Monday, July 30, 2012



Never heard this, or even heard of this, until today. Retro angle: covering one band in the style of another (Stones somewhere between Sticky Fingers and Exile)

10 comments:

Federico Cienfuegos said...

Simon, I'm quite worried of these group of "musicians" under the journalistic umbrella term of 'vaporwave' that is coming upperground recently. It seems this is the final stage of the pop devoration unto itself into a decadent auto-referencing of consumer culture music. It's not enough with referencing the 'approved' musical past anymore. http://dummymag.com/features/2012/07/12/adam-harper-vaporwave I'd like to know your thoughts about this (as you might know, I'm quite concerned about the 'future' of music if there's even one now).

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

yes i don't quite understand what the "critique" is in vaporwave, i must say

and musically it's basically bland music played at the wrong speed

vapidwave, more like!

i don't know if it's anything to worry about though, it's more like the children of Ferraro and Lopatin, the logical next step

but it's clearly interesting music to write about and think about and theorize about, possibly more so than actually listen to

the distroid stuff that Adam H wrote about in Part 2 at Dummy seems more interesting as a purely sonic experience

what's weird is how retro and late 80s/early 90s the reference points are (cyberpunk, Nick Land, underneath a lot of it I sense also Baudrillard's writings on America and simulation, Arthur Kroker/C-Theory)

cobarde said...

I did myself a My Bloody Valentine song (Moon Song) like I was Chris Montez in 1967 and sung in Spanish. Unfortunately it was in 2001 for a paper Spanish fanzine and I can't find right now this recording. Following this link http://itunes.apple.com/es/album/lesson-one-listen-repeat-ep/id475364399
you can get a small glimpse of how I'm playing it with my current band, less Montez and more perky. I don't intend to promote myself with this comment and I'm really sorry if is disturbing to anyone. I just thought it could add to the "thread".
I'm finishing the book, absolutely delightful in itself and even in a curious context I think it contains the best account of Mod Revival and the Northern Soul scene in a few pages. Having been part of both I was used to inner fantasies, too heavy eulogies or two word derisions from outsiders that didn't get it.
I loved before the Rip It Up book, it's about music I mostly hated back then and I don't like it much more now (I still have the McCartney block in my head), but at least I can "get it".

Federico Cienfuegos said...

Thanks Simon! well I guess the pop eating itself phrase is becoming truer than ever, although it hasn't touched yet the 'alternative' trends of the 90's (it's been tried but I haven't seen it rising, probably with bands like The Men, White Lung or Pissed Jeans). But I think it will ultimately implode, I guess this can be seen as a point of saturation within the "post-modernist" way of thinking.

Maybe another discourse shall happen soon? I hope so

Kamil Dachnij said...

Just curious (love Royal Trux btw) - what's your opinion on Stones albums, especially "Beggars Banquet", "Let it Bleed", "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile on Main Street" (their greatest run)? How do you rate them today? I'm not sure if you will answer my post, but thanks anyway if you do! You're the best guy writing about music since 1980s.

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

love 'em. especially Sticky Fingers - moonlight mile, can you hear me knockin'. Is Beggars the one with 'jigsaw puzzle' on? love that song. And Let It Bleed is 'monkey man', as well as 'gimme shelter'? as soon as they start writing their own songs they are amazing, and even after Exile there's good songs regularly - 'Start Me Up', love it. "Miss You' and 'she's so cold' even.

Kamil Dachnij said...

Thank you for your answer! Yes, you're correct with all songs. Four masterpieces in a row, that's a rare thing. Also "Jigsaw puzzle" is my fav from Beggars. The same with Sticky Fingers - it's really an apex of druggy rock. I do find their post-Exile stuff, barring "Some girls" (higly praised by critics), quite underrated. There is a lot of gems on "Goat's head soup" and "Black and Blue". And as you say - they still could produce quality songs from 1980s up to now (some from emotional rescue, Undercover and Steel wheels, a few from A Bigger Bang). These days the pinnacle era of Stones is imo a much more satisfying listen than The Beatles (sadly dated and too pretentious in most cases, barring Rubber Soul and lovely, chaotic mosaic of White Album and some portions of Abbey Road. I like all their albums, but not so much as earlier). Keith & co I love more and more with each passing year.

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

"Emotional Rescue" is another great late period single. "Beast of Burden" and "Shattered". They had a better Seventies that the ex-Beatles, arguably. Well Lennon and Paul / Wings had some great moments. After "Start Me Up" though, i don't find a lot to like I must admit, although I was surprised by how good A Bigger Bang was.

Kamil Dachnij said...

Yeah, after start me up (and few songs from ok album) all their albums are painfully uneven, torn between jaggers push for newer sounds and keith's old school tactics, which leaves the albums in a dire spot - around grade 5 or 4 out of 10. Albums from 90s are plain awful,but as you say - bigger bang is a surprise. I agree with solo Beatles.

Kamil Dachnij said...

A little edit, If I may add. "Tattoo you" is the last really good Stones album. After our little conversation i've heard it again and i'm suprised how most of the stuff here doesn't fail after great opener "Start me up". Rockers got some nice rhythm to it, ballads are exceptionally fine and heartfelt with nice arrangements (sax here, sax there). As an album of outtakes it's really poised. After that, they're professional and boring.