I Wouldn't Like Death If Death Were Good, Not Even if Death Were Good (CMJ Day 4, Part 1 - Ra Ra Riot, Studio B)

But how do you *really* feel?

HAHAHA that is a PERFECT recap. They totally SUCK

And you thought I was drunk during the Horrors. That was actually just the effect of having been lobotomized with a sledgehammer and a rusty chisel.

maybe they should back up joanna newsom on that song of hers that you love oh so much?

j,

i love your blog and i think you are a great writer. even when you totally trash a band, i find your reviews insightful and hysterical. however, i have to say that i do think you've crossed the line a bit with your post about ra ra riot. no many how badly you think they are, it's disheartening and a bit alarming that you would go so far to write how you'd like them to die. please remember that they are a young band, who are just doing their thing. not everyone will like them, and you are most definitely entitled to express your opinion. but this is just too much.

Don't sugarcoat it. If you want to call him an asshole, just do it.

I recently wrote about Locksley and how I hated their uniforms, and sure enough I was told this week that they've abandoned them now. BEHOLD, THE POWER!!!

But Rachel, I cut out the parts about the flesh-eating insects and the involuntary dental surgery.

Smooch.

Blogger? Have fun with that career.

i think you have a crush on the drummer and are threaten by the attention he gives the other members of ra ra riot.

your post, albeit your own opinion, is absolute garbage in my mind. to call ra ra the worst band ever is so incredibly ignorant that it hurts my eyebrows. not only do i think that ra ra is one of the better live bands i've seen in recent NY days, but they completely packed the Filter Mag cmj party I was at on thursday, with nothing but positive reaction. you better check yourself "heart on", you have no musical knowledge.

its kinda true... they are a reallly good band. it might just be that you suck... so you know, naturally you're going to have an unbalanced opinion. but work on sucking at life cause you've got a while to go. keep writing my food is usually better the second time around anyway.

yes you must have no musical knowledge, because if they packed a filter party then they must be good. the numbers don't lie. people don't go to a free party with free beer if the band is bad. you should know that, j.

yeah, they're a good band. i like them quite a bit.

how can you really hate a band that has been around for 9 months? i disagree with your criticism and think that they have so much potential to grow. if they were able to accomplish all that they have already in such a short period of time, there is nothing but better things in store for ra ra riot!

and also you probably like the horrors, which brings your musical taste to mean absolutely nothing!

Dear Heartonastick,

You are stupidonastick.

Go eat yourowndickonastick.

Freedom of speech, I get it.

Positivity is helpful aswellonastick.

Love, Abbyonastickwillneverreadyourstupidonastickblogagain.

dude, seriously. i like your blog too generally, but this just went too far. they're just a band. not fucking hitler. maybe next time you should just stay home or um.. don't forget to take your meds.

j, you're an asshole. this is over the top and rude. fine, you don't like them. wishing death on them? fuck you.

Really? If you're going to take the time to give a show a bad review, you might as well learn to write a bit better. This reads like some 6th grade journal entry gone wrong. Who could take this seriously?

This is quite possibly the most juvenile post I have ever read. It is ridiculous to chastise a young band for onstage earnesty. Yes, Ra Ra Riot is far from perfect, but they have an enormous amount of potential.

As far as I am concerned, your violent hyperbole does nothing to benefit your readers or music in general. Of course, you are and should be permitted to write whatever you like, but it is this type of criticism that fuels the argument, "music blogs are amateur and foolish" to which many print and eletronic zines subscribe. I am not saying that you are obligated in any way to be a music blog advocate, but whether you like it or not, you are both a part and representative of a community, and vapid, hatemongering posts are not going to do much besides incite brief debate as to the severity of your language, and possibly fill you with a sense of grandiosity.

Sure, Ra Ra Riot may not amaze you with lyrical genius or put on the type of live performance you enjoy, but they are a good band, deserving of a fair listen.

Ratbeard@tmail.com

at least your post made some people listening to them- wondering if they're really the worst thing on earth. so maybe we should wonder if you really mean what you say or if you just make GREAT Promotion for RRR :)

oh. my. god.

so did you get to see cloud cult or what?

Yes, MJ. It was lovely. May not get around to writing it up, but you should go look at Vegan's pictures.

My god, what a prick! Prick on a stick, more like it. I hope you & your right hand shared a smoke after you posted this.

Ever think about just writing "it's not my thing" about the band? Maybe next year, when you get junior high, you oughta give that a thought.

You are clueless. This was a smug nasty review by an up and coming band.

The worst band ever? Not even close. Proof that bloggers don't know when to curb their superlatives.

When you get hit by a car or your boyfriend leaves you this week, blame karma.

Those lyrics make the work of Linkin Park sound positively poetic.

I mean, for what it's worth, they're better than Bob Marley. And I AM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

anyone that defends this band deserves to get the shit kicked out of them because you are big hairy pussy. and just because a lot of dipshits like this band is not a reason that makes them good. hahaha i would rather listen to celine dion. baby baby baby please.

Simple, energetic indie pop with the unique cello/violin addition. They do what they do well and its a fun live show to watch. The lyrics are trite no doubt, but then you've missed the point.

Funny thing about criticism -- why give something so much credence with such a long post? Take the CMJ route and dig out the gold nuggets. Or go Spinal Tap -- "Shit Sandwich" would have been far funnier.

I'm going to see Ra ra riot in Boston in a couple of weeks - and, despite your post, I am still excited about seeing them. I think "Dying is Fine" is a pretty fun song. I was googling them, looking to get excited for the upcoming show, when I came to your page.

Although you were pretty strident in your criticism, I think I will reserve judgment until I see them live myself. After all, that much venom and hate is probably fueled more by some ideas you have about your own musical taste (or even more likely your friends' musical taste which, in an effort to fit in, you adopt) than it is by the band being that bad. How can a band be _that_ bad?

As a footnote: I wonder if it is possible that you wrote the above about with some sense of personal irony? The bit about passion? About emptiness? It's hard to imagine someone having such a small compassion, and yet ranting with such blistering joy about, I mean come on, music. It's only music. If the band has no passion, couldn't we as easily say that YOU have no passion; that you would so passionately rail against - the Iraq war? no. Child hunger? no. The plight of prostitutes? no. - a band you don't like very much? Passion? Emptiness? What do you even do anyway?

where are you in this world? Are you anyone, because you must have alot of time on your hands to make bull up about bands that are actually making it in the world... They even edmit that "Can you tell" is weak, but if you would rather hear a someone ass rape a mule, go ask your mom she'll know all about it.....

fyi, "Mathieu" is how the name is commonly spelled in French

You better take that down now that the drummer drowned, you fucking piece of shit asshole. Go to hell.

this post is proof that there is no God, how could you be alive and that kind, intelligent, talented guy be gone? Someone who would rather walk away from a situation than say anything he would regret the next day...you should really spend more time reading and less writing...you may learn something and then actually contribute something constructive to the world.

You're an asshole your music makes me want to die