Recent Comments
Re: “Battle of the Brands: The Strokes vs. Vampire Weekend”
Also, "top-shelf entertainment brands"? WTF?! Bullshit marketing speak will slay us all.
Re: “Battle of the Brands: The Strokes vs. Vampire Weekend”
I don't think aloof is the right term here; they're not being cold and distant, they just seem to want to involve as little artifice as possible in how the outside world evaluates their album. And if you come to the conclusion on your own that the album is full of "so-so, belabored songs" and not via the influence of outside factors, then that was the point. The Strokes are many things but "naive to the point of cluelessness" is not one of 'em. At least, not at this stage of the game.
(Btw, for the record: not a fan of the band, can't even believe I'm defending 'em.)
Listen, it's silly to state the obvious, but all music should be judged on its own merits. However, that seems to be a passé concept these days. Furthermore, I routinely find that an artist's current critical standing determines the nature of a review more than the music itself. In other words, short of delivering a musical abomination, a critical darling might as well be made of teflon. But if an artist has fallen out of favor not even a masterpiece can guarantee them more than a passing acknowledgement. Sure, I might be exaggerating but not by much.
Re: “The Rise of the Stream and the Death of the Album”
Wasn't the point of this article that the album is dead? It's literally in the title. Steve says it's not and proceeds to explain why. So, how is it missing your point?
Re: “Battle of the Brands: The Strokes vs. Vampire Weekend”
So, Jeff Klingman, The Strokes have made a concerted effort to have their new album be strictly judged on its own merits, one of the more artistically pure acts an established artist can muster in this day and age, but you'd prefer to be marketed/pandered to?
Re: “Women Who Rock! (On the Still Male-Dominated Business Side of Indie Rock)”
Taylor Brode is setting herself up for major heartbreak by being friends w/ her clients, plus she confuses friendship w/ liking as people the folks you manage; Jamie Farkas sounds like a barrel of laughs; according to Chloe Walsh Glasgow is not a haven for male music geeks, apparently. Nice piece.
Re: “The Thing About Ke$ha: You're A Grown-Up and Should Have No Use For Her”
If not getting this empty cross between Lana del Rey and a homeless Britney Spears is to be old and out of touch, the young and vapid can have her.
Re: “Is Lena Dunham Saying Fuck You to Critics Who Called Her Racist?”
Since I'm not the dad of a young girl I could care less about Taylor Swift's immature spiteful, vindictive little songs. Meanwhile, Katy Perry is hot. But that's all I've got on her.
