I have not written anything much longer than a tweet or occasional paragraph in a chat about anything outside of work in years so bear with me. My thoughts really are (less than) half formed on all of this and so I have just written a bunch of questions to myself.
- Why don't I ever want to listen to anything straight forward roots rock/americana inflected from the past 20+ years? Why does everything feel like it's marketing for the sake of marketing?
- For me, in fact, was the form perfected by and consequently died with Tom Petty's passing?
- Can it survive without Dylan who I don't even really like?
- Why am I obsessively listening to three Mekons albums from 1989-1993 which are extremely roots inflected and indeed explicitly about the marketing of rock and roll to some degree? What makes it different? Ironically, I am not including their next album which is referred to in the title up there because it isn’t very good.
- Why don't I like The Clash?
- Why does Jason Isbell's solo career feel like therapy in song to me but like in a way that doesn't give me anything? I am in no way opposed to being emotionally manipulated by my entertainment.
- Where does homage cross over to pastiche? Somewhere before Gaslight Anthem's The '59 Sound. When is sameness good? Where is the line between consistency and being a biter? Is getting a Springsteen feature on a comeback album a victory or a defeat? The obvious answer is a victory and I can’t disagree but I’m still asking the question.
- Am I listening to the Mekons because I’m not likely to hear about/from them on the day to day? Is my Isbell thing due to him (and me!) being twitter brained? Does familiarity drive contempt?
- Why doesn’t John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, also twitter brained, annoy me in the same way?
Why don't I ever want to listen to anything straight forward roots rock/americana inflected from the past 20+ years? Why does everything feel like it's marketing for the sake of marketing?I can't even think of anything that falls in line with those monikers from the past 20 years. Acts like Wilco are sort of 'getting back to roots' in their elder years, but it feels hokey. Everyone involved in music professionally is too savvy for their own good since, I suppose, mass internet adoption? Has that led to the rise of mundane mediocrity and too much signal to noise?
Why am I obsessively listening to [three](https://open.spotify.com/album/6cP5F9xCkEcvHaM2P052iL?si=mZzo0wWfQlizzV3qdCkDdg) [Mekons](https://open.spotify.com/album/7shGSslMhWqIdY50EZ9zbY?si=GQ0fGI7-Qj6Xyh1jsWQO4w) [albums](https://open.spotify.com/album/3hSlZOw9fPBztHqujcLRNV?si=bTiZzScQTkCKuWyas349aw) from 1989-1993 which are extremely roots inflected and indeed explicitly about the marketing of rock and roll to some degree? What makes it different? Ironically, I am not including their next [album](https://open.spotify.com/album/268LMoRv66Ws2hRukYxXfV?si=qIXZjUkuSoGatHO1eKpd-g) which is referred to in the title up there because it isn’t very good.I dunno, but I dig.
Why don't I like The Clash?Aren't they the very definition of rock 'n' roll marketing? I don't understand how they're cited so often as inspiration by punkish acts, when they're essentially a latter day British Green Day. Supergrass, early Blur, Pulp are all more respectable acts to me because they lean completely into, without hiding from, guitar-laced bubblegum.
Why does Jason Isbell's solo career feel like therapy in song to me but like in a way that doesn't give me anything? I am in no way opposed to being emotionally manipulated by my entertainment.This has to be the most talented, successful, and boring alt country artist going currently. Too pretty. Needs some sort of grime. You're sober? Great! Let's hear about something interesting.
Where does homage cross over to pastiche? Somewhere before Gaslight Anthem's The '59 Sound. When is sameness good? Where is the line between consistency and being a biter? Is getting a Springsteen feature on a comeback album a victory or a defeat? The obvious answer is a victory and I can’t disagree but I’m still asking the question.I think if an act considers this question, they've answered it for themselves. I prefer sameness over a series of failed experiments. There are some experiment records that I like better than the ones the fans latch onto. Examples being Wood+Water by the Promise Ring and Ride's Tarantula (even the band hated it). NRBQ is one of my favorites and they really do one thing well, consistently.
Why doesn’t John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, also twitter brained, annoy me in the same way?John Darnielle is a lovable nerd. I'm okay with the Mountain Goats records, but I like the guy more. He's likeable, a talented author, and surrounds himself with other lovable nerds. I'd certainly watch Pelham 123 with this dude.