Everyone’s freaking out about Angine de Poitrine and I hate it. Yes, I get that it’s impressive microtonal math rock but I can’t care because it’s too weird.
The costumes are evil. I knew I was in Hell when they pronounced their name exactly as expected; like French-speaking aliens who use an electric meat grinder as an alien-to-human vocal processor. I don’t speak French but I believe their name can be roughly translated to Toilet Engine.
Not for me, thanks. Please take your message of mathematical jazz possibilities and move along.
What I realized, with horror, is that they feel like a parody of Sleep Token. That’s why I hate it. My partner, who sent me a YouTube link of AdP to see what I thought about them, knows I like some weird, heavy and chaotic stuff. (I blasted him with Even in Arcadia one day not too long ago. He took it like a champ.)
I don’t think he was surprised that I hated AdP, but he seemed amused. My partner, you see, has a degree in music education. My response to his link was, “You would send me something like this.”
I gave it my attention. I held on as long as I could. Everything about it was unsettling.
Meanwhile, that music is definitely for music nerds. It brings joy to those who are always looking to the horizon for something inventive. Unlike me, an unwashed butt-rock loving plebe who delights in belayed discoveries of good albums by old standbys. I just learned that Breaking Benjamin’s Ember is exceptionally good. When did that come out? Also, Scott Stapp released a single named “Higher Power” which kicks off his latest solo album. Based on the strength of that first single, which I adore, I have complete faith that the rest is at least really good. But then it’s Scott Stapp, who played Frank Sinatra in Reagan (2024), so I haven’t brought myself around to it yet. I’ve digressed.
But you get my meaning. Someone like me is, of course, not going to appreciate Angine de Poitrine the way they deserve to be appreciated. That’s not to say actual butt-rockers themselves can’t appreciate them. Sheryl Crow followed them on tour in Canada, declaring them her new favorite band. I just saw Dave Grohl drop their name on my YouTube feed this morning. Like I said, AdP are the musician’s musicians. Nerds spark to life while listening. I cringe up into numbness until it’s over. What does that make me?
It’s only fair to mention that when I have strong opinions like this, they tend to turn around. I felt similarly about System of a Down the first time I heard “Sugar” over the radio. Within a few years they had my respect. I still don’t choose to listen to “Sugar” but I’m less likely to skip it if it plays. I remember how excited I was to hear Mudvayne’s LD50 for the first time. It was weird, but it was also hard and fast and mean and smart. Tool has a cult following for similar reasons.
Again I digress. But I’ve said all I can say about Angine de Poitrine and their sudden explosion in popularity. I’m unqualified. I was unable to convince my partner that “God’s Country” by Blake Shelton was the most metal country song ever written. He spat that it was the worst song he’d ever heard, even for pop country. I laughed so hard.
Well. Who’s laughing now?
*A note about the featured image: I can’t resist using WordPress’s AI tools. My favorite part of posting is asking the AI to read my entry, then come up with an image to represent it. This freaky mask is what it gave me before I even asked. I had other plans, but this’ll do.
BLOG OF RHIANNIMATOR 