User:3family6/Crabcore

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Crabcore
Stylistic originsScreamo, techno, deathcore, synthpop, metal, rap
Cultural origins4 June 2009, Westerville, Ohio, United States
Typical instrumentsElectric guitar, synths, Auto tune, vocals, bass, drums
Other topics
Crunkcore

Crabcore is a music neologism and micro-genre coined to describe the physical movements by members of the band Attack Attack!. The term was inspired by the low, crab-like stance adopted by the band's guitarists in the music video for the song "Stick Stickly".[1][2] Rhapsody.com described it as a "genre of one... ...a sarcastic sobriquet that riffs on the musicians’ squat, bow-legged stances."[3] According to Lars Gotrich of NPR, "crabcore is defined more by its physical movement than its ironic metal-riff-filled screamo, often punctuated by the occasional techno breakdown,"[4] and John McDonnell of The Guardian stated that the genre is characterized solely by the band's "contortions".[1] However, Deniz Rudin in an article for The Wake Student Magazine described the style as having "its roots in screamo and deathcore, some in suburban whiteboy rap, and some in no-talent laptop techno",[5] while The New York Times has linked it to the indie-rock scene,[6] and Rhapsody and Sputnikmusic have defined the genre by its use of synths.[3][7][8] The origin of the term has been attributed to Wikipedia,[9] although this article was quickly pulled.[4]

Critical response[edit]

Critical reception to both the style and the music video for "Stick Stickly" has generally been negative. In regard to the video, Robert Bell of Arkansas Times stated "'crabcore,' the term inspired by this video ["Stick Stickly"], isn't really a new phenomenon. The odds are good that you've already seen the video. One of your fellow new-music-hating, senior-citizen buddies probably posted it several months ago on Facebook, where you all had a good laugh at it."[10] In a review of the album Attack Attack!, Alternative Press said "yes, Attack Attack! are "that crabcore band" who made one of the most ridiculous music videos ever", but that the band was "actually skilled at the whole metalcore thing."[11] Coverage of the actual genre has been more critical. LA Weekly journalist Drew Tewksbury listed the genre on a blog post entitled "Crabcore, Coke Rap, Screamo and More Super Embarrassing Genres of Music", which according to Tewksbury is "about the five most embarrassing genre names in music today."[12] He commented that "No longer can bands or artists be placed into one genre box. But that doesn't stop music writers and everyone with a blog from trying to coin new genres. The result? Stupid names for music."[12] John McDonnell asked "so is this whole thing just kids having fun or a carefully planned ploy to gain as much attention as possible by offending as many people as they can?"[1] Deniz Rudin was even more critical in his Wake Magazine article, saying that "crabcore is a style of music that has briefly become, to the shame of us all, profitable", and that "if you are a music journalist or run a music magazine and you discover that you’ve given any publicity to crabcore bands that wasn’t entirely and brutally negative: Be very very ashamed."[5] Despite the negative publicity, Attack Attack! has maintained its popularity, with Matthew Everett, arts and entertainment editor for MetroPulse, mentioning that "Attack Attack! survived the crabcore laughs and is set to release its third album this month."[2] Dallas Observer noted that "lampooned for being a silly "crabcore" band (a reference to the band's on-stage limb movements), this band has an undeniable magnetic quality amongst fans that like their music to feature polyp-forming vocals, detuned guitars and Radio Disney pop appeal."[13] Also, Robert Bell remarked in his article "well, your laughter might be making Attack Attack! successful and wealthy. Or at least well-known."[10] The genre itself has garnered its own following, with John McDonnell stating that "regardless of what you think, there is already a Last.fm crabcore group, with fans planning to start their own bands. Stick Stickly, it seems, is only the beginning."[1] Ex-vocalist Johnny Franck said in an interview "I think the “crabcore” stuff is hilarious. People love to talk crap on the internet. I was just so surprised to get tons of support messages of people saying they supported me 100 percent. I was honestly just expecting a bunch of hate mail."[14] Current vocalist Caleb Shomo said in a different interview that "someone made it up and started calling us crabcore because of something our guitarist, Andrew, did on stage one time. It took off from there and hit Fox News at one point."[15]

Associated bands and styles[edit]

Besides the genre inspiration Attack Attack!, other bands labeled as crabcore include This Romantic Tragedy, Remember Thy Name, I See Stars, brokeNCYDE, Dot Dot Curve, and Dropping a Popped Locket.[4][8][5] Asking Alexandria has also been associated with the genre, as according to Rhapsody.com it combines "the grumbling chug of death metal with high-speed runs, mall-ready radio-metal choruses and the dancefloor moves of crabcore bands (read: synths)".[7] The genre has been closely associated to similarly criticized music style crunkcore,[4] with Wake Magazine editorializing that "the last three “bands” [brokeNCYDE, Dot Dot Curve, Dropping a Popped Locket] are of a sub-style commonly referred to as “Screamo-Crunk,” but I’ve decided to bring all of this failure together under the umbrella of crabcore because they are all symptoms of the same sickness."[5] Both Rhapsody.com and Sputnikmusic have associated the genre with synthpop.[3][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d McDonnell, John (23 June 2009). "Scene and heard: Crabcore: There's a new music genre in town – and it's more baffling than anything else you'll hear. Brace yourself for the crabcore of Attack Attack!". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b Everett, Matthew (15 July 2011). "Crabcore Lives! Attack Attack! at the Valarium, Sept. 26". MetroPulse. E.W. Scripps Company. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Sherburne, Philip (14 January 2010). "New-School Synth-Pop, from Tweemo to Crabcore". Rhapsody.com. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d Gotrich, Lars (18 November 2009). "Genre Dictionary, 2000-09: From Crabcore To S—-gaze". NPR Music. NPR. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d Rudin, Deniz (4 August 2009). "a definition of crabcore". The Wake Student Magazine. University of Minnesota. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  6. ^ Sisario, Ben (31 December 2009). "When Indie-Rock Genres Outnumber the Bands". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 19 December 2011. In photos that seem straight out of an American Apparel billboard, a young woman poses in the T-shirt, which asks, "What kind of music do u listen 2?" and offers, in a matrix of small type, more than 200 underground musical styles, both real (shoegaze, crab-core) and fake (Sufjan-house, crab-gaze).
  7. ^ a b "Asking Alexandria". Rhapsody.com. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  8. ^ a b c Boy, Davey (22 February 2011). "I See Stars The End Of The World Party". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  9. ^ Village Voice Media (19 March 2010). "SXSW 2010: Attack Attack! Explain Crab Core" (Online video). YouTube. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  10. ^ a b Bell, Robert (14 July 2011). "Inventors of esteemed 'crabcore' genre to play Juanita's in September". Arkansas Times. Arkansas Times Limited Partnership. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  11. ^ Heisel, Scott (8 June 2010). "FILE UNDER: Crabcore". Alternative Press. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  12. ^ a b Tewksbury, Drew (28 September 2010). "Crabcore, Coke Rap, Screamo and More Super Embarrassing Genres of Music". LA Weekly. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  13. ^ Grubbs, Eric (23 June 2011). "Five Bands Expected To Draw Big Crowds at Warped Tour". Dallas Observer. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  14. ^ Common, Tyler (27 January 2011). "Johnny Franck (ex-Attack Attack!) resurfaces with new band the March Ahead". Alternative Press. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  15. ^ "Interview with Andrew Wetzel and Caleb Shomo of Attack Attack by Whitney Lovett". AMP Magazine. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)

External links[edit]


Category:Fusion music genres Category:2000s in music Category:2010s in music Category:Hardcore punk Category:Fusion genres of death metal Category:Deathcore

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