selling out. the band is told to write songs that appeal to more of the mainstream. you cant do this, you cant do that, lose weight, dress better, talk to MTV, do TRL. we are going to make more sellable videos, we are going to get a more mainstream producer. and whats the product? a watered down, middle of the road version of their last album. Every song has just enough style of what they use to do that got them signed to atlantic in the first place, but not TOO much. Its equal parts DCFC and John Mayer. and THATS what selling out is.

i wouldnt listen to this record for a long time until the hype died off. i actually finally broke down and borrowed it from a friend after i found the much more talented imho Owen Pallet (Final Fantasy) arranged all the strings for it. I finally let it play all night, and then slowly i started to get it. It is a bit overrated, but i think it would transfer great in a live setting. Its romantic without being sappy, a little dark without being obnoxious, and hectic without being chaotic. I reccomend pushing all your preconceived notions aside and just listen to it.

What…? people still make completely different and refreshing music?? Owen Pallett seems to be coming from a different place entirely. Making music that seems both personal and epic, pop-oriented and difficult. Its wonderful to have faith that people still make music that doesnt follow the hip or the cool.

Utter crap. It feels so absurdly desperate to be strange and confrontational without ever actually acheiving it. And it basically just runs the premise into the ground and then digs it up again. Little to no development of actual characters or plot. It reminded me of the those really bad SNL skits that starts off barely funny and goes on and on and never gets better. WE GET IT! lifestyle BDSM is kooky! get on with it.

I think alot of cynical people will say that a movie like this wrongfully demonizes corporations. When in fact it makes a clear point to explain why a corporation cant be demonized. A collective of people with one goal in mind cant reason with the rest of us. This movie basically talks about the framework that the modern business works under. It lays out how the corporate world works, why its rules are like no other entity on earth, and why this good for their bottom line and bad for the rest of the working world’s bottom line. It also dabbles into to the more important issue of a global morality and global respect. If you think that you have ever been targeted, screwed, or laid off by a major corporation, this is a must see.

Man, its some of the best pop music ive heard in a while. The thing i like about it is that it is unpretentious, unbashedly romantic, funky, and just fun. alot of music these days refuses to be out and out fun and romantic. thats what is so great about this record.