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Soundtracks of Our Lives w/e 29th April 2012 CE
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IanB
IanB
5410 posts

Edited May 01, 2012, 06:43
Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives w/e 29th April 2012 CE
Apr 30, 2012, 07:00
machineryelf wrote:
Squid Tempest wrote:

Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin
Thanks Mr Elf!


John Martyn - Bless the Weather
Incredible String Band - Hangman's Beautiful Daughter & 5000 Spirits
Sandy Denny - Northstar Grassman
Listening to these while reading Electric Eden. Brilliant book.



Glad it arrived OK, what do you think of it, I'd rate it as almost up there with the first three but I suspect the 80s polish might put some folk off

I found that Electric Eden quite annoying during for the last 100 or so pages, well written but I thought went off a bit at the end and decided anyone he liked fitted into his theories, some of the bands he raved about were seriously underwhelming IMHO.



Totally agree. Like Rob Chapman in the Syd book, the historical and social context is brilliantly described but he eventually reveals himself as someone concerned about fitting the music into his pre-conceptions first and being a close listener second. The omissions are at times jaw dropping. This is not an uncommon problem in rock criticism but I am not sure I needed to be endlessly reminded of the author's painful awareness of his own hipness. What I *was* usefully reminded of is why I stopped reading The Wire back in the late 80s.

The book does have many moments (especially the pre mid 60s material) but it would be a scandal if in years to come this ends up being seen as a set text. The irony is that in writing about a "music of the people" he leans so heavily towards the cultural elitisim of those who favour the worthily authentic and willfully obscure over all else.

You could write a book about the left-leaning music critics' deep fear of the popular. About how the cultural left fears the tastes and desires of non-insiders to the same degree that the establishment right despises them. In a funny sort of way he just did.
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