Who made you Mozart?

So I was browsing through iTunes the other day looking for the new Bloc Party album that is out on Mp3 format. Not on iTunes, crap. Now I have a sequence of looking through my favorite bands which proceeds something like: Bloc Party, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, The Hives, and the Foo Fighters. There are many other bands, but those are my top 5 in the batting order. 

Now, Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket have recently come out with new albums, and I am really losing faith in both of them. MMJ recently released the album, "Evil Urges". Now, I enjoyed their previous albums, "It Still Moves" and "Z" and they are brilliantly done. I can jam out, and sing along in my car. However, this new album did not impress me, in fact, it put me to sleep. 

So I went on iTunes to see if other people were sharing my dismay, and sure enough there were a bunch of people writing, "WTF, Mate?". However, with any person that has to be a "hater" there is always a purist *barf*. I have seen this over and over, too. From the music genius, he stated to the people that didn't like the album:

"You just don't understand music"

What the hell is that even supposed to mean? I don't understand music? Care to enlighten us on what music is, Franz Liszt? I have taken music classes in college, I can effectively play 3 different instruments, so what do I not get about music? 

I have a philosophy on artists and bands, and that is... ready for this... Bands and Artists can begin to play crappy music, despite awesome starts. For example, Kings of Leon released, "Youth and Young Manhood" which was incredible. Their new album diverted from that style completely. It's slower, and more drawn out. Weezer is the same way, "The Blue Album" was outstanding. However the new albums (ok, red album is not bad) are so poppy and whiney, i cannot take listening to the whole thing. 

That is not to say all artists are that way. The Strokes started out with a great debut album, had a rougher patch, and then had another awesome album. So I will renew my faith if something makes my toe tap.

Bottom line is, we hear the old saying "Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder". This applies well with music, I believe. My Morning Jacket had a "Jam Band" first album, and then stopped. Ok, well, I like Jam Bands, and now that they have stopped playing that, I have not enjoyed it. It doesn't mean I don't understand music. It means that I have developed an expectation about certain bands, and it was not met. Who knows, maybe I don't understand music. But what the hell am I doing then?

My challenge to my readers, if you "understand" music; enlighten me. What am I missing here? I believe an artist can pour his/her soul into a song, and it can still sound like crap. I leave the comment section to the music fans here...