This or That: Maroon 5? Or Just Another Crappy Local Band?

By Pete Freedman Wed., Dec. 3 2008 at 1:33 PM

Categories: This or That?

Welcome to This or That, a new weekly segment here on DC9 where we'll stream an unmarked song and ask, simply enough, "Is this [POP BAND X] or just another crappy local band?" Why? Because we don't think you'll be able to tell the difference between the real thing and the crappy, cheap knockoff.

Los Angeles' Maroon 5 has been something of a pop radio force, for better or worse, for the past couple of years, thanks to semi-hard rock- and funk-influenced licks backing frontman Adam Levine's falsetto coo. It works largely because, well, the ladies love it. So, no surprise here, the band's inspired its fair share of knockoffs hoping to similarly make it big--even in our own backyard!

Which brings us to this week's song...

...and this week's question: Maroon 5 or just another crappy local band? And, if the latter, who is it? --Pete Freedman

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Adam Levine, another crappy local band?, Iran So Far, maroon 5, this or that

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Play on Playa's! Odis is one of the best bands I've heard in Dallas in some time. How lucky are we to have them in our backyard for the time being. Get out there and show your support because they wont be here for long they ARe Going SOmeWhere! I love the boys of Odis and their rhythmic tunes
One last thought: Maroon 5 + Gavin Degraw have sold WAY more records than interpol bright eyes wilco (i actually like wilco tho) neutral milk hotel My bloody valentine TV on the radio Joy Division Morissey and bloc party combined.
Hmmmm Maroon 5 has sold nearly 8 million records world wide...so why is it bad to sound like them?? Maroon 5 sounds like prince meets the police. Obviously sounding like another talented band that rights hit after hit isnt a bad thing.... Oh unless you are an artsy insecure "cooler than you because i like weird indy bands you-have-never-heard-of dallasite". Its a hell of a lot harder to write a great catchy pop song than it is to make weird sounds with a delay pedal and drone on a rhodes while some one sings/whispers/screams something w/ no melody at all. "feel" is a ridiculously catchy song, Odis puts on an energetic live show, and judging by the hundreds that flock to their concerts PEOPLE LIKE THEM. Sad Indy kids, take a lesson from ODIS and write good music, unless of course you enjoy playing in front of 15 people on a wednesday or sunday night at dirty clubs. I like and play pop music....and if im not cool b/c of it, I really don't care (and i dont think Adam Levine does either). Maroon 5 is better than your band and quite frankly so is Odis. This is a great POP song.
Hmmmm Maroon 5 has sold nearly 8 million records world wide...so why is it bad to sound like them?? Maroon 5 sounds like prince meets the police. Obviously sounding like another talented band that rights hit after hit isnt a bad thing.... Oh unless you are an artsy insecure "cooler than you because i like weird indy bands you-have-never-heard-of dallasite". Its a hell of a lot harder to write a great catchy pop song than it is to make weird sounds with a delay pedal and drone on a rhodes while some one sings/whispers/screams something w/ no melody at all. "feel" is a ridiculously catchy song, Odis puts on an energetic live show, and judging by the hundreds that flock to their concerts PEOPLE LIKE THEM. Sad Indy kids, take a lesson from ODIS and write good music, unless of course you enjoy playing in front of 15 people on a wednesday or sunday night at dirty clubs. I like and play pop music....and if im not cool b/c of it, I really don't care (and i dont think Adam Levine does either). Maroon 5 is better than your band and quite frankly so is Odis. This is a great POP song.
Brozer you have revealed your true colors. What kind of low class individual uses a forum like this to air a personal vendetta. Why don't you show some class and tell us who you really are. I think segments like this on the net are pretty sad. I rarely see anything positive about the subject matter, whether its a music review or a product review. All segments like this do is give all the nobodies place where they can feel BIG TIME by bashing someone or something. I commend those on here you actually had something interesting to say.
Odis keep up the great work! Any publicity is good publicity.
Quick Magazine's Big Album of the Year 2008!! Need I say more? I hope all you haters have your jerk rags handy, so you can wipe the egg off your faces when these guys make it to the next level!! Way to stand behind your local talent, T-BAGS!! As for you Brozer. When's the last time you played at a major music festival? When's that last time the Lex and Terry Radio Network played your shit? That's right, you just keep drinkin your haterade son-WHAT!? Sincerely, Your mom's new boyfriend
speaking of rip offs "have you ever seen dallas from a dc9 at night?" joe ely has and you know who else has? all the good bands that leave town because people in this city spend all their time hating on bands they don't like and not putting any effort into supporting the bands they do. i'm guilty just like everyone else. good bands break up or leave this city because they can't afford to stay here cause they get no love. good bands won't even play in dallas because they don't get good numbers. if you like a band, raise them up and help them be successful. if you don't like a band, leave them alone. if no one gives them any attention they will go away. this country has gotten in the habit of promoting mediocrity by advertising the hell out of substandard crap. mtv acting as commander and chief in this stinkfest. what you fail to realize is that people will pay attention to whatever is put in front of them. as a music critic i would hope that you realize that bad press is still press. and as a music critic i would hope that your ear is good enough to pick out more than maroon 5 and lenny kravitz out of that mix. both bands are obviously a conglomeration of well known bands from different era's. prince, marvin gaye, stevie wonder, jimi hendrix, led zeppelin, etc. hardly original but mixed in original ways to bring an updated version of these greats to younger generations and hopefully get them listening to the stuff mtv and radio don't allow us to enjoy anymore because they have convinced us that the general public's attention spans are too short to withstand a 9 minute stairway to heaven. yet, who doesn't love that song. have your ever thought that maybe these bands are trying to carry on a tradition? like folk or blues only no one can listen to just 3 chords all day anymore. if your gonna copy at least copy good bands and show us that you know your musical history and are doing your part to educate the masses on our rich musical ancestry. if the best comparison you have is maroon 5, who is just another band under the influence of bands of the past themselves, then i don't think i would trust your skills as a music critic. not very in depth and this is exactly what's wrong with the dallas music scene. and just for the record, on top of maroon 5 and lenny kravitz i hear ac/dc, spoon, erykah badu, nin, some blues, led zeppelin, jay z or kanye or whoever and even some pink floyd at the end. the recording quality is a bit better than your average local band, obviously not top dollar but the music is interesting enough. i hear a lot of black influence, which if you know anything about dallas music history you would almost get the feeling that they are making a direct attempt to draw attention to that. blind lemon jefferson, the toadies, tripping daisy, erykah badu. i hear all these combined. a unique attempt to draw on their city for it's musical creativity that goes relatively unnoticed. if anything, i think they should be complimented for that effort. in any case i would like to see more positive things come from dallas. PEOPLE OF DALLAS, IF YOU WANT GOOD BANDS IN THIS TOWN YOU HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW YOU CARE!!! Dallas has a rich musical history and we need to do our part to help restore it. sorry for being a big bag of wind, but it needed to be said.
you know what's actually funny is these guys are actually a great band and are on their way to being successful. i'm starting to think that brozer meghee was probably in a band at some point, most likely from denton. they never amounted to more than an a fan base of 6, which is great by traditional indie standards. if someone thinks their favorite band is original, think again. i don't think odis copied maroon 5. just because their rhythms are tight and they write catchy music doesn't mean they're ripping anyone. what's really the issue brozer? did your parents not love you enough? are you still saddened by your bruised ego from your band not making it? "...Yeah, seriously, you're totally elitist. You feel like the unappreciated scholars, so you shit onto people who know lesser than you."
Way to support local music. Odis is on of the most talented bands in Dallas by far and I hope they make so your stupid city will have a better claim to musical fame then the really douched out toadies. This is the same city that kill the adventure club.....meh,
THESE GUYS ARE ONE OF THE BEST BANDS RIGHT NOW, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR MUSIC is good.....THEY ARE TRULY GOOD GUYS. THOSE OF YOU WHO WASTE TIME HATING ON THEM.....never mind, i was going to hate on you, but you are not worth it. haha Keep it real ODIS....as always
You fools are all drones! And what band are you in, Brozer McGhee? You are the douche hiding behind the internet. I personally do not know the band, but why would a local "journalist" (which I use loosely) hate on a local band? Because they are this (Dallas Oberserver) wanting to be that (Spin Magazine). Exactly. What a joke this whole segment is.
talk about elitist, Odis DOES NOT accept "friend requests" from other bands on myspace. found that pretty interesting...
thanks pete, i am glad to know that i wasnt crazy, i had forgotten about that specific one...which is very underrated, by the way.
It's not criticism that I object to. I doubt, for example, that DC9 will include in this feature any of the countless local bands that sound like Wilco. That's what makes it elitist, in my mind anyway. It's the "crappy local band" that I object to. Why not just compare the two, and have the crappiness of it implied? Those guys might take being compared to MAroon 5 as a compliment, then it's win-win. Maybe I just hate fun. I'm not in a band btw.
I always though Maroon 5 appealed more to dumb, horny suburban soccer moms.
and I hate how any time anyone makes fun of a band, it's always called "elitism." Maroon 5 appeals to dumb, horny teenagers. Nothing wrong with that, but criticizing such is not automatically some form of cultural elitism. If being critical makes anyone "hip," then so be it.
I have played several shows with Odis here in the DFW area. I have to say, I cant stand them. So loud, so generic, and they take themselves way too seriously. Dallas Butt rock will never die. Odis stands for O vertrying D ooschy I rritating S hit
Actually, Kelly, <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/16771/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-iran-so-far">it <i>is</i> from an SNL digital short</a>. 
Does anyone else think that the picture of the maroon 5 guy looks like something out of a Andy Samberg/SNL digital short video that would be spoofing on bands like Maroon 5?? Dork in a Box?
Good Times. If this would have been a glowing review of how great this song was, the above person would have praised snarky, hpster elitism and how it's needed to seperate the crap from the crap. Bottom line, it's a xerox of a xerox. Do they do any BuckCherry covers? Please do!
This new feature is not journalism, and it's certainly not that clever. It doesn't inform the reader of anything. It's just snarky, hipster elitism. Sad.
Also - it sounds very Sunset Strip, Poison/Motley Crue-ish, with a side of Kid Rock. That's not intended as a compliment.
Actually, I think it's a brilliant new feature. Might give exposure some local bands, or show how transparent some are in their ripoff-ness. Well done DC9.
Some things you can't un-hear. Thanks a lot!
what a shitty new feature. seriously whats the point?
That hurt my head.
Douche Rock at its finest!
I'd say this sounds like a Gavin Degraw knock off more than Maroon 5.
Haha. I knew before I hit play that it was going to be Odis. They're pretty good... if you like that kind of thing.
Did Lenny Kravitz move to Dallas?