The "We'll See" Attitude

My buddy Poncho presented a good question about the "we'll see" attitude to music and albums being released in these times. Why have people come to this? What's changed from before? Why are we critics and not just fans now? Well, here's what I wrote back to him in an email:

"That's a very legitimate question. And it can't be answered over a damn tweet. You got it right on about being a critic instead of a fan. Music in general is over saturated with the internet. I download shit right and left and you most really doesn't hold my attention. I just get a taste and go, eh, its alright, and then just archive it away. And artists that have a really strong first release usually bomb on their sophomore effort. I'll give you some examples starting with the first band I think that started this way of thinking for me, Nickelback. In 2000 I absolutely loved them. I was so into the Red Dirt scene, I never listened to anything else. I thought rock n roll I enjoyed was gone. Lost to grunge or whatever. Then I heard them on MTV2 of all places. Bad ass. Bought their first label release and their album before that released on an indie label. I started telling everyone about them. Then they got a little softer, commercialized and over produced until they aren't even a band to me anymore. Other examples of bands that have changed there sound and been turned off to are Jack Ingram (he went mainstream and sure, makes more more and I'm happy for him but I don't like it), Shooter Jennings (had a great first release and now he got a little too weird for me with his "creativeness"), The Lost Trailers (again a great first release and went mainstream). Now there's other people that have changed their sound and I have no idea what for. Robert Earl Keen's latest release I'm no fan of. He's gotten a little too weird for me. I could go on and on but the point is now, I keep trying to find something to keep my attention. Kevin and I have discussed this before. It does suck that we're critics now instead of fans. And I'll say we're pretentious at that cuz we think we listen to so much we think we know whats up..... sometimes. Anyway, this brings me to the Drive By Truckers. I'm pretty picky and choosey with their stuff anyway. I only like one or two songs of their previous albums. I WANT to be a bigger fan but they just haven't got to me yet, hence the "we'll see". Well they are still about par for the course. Only liked a couple of songs. So enough of me rambling now. Hope that clears up some things."

So, yeah. Everyone's a critic.