I am not great at expanding my music catalog. Despite Spotify’s (I have sworn off them by the way as they are at best unscrupulous and probably downright shitty) efforts to introduce me to new stuff with recommendations, I tend to stick by old favorites or said favorites’ new music. Some of this is due to my possibly unfounded belief that the vast majority of new music just isn’t cutting it. I know, I know, shut up boomer, but damned if I don’t find it hard to find the there there. So derivative, so similar, so, just, blah. When it comes to Pop I have never gotten it for the most part. I miss old Country sometimes but find new country vapid and empty, with a strong exception found in the form of Chris Stapleton, dude can bring it. EDM sets my teeth on edge, contemporary Rap is so generally offensive I just can’t go there – I do not understand the fascination with meanness, derogatory sterotypes and violence. NWA and Public Enemy way have been crass and offensive, but it was in the name of having something to say. There was substance, dammit.
I am incredibly lucky to be near one of the few (less than a 100) remaining independent radio stations in America, the fabulous WDST in Woodstock, NY., so I do get some great new local music, but I still find it hard not to lean on my old familiar ways. I have had various folk over the years try to help me expand, and found some great bands that are now in my regular rotation (The Decembrists, The Raconteurs and Nick Cave all came from players of mine), and some of the great gems are from unexpected sources, like the inimitable Jon Batiste being Colbert’s band leader on The Late Show. So, yeah, it isn’t likes there is nothing out there, but there are two things that lead me to believe that I might be right about the slow demise of music.
The first is the system. Recording artists have always been screwed, whether by the payola systems of radio in the 60s, the consolidation (read the hostile takeover) of labels in the 70s and 80s, or the death of retail music sales brought on by MP3s and digital piracy. But never has it been as brutal and ruthless as the current environment of streaming and social media. It used to be that artists took a long time to shape and craft their recordings, partly because the tech was less efficient, but more because there was only so much air time to be had, so many LPs or CDs to be bought, so many tours to sell. They had to be good to succeed. Sure, you can point to some atrocious music that did very well – I’m looking at you Billy Squier – but the relative quality was just higher because it had to be. Now it is all about volume, no pun intended. If you are self-producing on your home deck and trying to go viral in the hopes of monetizing whatever account it is you’re flogging, you have to take the shotgun approach. If you throw out enough tunes one might stick, but since there is absolutely no way to anticipate what is going to take off – the right influencer shares it, their minions go gaga, the next influencer has to jump on the bandwagon, rinse, repeat – you can’t take the time to produce something truly excellent because excellence has little or nothing to do with the above process. And since no matter how big it gets it will be gone when the next mediocre sensation takes over, you just have to keep cranking them out. No wonder most of it is vapid and soulless.
The other thing I point to is the enduring popularity and generation spanning of so much of the biggest music of the previous era. Everything old is new again, or something like that, so most of us point to our generation’s music as the best and bemoan the new generation’s disdain of it. My folks loved the classic crooners and the big bands, and while I dig it in small doses and appreciate its craftsmanship, I didn’t go out and buy any Glenn Miller. But those very same people that tried to drag me into the 21st century are listening to my generation’s music. The Rolling Stones and Elton John and Journey wouldn’t still be grinding it out if there wasn’t a market. Hell. Half the Grateful Dead is, well, dead but still have some of the most listened to and downloaded music out there. Okay, that might be a bad example because Dead Heads will keep coming back for more until the heat death of the universe but still. I maintain that my generation’s music is still being listened to and bought (gotta love the resurgence of vinyl) and watched because it is better. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.
All of that said, I started out wanting to recommend some stuff that is at least semi-current (if it is new to me and old to you, get over it, I am playing catch up) that I dig. Predictably enough, both these recs are courtesy of my children. I am going to claim partial credit, however, as they were, ahem, raised right. Nicolas’ first concert was AC/DC and Isabel knows more Beatles songs than I do. Anyway.
Nicolas turned me on to Lawrence. Talented, tight and with a feel that is somehow both retro and utterly original. They have a broad palette, aren’t afraid to be rhythmically complex and are just flat out fun to listen to. And Gracie Lawrence can freaking sing. Speaking of lead singers with chops, Isabel pointed me at Melt. They cheated just a hair by starting me off with a cover of one of my favorite Neil Young tunes – they know their Daddy! – but it stuck. As I say, Veronica Stewart-Frommer has got some serious pipes. I admire a youngish band that can be bold in covering revered songs and not being afraid to really do it differently. I think they would be an absolute kick to see live. Enjoy!