.. is a much more elaborate and ambitious examination though:
i. every record in the charts (inc.its placement) is a snapshot of the "state of the nation" in a fairly particular way, this being an analogue of the way that --- ii. --- every by-election is a snapshot of the "state of the nation"
so there is a double-grid of reference, for starters (you have to recall that robin seems to have an exact map of the blue-red-yellow colouring of EVERY SINGLE UK POLITICAL CONSTITUENCY since the 1940s, as well as the names of successful AND defeated politicians, and which sector of the party they are fitted into, in class and policy terms) (and more impalpable things, like the meaning of the lure of a given cultural influence) (ie what did it mean to be attracted to americanism in 1957, 1967, 1986, 2007)
so his snapshots jigsaw together to present a complex history of flows and surges and shifts and changes -- and the two grids of refence TAKEN TOGETHER highlight subtle stuff going on in each separate grid, that wouldn't otherwise be visible necessarily
what makes it so fascinating is that he basically takes the idea that "music reflects society" as the given: and follows through in genuinely astonishing detail -- to such a degree that you do become very alert to that aspect of music which relates to affirmation of (broad) cultural-political allegience
i don't think it matters that it isn't the only thing a song's about -- it's part of what a song's about; it's not not there
(in ref lex's point abt personal lives -- people's politics is very much part of their personal lives, and Carmodism is an examination of exactly that, the personal and half-expressed dynamic within public discussion) (robin also has a very strong judgemental layer, in regard to right and wrong politics -- this you don't have to agree with at all to learn from it as a method; besides, who the hell wd commit himself to his degree of knowledge of local political minutiae if they didn't care a lot abt politics in terms of what should and shouldn't happen?)
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timeasmymeasure
full-on carmodism...
Date: 2007-02-01 10:34 pm (UTC)i. every record in the charts (inc.its placement) is a snapshot of the "state of the nation" in a fairly particular way, this being an analogue of the way that ---
ii. --- every by-election is a snapshot of the "state of the nation"
so there is a double-grid of reference, for starters (you have to recall that robin seems to have an exact map of the blue-red-yellow colouring of EVERY SINGLE UK POLITICAL CONSTITUENCY since the 1940s, as well as the names of successful AND defeated politicians, and which sector of the party they are fitted into, in class and policy terms) (and more impalpable things, like the meaning of the lure of a given cultural influence) (ie what did it mean to be attracted to americanism in 1957, 1967, 1986, 2007)
so his snapshots jigsaw together to present a complex history of flows and surges and shifts and changes -- and the two grids of refence TAKEN TOGETHER highlight subtle stuff going on in each separate grid, that wouldn't otherwise be visible necessarily
what makes it so fascinating is that he basically takes the idea that "music reflects society" as the given: and follows through in genuinely astonishing detail -- to such a degree that you do become very alert to that aspect of music which relates to affirmation of (broad) cultural-political allegience
i don't think it matters that it isn't the only thing a song's about -- it's part of what a song's about; it's not not there
(in ref lex's point abt personal lives -- people's politics is very much part of their personal lives, and Carmodism is an examination of exactly that, the personal and half-expressed dynamic within public discussion) (robin also has a very strong judgemental layer, in regard to right and wrong politics -- this you don't have to agree with at all to learn from it as a method; besides, who the hell wd commit himself to his degree of knowledge of local political minutiae if they didn't care a lot abt politics in terms of what should and shouldn't happen?)