I know a lot of people like it and I can appreciate what they are doing artistically, but it is the one type of music that I absolutely will not tolerate. If whoever is playing it does not turn it off, I will leave the room until it is over. It is repetetive, annoying, and pretentious.

Sure it's pretentious. So is Natalie Imbruglia/The Smashing Pumpkins/Alanais Morrisette's new lp. Most pop music that isn't blatantly abt selling the most records is generally pretentious. But I dug 'Ruby Vroom'. (Not enuf to buy it/tho'.) It was a different spin on rap-meets-techno than I had ever heard at the time. I spent a lot of time listening to that CD at my last job in NY before I moved here in '95. I wonder what they're follow-up lp was like...

You know, I don't like any of the other artists you listed either. I can understand how some people could theoretically like it, but I just find it grating.

Kicking and screaming will the unbelievers be dragged into the 21st century :). The "grating" stuff you're talking about is the future of rock-n-roll; wether we like it or not (I do, but I realize it's not everyone's cup of tea.). Still, if the future's grating you could always get into that swing revival thing. Should be happenening and cool until at least... May. P.S.- R.C.- Soul Coughing's followup "El Oso" is pretty funky fresh. Check it out.