but without that narrative AV Club would have to thoroughly discuss the music itself rather than how "important" it is.

I think you're vastly overestimating the influence of Mastodon and underestimating the influence of bands like Opeth.

thanks for this well-expressed post. AV Club loves to construct grand narratives for albums so their articles seem important and far-ranging, but the one laid out here is mostly the perspective of one critic and doesn't represent what had actually been going on in metal very well.

I love Toby, but like 90% of all recorded GBV is Toby-less. he also doesn't have the chops to play most Gillard-era stuff live. Moonflower Plastic is a better album, IMO, than almost every GBV album, but… come on.

people from every class are satirized on Portlandia, not just poor people. whether the improv is shitty… tastes differ.

i don't think they're offensive, and many others agree. she may not use a tone and vernacular that jives with a certain cadre of ideological police, but her underlying argument is a valid one. I find personal attacks against her far more offensive than her general statements that are then extrapolated by critics into…

I love seeing a badass woman who has done more to penetrate male-dominated spaces than an entire legion of Jezebel, et al, acolytes tell the internet outrage machine to fuck off. Comments like "she grew up in a different time, she doesn't understand sexism" reveal the limited perspectives of so many of the people who…

"These are conscious choices to put and display such things in such a manner?"

I've had enough Dany/Dario to last 10 seasons.

hahahah…. you should be the new AV Club reviewer!

where did I ever bring up the definition of rape, or debate that rape was occurring? yes, it's part of a plot arc. in that sense, it's being used as a plot device, as it has been in I Spit On Your Grave, The Accused, and so on. that in and of itself can't constitute an insightful critique of art, but it's sure easy to…

"while the show is using Sansa's rape as a plot device"

"This is a show that is constantly moving forward in one way or another, marching toward an uncertain narrative endpoint."

The Mars Classroom album is absolutely fantastic… and they're doing another one!

Hah, was that in Madison!? I was one of the flag wavers (dude next to me was handing them out in the front row).

Bears for Lunch and Class Clown are definitely the safest bets (and they came out like 4 months apart!)

Agreed about Class Clown. As good as any GBV album except Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes IMO.

Totally agreed. I'd be way more disappointed if he was killed off than, oh, Glen… Maggie… Tara…. Eugene… and a few more nondescript filler characters who have been done less for the show than Aaron has done in far less time.

Small chance of you seeing this, but holy crap… I think Bulletin Borders is one of Bob's best songs ever! After some listens to MJ, it's clear that the amount of great tracks during the reunion period alone has already eclipsed most band's entire careers.

Agreed, and I'm shocked this got an A-. The Maggie subplot was an absolute waste of time. What was the point? She needed to be reminded that other people are important for survival? I thought maybe, MAYBE her outpouring of emotion would lead to her actually mentioning her sister, but nope.