Shut Up, Dude: This Week’s Best Comments

The first time I heard Yank Crime, it blew my fucking mind. Im not a particularly smart or discerning man, but even I could tell this was a fucking masterpiece. The album has this huge sound that twists and coils and pulsates to the effect of metal grinding on metal, with rick's "man just fired from a cannon" howl narrating the whole thing.

It's wild because it's industrial without being goth. It's heavy without being macho. It's angry without being self righteous. Obviously all of the members of Jehu were and are incredible skilled and visionary musicians in their own right, and all contributed heavily to the making of the record. The unique tone though - I think a lot of that was Rick. You saw it in Hot Snakes, in Obits, and in his art. He had this way of framing things where he was like "I'm not saying I'm NOT a problem, but isn't this totally fucked up?" He came at you from earth, not from some pedestal of "the artist" or whatever. I think that's why he was so easy to connect with.

I didn't know him, but I do know his music very well and it has radically transformed my life, my tastes, and my urge to create for myself - all for the better.

Thanks for everything Rick.

Your overall point is valid but please don't make this about pronoun preference

Not going to listen yet because lord knows my fuckin’ husband is gonna play this into the ground for the next six months. Pray for me, y’all.

After reading this website for 20+ years, I became a subscriber this week on the basis of this column's announcement. As someone who worked in Modern Rock radio in the aughts, it's so in my wheelhouse, especially by the time we get to the early/mid '90s and '00s. Excited to go on the journey to Creed and beyond!

I love this song.Not because I can relate to it or anything like that, but because it's real.These unhealthy, toxic relationships exist in every corner of society, and this song serves as a reminder to folks that 1.) They are not alone and 2) relationships need 2-way respect and trust. And a level of mature behavior that's not selfish.

Eminem was essentially a one man support group leader for much of his career.Support groups exist so people can relate to others who've lived and survived something similar, and there were a lot of people listening to his songs and going - hell yeah, man.People who automatically assume these situations always have the man as the agitator and women as the victim are foolish.How many times have you seen a relationship between senior couples, and the woman is viewed as a loudmouth shrew and the husband has become a henpecked mute?That is a result of many years of the wife treating the guy like crap and disrespecting him, and he winds up just retreating into himself, knowing his life is easier if he just let's her rant.That has always struck me as abuse, and there's nothing funny about those relationships.

That's not every relationship of course.But, frankly, 'Love the Way You Lie' could just as easily been a country song churned out by some Nashville songwriters, because they are masters of telling relatable stories in song.Life sucks, and relationships are a team effort; anything less is infuriating and enraging.Simply wishing society wasn't as bleak as Eminem often portrays it to be is unrealistic.And it sends a message to those stuck in its riptide that their stories, experiences, and life in general isn't worth acknowledging.

Can you tell this has hit a nerve?! 😉

It's one thing for rappers to relay the pain and fears of inner city life, but kids in farm communities can't relate at all.Eminem's lyrics spoke to more people, that's why this song was so huge.And there's a bigggg difference between fantasizing about doing harm to someone and actually acting on that.Some therepists would even say the fantasizing is healthy, because it provides an outlet to expel that rage that's in a safe environment. Obviously it worked for Em.He's not in prison, is he?No.

I feel I'm babbling now.Rihanna does sooo much with just 2 lines, it's astounding. The hurt and frustration and pain they both feel just erupts from the radio speaker.The song is powerful, and I'm glad it exists.

9/10

Oh this is going to be fun. Especially since modern rock tracks of the 80s, 90s and 00s are far more in my musical wheelhouse than pop songs of the 2010s. I can't wait to see many of my favourite tracks from my youth get absolutely eviscerated.

Does that mean Tom will be re-reviewing and re-evaluating One Week when the column gets to that one again?

🎶You used to hit me with your cell phone

Late night when you hate my song 🎶

For many moons, three times a week,

Sometime 'round 9 a.m.

We'd treat ourselves to researched takes

On some ballad or jam.

These songs evoked nostalgic warmth

Or deep-seated disgust,

Or sometimes no feelings at all --

But each read was a must.

I never studied poetry

(Though sometimes I came close)

But I'll pay tribute now, in verse,

To Tom's thrice-weekly prose.

The mood today is bittersweet

As Fridays fade away

Into the bleak mundanity

Of one more Tom-free day,

While Wednesdays grant us brand-new takes

On alternative charts

Pardon the pun; it had begun

As Modern Rock, in parts

Because by then "alternative"

Had moved to the mainstream.

But just before the change was made,

Tom gave us "Teenage Dream"!

As far as I'm concerned, he's right --

The song is pop perfection --

But now we'll get through '26

'Fore Tom's last Ones confection.

So toast with me, to lots more of

This music fix we seek,

Of universal craft respect

(Unless you wrote "One Week"),

To funny thought experiments

And f-bombs here and there,

To fascinating stories

And to ratings always fair*,

And we'll divide M dubya F

'Twixt Ones, Modern, and neither,

But maybe Tom will stick with this

When he gets 'round to Seether.

Happy belated Canada Day/early Independence Day, all!

* Don't. It fit the metre, and anyway this didn't feel like the place.

Song of the summer is “Padam padam.”

Hold on, we're throwing phone

Also, so happy to hear that the "changes" aren't anything majorly drastic. Far too many sites recently make posts about inbound "changes" that lead to a site I otherwise really care about collapsing into a shell of itself within a year.(Yes, I am still hurt by the slow murder of The AV Club.)This website has been such a core part of my daily life since early 2017 and I hope it manages to stick around until they turn the lights off of the entire Internet.Or at least until I finally get something published on here, anyway; then y'all can get fucked.