Jim Henley links to an interesting roundup in The Guardian of various rock musicians picking the classic or critically-acclaimed album they think is overrated. A few are cop outs—is it really all that ballsy to slag Neon Bible?—and you probably will disagree with a fair number, but they’re mostly interesting. Though I’ll exempt Franz Ferdinand front man Alex Kapranos’ obnoxious slam of Marquee Moon, which manages to deftly combine the most grating aspects of the snobbish and populist poses. I’ll spare everyone the rambling thousand-word post itching to get out and just observe that if you think Television is “prog,” it’s probably a sign that it’s time to learn a few more chords.
Rock Heresy
June 15th, 2007 · 5 Comments
Tags: Art & Culture
5 responses so far ↓
1 AC // Jun 15, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I find these sorts of critiques annoying. Most of them have valid points, but too many fall into the problem of Artists commenting on Artists. Whenever that happens, I wonder just what the critiquing Artists have done that will merit discussion in 30 years, and I usually don’t find much.
2 Zack // Jun 16, 2007 at 12:36 am
I find these sorts of critiques entertaining, and was disappointed that the article ended so soon.
I wasn’t aware that artists commenting on artists was a problem — except that it’s not as funny as comedians making fun of other comedians.
3 David // Jun 16, 2007 at 2:49 pm
NICO–she gave good dirge.
4 andrew // Jun 17, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I love that one says that the Velvets were authentic and the Doors frauds, and another vice versa. It’s like a battle of the NYC/LA stereotypes. Is a good-natured “everyone’s shit” the correct posture, here?
The only nerve struck for me was the (hardly surprising) comparison of Pink Floyd with Radiohead. I like to think that Floyd were banal and humorless, and Radiohead often the opposite.
So, is there an album that is beyond reproach? It would have to be something that doesn’t aim too high, wouldn’t it?
5 joeo // Jun 18, 2007 at 7:13 pm
I think this answer is right though:
>The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
>Nominated by Luke Pritchard of the Kooks
>Of all the albums that get written about as >”classics”, this one least deserves it. Having >said that, it contains one of the greatest songs >ever written: God Only Knows, which is >melancholic yet uplifting, pure yet fucked-up. >But the rest of the record is a total let-down – >I felt that way from the very first listen. Pet >Sounds is a million miles away from Sgt Pepper or >Dark Side of the Moon. I do appreciate the >lyrics, and I know it’s an album about getting >older, but as a concept album, it doesn’t quite >add up. Good tunes, yes – Wouldn’t It Be Nice is >a great pop song – but most of the other tracks >just don’t resonate for me. I apologise >unreservedly to everyone who loves every word and >note, every last crackle, on this album, but >that’s how it is. Oh, and it’s got the worst >sleeve of any major album, ever. Feeding time at >the zoo? I don’t think so.
The Doors are currently underrated because Doors’ fans are scary.