the magnificent miss murphy

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I went to see Róisín Murphy last night (review in Grau tomorrow). She was WONDERFUL and her hats were FABULOUS. I know she's a long-time poptimist favourite but I don't think we've actually talked about her much, so shall we? Her album is one of the best of the year - my favourite is 'Tell Everybody', omg that was so good last night, she did it as the encore. And there are so many parallels with Gwen Stefani: platinum blonde MILF ex-frontwomen of 'alternative' acts who hit big late in their career, now embracing pop and offbeat couture for their solo careers.

Comments

Re: Listening to the album

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Oh sure she probably is - I don't hear a "classic soul voice" in there AT ALL but I don't know what the Lex would mean by that.

But in my critique it isn't the distance between aspiration and ability that matters really.

Re: Listening to the album

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

let's say this is Pleasant Pop as opposed to Perfect Pop or whatever. and if there's a space in your life for Pleasant Pop (as opposed to listening to pop connected to Poptimism i.e. 'can't wait to play this/dance to this' and albums by artists who fit that bill more readily) what do you listen to?

thinking of this sort of music/artist as performing a specific function and fulfilling a specific need. Commuter Pop? Office Disco?

Re: Listening to the album

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I guess that kind of function would be more often filled in my life by comfortable old favourites, though some of the old 80s club pop and soul Roisin's drawing on would certainly fit the bill too. (Though a lot of the time there I'm thinking "wow I wish enough people cared about this for me to play it at poptimism")

Re: Listening to the album

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

'wow I wish enough people cared about this for me to play it at poptimism'

my sympathies :(

Re: Listening to the album

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Oh and from this year the Studio record! Balearic = pleasant pop num num

Re: Listening to the album

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling that I will find the Studio album kinda meh, but I'm not quite sure why (oh wait i am a contary fuxx).

The Kylie remix is just okay...I could not get excited about that kind of music myself. Again it's just very pleasant.

Re: Listening to the album

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I think I like Studio because it takes the concept of "pleasant" to such an extreme, it's quite decadent. cf Sade. veritably Ballardian.

Re: Listening to the album

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

yes, sounds luxurious and opulent. i can get with that as it suggests there's a lot of surface detail.