Rock is the new jazz. Sorry, rock.

[choo-choo-charlie]

So says one PopMatters writer who gets Wilco in the mix.

 

"Hardly anyone is listening to rock these days. Sure, dinosaurs like the Rolling Stones remain huge draws on the road—baby boomer fans can afford the $150 ticket price to relive the old days. But the future, measured by radio play and music sold and people under the age of 30 caring about a new album by Bruce Springsteen or Wilco or The Hold Steady—the future points away from 'rock'."

 

"Get ready, Rock. The premium in your art will shift from joy and movement to craft and a meticulous trickiness. Wilco, Radiohead, Mutemath, even The Darkness point the way. These bands can really play. Goodness, Wilco even brought in an avant-garde jazz guitarist, Nels Cline, to give them more credibility as a tricky gang of sound-experimentalists. Simple country-rock songs with good lyrics were not enough for Jeff Tweedy and friends. And so will you go, Rock."

 

Here's the full story: http://www.popmatter...azz.-sorry-rock.

 

*Admins: didn't know if this should be here since there is mention of Wilco, or if it should be in Someone Else's Song to address a broader group of artists/genres...

[lost highway]

Whoever wrote that needs to get out of their armchair and come see what's going on:

 

http://youtu.be/RadzweRQaNU

[Kim Bodnia]

A few years ago I'd only listen to jazz. Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Esbjorn Svensson Trio, Brad Mehldau...lately it's been just R.E.M., Minus 5, Wilco, Robyn Hitchcock, Jakob Dylan... I've abandoned the jazz CDs and don't know if this should be reason for concern

[choo-choo-charlie]

A few years ago I'd only listen to jazz. Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Esbjorn Svensson Trio, Brad Mehldau...lately it's been just R.E.M., Minus 5, Wilco, Robyn Hitchcock, Jakob Dylan... I've abandoned the jazz CDs and don't know if this should be reason for concern

 

I'm in the same boat. I was immersed in jazz for a few years. I probably haven't spun a whole jazz record in three years.

[newbornghost]

It's odd to me that the popmatters article made no mention of Arcade Fire. To me, they continue to demand people's attention with what can only be called rock.

 

I think the article's quite an overreaction. Rock may be in a transitional period, but it's not going away. Rock is arguably the most flexible of genres, itself a hybrid of the most organically emotive genres: country, folk & blues.

 

I think Wilco & Radiohead are both, in different ways, groping around a bit these days to find a new, more compelling, iteration of rock. They are the standard-bearers in my opinion. Radiohead of the brit rock tradition, Wilco of the American folk rock tradition (plus punk). But again, I think you have to respect Arcade Fire as a worthy and relevant upholder of all things rock.

[jff]

"Wilco even brought in an avant-garde jazz guitarist, Nels Cline, to give them more credibility as a tricky gang of sound-experimentalists."

 

100% wrong.

 

Anyway, I guess this writer didn't hear that Van Halen is back.

[calvino]

"Wilco even brought in an avant-garde jazz guitarist, Nels Cline, to give them more credibility as a tricky gang of sound-experimentalists."

 

100% wrong.

 

Wow - that is pretty bad and yes, wrong. Actually, it's a pretty much a put down.

[Shug]

Seems to me that "rock music" festivals are becoming more popular. I personally don't really like the festival experience, but from the different message boards I peruse regularly, people get really exicted for festivals like Forecastle, Bonaroo, Hangout, etc etc. and these things seem to sell out pretty regularly or at least get really solid turn outs and the people who go seem to be more into "joy and movement" than "craft and meticulous trickiness".

[Theremin]

Lol @ those idiots who think chart succes is really the main indicator of longevity. Nirvana is usually considered as the last rock band that had both critical acclaim and huge commercial succes and guess what? It got outsold by a gazillion copies by Shania Twain, Whitney Houston and the backstreet boys in the 90s.

 

There's always a shocking lack of any historical insight whatsoever in American rock analysis. Annoys me to no end.

[Guest Jules]

That one Shania Twain record is pretty awesome.

[big bob]

Nirvana is usually considered as the last rock band that had both critical acclaim and huge commercial succes...

 

is Radiohead not considered a "rock band?"

 

also, there is a very vibrant contemporary jazz scene, it just doesn't get much press because it isn't marketable.

[tinnitus photography]

i guess this is the closest thing i could find to a jazz thread...anyone in NYC should go to this:

http://nyuskirball.org/calendar/masadamarathon

[IRememberDBoon]

id like to know what "genre" is going to even come close to doing what rock acts do.

I guess he means "pop" like Adele or whatever?
my brother and I were talking the other day about how for like a year or two ALL that was on MTV was Rob and Big and then he asked me what is on there now and I had ZERO answer.