I don’t know if I’m right but some of modern rock music sounds very cynical and knowing to me, created by constructing songs from a template and building in cliches. It doesn't feel in any way genuine, almost like it's created in an airless vacuum. I was listening to a band on the radio and the vocals sounded odd for a start, almost like they’re not made by an actual person and the song was one of those types of lacrymose ‘story’ songs. A bit like a country ‘story song’It was like eating a bag of sugar.
It was followed on the radio by 21st Century Schizoid Man. By contrast, that sounded honest and made by actual people, you can feel Robert Fripp exploring the lead guitar break. It’s in the room, like he was playing in front of you
Maybe this is inevitable in 2026 where all the chords have been played a million ways and all the best songs have long been written. All you can do is rehash bits of other songs and string together some fake emotion in the cliches in a desperate attempt to be modern.
Then I heard China Grove by the Doobie Brothers and again it sounds honest and you can imagine them playing it to you plus it’s about a place they knew in Texas. Somehow, it sounds just honest and uncontrived.
Then another band came on whose sound was based on Black Sabbath on War Pigs and were clearly looking for the same vibe but with none of the dynamics and using volume as a substitute for power. An all too common mistake.
I’m always aware of being old mannish in a ‘it was better in my day’ sort of way but a lot of modern bands make it hard when they sound so contrived or plastic. I don’t think it’s untrue though. New bands often fail to realise important things about melody and dynamics and you can even hear the bands they’re trying to emulate. It must be hard knowing that you’re trying to compete with some of rock’s greats and that likely the best you can do is imitate them
I often feel like they’re trying too hard and are over-produced. But I’m an old git
