Via maura

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2007/10/22/071022crmu_music_frerejones

- I would imagine there'll be lots of blogtalk about this one. It feels to me like he's fighting old battles, or maybe telling old war stories that aren't quite as tightly relevant to now as they should be. But the point about the shift from imitator to fan seems an interesting one.

Meanwhile there's still a couple of hours to vote in the Pop Open.

Comments

"The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[thenipper.livejournal.com]

I had a theory once that it was absolutely essential that Gorillaz were cartoons - because the image of Albarn standing on stage making hip-hop derived music *as himself* would just be too ludicrous. The mask was what made it possible.

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[pot80.livejournal.com]

You are 100% correct about it, and Albarn was clearly aware of this. There's no way it would've been so successful in the US if everyone had to constantly think about it being the aging, balding guy from Blur, who are basically a one-hit-wonder band in the US.

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[thenipper.livejournal.com]

Haha - a new genre: after blackface minstrelsy, CARTOONFACE.

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[pot80.livejournal.com]

Well, I think it also helped Albarn's collaborators too -- hip hop is very hostile to aging talent, and the cartoon gimmick managed to get De La Soul a big hit too.

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

my view on that is that there is a VERY GOOD REASON why it wouldn't have succeeded if it had been old bald dude from Blue + ancient De La Soul - and that the cartoons basically fooled everyone into letting their critical standards slip when really those standards were RIGHT ALL ALONG

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[pot80.livejournal.com]

Wait, so you're basically saying PEOPLE OVER 30 HAVE NO PLACE IN POPULAR MUSIC?

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

YES

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[pot80.livejournal.com]

Oh Alex! You're way too smart to say that kind of stuff. I don't mean to be condescending, but I hope you grow out of it.

Re: "The blackest man white man in Ladbroke Grove"

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

Well, i don't agree that there's no room for people over 30 in music, but I have never liked any Gorillaz songs, so I'm happy to cheer you on this occasion!