Its like a locked door and i can't find the key
see, there's a useful critique. it's not hard to do.
I feel that way about a lot of things - most canon electracoustic, a lot of free jazz - like I
want to like it more than I actually like it.
I like the idea of it more than the actual execution of the idea
I think it's a pretty common reaction to music that is self-conscious highly conceptual, intellectual
postpunk is deliberate - that's the ethos - including when it's deliberately lo-fi or atonal or whatever. it comes across as tryhard sometimes.
what I really like about postpunk is the functional engagement of guitar bands with black popular music, and avant-garde strands, all at once
the best stuff I think organically incorporates that without having to try hard
like Wobble-era PIL, it is kinda art brut by people who know the term "art brut", but it knocks, it's functional rock music too. Lydon's voice is an acquired taste for sure but since heard Yoko Ono shrieking "why" however many years ago no amount of nasal warbling can put me off.