[kid cue]

1. i don't at all disagree that making and experiencing music can be like religion in nature. music must be the artform that most readily touches that kind of transcendence. but i find it annoying (or problematic at worst) when the content of the music necessarily points to our conscious notions of what "religion" is, as if transcendent music weren't inherently "religious" to begin with. obviously it's their prerogative if they want to use chanting and other primitivist sounds to channel these feelings, but it's all sort of cloying and obvious IMO. i don't think there's something inherently wrong with it, but the New Age echoes of all this gaia stuff aren't to my taste at all, and for me only ensure that the semi-conscious/whatever religion in the music gets in my way.

2. i'm not sure what being a pretentious artist has to do with pandering to a crowd. i know plenty of pretentious artists who could not care less about pandering to anyone.

i appreciate their audacity too, but i guess i just don't like their style.