What's wrong with Angular.js ?
[1] It's just another framework to solve a problem in the wrong way.
Learn to use javascript, understand HTML and the DOM and you are ready.
... and if some people say that with no framework you will end up with spaghetti code... listen to them and make sure you endevaour to write maintainable code...
There is no framework to hide the complexity from writing good maintainable code
You know what happens when you don't use a framework to build apps? You end up with your own!
I agree, with any abstraction you have some complexity especially when you try and solve everyones application development needs.