Throwback Suburbia – Someday Lounge – Nov 1, 2009
This band caused me to have some internal conflict…let me explain why with a short recollection…
A little while ago I was having a discussion/argument with a designer friend of mine. It had started as her questioning whether my feelings that there were such things as “good” and “bad” music were valid, or whether it was completely subjective and only my personal opinion. She was strongly of the opinion that it was 100% subjective so any declaration of good or bad was strictly personal. I countered that there were certain elements in music that could be evaluated objectively and by an objective standard could be deemed good or bad. Of course, nothing is quite that cut and dried, but I stood by the idea that particular examples of music could be evaluated objectively. It eventually spiraled around to an admission by her that, even in her line of work, which is creative, there were certain objective standards that could be used to evaluate good and bad design…so she grudgingly accepted that such objective standards are present in music as well…so I won! She later admitted she was just picking a fight because she didn’t want to agree with me but that’s a different issue…
In truth, there are both objective and subjective elements to any musical critique. If there weren’t you would just upload the music to the computer when you made it, the computer would analyze it and you’d be accurately judged as good or bad…we certainly aren’t there!
So, what does this have to do with Throwback Suburbia? Well, this is a GOOD, polished power pop band…they are spot on musically, have solid lead and back-up singing, great sound, decent songs, good energy, the image they’ve developed is cohesive…but even with all that, I didn’t dig it. I think this says more about me than it does them. So it’s created an interesting conundrum for me…because I think they’re good, but subjectively, it wasn’t for me…
While they were playing I looked at them in their suits and thought to myself, they could just as easily be playing on Conan O’Brian’s show as on the stage at Someday and they would not look out of place. That says a lot to me and I have a lot of respect for what they have put together. They are a pro-looking and sounding band (with the towel distributing roadie to prove it). So, if you’re looking for a show with an energetic, upbeat pop/rock band I think you should check these guys out!
http://www.throwbacksuburbia.com/Home.html
http://www.myspace.com/throwbacksuburbia
