RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Interesting. I would support his views to some extent because trying to see it from a 16 year-old's point-of-view, I can see where he's coming from.I've just had a fascinating interchange in the car with my 16 year old which speaks to your paragraphs that I've highlighted. I say fascinating because it was both completely at odds with your perspective whilst simultaneously sort of supporting it in relation to this album. This is it pretty much verbatim:
16 Year Old: Is this the album of the week?
Me: Yes, it's a guy called Bob Seger. It's his greatest hits.
16YO: Preferred Aphex Twin
Me: Actually, this is proving as divisive
16YO (pejoratively): This sounds like it's been written by an AI
Me: (playing devil's advocate): Do you not think there's a certain irony saying that, given that you've just said you prefer Aphex Twin
16YO: No and you know exactly what I mean
Me: Do I?
(at which point I remembered I was supposed to be the grown up and that we were pretty much at our destination anyway, so we agreed it was an interesting way of describing it and we should talk about it further).
Bearing mind he's guitar mad I thought it was really interesting that he viewed this organically created music as less 'human' than the computer generated output of last weeks pick. I'll find out later but I'm guessing he was referring to a combination of personality and inventiveness which he felt was lacking.
I don't think there's anything particularly inventive on this Seger album - which would be guaranteed to bore younger listeners - and given that it's the Greatest Hits album of a "Heartland Rocker", I was surprised by the lack of guitar on it. The best bits are the keyboard, but they are few and far between.
Something I meant to say in my review was that the dominant sound of this album is Bob singing his heart out ably supported by his backing singers. I need more instruments and I can imagine your son feeling the same way.
Stick Tom Petty's Greatest Hits on and I'm sure he'd have a different reaction.