The Album Review Club - Week #141 - (page 1860) - JPEG Raw - Gary Clark Jr.

[threespires]

I think I'm partly motivated out of jealousy. The appropriate headgear for my face is a bag - I'd love to be able to wear hats confidently.

The beauty of art is that it can withstand multiple interpretations. What is the truth? What the artists intended or what the audience perceived? My post took things to an absurd place I don't believe. my initial interpretation is the one I still hold to - it's 50 years out of date and lacks sincerity.

Yes I realised that. I have some sympathy with the 50 years out of date comment but as for the sincerity of the transmission who knows? You can definitely say by the time it hits your ears it lacks sincerity and you can often get a sense of the intent of the artist from both what they claim, what has gone before and the context in which they created it but can never be wholly sure. In this case it's complicated, Wonder, in his own detached superstar way, may well be entirely sincere in his writing whereas Clark may be somewhat cynical in taking up the offer. I still think it's more likely that Clark would simply leap at the chance to record with Wonder for the right reasons and that any misgivings about the material could be diluted by adopting B&Ws approach of it's a broad brush position on societal problems that still exists.

You are right, the whole question of intent and perception, transmission and reception in art is an integral part of its wonder. I also find it a great tool for self-reflection. Sometimes in the darkness of the night I conclude that my aggressively negative response to the art of Bon Jovi says much more about me than it does Mr Bongiovi; the Three Poetesses opined "If I'm ugly then so are you" it's a salutary message.

 

[mrbelfry]

Yes I realised that. I have some sympathy with the 50 years out of date comment but as for the sincerity of the transmission who knows? You can definitely say by the time it hits your ears it lacks sincerity and you can often get a sense of the intent of the artist from both what they claim, what has gone before and the context in which they created it but can never be wholly sure. In this case it's complicated, Wonder, in his own detached superstar way, may well be entirely sincere in his writing whereas Clark may be somewhat cynical in taking up the offer. I still think it's more likely that Clark would simply leap at the chance to record with Wonder for the right reasons and that any misgivings about the material could be diluted by adopting B&Ws approach of it's a broad brush position on societal problems that still exists.

You are right, the whole question of intent and perception, transmission and reception in art is an integral part of its wonder. I also find it a great tool for self-reflection. Sometimes in the darkness of the night I conclude that my aggressively negative response to the art of Bon Jovi says much more about me than it does Mr Bongiovi; the Three Poetesses opined "If I'm ugly then so are you" it's a salutary message.

You're clearly more high brow than me and more aware of 'the arts' despite your questionable (but ultimately pragmatic) taste in headgear.

You're also probably a lot kinder but even at your charitable best the lyrics become so broad brush to be effectively meaningless. I can almost guarantee at this point that the forum has put more energy and thought into the lyrics than any of the artists involved. That's what I'm critical of in that song

In saying this I reveal my deeply cynical uncaring heart. We often expose what we fear will be exposed in ourselves

 

[threespires]

You're clearly more high brow than me and more aware of 'the arts' despite your questionable (but ultimately pragmatic) taste in headgear.

You're also probably a lot kinder but even at your charitable best the lyrics become so broad brush to be effectively meaningless. I can almost guarantee at this point that the forum has put more energy and thought into the lyrics than any of the artists involved. That's what I'm critical of in that song

In saying this I reveal my deeply cynical uncaring heart. We often expose what we fear will be exposed in ourselves

We both know that first statement isn't true but the second one I'll accept as I have been told on more than one occasion "take that off or I'm not going out with you". I will also accept that sadly my black stetson makes me look a lot more like Garth Brooks than Eastwood or Lee Van Cleef.

I have already stated I like GCJ for the sound rather than anything else and maybe that's just my subconscious rationalising away dodgy lyrics.

Cynics are of course often wounded optimists who just need a spark to reignite them. Right, I'm off to finish and submit my quota of Hallmark card platitudes for the rest of the day.

 

[GornikDaze]

The more I listen to this, the less I feel I have to say about it.

In a positive or negative way?