I've been thinking a lot about what direction the music industry might go in. Honestly, I don't know. Things aren't great when you look at the big picture. CD sales continue to drop quicker than a Rod Blagojevich f-bomb. Digital sales aren't as big (yet at least) as the majors hoped they would be. And very few people are making that much money in the business.
That's the business end of things, which only matter so much. We have established, though, that an artist needs to make a living. "How?" remains the big question.
Here's what you do first and foremost with your music: (picture first of all a drunken frat guy who thinks he's one bad-ass m-f-er, standing up on a table with a beer in one hand, sloshing profusely, trying desperately to emulate the trilling of Anthony Kiedis--it just makes it more fun to think about it this way...trust me) Give it away, give it away, give it away now.
Yep. All free. Or at least quite a lot of it free. People don't want to pay for music and really don't have to pay for music. Piracy is always an option. Yes, it's a crime, but I think to many people it's the type of crime that is equal to say-jaywalking. You know it's illegal (most do at least) but you do it anyway because it's far more convenient and self-serving to cross the street outside of the crosswalk's given perameters. And more and more, the industry is beginning to do what most cops do when they see jaywalking, turn away and kind of shrug their shoulders. The RIAA is backing off to some extent. But my point is this, if people want lots and lots of free music, give them lots and lots of free music.
So you are still not making money. Ok that's a problem. What to do then? Well if you get big enough or maybe even not so big, but write catchy songs, you could hand your music out to a corportation--a la Wilco to Volkswagon and Santogold to Budweiser. This does have it's drawbacks, but you get a paycheck and your music gets out there. I would argue, though, that sometimes it backfires. I can't hear Santogold (who is extrememly talented) and not think about those god-awful Bud Light Lime commercials. Maybe it annoys me too because the beers crappy as well.
Some say the money is now in ringtones and video games. I'll agree on this to a point. Video games have replaced music in the realm of "obsessions of youth". But you have games like Guitar Hero III which recently became the first game to hit the $1 billion dollar mark in sales, but also serve the duel purpose of exposing a new generation to classic rock anthems. So artists are catching on and going after deals with video game companies. This is not the be-all, end-all solution, though.
And everybody wants a cool ringtone, yes it's true. As much as I hate being on the bus and hearing a bad quality version of some Beyonce song that the phone owner decides to let play for awhile under the assumption that maybe we all want to hear this for some reason, there's money in this. But how much? And for whom exactly?
To me these are just quick fix gimmicks. You want to sell music and make a living off of it? Then you have to live it to be able to sell it!
If you are reading this via my Facebook page, may I direct your attention to a video I recently posted featuring author Malcolm Gladwell. Mr. Gladwell just published a book called "Outliers" whose main thesis is that most who are creatively successful are not so just because they are geniuses (although there are a few of those), but because they put in the time. It's the 10,000 hour rule. One must work on their craft for 10,000 hours before one truly becomes proficient at it. He uses Fleetwood Mac as an example. They produced 15 albums before they put out their classic masterwork, "Rumors". He also talks about The Beatles, who were really just an ordinary Liverpool pub band until they went to Hamburg and were the house band at a red light district bar--playing basically for 8 hours a night, every night. They honed their craft. They learned to eat, sleep (well maybe not much of this), and breath music.
This is what bands need to do as well. Of course the majors aren't going to wait around for 10,000 hours. That's not going to sell many ringtones. I think this becomes the job of the indie labels. Imagine this if you will...A label website dedicated to tracking the progress of their bands as they learn their craft. The bands could constantly give away what would amount to rough drafts and maybe even keep an online journal of their progression. A fan could watch as it all comes together (or not) for those dedicated enough to live the music to these almost fanatical ends. What Beatles fan wouldn't love to have every rough cut, misstep, and hidden gem from those early years in Hamburg? This would be in essence what they would be getting! I'm not saying that these bands who chose to do this would become the next Beatles, but maybe they would.
My point is that the industry is grasping at straws. If you are a true musician, a true artist who feels his/her craft in your bones, then you should learn it and do it and find others who will support you. Quality will always outdo gimmicks. But quality takes time and energy and committment. Of all those who have become chess grandmasters, it has taken them at least 10 years to do so, except for one (the anti-Semitic, creepy Bobby Fisher, who just recently died) and it took him 9. 10,000 hours is roughly 4 hours a day for 10 years. Maybe then you'll have a killer track ready for Guitar Hero 27. Give it away until you do. Oh and find a day job you can stand because you may need it for awhile.
I think people are smart and discerning. And I also think people will always love music. If you give them quality, they will reward you. If you give them crap, they will abandon you. That's what you've got going on for you there, music industry geniuses. You dug your own grave. You want to see proof of quality outdoing mass produced drivel--vinyl sales are up for the first time in nearly 20 years! People crave things that sound good, whether it be a format that sounds good (and nothing sounds better than music on vinyl) or music itself that is well-crafted and that inspires and/or touches some nerve within them.
Calling for patience in the era of sound bites and short attention spans is practically revolutionary in its tone. But I think Malcolm Gladwell's on to something.
www.aiga.org/content.cfm/video-gain-2008-gladwell
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
A Mash-Up Blog for The New Year
Who doesn't like a good mash-up, right? I've got a lot of thoughts going on, so I thought I'd just let them spew and see what happens. Happy New Year to all, by the way! Here's hoping for a great year, filled with great music.
Bio-pics/Music Docs
I'm an addict when it comes to any film that relates to music. The Last Waltz is by far my favorite. How can it get better than Martin Scorcese directing a concert film featuring The Band, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, The Staples, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, and many other greats of the last half century!! It can't. It just can't. But when it comes right down to it, I pretty much watch them all. There's a great one on the grunge era called Hype! that speaks a little more to my generation. Loved Walk the Line. Woodstock and Monterrey Pop also do a great job capturing the raw energy of the '60s. Man, oh man, just watch Otis Redding during Monterrey Pop. It'll change your life.
I know 2009 is going to feature a new, in-depth doc about The Doors. The Doors are a tricky band to pin down. There is so much myth surrounding this band and of course, its dead frontman, Jim Morrison. A charismatic rock star who passes before his/her prime is sure to be labelled a "legend" and with this label comes a certain amount of perfunctory myth making. Add to that a slightly sensationalized bio-pic directed by Oliver Stone and you have a whole stew of truth mixed with Lizard King lore. I'll be interested to see how this turns out. I've always liked The Doors music and have always found myself drifting away for awhile, but always coming back, which is not something I can say about all of my musical obsessions (still haven't come back to Tesla or Lynyrd Skynyrd!). There's something about The Doors that is captivating beyond words. It's dark, sinister, and prophetic music that arose out of The Summer of Love. "Our love becomes a funeral pyre"---what???? That's some crazy metaphor-ing right there! And don't get me started with "The End". Listen to the live version on their box set that was released around '97 or '98. It'll change your life.
What happened to The Singer-Songwriter?
I'm thinking about this because I just watched a tribute/doc/concert film of Leonard Cohen called, "I'm Your Man". Leonard Cohen is probably number two or number three when it comes to greatest songwriters of all-time--definitely when it comes to living songwriters. The guy is a poet in the truest sense of the word (sorry Morrison, Leonard Cohen probably has more cred than you ever did in the poet dept.). In fact he was already a published writer well before he released his first album. His songs are well-crafted masterpieces. He sometimes takes months at a time to write one song and mulls over each line and word carefully. Does anyone do that anymore?
Half of what you hear in popular music today isn't even written by the person who is singing it. Country music is still by far the most popular radio format in the nation, but is notorious for performers who sing someone else's music and not their own written material. Not too undermine the talents of professional Nashville songwriters, but it's kind of disappointing when you think you're hearing someone's inner thoughts and emotions being sung directly to you and then you find out it's just an interpretation. One example I can think of is Tim McGraw singing a song called "Live Like You Were Dying" or something like that. The song was released shortly after his father passed away and you initially think, "Wow, this is a nice, heart-felt tribute to his dad". But the song wasn't written by him! I suppose he probably channeled some of his emotions into his interpretation, but man, I felt a little cheated (not like someone who loses their dad to cancer I'm sure, but still, in my small insignificant way, I felt cheated). And yes, it does take talent to interpret someone else's work, but there's something about hearing the physical voice meet up with the literary voice.
In terms of singer-songwriter's of this generation, you kind of have to think of people who are still alive, but were more relevant in past generations: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, the aforementioned Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney (although he hasn't written anything nearly as powerful since he wrote with John Lennon), Carole King, and Joni Mitchell. I suppose if you're looking for more recent master songwriters you could include Tupac, Bono, and Kurt Cobain. Tupac and Kurt are dead and Bono and the U2 crew wrote their best work in the '80s and early '90s. I guess if you're talking about relevant singer-songwriters in this moment, you could look to Conor Oberst, but I'm struggling to think of more. Some of the hip-hop guys are pretty good, like Kanye and Common, but I feel like their latest works were a bit weak. I just don't know. I guess everything is cyclical, so in a year or two, we'll probably get a rash of wanna-be Dylan's and then wish they would go away. Maybe it's a lost art.
Inauguration Festivities
Seventeen days remain until Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. It'll be a glorious day for several reasons: an end to the Bush Dictatorship, the historic swearing in of the first black man to become president, and it'll be my birthday. Maybe that last one doesn't hold quite as much historic weight, but hey, it'll be glorious nonetheless. It'll also be interesting to see who will be performing at the ceremonies. Springsteen and Obama were pretty tight on the campaign trail, so it wouldn't surprise me if The Boss made an appearance. Then you have the traditional liberal voices like Eddie Vedder and Neil Young, but I'm guessing neither will be there. Will the hip-hop community be represented? Obama once cited Jay-Z. And there's the Chicago hip-hop-sters like Kanye, Common, and Rhymefest. Will any of them be invited?
My prediction is that Jay-Z will be there on his best behavior, maybe with Beyonce, but maybe not. I think Springsteen will definitely be there and Dylan will be invited, but won't show. My hope, and I think this isn't that much of a long-shot either, is that Mavis Staples will be there as well. First off, Mavis is a Chicagoan and Barack has to keep it real with the Chicago folk. Secondly, being part of The Staples Singers, she represents a link to The Civil Rights Movement. Third, she's just an amazing person/performer. I'm hoping she'll make the guest list. Buddy Guy would be a nice Chicago addition as well.
Upcoming Podcast
Well, I'm editing together podcast number one of The Hidden Chord. I'm still shooting for a January release date and I'm quite excited about it. It will include some great commentary and discussion from Phillip Groves, Joao Morlett, and myself. It will also include an interview and music from an energetic and exciting up-and-coming band called The Shackeltons. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a more energetic live show than theirs, nor am I sure if I've met more down to earth guys than these guys. Also I'll be playing a couple of tracks from other bands who are out there grinding it out, trying to make it in today's scene. It should be fun!
Bio-pics/Music Docs
I'm an addict when it comes to any film that relates to music. The Last Waltz is by far my favorite. How can it get better than Martin Scorcese directing a concert film featuring The Band, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, The Staples, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, and many other greats of the last half century!! It can't. It just can't. But when it comes right down to it, I pretty much watch them all. There's a great one on the grunge era called Hype! that speaks a little more to my generation. Loved Walk the Line. Woodstock and Monterrey Pop also do a great job capturing the raw energy of the '60s. Man, oh man, just watch Otis Redding during Monterrey Pop. It'll change your life.
I know 2009 is going to feature a new, in-depth doc about The Doors. The Doors are a tricky band to pin down. There is so much myth surrounding this band and of course, its dead frontman, Jim Morrison. A charismatic rock star who passes before his/her prime is sure to be labelled a "legend" and with this label comes a certain amount of perfunctory myth making. Add to that a slightly sensationalized bio-pic directed by Oliver Stone and you have a whole stew of truth mixed with Lizard King lore. I'll be interested to see how this turns out. I've always liked The Doors music and have always found myself drifting away for awhile, but always coming back, which is not something I can say about all of my musical obsessions (still haven't come back to Tesla or Lynyrd Skynyrd!). There's something about The Doors that is captivating beyond words. It's dark, sinister, and prophetic music that arose out of The Summer of Love. "Our love becomes a funeral pyre"---what???? That's some crazy metaphor-ing right there! And don't get me started with "The End". Listen to the live version on their box set that was released around '97 or '98. It'll change your life.
What happened to The Singer-Songwriter?
I'm thinking about this because I just watched a tribute/doc/concert film of Leonard Cohen called, "I'm Your Man". Leonard Cohen is probably number two or number three when it comes to greatest songwriters of all-time--definitely when it comes to living songwriters. The guy is a poet in the truest sense of the word (sorry Morrison, Leonard Cohen probably has more cred than you ever did in the poet dept.). In fact he was already a published writer well before he released his first album. His songs are well-crafted masterpieces. He sometimes takes months at a time to write one song and mulls over each line and word carefully. Does anyone do that anymore?
Half of what you hear in popular music today isn't even written by the person who is singing it. Country music is still by far the most popular radio format in the nation, but is notorious for performers who sing someone else's music and not their own written material. Not too undermine the talents of professional Nashville songwriters, but it's kind of disappointing when you think you're hearing someone's inner thoughts and emotions being sung directly to you and then you find out it's just an interpretation. One example I can think of is Tim McGraw singing a song called "Live Like You Were Dying" or something like that. The song was released shortly after his father passed away and you initially think, "Wow, this is a nice, heart-felt tribute to his dad". But the song wasn't written by him! I suppose he probably channeled some of his emotions into his interpretation, but man, I felt a little cheated (not like someone who loses their dad to cancer I'm sure, but still, in my small insignificant way, I felt cheated). And yes, it does take talent to interpret someone else's work, but there's something about hearing the physical voice meet up with the literary voice.
In terms of singer-songwriter's of this generation, you kind of have to think of people who are still alive, but were more relevant in past generations: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, the aforementioned Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney (although he hasn't written anything nearly as powerful since he wrote with John Lennon), Carole King, and Joni Mitchell. I suppose if you're looking for more recent master songwriters you could include Tupac, Bono, and Kurt Cobain. Tupac and Kurt are dead and Bono and the U2 crew wrote their best work in the '80s and early '90s. I guess if you're talking about relevant singer-songwriters in this moment, you could look to Conor Oberst, but I'm struggling to think of more. Some of the hip-hop guys are pretty good, like Kanye and Common, but I feel like their latest works were a bit weak. I just don't know. I guess everything is cyclical, so in a year or two, we'll probably get a rash of wanna-be Dylan's and then wish they would go away. Maybe it's a lost art.
Inauguration Festivities
Seventeen days remain until Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. It'll be a glorious day for several reasons: an end to the Bush Dictatorship, the historic swearing in of the first black man to become president, and it'll be my birthday. Maybe that last one doesn't hold quite as much historic weight, but hey, it'll be glorious nonetheless. It'll also be interesting to see who will be performing at the ceremonies. Springsteen and Obama were pretty tight on the campaign trail, so it wouldn't surprise me if The Boss made an appearance. Then you have the traditional liberal voices like Eddie Vedder and Neil Young, but I'm guessing neither will be there. Will the hip-hop community be represented? Obama once cited Jay-Z. And there's the Chicago hip-hop-sters like Kanye, Common, and Rhymefest. Will any of them be invited?
My prediction is that Jay-Z will be there on his best behavior, maybe with Beyonce, but maybe not. I think Springsteen will definitely be there and Dylan will be invited, but won't show. My hope, and I think this isn't that much of a long-shot either, is that Mavis Staples will be there as well. First off, Mavis is a Chicagoan and Barack has to keep it real with the Chicago folk. Secondly, being part of The Staples Singers, she represents a link to The Civil Rights Movement. Third, she's just an amazing person/performer. I'm hoping she'll make the guest list. Buddy Guy would be a nice Chicago addition as well.
Upcoming Podcast
Well, I'm editing together podcast number one of The Hidden Chord. I'm still shooting for a January release date and I'm quite excited about it. It will include some great commentary and discussion from Phillip Groves, Joao Morlett, and myself. It will also include an interview and music from an energetic and exciting up-and-coming band called The Shackeltons. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a more energetic live show than theirs, nor am I sure if I've met more down to earth guys than these guys. Also I'll be playing a couple of tracks from other bands who are out there grinding it out, trying to make it in today's scene. It should be fun!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Tops of 2008
I'm a fan of lists. I'll admit it. Maybe that's one of the reasons I like "High Fidelity" so much. He's got his top 5s for just about everything. And it's fun to argue and agree with the critics and fans when it comes to end of the year lists. For the past two years, Paste Magazine has had a surprise pick for the top album of the year, which after further review, makes sense (2007-The National, "Boxer". 2008-She & Him, "Volume 1").
This year has been yet another rough year for the music industry. CD sales were down 27% in the last quarter, while radio had a revenue drop not seen since the'50s. Some say it's the recession, which is partially to blame. Others say it was a down year for new releases. I'm not buying into that one. There were plenty of great releases, from indie favorites to big name pop artists. CDs and radio are just on the outs, plain and simple.
I'm including three lists here: my 10 favorite albums of the year (plus two honorable mentions), my five favorite songs of the year (again, plus two honorable mentions), and just for the hell of it, my five favorite movies of the year. Music and movies have so much in common and are kind of dependent on one another, so even though this is a music blog, I decided to just go for it.
The great thing about making a "best of" list is I went back to listen to my favorite albums of the year just to make sure I had the order right. In the process, I heard things I missed before, I changed the order several times, and I just had a great time listening to great music. Down year for the industry or not, there was still plenty of good stuff to go around.
BEST ALBUMS OF 2008
10. Justin Townes Earle, The Good Life
Ok, so I admit it, I have a penchant for twang. This is pretty much a traditional country album. There's plenty of talk about drinkin' and bein' lonesome and hard livin'. That's what real country music is all about, though. And if that's what you're into, this album is a treat. Justin Townes Earle is the son of folk, protest singer-songwriter, Steve Earle. What he produces here is an achievement in songwriting, but is also a boost for traditional country, and a way for the younger Earle to set himself apart from his legendary father. Have a bottle of whiskey and your cowboy hat ready when you put this one on.
9. Ezra Furman & the Harpoons, Inside the Human Body
These guys just finished college, damn it! And they're so good! Ezra's got quite an unusual, raw sort of voice, but it lends well to his frantic style and quirky songwriting. I've heard comparisons of Ezra Furman to Conor Oberst, which then leads to the inevitable comparison to Bob Dylan. Yeah, there's that, merely because people always feel the need to find "The New Dylan". But don't do that please. Give the guy his own due, which he deserves. There's a nice blend of good 'ol rock and roll, mixed with original songwriting, and youthful energy. This is a band to watch in the next few years to come.
8. Dr. Dog, Fate
I can't say enough about this band. This album is filled with songs that will take you back to an earlier era, but also stand on their own here in the present. I've always enjoyed the band's low-fi, direct approach, and this album provides plenty of that. There's also a somewhat dark aura that lingers throughout the album, like an impending doom. The album feels like albums used to feel--cohesive, and not just a random mixture of songs. A talented rock band at its best.
7. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
I love to put on this album nice and loud and proceed to dance around like an idiot. It's a big sounding album with great beats and layers of sound and energy. Much to my disappointment, I guess these guys aren't very good live, but if they can keep putting out albums like this, one can overlook that fault. This is a great summer album, that also contains one of my favorite lyrics of the year, "Shock me like an electric eel." Can't be shocked much better than that.
6. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
Here's another great summer album made by equally maddeningly young, talented musicians. Arrgggh, what have I done with my youth! This is a fun album filled with African beats Paul Simon would have loved to have had, intellectual references, escape from vampires in New England, and tuneful melodies. I think they also have the best sweaters in rock & roll.
5. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
This is a beautiful album, start to finish. It's a quiet, heartfelt masterpiece, sung by someone who obviously knows heartache, but at the same time, knows how to translate it into something amazingly lyrical and transcendant. My favorite song of the year is off of this album. Just saw them on Letterman the other night and he played with three drummers. The previously alluded to favorite song was the one he played. Good stuff, through and through.
4. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges
My Morning Jacket is one of my favorite bands around right now. I was a bit nervous about this album, because I heard they were trying some new things. I've talked about experimentation in this blog, and frankly, sometimes it turns out really, really badly. But not here. The album starts out with three un-MMJ-esque songs that delve into the realm of dance/electronica/Prince. Then with track four, a more familiar sounding band appears. What a statement to make with the first part of your album. I've heard some fans weren't too happy with the direction of "Evil Urges", but I think there's plenty on here that fans of their older work can get into too. I think that this album is their best so far, and I look forward to what Jim James and Co. come up with next.
3. TV on the Radio, Dear Science
TV on the Radio's previous release, "Return to Cookie Mountain" was a huge critical success. One always wonders how a band can follow up something like that. Well, TV on the Radio just went ahead and followed it up with another masterpiece that reaffirms them as one of the most creative bands around. They somehow manage to successfully mix elements of rock, hip-hop, electronica, and really what can only be called "sound". Every moment of this album is engaging. And the high register vocal style of the lead singer is about as unique as you can get. And unique hardly scratches the surface in describing TVotR.
2. She & Him, Volume One
Who would have guessed that Zooey Deschanel would be this good? I wouldn't have. In fact when I first heard about this concept of M. Ward joining up with the actress from "Elf" and "Almost Famous", I think I let out an audible sigh. I think most people did. But then you hear it and realize, "Wow, this is good". You kind of expect it from M. Ward. He's proven himself as the real thing within the "indie-rock" scene. But Zooey Deschanel? I'm amazed. She pulls off several styles perfectly. Her voice can be tender, soulful, rough, sensitive, and powerful. And M. Ward backs it up with some serious acoustic picking. They just announced that there will be a Volume Two and I'm hoping they cover Dusty Springfield, The Ronnettes, and Patsy Cline. If this album proves anything, they could probably pull it off.
1. Fleet Foxes, Ragged Wood
I challenge you to find harmonies more amazing than the ones created by this band. From the very first notes of this album you feel like you are listening to something not of this world. I feel like the songs were pulled out of some unknown part of the atmosphere or out of some magical land where wood nymphs and fairys frollick amongst talking trees and gnomes. Not to be a broken record, but once again, these guys are in their early '20s!!! And this is their debut. It is an amazing achievement in acoustic, new folk, indie-whatever music. It's just damn good. It's hypnotic and like European chocolate for the ears. Rich and tasty, with an amazing aftertaste.
Honorable Mention--The Hold Steady, "Stay Positive"
The Rural Alberta Advantage, "Hometowns"
BEST SONGS OF 2008
5. "Great DJ", The Ting Tings
4. "White Winter Hymnal", Fleet Foxes
3. "Take Off Your Sunglasses", Ezra Furman & the Harpoons
2. "Electric Feel", MGMT
1. "Skinny Love", Bon Iver
Honorable Mention: "Shout Me Out", TV on the Radio
"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", Vampire Weekend
BEST MOVIES OF 2008 (at least from what I've seen so far)
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4. WALL-E
3. A Christmas Tale
2. My Winnipeg
1. The Dark Knight
Well, there you have it. By no means is this a comprehensive list. I haven't the time or money or energy to have heard every album (or seen every movie) of 2008. As much as I wish I could do this full-time, and my God do I wish I could, I don't. One day, maybe. But until then, I'll do my best to immerse myself in great music, literature, movies, and whatever else is there for the viewing/listening. It's a nice way to spend life. And every so often, amazing, life-changing things happen from all of it.
Let me know what you think. What did I miss? What did I get right? What did I get wrong?
And on a side note, I'm working on the launch of The Hidden Chord Podcast, to debut this January! It's going to be the best podcast that anyone has ever heard!
This year has been yet another rough year for the music industry. CD sales were down 27% in the last quarter, while radio had a revenue drop not seen since the'50s. Some say it's the recession, which is partially to blame. Others say it was a down year for new releases. I'm not buying into that one. There were plenty of great releases, from indie favorites to big name pop artists. CDs and radio are just on the outs, plain and simple.
I'm including three lists here: my 10 favorite albums of the year (plus two honorable mentions), my five favorite songs of the year (again, plus two honorable mentions), and just for the hell of it, my five favorite movies of the year. Music and movies have so much in common and are kind of dependent on one another, so even though this is a music blog, I decided to just go for it.
The great thing about making a "best of" list is I went back to listen to my favorite albums of the year just to make sure I had the order right. In the process, I heard things I missed before, I changed the order several times, and I just had a great time listening to great music. Down year for the industry or not, there was still plenty of good stuff to go around.
BEST ALBUMS OF 2008
10. Justin Townes Earle, The Good Life
Ok, so I admit it, I have a penchant for twang. This is pretty much a traditional country album. There's plenty of talk about drinkin' and bein' lonesome and hard livin'. That's what real country music is all about, though. And if that's what you're into, this album is a treat. Justin Townes Earle is the son of folk, protest singer-songwriter, Steve Earle. What he produces here is an achievement in songwriting, but is also a boost for traditional country, and a way for the younger Earle to set himself apart from his legendary father. Have a bottle of whiskey and your cowboy hat ready when you put this one on.
9. Ezra Furman & the Harpoons, Inside the Human Body
These guys just finished college, damn it! And they're so good! Ezra's got quite an unusual, raw sort of voice, but it lends well to his frantic style and quirky songwriting. I've heard comparisons of Ezra Furman to Conor Oberst, which then leads to the inevitable comparison to Bob Dylan. Yeah, there's that, merely because people always feel the need to find "The New Dylan". But don't do that please. Give the guy his own due, which he deserves. There's a nice blend of good 'ol rock and roll, mixed with original songwriting, and youthful energy. This is a band to watch in the next few years to come.
8. Dr. Dog, Fate
I can't say enough about this band. This album is filled with songs that will take you back to an earlier era, but also stand on their own here in the present. I've always enjoyed the band's low-fi, direct approach, and this album provides plenty of that. There's also a somewhat dark aura that lingers throughout the album, like an impending doom. The album feels like albums used to feel--cohesive, and not just a random mixture of songs. A talented rock band at its best.
7. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
I love to put on this album nice and loud and proceed to dance around like an idiot. It's a big sounding album with great beats and layers of sound and energy. Much to my disappointment, I guess these guys aren't very good live, but if they can keep putting out albums like this, one can overlook that fault. This is a great summer album, that also contains one of my favorite lyrics of the year, "Shock me like an electric eel." Can't be shocked much better than that.
6. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
Here's another great summer album made by equally maddeningly young, talented musicians. Arrgggh, what have I done with my youth! This is a fun album filled with African beats Paul Simon would have loved to have had, intellectual references, escape from vampires in New England, and tuneful melodies. I think they also have the best sweaters in rock & roll.
5. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
This is a beautiful album, start to finish. It's a quiet, heartfelt masterpiece, sung by someone who obviously knows heartache, but at the same time, knows how to translate it into something amazingly lyrical and transcendant. My favorite song of the year is off of this album. Just saw them on Letterman the other night and he played with three drummers. The previously alluded to favorite song was the one he played. Good stuff, through and through.
4. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges
My Morning Jacket is one of my favorite bands around right now. I was a bit nervous about this album, because I heard they were trying some new things. I've talked about experimentation in this blog, and frankly, sometimes it turns out really, really badly. But not here. The album starts out with three un-MMJ-esque songs that delve into the realm of dance/electronica/Prince. Then with track four, a more familiar sounding band appears. What a statement to make with the first part of your album. I've heard some fans weren't too happy with the direction of "Evil Urges", but I think there's plenty on here that fans of their older work can get into too. I think that this album is their best so far, and I look forward to what Jim James and Co. come up with next.
3. TV on the Radio, Dear Science
TV on the Radio's previous release, "Return to Cookie Mountain" was a huge critical success. One always wonders how a band can follow up something like that. Well, TV on the Radio just went ahead and followed it up with another masterpiece that reaffirms them as one of the most creative bands around. They somehow manage to successfully mix elements of rock, hip-hop, electronica, and really what can only be called "sound". Every moment of this album is engaging. And the high register vocal style of the lead singer is about as unique as you can get. And unique hardly scratches the surface in describing TVotR.
2. She & Him, Volume One
Who would have guessed that Zooey Deschanel would be this good? I wouldn't have. In fact when I first heard about this concept of M. Ward joining up with the actress from "Elf" and "Almost Famous", I think I let out an audible sigh. I think most people did. But then you hear it and realize, "Wow, this is good". You kind of expect it from M. Ward. He's proven himself as the real thing within the "indie-rock" scene. But Zooey Deschanel? I'm amazed. She pulls off several styles perfectly. Her voice can be tender, soulful, rough, sensitive, and powerful. And M. Ward backs it up with some serious acoustic picking. They just announced that there will be a Volume Two and I'm hoping they cover Dusty Springfield, The Ronnettes, and Patsy Cline. If this album proves anything, they could probably pull it off.
1. Fleet Foxes, Ragged Wood
I challenge you to find harmonies more amazing than the ones created by this band. From the very first notes of this album you feel like you are listening to something not of this world. I feel like the songs were pulled out of some unknown part of the atmosphere or out of some magical land where wood nymphs and fairys frollick amongst talking trees and gnomes. Not to be a broken record, but once again, these guys are in their early '20s!!! And this is their debut. It is an amazing achievement in acoustic, new folk, indie-whatever music. It's just damn good. It's hypnotic and like European chocolate for the ears. Rich and tasty, with an amazing aftertaste.
Honorable Mention--The Hold Steady, "Stay Positive"
The Rural Alberta Advantage, "Hometowns"
BEST SONGS OF 2008
5. "Great DJ", The Ting Tings
4. "White Winter Hymnal", Fleet Foxes
3. "Take Off Your Sunglasses", Ezra Furman & the Harpoons
2. "Electric Feel", MGMT
1. "Skinny Love", Bon Iver
Honorable Mention: "Shout Me Out", TV on the Radio
"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", Vampire Weekend
BEST MOVIES OF 2008 (at least from what I've seen so far)
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4. WALL-E
3. A Christmas Tale
2. My Winnipeg
1. The Dark Knight
Well, there you have it. By no means is this a comprehensive list. I haven't the time or money or energy to have heard every album (or seen every movie) of 2008. As much as I wish I could do this full-time, and my God do I wish I could, I don't. One day, maybe. But until then, I'll do my best to immerse myself in great music, literature, movies, and whatever else is there for the viewing/listening. It's a nice way to spend life. And every so often, amazing, life-changing things happen from all of it.
Let me know what you think. What did I miss? What did I get right? What did I get wrong?
And on a side note, I'm working on the launch of The Hidden Chord Podcast, to debut this January! It's going to be the best podcast that anyone has ever heard!
Friday, November 21, 2008
To Innovate or To Emulate?
A question I've always pondered in all things in life, most certainly applies directly to music as well. Are there any truly original ideas left in the world? Is everything just an imitation of something that came before?
Ironically, this blog idea is not mine. Thanks again, Mike. I'm not sure how many original ideas I have within me. I've learned to surround myself with people who do, though, so I guess it works out all right for me.
I've heard this debate within several spheres of life. There are people within the art world who say that there is no where left to go when it comes to painting. That would be a sad thing, but is there really a limit to what you can do with color, shape, form, and intricacy when it comes to paint on canvas? I'm no expert in this field, so I can't say. Maybe no one can until the next innovator comes along to refute that assumption.
So since this is a music blog, what about music? I once read a songwriting book that quoted one of the Gallagher brothers of Oasis, who said that there is a finite number of notes and chords that one can effectively use in popular music. He basically said everything had already been done, which explains the direction that Oasis has decided to go with their music. They are blatent emulators.
I don't really agree with this assumption. I think it is challenging to be innovative within pop music, but it doesn't mean it can't or doesn't happen. But then again, what's wrong with emulation anyway? There is a certain comfort in familiarity. Bob Dylan started his career basically emulating Woody Guthrie in every single way. Dylan didn't stick with this for long, though. Some make quite a career off of emulating what was done before. Dr. Dog, a band I've blogged about in the past, sounds like they were pulled straight out of the '60s rock scene. They do it well, though. But too much emulation can be a bit tiresome. But on the other hand, too much innovation can too. You don't want to lose your audience by going off the deep end, thank you very much Plastic Ono Band!!!
So what to do then? What are the pros and cons for both sides of the debate? How does one successfully do a little of each (which is probably the formula for success after all)? Let's look at both sides, shall we?
,
Innovation
On most accounts, it's hard to argue against innovation. Inventors aren't usually scolded for the ideas they put into practice. Who are the biggest innovators in today's music scene?
Number one has to be Radiohead. I can't think of anyone who has done more in terms of successful experimentation and innovation. Early on in their career, they were kind of your basic, good mid-'90s alt-rock band. But along comes a little album by the name of "OK Computer" and you can forever drop "run-of-the-mill" as an adjective for Radiohead. And they've continued to push the limits with albums like "Kid A" and "In Rainbows". Their use of electronics and "sound" in general is amazing.
Other innovators that come to mind at least right this moment are Joanna Newsom, Beck, Sufjan Stevens, Saul Williams, and to some degree, Wilco (although they tend to fit in both categories).
But like anything in life, there tends to be a downside to innovation. There is a line between being innovative and experimental and being just plain crappy. Think concept albums. A lot don't work out too well.
I think the problem is when someone thinks they're being innovative, but really are just messing around and fail miserably. You can't fault artists for experimenting, it comes with the territory of being an artist. I think success sometimes brings a whole lot of ego, which leads to grand ideas of what the artist thinks he/she is capable of. Sometimes fans will go along for the ride, sometimes they won't. Remember when country icon Garth Brooks decided to create an alter-ego who sang bad pop songs? Country fans were confused, pop music fans were confused, and most everyone was generally disgusted. I guess you can't fault the guy for trying, but there's a fine line between being an innovator and being horrible. For some, the best thing to do is stick to what they are good at.
Emmulation
Which then brings us to the idea of emulation. I'm going to start with the downside of it. It's no mystery why artists try to emulate the greats. They were great. But given the choice between listening to a knock-off version of The Beatles or The Beatles themselves, it doesn't take a genius to know who most would choose.
For example, there is this band that I saw in Austin called The Explorer's Club. They are a good band, but it doesn't take long to realize that they are blatently ripping off The Beach Boys. They put on a fun show, but I really don't care to buy any of their music.
From an artist's point of you, wouldn't you get tired of emulating someone else's art? I mean, I suppose there is a market for someone who can make exact replicas of Piccaso's and Monet's, but is it fulfilling? Don't you want to explore what you are capable of?
Ok, so it's pretty easy to find the downside of emmulating another artist. So what about the upside?
There is a definite comfort in familiarity (although the old saying does say, "Familiarity breeds contempt). It's fun to hear something and say, "Yeah, I like this, I've heard something like it before". It's kind of like unravelling a mystery. Who did you rip off?
But "rip off" is too strong. Some bands are incredible because they obviously draw upon past influences, but somehow make it sound fresh. One of my favorite bands of all time, as I've said here, is The Band. If you listen to their music, you hear about every imaginable influence conceivable, from early rock and roll, to country, to R & B, to Tin Pan Alley. You can hear it all. But at the same time, when you hear it, you know you are listening to The Band's sound.
I kind of feel the same way about Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst. You've heard this type of music before, definitely, but he manages to put his own spin on it (at least most of the time).
The first time I heard "The Underdog" by Spoon, I thought I was hearing a rarely heard track by Thin Lizzy. But once I knew it was Spoon, it was kind of like, "Ohhhh, ok, Spoon". I hear it now.
The Best of Both Worlds
I'm going to make a slightly disappointing conclusion by saying a mix of both innovation and emmulation is necessary. But like most things in life, the truth is found somewhere in the middle ground.
Let's say for example, I invent a word called, "crangigulous". Obviously, just because I invented a new word, doesn't mean I'm an innovator. The way I would become an innovator in this example, is by either convincing people that this is an incredible word that they should be using in every day life to express profound emotions and somehow having them accept that, or by creating a suitable context for this word to fit into. The latter is probably more reasonable, as what is a word without context anyway? As it is, in creating this word, I'm using a basic knowledge of the English language. "Crangigulous" would probably be an adjective because of its "ous" ending, such as "ambiguous", or "ambitious". So in a way, I'm emulating what I already know (which isn't a lot, considering I've spelled "emulate" a few different ways as you may have noticed). The trick would be taking some random keystrokes, like "alueouohfoiawhfkhd" and finding a way for that to work. Then I'd be among the truest of the true innovators.
But I don't think that type of world exists. People need context. What makes the really great innovators of today's music truly innovative, is that they take risks and try new things in the fairly narrow field of pop/rock/indie music. Instead of branching off completely, they are simply adding to the lineage built before them. "Odelay" is one of the most innovative albums of the past 25 years, but there's really nothing new there. Beck managed to take all sorts of elements and meld them together into something original. It's kind of Frankenstein monster-ish. Making new out of the old.
To me it's not necessarily creating something previously unheard of, it's creating something with the pieces you have in a way that has never been thought of. I don't know if a truly new form of popular music is even possible. Maybe it is, but we won't know until we see it. So I guess the only thing we can hope for is for true artists to keep creating and see what happens.
Ironically, this blog idea is not mine. Thanks again, Mike. I'm not sure how many original ideas I have within me. I've learned to surround myself with people who do, though, so I guess it works out all right for me.
I've heard this debate within several spheres of life. There are people within the art world who say that there is no where left to go when it comes to painting. That would be a sad thing, but is there really a limit to what you can do with color, shape, form, and intricacy when it comes to paint on canvas? I'm no expert in this field, so I can't say. Maybe no one can until the next innovator comes along to refute that assumption.
So since this is a music blog, what about music? I once read a songwriting book that quoted one of the Gallagher brothers of Oasis, who said that there is a finite number of notes and chords that one can effectively use in popular music. He basically said everything had already been done, which explains the direction that Oasis has decided to go with their music. They are blatent emulators.
I don't really agree with this assumption. I think it is challenging to be innovative within pop music, but it doesn't mean it can't or doesn't happen. But then again, what's wrong with emulation anyway? There is a certain comfort in familiarity. Bob Dylan started his career basically emulating Woody Guthrie in every single way. Dylan didn't stick with this for long, though. Some make quite a career off of emulating what was done before. Dr. Dog, a band I've blogged about in the past, sounds like they were pulled straight out of the '60s rock scene. They do it well, though. But too much emulation can be a bit tiresome. But on the other hand, too much innovation can too. You don't want to lose your audience by going off the deep end, thank you very much Plastic Ono Band!!!
So what to do then? What are the pros and cons for both sides of the debate? How does one successfully do a little of each (which is probably the formula for success after all)? Let's look at both sides, shall we?
,
Innovation
On most accounts, it's hard to argue against innovation. Inventors aren't usually scolded for the ideas they put into practice. Who are the biggest innovators in today's music scene?
Number one has to be Radiohead. I can't think of anyone who has done more in terms of successful experimentation and innovation. Early on in their career, they were kind of your basic, good mid-'90s alt-rock band. But along comes a little album by the name of "OK Computer" and you can forever drop "run-of-the-mill" as an adjective for Radiohead. And they've continued to push the limits with albums like "Kid A" and "In Rainbows". Their use of electronics and "sound" in general is amazing.
Other innovators that come to mind at least right this moment are Joanna Newsom, Beck, Sufjan Stevens, Saul Williams, and to some degree, Wilco (although they tend to fit in both categories).
But like anything in life, there tends to be a downside to innovation. There is a line between being innovative and experimental and being just plain crappy. Think concept albums. A lot don't work out too well.
I think the problem is when someone thinks they're being innovative, but really are just messing around and fail miserably. You can't fault artists for experimenting, it comes with the territory of being an artist. I think success sometimes brings a whole lot of ego, which leads to grand ideas of what the artist thinks he/she is capable of. Sometimes fans will go along for the ride, sometimes they won't. Remember when country icon Garth Brooks decided to create an alter-ego who sang bad pop songs? Country fans were confused, pop music fans were confused, and most everyone was generally disgusted. I guess you can't fault the guy for trying, but there's a fine line between being an innovator and being horrible. For some, the best thing to do is stick to what they are good at.
Emmulation
Which then brings us to the idea of emulation. I'm going to start with the downside of it. It's no mystery why artists try to emulate the greats. They were great. But given the choice between listening to a knock-off version of The Beatles or The Beatles themselves, it doesn't take a genius to know who most would choose.
For example, there is this band that I saw in Austin called The Explorer's Club. They are a good band, but it doesn't take long to realize that they are blatently ripping off The Beach Boys. They put on a fun show, but I really don't care to buy any of their music.
From an artist's point of you, wouldn't you get tired of emulating someone else's art? I mean, I suppose there is a market for someone who can make exact replicas of Piccaso's and Monet's, but is it fulfilling? Don't you want to explore what you are capable of?
Ok, so it's pretty easy to find the downside of emmulating another artist. So what about the upside?
There is a definite comfort in familiarity (although the old saying does say, "Familiarity breeds contempt). It's fun to hear something and say, "Yeah, I like this, I've heard something like it before". It's kind of like unravelling a mystery. Who did you rip off?
But "rip off" is too strong. Some bands are incredible because they obviously draw upon past influences, but somehow make it sound fresh. One of my favorite bands of all time, as I've said here, is The Band. If you listen to their music, you hear about every imaginable influence conceivable, from early rock and roll, to country, to R & B, to Tin Pan Alley. You can hear it all. But at the same time, when you hear it, you know you are listening to The Band's sound.
I kind of feel the same way about Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst. You've heard this type of music before, definitely, but he manages to put his own spin on it (at least most of the time).
The first time I heard "The Underdog" by Spoon, I thought I was hearing a rarely heard track by Thin Lizzy. But once I knew it was Spoon, it was kind of like, "Ohhhh, ok, Spoon". I hear it now.
The Best of Both Worlds
I'm going to make a slightly disappointing conclusion by saying a mix of both innovation and emmulation is necessary. But like most things in life, the truth is found somewhere in the middle ground.
Let's say for example, I invent a word called, "crangigulous". Obviously, just because I invented a new word, doesn't mean I'm an innovator. The way I would become an innovator in this example, is by either convincing people that this is an incredible word that they should be using in every day life to express profound emotions and somehow having them accept that, or by creating a suitable context for this word to fit into. The latter is probably more reasonable, as what is a word without context anyway? As it is, in creating this word, I'm using a basic knowledge of the English language. "Crangigulous" would probably be an adjective because of its "ous" ending, such as "ambiguous", or "ambitious". So in a way, I'm emulating what I already know (which isn't a lot, considering I've spelled "emulate" a few different ways as you may have noticed). The trick would be taking some random keystrokes, like "alueouohfoiawhfkhd" and finding a way for that to work. Then I'd be among the truest of the true innovators.
But I don't think that type of world exists. People need context. What makes the really great innovators of today's music truly innovative, is that they take risks and try new things in the fairly narrow field of pop/rock/indie music. Instead of branching off completely, they are simply adding to the lineage built before them. "Odelay" is one of the most innovative albums of the past 25 years, but there's really nothing new there. Beck managed to take all sorts of elements and meld them together into something original. It's kind of Frankenstein monster-ish. Making new out of the old.
To me it's not necessarily creating something previously unheard of, it's creating something with the pieces you have in a way that has never been thought of. I don't know if a truly new form of popular music is even possible. Maybe it is, but we won't know until we see it. So I guess the only thing we can hope for is for true artists to keep creating and see what happens.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The One That Got Away
I'm kind of frustrated right now, I must admit. I'm trying to distract myself from the prospects of going out to my roommate's karaoke bar where I will no doubt drink too much and butcher one of my favorite songs in the process of trying to impress girls who are probably too young for me and too drunk to walk. Yes, slight impairment of the opposite sex may be good in that I just might seem a little more attractive and charismatic that I actually am, but it's a fine line between that and sloppy drunk. And once they or I reach the sloppy drunk point, well, all bets are off and I'll stumble home to get not enough sleep before a long day of work. All around, it would be a bad idea. Hense the need for a distraction.
The problem is that my distraction, music, isn't coming to me like I had hoped. Each month I get new downloads from eMusic and today is my "refresh" day. Usually it kicks in later in the day, so I just checked about five minutes ago and it hasn't given me my 40 new downloads for the month. Arrgghhh!!!! Yes, it's true that I have over 4500 songs on my iTunes, most of which I haven't even heard, but there's something exciting about something new. It's like cracking open the cellophane on a new cd, or showing my age and/or dorkiness, a record. You don't get that new smell from the download, but still, it's exciting.
Is it still exciting? I'm not sure if it is for the vast listening public. Sales are down across the board. I mean, the general business model for record labels these days doesn't hardly even consider the retail end of things. The money is in touring and merch if you're lucky.
Yeah, there are many reasons for this, but my mind started wandering a bit, once again hopelessly trying to avoid the karaoke bar, to a different theory. Indulge me for a minute while I open up my bizarre thought process.
I went to eMusic and I was excited about checking out two albums in particular. 1.) The new album by Of Montreal that is pretty well hyped and rightly so, as this is a good band that people expect good things from. 2.) The new album by The Rural Alberta Advantage, who I just heard recently for the first time because of a free track given out by eMusic. I dug it, so I was curious to hear more.
Of course, I have to wait until the damn downloads refresh, but I noticed something. Montreal, Alberta--Canada. Thank you, I know, I am master of the obvious. It's a talent I can't explain, nor can I impart to others. But then I started thinking about how I've been into Sigur Ros a lot lately and have really enjoyed some of the bands that have come out of the Saharan region of Africa, like Tinariwen and Etran Finatawa. Rock music has become quite international since it's "birth" in the '50s. Then I thought for a minute--maybe it's just spread out too much.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all. In fact it's brought a dimension into the music that the Chuck Berry's and Bo Diddley's of the world never could have dreamt of. But while this is exciting, I think as it keeps straying and fracturing and pushing into new un-thought-of grounds, its original core is lost a bit and it gets harder for the general public to follow. "Scenes" don't really exist anymore. I feel like rocks last real movement was grunge and the whole Seattle scene and after that fell apart, things were never quite the same for rock music.
And a lot of that happens to be a matter of timing as well. At around the same time, technology was beginning to change the world drastically. Physical product and media lost their strangle hold on the business and things began to open up. More people than ever have bands as social networking sites and easy to use home recording software make it seem like any idiot can do what the so-called big stars had been doing for half a century. And maybe that's it too. Maybe rock music lost a bit of its magic when everyone became a participant.
But here I am going on a tangent. But I think all of this is connected though. I think as people got bored, the truly talented decided to take new leaps and take risks and hope that a certain segment would follow. And I think it's that certain segment that also began to expect quality and substance over the drivel radio has been putting out for quite some time now and from what the amateurs on MySpace try to shove down their throats. Here lies the opportunities for the Tinariwen's and Sigur Ros's of the world to make their mark. It's also good timing for a band like Vampire Weekend who relies a lot on international influence and discerning "art-rock" lovers.
But look at the Billboard charts these days. These are just numbers, mind you, that have as much meaning in terms of quality as the tarnished old statues known as the Grammy Awards. That's right, ultimately nothing. However, it gives one a bit of an idea where the pulse of popular music lies, at least in the grand scheme of things. It isn't with any of the ones I listed above. Sure, an indie act charts high every so often, but it's usually a flash in the pan, I think out of sheer curiosity more than anything.
Let's be honest, though. There is no more "rock music". Just like there is no single definition for hip-hop, or electronic, or country, or any of the labels of the past. I think the effect that is going on right now is that so many unique niches have opened up that it's nearly impossible to market music on a large scale. In the days of '60s AM radio, you could turn on a station and hear everything from Neil Diamond to The Beatles to Aretha Franklin. It was all in one place. But the world has changed and radio has changed. The major labels try to fight it, but it already happened. Popular music has been freed from the clutches of the few and is now a true world democracy. It belongs to one and all, but ironically this amazing phenomenon has killed the industry.
Ultimately, like I said before, it's not necessarily a bad thing. The music hasn't died. Far from it. The music is more alive and vibrant than ever. And I have a feeling that as we continue to learn about and exchange ideas with our global neighbors, it is only bound to continue to get more interesting. And my original thought about Canada may not have been the best example. Our hockey loving neighbors to the north have been contributing for quite some time. And oh, there's that island nation known as the United Kingdom who's had a few decent bands over the years too. But now the world is such that it is possible for a more diverse selection of nation's peoples to contribute as well. I think the world is such too that the possibility for a larger diversity of ideas is available for artists as well. Things that were maybe taboo or too "outside-of-the-box" for major labels to handle, are now available because the majors just don't have that say anymore.
The only risk that underground or indie or whatever you call this pool of music runs is the potential for pretention. Rock music has always had a sort of "every-person" appeal to it, but every so often strays into territory that is elitist or too ego-filled for its own good. It's bound to happen to a certain extent. But I don't think it will matter. That music will have its niche and others will come along and fill a less pretentious niche.
So even though the industry may be "The One That Got Away", I have a feeling we are just at the beginning of an exciting time for rock and all popular music. There are a million different directions everything could go into. Hopefully it won't come to a point where it is so splintered that no one cares to put in the effort to seek out the good stuff.
But for now it's still relatively easy for those who don't mind a little effort in exchange for a large reward. And there will always be word of mouth, no matter how technologically advanced we become.
But now, my rambling ideas must stop (I don't think my high school English teacher would approve), as my downloads have finally refreshed. I have successfully resisted the temptation of beer and karaoke. For the millionth time and counting, thank god for great music.
The problem is that my distraction, music, isn't coming to me like I had hoped. Each month I get new downloads from eMusic and today is my "refresh" day. Usually it kicks in later in the day, so I just checked about five minutes ago and it hasn't given me my 40 new downloads for the month. Arrgghhh!!!! Yes, it's true that I have over 4500 songs on my iTunes, most of which I haven't even heard, but there's something exciting about something new. It's like cracking open the cellophane on a new cd, or showing my age and/or dorkiness, a record. You don't get that new smell from the download, but still, it's exciting.
Is it still exciting? I'm not sure if it is for the vast listening public. Sales are down across the board. I mean, the general business model for record labels these days doesn't hardly even consider the retail end of things. The money is in touring and merch if you're lucky.
Yeah, there are many reasons for this, but my mind started wandering a bit, once again hopelessly trying to avoid the karaoke bar, to a different theory. Indulge me for a minute while I open up my bizarre thought process.
I went to eMusic and I was excited about checking out two albums in particular. 1.) The new album by Of Montreal that is pretty well hyped and rightly so, as this is a good band that people expect good things from. 2.) The new album by The Rural Alberta Advantage, who I just heard recently for the first time because of a free track given out by eMusic. I dug it, so I was curious to hear more.
Of course, I have to wait until the damn downloads refresh, but I noticed something. Montreal, Alberta--Canada. Thank you, I know, I am master of the obvious. It's a talent I can't explain, nor can I impart to others. But then I started thinking about how I've been into Sigur Ros a lot lately and have really enjoyed some of the bands that have come out of the Saharan region of Africa, like Tinariwen and Etran Finatawa. Rock music has become quite international since it's "birth" in the '50s. Then I thought for a minute--maybe it's just spread out too much.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all. In fact it's brought a dimension into the music that the Chuck Berry's and Bo Diddley's of the world never could have dreamt of. But while this is exciting, I think as it keeps straying and fracturing and pushing into new un-thought-of grounds, its original core is lost a bit and it gets harder for the general public to follow. "Scenes" don't really exist anymore. I feel like rocks last real movement was grunge and the whole Seattle scene and after that fell apart, things were never quite the same for rock music.
And a lot of that happens to be a matter of timing as well. At around the same time, technology was beginning to change the world drastically. Physical product and media lost their strangle hold on the business and things began to open up. More people than ever have bands as social networking sites and easy to use home recording software make it seem like any idiot can do what the so-called big stars had been doing for half a century. And maybe that's it too. Maybe rock music lost a bit of its magic when everyone became a participant.
But here I am going on a tangent. But I think all of this is connected though. I think as people got bored, the truly talented decided to take new leaps and take risks and hope that a certain segment would follow. And I think it's that certain segment that also began to expect quality and substance over the drivel radio has been putting out for quite some time now and from what the amateurs on MySpace try to shove down their throats. Here lies the opportunities for the Tinariwen's and Sigur Ros's of the world to make their mark. It's also good timing for a band like Vampire Weekend who relies a lot on international influence and discerning "art-rock" lovers.
But look at the Billboard charts these days. These are just numbers, mind you, that have as much meaning in terms of quality as the tarnished old statues known as the Grammy Awards. That's right, ultimately nothing. However, it gives one a bit of an idea where the pulse of popular music lies, at least in the grand scheme of things. It isn't with any of the ones I listed above. Sure, an indie act charts high every so often, but it's usually a flash in the pan, I think out of sheer curiosity more than anything.
Let's be honest, though. There is no more "rock music". Just like there is no single definition for hip-hop, or electronic, or country, or any of the labels of the past. I think the effect that is going on right now is that so many unique niches have opened up that it's nearly impossible to market music on a large scale. In the days of '60s AM radio, you could turn on a station and hear everything from Neil Diamond to The Beatles to Aretha Franklin. It was all in one place. But the world has changed and radio has changed. The major labels try to fight it, but it already happened. Popular music has been freed from the clutches of the few and is now a true world democracy. It belongs to one and all, but ironically this amazing phenomenon has killed the industry.
Ultimately, like I said before, it's not necessarily a bad thing. The music hasn't died. Far from it. The music is more alive and vibrant than ever. And I have a feeling that as we continue to learn about and exchange ideas with our global neighbors, it is only bound to continue to get more interesting. And my original thought about Canada may not have been the best example. Our hockey loving neighbors to the north have been contributing for quite some time. And oh, there's that island nation known as the United Kingdom who's had a few decent bands over the years too. But now the world is such that it is possible for a more diverse selection of nation's peoples to contribute as well. I think the world is such too that the possibility for a larger diversity of ideas is available for artists as well. Things that were maybe taboo or too "outside-of-the-box" for major labels to handle, are now available because the majors just don't have that say anymore.
The only risk that underground or indie or whatever you call this pool of music runs is the potential for pretention. Rock music has always had a sort of "every-person" appeal to it, but every so often strays into territory that is elitist or too ego-filled for its own good. It's bound to happen to a certain extent. But I don't think it will matter. That music will have its niche and others will come along and fill a less pretentious niche.
So even though the industry may be "The One That Got Away", I have a feeling we are just at the beginning of an exciting time for rock and all popular music. There are a million different directions everything could go into. Hopefully it won't come to a point where it is so splintered that no one cares to put in the effort to seek out the good stuff.
But for now it's still relatively easy for those who don't mind a little effort in exchange for a large reward. And there will always be word of mouth, no matter how technologically advanced we become.
But now, my rambling ideas must stop (I don't think my high school English teacher would approve), as my downloads have finally refreshed. I have successfully resisted the temptation of beer and karaoke. For the millionth time and counting, thank god for great music.
Friday, November 7, 2008
A Look into an Obama Presidency
There's a line in "High Fidelity" that says (paraphrased), "It's not what you are like that matters, but what you like." Rob Gordon (John Cusack) tells us that what makes people interesting is their taste in music, movies, and all things pop culture, rather than their actual personality traits. I'm not quite as gung ho as this, but as a recovering music snob, I do give creedence to this philosophy. So based on this, what is an Obama Presidency going to look like?
Barack Obama's music taste isn't necesarily new news. Rolling Stone ran an interview with him in which he revealed some of what is on his iPod. But now that he's been elected, now is a good time to re-examine the tracks that can now officially be deemed, "president-worthy". To give credit where credit is due, my friend and talented musician in his own right, Michael Mullowney (left in photo) gave me this idea. I'm including the picture of him and podcast contributor, Joao Morlett (right in photo), with Michelle (and Sasha) Obama, who is (or I guess more appropriately, was) a regular at the restaurant we all work at. I'm supremely jealous of their photo op, but I too have waited on Michelle and the kids, and once, the man himself--the 44th President of the United States of America.
Yet I digress. My brush with greatness is a mere footnote. Let's get back to the serious business of fortelling the nature of the Obama Administration, based on his music tastes.
The Rolling Stones "Gimmie Shelter" I've always liked the song, but honestly never understood most of the lyrics beyond, "If I don't get some shelter. oh yeah I'm gonna fade away". So through the magic of search engines, I was able to find out what slurring Mick was singing about. Wow! Did you know this song is political? Here all this time I thought he was talking about finding a dry place to have a picnic!! Boy was I wrong! Kidding...mostly. What does this tell us about President Obama? It shows he's a realist. "War, children, it's just a shot away". He'll be careful with how he speaks to the rest of the world. There will be no chest-thumping speeches about the "Axis of Evil". President Obama will take the path of diplomacy. War is just a shot away and we are already mired in too much conflict. But this song is also a sign of Obama's optimism, as well. For in the end, "love is just a kiss away". Can we have peace in the world, Mr President? Yes we can!!
Bob Dylan "Maggie's Farm" and the album "Blood on the Tracks" So Barack is a fan, not just a casual observer, of good 'ol Zimmy. I mean, who doesn't like Bob Dylan. But there is a difference from saying "I like Blowin' in the Wind and Like A Rolling Stone." and saying you're into "Blood on the Tracks". Just one more piece of evidence that Barack Obama is the most perfect human being alive.
These are a couple of good choices. What does "Maggie's Farm" say? "I tried my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants me to be just like them...I ain't gonna work on Maggie's Farm no more." This is Dylan declaring himself to be his own man. Obama too, will be tested by those who want him to be just like them, but will hold firm in his beliefs and vision. He will rise above the "Idiot Wind" that blows through politics ("Idiot Wind" being a track from "Blood on the Tracks"--How do you like that segue?).
Essentially "Blood on the Tracks" is a break-up album. Inevitably, many Obama supporters who are currently "Tangled up in Barack" will feel let down, ignored, and betrayed. A break-up will be had. And like most break-ups, it won't necessarily be one thing that causes the split. It will be a series of things, but it will add up. And the once jubilant supporters will wonder who this man they once knew has become. For once they will see him for what he is--an imperfect human being like the rest of us. Obama knows this already and spoke of this at his victory rally in Grant Park. Expectations for any president are high, but expectations for him are Dylan-esque. At some point President Obama will metaphorically trade in his acoustic for an electric and many in his fawning masses will cry, "Judas!". Oh it will happen.
Jay-Z "Dirt off the Shoulder" I've got to admit, I've got nothing on this one. Maybe his suit will be dirty one day and he'll ask Joe Biden if he can brush it off for him. That's what the Constitution wants the Vice President to do right?
I mean, I liked the song, but I'm not very good at analyzing Jay-Z. I think it's Obama's way of being contemporary. This is a stretch, but here's my take on this song. There will be plenty of cleaning up to do when Obama is sworn in this January. Oh he'll be needing some extra strength multi-purpose cleaner to rid the the country of the unpleasant layer of Bush that pervades. This song will remind him that there will be some serious scrubbing to do. It's that or when we see him brushing his shoulders off it'll be how we know when President Obama is "feelin' like a pimp." I haven't quite figured it out yet.
Stevie Wonder The string of amazing albums in the '70s before anyone imagined he was capable of writing the awful load of crap called "I Just Called to Say I Love You". I mean, really???
Above anything this shows Obama's great taste in music. Stevie Wonder had a string of five albums that are unparalleled in music. These albums have it all--soul, rhythm, love, politics, spirituality, funky grooves, and innovation. This is Stevie Wonder at his genius period. Hopefully we are seeing Barack Obama at his genius period as well.
I think the song from this period that best encapsulates President Obama is "Higher Ground". Ok, so maybe that wasn't the biggest leap one could make, but oh well, my blog, my selections. "Teachers, keep on teachin', preachers keep on preachin' (the election is over, Rev. Wright, you too are allowed to preach again)...believers, keep on believin." To steal a phrase from Obama's former adversary, "It takes a village...". President Obama knows this and will ask for as much passion and effort from everyday Americans as he asks from himself and his own staff. "Gonna keep on tryin' till I reach the highest ground." He will fail, undoubtedly, but President Obama is not a quitter. There is always a higher ground to reach for, and this will be the time and place and history to reach for it.
Sheryl Crow Huhhh??????
Ok, so if you've seen the man dance, you know he's not the coolest person alive. That award goes to his wife Michelle. And no disrespect to you Mr. President, but if you have Sheryl Crow on your iPod, please don't admit it. Sigh! Ok, here goes.
I'll focus on "Are You Strong Enough". It is President Obama's way of telling his staff that, "I have a vision, but I'm going to rely on you heavily. You need to be strong enough to be with me and ready to support me when I fail and help me when I say 'I don't know'." As opposed to our current president, President Obama will not be afraid to ask questions and seek answers, rather than acting carelessly. He'll surround himself with intelligent, thoughtful, and pragmatic men and women who are strong enough to be his advisors on the tough road ahead.
This will be no easy ride, President Obama. This ain't no disco. This ain't no country club. This is DC. Again, I'm sorry to be a broken record, but...Sheryl Crow????
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Charlie Parker President Obama reclaims some of his lost cool points with these selections. I mean, without jazz, there would be no term "cool". Miles had an album called, "Birth of the Cool".
This is an encouraging sign. Jazz is a thinking person's music. Yes it may be improvisational, and no doubt President Obama is going to have to do a lot of improvising, but it is highly technical and complicated. Real jazz isn't Bill Clinton honking away on a saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show. It's ground-breaking and spiritual like Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". It's technically and auditorally beautiful like Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue". It's jaw-droppingly perfect like any Charlie Parker solo when he wasn't out of his mind on drugs. And jazz is the one true American artform. I think Barack Obama is a jazz kind of guy. Cool and calm on the outside, but always thinking and looking to break new ground on the inside. Constantly innovating and finding new ways to riff on old themes. He'll bring out the best in his side players to produce great work.
So there you have it: A look into an Obama presidency based on his iPod selections. You probably can't tell I'm an Obama supporter. I'm just basing my predictions on the facts that the music presents us. I'm sure McCain supporters are wondering where R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It" is. I'm not so naive to think that perfection is going to be what happens. There's going to be a lot of bumps in the road and missteps and moments that bring to mind Bob Dylan leaping into born-again Christianity that make us all collectively say, "What????" But I have hope.
Most of the music listed above is music for the thinking person. It's the type of music that academics study. And I don't know about you, but there is something very comforting in knowing that an intelligent person is running our country. And our government consists of three branches, not just an executive branch like George W. Bush wanted us to think. Our country's recovery is in the hands of Congress and the Supreme Court as well. I think President Obama can unite everyone if they are willing to be united. You're not going to "get" Miles Davis's "Bitches Brew" if you don't allow yourself to "get" it. You've got to keep with it and finally it all comes together and you realize that you've found something. You have been transformed in a way. That's what it's going to take for the USA to turn around: a good dose of transformation from the inside out.
Yes We Can!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Pulled Out of the Haze
For awhile there I was feeling uninspired by music. It's not that I stopped liking it or something, it's just that nothing was grabbing my attention. Maybe there were too many distractions. I'm a baseball fan, so I watched in utter disgust as my team, the Chicago Cubs were abruptly eliminated from the playoffs, further confirming their status as the most cruel, laughable, inept sports franchise of all time. Oh I'll be back next year, though.
Then there's the economy, which is looking about as good right now as Amy Winehouse after a night of being Amy Winehouse. Yep, we're in trouble. Start hiding away your money in shoeboxes and hording canned goods. Luckily I have no life savings to lose so I'm good. Actually it'll be kind of fun to watch former Wall Street big shots be lowered into my tax bracket. Ha, ha! How do you like the service industry fool!!
Oh yeah then there's the election. There's Muslim terrorist Barack Obama versus Old Man McCain who wants you to get off his lawn right now. All the while, cougar hockey mom Sarah Palin is riling the conservative base with her good looks and barely coherent sentences. The stupid are hypnotized by her. "Yes Governor Palin, kill the terrorist Obama. Whatever you say. You betcha!"
To make a musical comparison, if we were going to give this little chapter in American history an album title, we'd call it "Further, Further, Further Down the Downward Spiral". All of this has left me in a bit of a haze. Not the fun purple one that Jimi Hendrix spoke of. No it's kind of a bile-yellow haze. The stuff of dry heaving.
But the other night I was pulled out of it. At least for the briefest of moments. I was flipping through the cable channels, looking for more signs that we are living in the end times, when I found Sigur Ros at MoMA.
I'm a little late to Sigur Ros. I just found out about them from reading a review of their latest album, which was just released within the past few months. The Icelandic rockers have been around for quite sometime, though. I have definitely lost some cool points for that admission. It was a good review and I was intrigued, but didn't follow up. Then a co-worker who saw them live said it was the best live show she'd seen. My interest was piqued and so I had to turn on the show.
I wasn't pulled in right away. Maybe I was just in a bad mood, but I didn't get it at first. But gradually, it clicked. Before too long, I was hooked. Call it the Radiohead Effect. It's not instant gratification music. You kind of have to sit with it awhile. And so I did. And maybe it was the ethereal vocals. Maybe it was the interesting rhythmic structure. Maybe it was the combination of xylophone and horns. Maybe it was all of the layers. But as time went on I got it and wanted to hear more. There was a droning quality to it that was hypnotic. There was a certain ebb and flow to the music. These guys are good. I had no idea what any of the words meant, but it didn't matter. The songs had a certain life of their own and made me feel like everything was going to be all right. To me that's what music is about. Comfort, emotion, reassurance. The whole experience left me feeling a lot better about people living in the northern latitudes of our world, as well.
When it was over, way too quickly I might add, I wanted to reconnect with music. I went and got out my old cd's and started putting them into my iTunes collection. I wanted to revisit those songs and albums that got me through the tough times and inspired me. I listened to Nirvana and Soundgarden for the first time in years. I turned up some Neutral Milk Hotel. I rediscovered The Kinks and Eric Clapton. The project serves a practical purpose as well. Once the Great Depression II rolls around and we're all living on the street, it'll be easier to have mp3's than having all of those cd's to cart around. Music makes anything better, though. We'll be ok after all.
Then there's the economy, which is looking about as good right now as Amy Winehouse after a night of being Amy Winehouse. Yep, we're in trouble. Start hiding away your money in shoeboxes and hording canned goods. Luckily I have no life savings to lose so I'm good. Actually it'll be kind of fun to watch former Wall Street big shots be lowered into my tax bracket. Ha, ha! How do you like the service industry fool!!
Oh yeah then there's the election. There's Muslim terrorist Barack Obama versus Old Man McCain who wants you to get off his lawn right now. All the while, cougar hockey mom Sarah Palin is riling the conservative base with her good looks and barely coherent sentences. The stupid are hypnotized by her. "Yes Governor Palin, kill the terrorist Obama. Whatever you say. You betcha!"
To make a musical comparison, if we were going to give this little chapter in American history an album title, we'd call it "Further, Further, Further Down the Downward Spiral". All of this has left me in a bit of a haze. Not the fun purple one that Jimi Hendrix spoke of. No it's kind of a bile-yellow haze. The stuff of dry heaving.
But the other night I was pulled out of it. At least for the briefest of moments. I was flipping through the cable channels, looking for more signs that we are living in the end times, when I found Sigur Ros at MoMA.
I'm a little late to Sigur Ros. I just found out about them from reading a review of their latest album, which was just released within the past few months. The Icelandic rockers have been around for quite sometime, though. I have definitely lost some cool points for that admission. It was a good review and I was intrigued, but didn't follow up. Then a co-worker who saw them live said it was the best live show she'd seen. My interest was piqued and so I had to turn on the show.
I wasn't pulled in right away. Maybe I was just in a bad mood, but I didn't get it at first. But gradually, it clicked. Before too long, I was hooked. Call it the Radiohead Effect. It's not instant gratification music. You kind of have to sit with it awhile. And so I did. And maybe it was the ethereal vocals. Maybe it was the interesting rhythmic structure. Maybe it was the combination of xylophone and horns. Maybe it was all of the layers. But as time went on I got it and wanted to hear more. There was a droning quality to it that was hypnotic. There was a certain ebb and flow to the music. These guys are good. I had no idea what any of the words meant, but it didn't matter. The songs had a certain life of their own and made me feel like everything was going to be all right. To me that's what music is about. Comfort, emotion, reassurance. The whole experience left me feeling a lot better about people living in the northern latitudes of our world, as well.
When it was over, way too quickly I might add, I wanted to reconnect with music. I went and got out my old cd's and started putting them into my iTunes collection. I wanted to revisit those songs and albums that got me through the tough times and inspired me. I listened to Nirvana and Soundgarden for the first time in years. I turned up some Neutral Milk Hotel. I rediscovered The Kinks and Eric Clapton. The project serves a practical purpose as well. Once the Great Depression II rolls around and we're all living on the street, it'll be easier to have mp3's than having all of those cd's to cart around. Music makes anything better, though. We'll be ok after all.
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