View from the other side

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

(re-posted from byebyepride, apols if you see this twice!)

Interview with Sasha Frere-Jones on the New Yorker site. Interesting to see what an outsider makes of the British pop scene at the moment, but I'm not sure he's got it all right -- what do you reckon? The bum notes for me were struck with the supposed British love for the Mavericks (really?); the suggestion that British bands dress better than Americans (really?); and overlooking the small fact that the Rachel Stevens album flunked out (don't believe everything Mr PJ tells you!).

Comments

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

What an odd article! It's interesting as an outside perspective but is not very accurate as a guide to what's big here. For example:

England’s native-born style of rapping, grime, has not enjoyed much success here - or here!
Country and reggaetón—genres rooted in North American and South American music—don’t do anything there - reggaeton does nothing as a genre but 'Gasolina' was top 5!

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Well, he does say that white Americans probably received "Gasolina" as a novelty hit.

[awesomewells.livejournal.com]

Yes but most other reggaeton does nothing at all over here. Still, his point about the size and buying power of the Hispanic market over there is a good one - probably explains relatively low hip-hop sales over here as well, of albums in particular.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I still have no idea how 'Gasolina' was a hit over here. I am so cynical that I don't believe "it was completely and totally awesome!" as a valid reason any more.