The Album Review Club - Week #144 - (page 1893) - XO - Elliot Smith

[Coatigan]

The capability of the technology for the money is truly impressive and broadly speaking that 'democratising' impact is a good thing imo. However artistic merit is not a function of technology and we already see a downside in the volume of generic pap making it harder to find content of real merit.

Quibbles about the swearing and subject matter aside, the lack of real musicians displaying their chops is what has sunk this album.

Technology has not just helped the diy side of production and home recording etc. It has also helped in the self-teaching (learning?) with so many tutorials and things readily available. Resulting in so many new bands now being technically excellent at their instruments, despite being at an early stage, unproven ir inexperienced. Which previously was reserved for the masters of their instrument, people that dedicsted themselves to it, picked things up on tour from others, came up with their own styles etc, and really stood out. Now anyone in their teens in their bedroom seems to go straight into complex pieces and by the time they are forming bands, they seem damn capable at their own instruments, which makes the overall outcome maybe that bit more sterile. Also think the recent wave of newer bands seem more obsessed with defining their 'sound' from the outset, rather than just saying what they feel they want to say and letting the sound come from that.

 

[threespires]

Funnily enough, and as someone who has often questioned what 'a hook' is, I thought this album had more than most albums on this thread I have listened to. Spires is right when he says, certain lines, as clumsy and simplistic as they are, stick.

I think Foggy has never made a secret of the fact that he is a hook junkie and has quite exacting standards for what qualifies.

One thing I've never quite sussed though is Foggy's love of Hooky's hookiness (which I thoroughly agree with) but his seeming lukewarmness to Bruce Foxton's.

 

[BlueHammer85]

I feel if I was listening to this for the first time I’d be scoring a lot lower.
It helped that I know the album of the back of my hand as mates would play it alot back in day when we’d sit in a garage and smoke weed all day, they all loved rap/hip hop which I never really did - but when they put on The Streets I could get onboard with that way more than rappers singing about dollars, hoes and cars etc , I suppose it’s a bit of nostalgia more than anything hence I enjoyed the gig the other week.

 

[bennyboy]

A brave choice this week.Keep them coming.
When i make my nominations i could not care about scores but hopefully just get some on here to get to another group to enjoy.
My last pick Head over heels by the Cocteau Twins i knew it would be hated by some and loved by others.A typical marmite record that i loved.
I'm still delighted i got foggy into The Drive By Truckers and Lucinda Williams.lol.

 

[BimboBob]

Male fragility has always been sung about. I'm thinking 100cc's I'm not in Love, Roy Orbison's Crying, My Girl by Madness and all manner of 50's/60's rock so it's not a modern thing. Where as the three songs I've mentioned have rhythm, a proper tune and excellent writing this offering doesn't. In fact it comes across as banal and trying to be too clever. The swearing doesn't bother me but the lack of context does. It's swearing for swearing sake. Childish.

 

[threespires]

I would say we all like a good guitar solo - or more generally, like to hear a band playing their instruments.
Quibbles about the swearing and subject matter aside, the lack of real musicians displaying their chops is what has sunk this album.

Oh I think for sure that's the case in the context of this thread.

It is interesting though to think about what constitutes a musician these days. For most of my life I have tended to think of musicianship in terms of live virtuosity with an instrument. Some of the jazz masters I love far outdo my favourite rock guitarists for chops but in both cases I'm drawn to their musicianship in the generally understood sense of the word. I've said before that I've been lucky enough to see some all time greats musicians before they passed away and they are memories for life.

However (and I'm not saying this is a good thing but just reality) there's now generations growing up who don't see things in those terms. If you look at the nature of what is bought and listened to these days, rock music and other forms associated with traditional musicianship are on their arse a bit. Once you take out the classic rock greatest hits type content the percentage of music listened to that is rock is pretty small. Hip Hop, the million variants of EDM etc rule the roost. Producer/DJ skills are as valued as the ability to play a cool riff.

It's something I'm still trying to wrap my head around and navigate my way through it but I do think contemporary ideas of musicianship are beginning to mutate away from what people of our age consider to be the norm.

Btw - based on your list I've just realised I didn't extend the earlier invite to form the Onettes to OB1 but he's welcome too.

 

[BlueHammer85]

The swearing doesn't bother me but the lack of context does. It's swearing for swearing sake. Childish.

For a rap Album there is very few swear words on here.

 

[BimboBob]

For a rap Album there is very few swear words on here.

Is it Rap?

 

[BlueHammer85]

Is it Rap?

Genre	Alternative hip hop, electronica, rap opera

 

[threespires]

Male fragility has always been sung about. I'm thinking 100cc's I'm not in Love, Roy Orbison's Crying, My Girl by Madness and all manner of 50's/60's rock so it's not a modern thing. Where as the three songs I've mentioned have rhythm, a proper tune and excellent writing this offering doesn't. In fact it comes across as banal and trying to be too clever. The swearing doesn't bother me but the lack of context does. It's swearing for swearing sake. Childish.

Completely disagree. I've already stated that Skinner is hardly the first person to sing about male vulnerability I just think it's done differently. For exactly the reasons you talk about in terms of its qualities, I don't believe many if any sit and listen to I'm Not In Love and ponder the male condition; even as you hear the 'big boys don't cry' you are focusing on other aspects of the song. My point about this album is that to me it addresses the theme in a complete unvarnished fashion. There's an obvious reposte to my view which is it's unvarnished simply because it hasn't got any of the other virtues you mention and that's where we end up agreeing to disagree.