>The more I think about your rating system, though, the more dubious I am
of
>it. I buy records, I do not buy artists. Records stand or fall on their
>own merit. I may go to see a good performer who puts out mediocre albums,
>but I sure won't buy mediocre albums from good performers. Or if I do, I
>wind up selling them later.
Agreed!! How many bands put out a brilliant album and then end up
delivering a stinker in the next album... quite a few come to mind (the
downward spiral of Orbital, 808 State, Archive and the list goes on and
on...) The more I like a band , the less forgiving I am when they throw a
curve... and while a lot of people enjoy going to see performers at shows,
I have two little kids, so my enjoyment comes from my car stereo, home
stereo, dj sets at the college station. So for me I don't give a damn if a
group gives a great live performance (that I'm not at). What irks me is if
they give so little thought and attention in their studio efforts that they
release an album that sounds like they have no focus or rely too heavily on
one sound. There's no replacement for innovative music.
Now granted, if you approach music with the business angle included, good
stage presence and video capabilities help breed success, but I lost
interest in videos after Friday Night Videos petered out in the eightees...
I'm so much more into the music. But the average Joe public listens to top
40, slobbers when the newest Backstreet Boys video comes out, etc. etc. ad
nauseam.
What makes a lot of house and breakbeat unbearable as casual listening
material is that it relies too much on volume and a club setting. Take most
house and turn it down to a low level in your car, have a conversation at
the same time and tell me if it sounds so good. It won't... it sounds weak
and repetitive as hell. But put a Funky Porcini album on in the background
and it doesn't lose luster. Does that make house bad music? No, not really,
just limited by setting. Since my time where I can lock myself away with
the stereo at volume ten (when I COULD enjoy house, techno and some breaks)
gets increasingly limited, then I look for music that is versatile. I work
part-time at a gas station.. and damned if the DJ Krush mix on Cold Krush
Cuts doesn't have customers dancing in the aisle and asking me what is it!!
It doesn't work that way for the techno and house (except I:Cube because it
is more melodic and laid-back).
Off the soap box, back to work.
Steve Brown
Cumberland, RI
dj, WSMU 91.1FM , North Dartmouth, MA
bringing acid jazz to a Cumberland Farm near you... :-)
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