hot take: Bright Eyes has always sucked

It's safe compared to Kid A and Amnesiac, but I don't think it's suburban mom fodder either. It's definitely a weaker album of theirs IMO and probably their most "accessible" since their 90s output, but I don't see what's really that safe about it outside of the guitars being prominent again and the song structures…

I can understand not liking that album or post-OK Computer Radiohead in general (I disagree, but I understand). However, I don't know where you're pulling middlebrow from. It's a pretty dense, experimental, weird album. Is this because of the Twilight soundtrack?

Post-MPP Animal Collective sounds like a shittier, busier, less coherent version of Panda Bear. Just go listen to his solo albums instead. Painting With had a couple of great tracks (Golden Gals, Spilling Guts), but even those songs sound like Grim Reaper b-sides.

Only the S/T Foo Fighters album still holds up these days IMO. And "Everlong" of course…. Everything else seems, as you mentioned, very formulaic.

Jimmy Eat World were definitely better when they were closing their albums with 16 minute emo-prog epics filled with innumerable layers of sparkling, clean, pretty guitars. I still occasionally play "Goodbye Sky Harbor." First 3 albums are all great.

I freaked out when they played Hearts Alive at that show

Anyone still sleeping on their early 00s work (specifically thinking of Murray Street, Sonic Nurse, Rather Ripped) is doing themselves a disservice. Murray Street might be my 3rd favorite record of theirs after Sister and Daydream Nation.

I'm hoping it's just a phase

Strawberry Jam is also very, very, very good, but otherwise I agree re: Animal Collective.

It's probably true of the first album/demo ppl though

Sky Blue Sky has Impossible Germany though, which is their best song.

Vhiessu sounds like a pop punk band trying to sound like Radiohead, and works about as well as you'd expect (it doesn't). Thrice were much better when they stuck to pop-punk-meets-thrash 3 minute blasts of pop catchiness. It works precisely because it is a young and energetic band not trying to sound anything other…

Felt the -intense- need to register an account to defend Nightswimming. I don't really like R.E.M., but it's one of the greatest songs ever written. What is wrong with your ears