My buddy Mark Anthony (former webmaster of Nashville's The Rawk and bassmaster of the Creeping Cruds) has a theory that the shittier the political times, the better the music produced by those times. Thinking about CCR's best work, which articulated the joys, sorrows, and frustrations of the regular guy (not to say the poor man, really), you'd think there'd be current artists articulating the same now, but the most recent slab o' music coming over the musical horizon, The Future Soundtrack of America, just voices the, uh, semi-elite upper middle class (Bright Eyes, Fountains of Wayne, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Death Cab for Cutie) whining--nice as it sometimes is--about the stumblin' state of the union. After hearing it, and basically enjoying it, I got to thinking, is this what the ideal alternative is? Nah. So...anybody want to weigh in and prove Mr. Anthony's theory by selecting undeniable platters from 2000-2004? I'm betting you can't.
Relaxin' with "The Golden Guitar"
In "The Womb," Hickman High School's Radio Station (KWPE 98.3 FM in Columbia, MO)
Possum Fat Compares Biceps in late '80s
Anthony, Rayhill, Overeem, Pelletier (l-r)
At work...
...with students directing me to www.chucknorrisfacts.com
Dead Moon
Modelling true rock hair
About Me
- Phil Overeem
- 23-year public education veteran; occasional Internet music reviewer.
3 comments:
Mr. O, this is Matt Rhodes and I think I might have just the album to prove this theory true: The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat . . . That album is what the ideal alternative is. If you haven't heard it yet, hear it. If you have, give it another chance. It's my pick for best of '04 so far. I know you probably disagree with me here, but I've invested a lot of hope in The White Stripes to concoct something that'll blow us away. I thought Elephant was an outstanding album, and still do, but it plays like a preamble to some bigger, better, historical, important, etc. album. Elliott Smith is pretty damn good too.
I forgot about the political part of this theory, but I do imagine that none of the above mentioned band's members will be casting votes for Bush.
I can't believe Strummer's gone, now Hunter. I guess I just wasn't made for these times. Yer in my thoughts. xo DIM STAR GEN'RAL
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