Hoodoo Man Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Crikes, I didn't mean to turn this into the "Raise Your Hand If You Are Old" thread. Sorry. I'm there. I think that's why I connect with Wilco so much. I'm about the same age as Tweedy and even though his life is much more complex than mine, I feel like he's writing songs about me and my feelings, emotions, decisions. He puts to words what is either bouncing around in my head or is hidden somewhere in the darkest corners of my mind. As for newer music, I'm fortunate that as an old guy (ha ha) I get to manage younger people (under 30) and one of my employees is very much into "hip" music. So he goes out and buys Decemberists, Death Cab, Killers, Spoon and things of that ilk, then I get to listen to them and either become a fan or not. So that at least gives me some exposure to newer music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Sorry, just popping back in to pick up my Metamucil. Oh, by the way, has anyone seen my slippers? Aha - there they are, oy this back of mine Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tugmoose Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I was at SVZ's talk at SXSW. His complete description of most new music was "sucks moose cock." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 "The result is an extraordinary amount of mediocrity," this says it all. 99% of music is complete junk. and the fact that anyone can make a cd these days makes for even more junk! seriously, is there anything out there worth listening too besides wilco, son volt, white stripes, black keys, kings of leon? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Most of the stuff I listen to isnt really that underground, at least by underground standard. Take a band like Boris...the quality and scope of these guys' output boggles my mind. And yet they still play a venue like the Empty Bottle when they roll through town. Im not complaining by any stretch, but it gets to my point that there are some incredibly relevant, boundary-pushing/blurring groups out there today which get next to no recognition outside of some fairly niche communities. boris rocks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted May 21, 2009 Author Share Posted May 21, 2009 That Dan Auerbach guy has some good songs. As we know, though, Vampire Weekend spoils it for everybody. If anyone who is interested in modern music hears one note of that crap, they will retreat into Elton John-land for the rest of their lives. They really are a menace. Obama should do something about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 That Dan Auerbach guy has some good songs. As we know, though, Vampire Weekend spoils it for everybody. If anyone who is interested in modern music hears one note of that crap, they will retreat into Elton John-land for the rest of their lives. They really are a menace. Obama should do something about it. Maybe while they're sleeping on their balconies after school someone could sneak up and abduct them. Eh, obama probably has a better idea. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Vampire Weekend...They really are a menace. Obama should do something about it.I think this is being written into the Jay Bennett Bailout Package. In other news, I strained something in my neck this morning when I sneezed. True story. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Obama should do something about it. Guantanamo might be empty soon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I am seeing that badass tonight at the Apollo Theatre in NYC. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 i am certain you will dig the show. he's got a great band, esp jim white on drums and that emmett guy on guitar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 i am certain you will dig the show. he's got a great band, esp jim white on drums and that emmett guy on guitar. Sweet. I know there's a thread in the After the Show section about this tour, but I have stayed away from it. I want to be surprised. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 For such a notorious mess of a man, he sure kept a tidy bookshelf.And frankly this is a fairly attractive picture of a guy who was not so very good looking.... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sureshot Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I am seeing that badass tonight at the Apollo Theatre in NYC. I saw him a couple months ago..great show, although I think I prefer Bill Callahan in this type of genre. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Complete bullshit. This tired argument gets trotted out all the time. There is more amazing music coming out every year than most people even have the time to listen to. The major labels are just upset because they no longer hold a monopoly on distribution. good point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sureshot Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 boris rocks. The only band worthy of having a full sized gong on stage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeSwal4jqyk It also goes without saying that Michio Kurihara is a living legend. I love the E-bow.....its unreal the way he can make a guitar sing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 The only band worthy of having a full sized gong on stage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeSwal4jqyk It also goes without saying that Michio Kurihara is a living legend. I love the E-bow.....its unreal the way he can make a guitar sing. Kurihara is among my favorite guitarists. amazing tone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 That’s sort of how I feel as well. I’m not convinced the quality of the (mostly indie) music being released today has declined, as much as I hate to admit it, at 38, it’s simply more difficult for me to relate to music performed by (and to some extent, for) folks in their teens and twenties. At that age, I was a big fan of angsty, aggressive music (think – Dischord and Amphetamine Reptile and Touch & Go, etc) or anything having to do with break ups and all the usual drama that sort of occupies much of your brain’s processing power – but now that I’m older and with child, I just don’t connect with the music on th same emotional/visceral level. Much of it sounds great, but outside of just sounding great, more often than not, once the sheen has worn off, there’s really nothing there to hold my attention – see also The Vampire Weekend. At the end of the day, ensuring the mortgage is paid on time sort of diminishes the importance of being all sad and moody and deep and stuff. as a dad in his mid 30s i can relate to this. for me however, i am worried i'm gonna miss something and i have made myself crazy checking boards like this trying to find new music that i could relate to. truth is, it's just not happening anymore for me. if something does come to me, then great. otherwise, i find myself sticking to what i've always liked. at night it's ipod with earphones. in the car it's the classic rock station. other times, i just have no music since the house is utter glorious chaos with my two sons running around . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 There's a TON of great current music. It just may be harder to find because there's so many bands jumping in the pool right now. And if you base what's current by what you hear on the radio or see on TV, then yeah, no shit it's gonna seem like music sucks. You have to get off your butt and/or do some research and seek out what might be good. Sometimes you'll try something that kinda sucks, then you might stumble across an artist that you love....music's ALWAYS been like that. The Jonas Bros. or Hannah Montana don't bother me. The pop crap aimed at tweeners has always been around. And the "anybody can do it with today's technology" argument is crap also. Kanye West's latest cd used Pro Tools and other new technology, and I doubt Kanye can play guitar or keyboards as well as most musicians, but who cares?! Music is more about the sound and feel and vibe and lyrics. How much music did My Blood Valentive understand when they released "Loveless"? I don't know, nor do I care. I personally love the soundscapes they created on that record. I could care less how well they can play various instruments or if they understand the history of rock n' roll. the point about technology is not really divisive. it's just a fact. it's a lot easier for folks to make a record. the good is that there's more out there to potentially listen too. the bad is that it doesn't up the number of new dylans or tweedys, it just makes for more junk to sift through to find the good stuff. I feel this beginning to creep into my brain too. Which is why I am so happy that a guy like Bob Dylan is writing songs right now that I know I will be able to appreciate on a whole other level when I get to be 60. If you believe that rock n roll came of age in the 50s/60s, then it means the dudes who invented it are IN their 60s now. And there's new ground to cover for the 60 yr old listener as opposed to the 18 yr old listener. As I said, I love Dylan for it (e.g., Not Dark Yet, Tryin to Get To Heaven, Things Have Changed, etc.). It's also why I am tremendously disappointed in guys like Paul McCartney. It's a whole, new, fresh canvas. And where the hell is Paul? Playing the oldies with studio musicians and pumping his fist in the air to Freedom? Also, Van Zandt is an idiot and that article is ridiculous. ETA: also, the McCartney point was a sweeping generalization -- I know he is doing new stuff. Not looking to derail this into a discussion about McCartney. I just think he could be doing more (and better) and he's just lazy. the last fireman album was really really good. if mccartney had been knocking that stuff out in the 80s...wow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dazzler Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I'll raise my hand as an old guy. I work in an office with a bunch of 20 and 30 year olds (i'm a 40 yr old father of 3), so they keep me tuned in. But mostly my computer is my friend. Being able to listen to great radio like KCRW or create great radio for yourself with sites like pandora or imeem lets me discover more good music than I can shake a stick at. The notion that an artist has to hold your attention for 30 yrs to be valid is wrongheaded. Dylan is an exception rather than the rule. There will only be a handful of bands that have the longevity to truly be considered great. Who's left from the 80's - U2 (anybody else?) And even the great ones can start to suck a bit as they age (I'm lookin at you Mr. Springsteen). The point is just because I may not listen to Phoenix or Silversun Pickups or Camera Obscura in 10 yrs (or even 5) that shouldn't stop me from enjoying them now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 case in point...on several levels Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted May 21, 2009 Author Share Posted May 21, 2009 Guantanamo might be empty soon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sureshot Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Kurihara is among my favorite guitarists. amazing tone. i take it you have his solo album? good stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 i take it you have his solo album? good stuff. i've got a lot of the stuff he's been involved with...White Heaven, Stars, Onna, and Ghost. even the stuff w/ damon and naomi. kurihara = Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Central Scrutinizer Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 These are infinitely different times than those that spawned rock and roll from swing, R&B, country blues and jazz. The one constant has been the label (the Man), who decides who gets air time, under what conditions, how it gets distributed and who gets the cut. The rebellion against that system that became real rock and roll was thin veins to be mined -- radio stations and DJs that flew under the radar, dealers that would stock "forbidden music," and the live performances that drove the rhythm and sexuality home. The veins were thin but ran deep. Technology has flipped it over. The Man still decides what we listen to, and the dulled tastes in polished pap haven't changed much, just a bit more controlled sexuality sells it, technology bends bad voices on great bods into the proper key. Music is infinitely portable, transferrable -- it flows like water. From a technology standpoint anyone can record a record, release, marketing and promote it. The technology covers a world of musical sins (and creates Beckoids that can sample and layer to death). We've never had access to so much. And, based on the rarity of talent, there's more noise without a greatly proportional increase in quality noise. The problem is there are no functional filters -- every media outlet has an axe or style to promote. You can find thousands of niches through hundreds of websites, blogs, myspace, Youtube, podcasts etc. How do you sort through it all. The musical landscape is covered by a shallow layer of music, and the quality stuff are nuggets obscured by the body of music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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