Dear Ned,
The only thing more difficult than trying to get people to sit still for music
CDs is getting them to give specific opinions. The PopCanon
CDs seem to be like anchovies: people love them or can't stand them. You PC's
will never be elevator music--too much emotion in the music. Trying to
get past the 'I really liked it' to the answer to 'Why?' wasn't fruitful. Sorry
to be general: people liked the music a lot, or could barely get through a CD.
Some random comments:
-They need to settle on a style.
-Somehow an 80's sound.
-Found myself humming 'Parking Garage' all day.
-Why does the lead singer on Wanda Tinasky sound like Billy Joel?
-d'art is much more consistent and textured than Pricksongs and
Idiot Rock.
-I'd like to hear them in person.
-'Little Green Men' is really good.
-They need keyboards to dampen the brass.
-They should listen to lots of early Talking Heads.
-Someone in the group loves Devo.
This sample is from seven people, some in the Pynchon reading group, some working in the law office (which is basically a 'MASH' unit), all young adults, with too much education: four women, three men, culturally mixed. [Neditor: isn't THAT our dream demographic?]
With the caveat that I am not a music critic, these are my impressions of d'art--
Songs I Really Like:
-Lights Out. Moody and engaging bass line. Vocals in understated harmony
provide a nice mellow effect. The brass works best in this piece (french horns)?
-The Compostion: Brainstroll. The gothic effects work very well. The
brass does not overwhelm the strings. Very hooky. I can imagine this song in
a grainy noir movie, dramatizing a murder on a carousel: that's the feel.
-Make Reference. Sounds a lot like Brainstroll. Not as blended. But same
comments generally apply.
-Hey Hey Hey. The Russians write a polka. Love the horns on this one.
Moody, dark, understated. This is a song for Lot 49: The Movie. Very sophisticated
guitar work. Bravo.
-I've Got A Theory. Sounds surprisingly like Hey Hey Hey. Who writes
the haunted house music?
-Ironica. Modulated brass. Very good percussion. Syncopation very effective.
The Lou Reed-style vocals really draw me in. The elaborate sax run is sexy,
especially with Dante's lost souls in the background. [N:
I think of that as the Dave Matthews bit, though surely Dave Matthews is one
of the circles of hell.] I
really like this one.
-CaliMariAchi. Really good. Dirge-like. Effective collapsing melody line.
A song for drunks at a Mexican carnival. Pick up a copy of Malcolm Lowry's Under
the Volcano, then down some poppers with this piece cranked up to full volume.
A crowd pleaser, I'll bet. [N: Umm, why do some people like
this song so much?]
Songs I Don't Much Like:
-Things About Which. Don't like it at all. It keeps morphing into 'The
Association Sings With Chicago.' The vocals are very rah rah and literal (not
ironic?). It's too earnest for me. Mostly I think it doesn't go with your dark
carnival stuff.
-Impossible. Same as above.
-See You. A little better. But very 70's.
-Arthole. I prefer not. I'm not a prude. More context is needed because
the word jars, even if the effect is intended. Not enough drama. [N:
damn! I wonder how he got through the album, disliking the first four tracks!]
-Mina Loy. Too chanty. (I'm sure it's popular.)
-Ballyhoo. More clean-cut music.
I think the dark, soft, textured music is where your strength is. The pieces
I like could be played while watching The Third Man or Strangers On A Train,
with the video sound turned off. The pieces that I like have that 'we're in
on the secret' quality that is the heart of irony. They almost tilt into parody,
but are controlled. It might be the CD format (which can be shrill) but the
featured and forefronted brass doesn't always work. You are moving in the right
direction. For what it's worth, there you have it.
Stokely