CT=wimpy & pretentious?!

[iceblink555]

Came across this while reading the Virginia Astley entry on AMG (http://www.allmusic.com):

"Her [Virginia Astley's] records are recommended to listeners looking for intriguing ambient British pop who find the Cocteau Twins and the 4AD stable too wimpy and pretentious." — Richie Unterberger

What the hell? Somebody git a rope!

BTW, Fred, thanx for another great recommendation!

--Alan
np: King Crimson - Starless

[andylama]

Some of the AMG summary reviews are absolutely from outer space.

Its as if they either (a) assign reviewers to genres of music they know about but don't enjoy at all, or (b) use a piece of software that generates random text that reads like a music review, peppering the text with related keywords.

WTF?

[fredofla]

Originally posted by iceblink555
Came across this while reading the Virginia Astley entry on AMG (http://www.allmusic.com):

"Her [Virginia Astley's] records are recommended to listeners looking for intriguing ambient British pop who find the Cocteau Twins and the 4AD stable too wimpy and pretentious." — Richie Unterberger

What the hell? Somebody git a rope!

BTW, Fred, thanx for another great recommendation!





yer very welcome, Alan.

when it comes to Ms. Astley, there's a lot to like, yes.

as for AMG.....they often leave me scratchin my head thinkin WTF!

:tongue:

[Phil Lawton]

intriguing ambient British pop who find the Cocteau Twins and the 4AD stable too wimpy and pretentious

Maybe the author might have had a more sympathetic view if a) Robin had screamed the odd "Rock an' roll!" here and there, b) Simon had trashed his bass every night, just after giving the David Gates song "If" the same treatment that Sid Vicious gave "My Way"and c) Liz had puked over the front three rows and then defecated onto one of the roadies whilst singing "It Wears Your Ring (But The Ointment Helps)".

AMG (whoever they are) will probably think that Lush's singers sounded a bit too effeminate.

Lord.

[willy]

What's wrong with being wimpy and pretentious?

[kookaburra]

Originally posted by willy
What's wrong with being wimpy and pretentious?

Thank you, Willy!

[jana]

never gonna give you up. never gonna let you down. never gonna run around and desert you. never gonna make you cry. never gonna say goodbye. never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.

[dprid]

Originally posted by jana
never gonna give you up. never gonna let you down. never gonna run around and desert you. never gonna make you cry. never gonna say goodbye. never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.


roflmao
I think you're quite brave to admit to that :D

[mattadore]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1265000/images/_1269197_astley150.jpg

[seeker]

some AMG reviewers r really suck!
i especially hate the now reviewer for Pale Saints.
the one like an Ian Masters' dutiful BIG fan, did his best to detract from the later band line's beautiful works. compare to his predecessor's impartial opinions, he did a blinkered job.
every time i read those words, i really want to kick his bad ass!

[watchlar]

together forever and never to part...together forever we two...and don't you know i would move heaven and earth...to be together forever...with you.........

[iceblink555]

Originally posted by FREDofLA

when it comes to Ms. Astley, there's a lot to like, yes.
as for AMG.....they often leave me scratchin my head thinkin WTF!


Fred, maybe you could offer to "correct" AMG's Virginia Astley article for them?

--Alan
np: The Cure - To the Sky

[iceblink555]

Originally posted by mattadore
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1265000/images/_1269197_astley150.jpg

[iceblink555]

But I really prefer this one, both to look at and listen to:

[fredofla]

i don't think Rick and Virginia Astley are related.

[iceblink555]

Originally posted by FREDofLA
i don't think Rick and Virginia Astley are related.

I assumed Matt was making a joke. But what of Jon Astley (pic above)--any relation there?

--Alan

[E-Lo]

Originally posted by watchlar
together forever and never to part...together forever we two...and don't you know i would move heaven and earth...to be together forever...with you.........

crying

One of my first synths was a cheesey-cool little yamaha that would blast this song every time turned on -- a miniature version of Hell for sure!

[jana]

who the hell is that second picture of iceblink?!

it almost looks like a realy skanked out liz fraser.

[Brett]

What art, of any worth is unpretentious? Think about it.

The 'wimp' thing isn't really worth dignifying with any answer. To be a 'real bloke' I should be listening to full blown rark an roll should I? All sweaty, hairy bollocked, cock posturing for little boys. There's more sex in the opening gasp of Otterley than those fans could hope to comprehend in their masturbatory lives. The wimps shall inherit the earth. This is one bedroom boy who became a very fine bedroom man indeed. In touch with his feminine side and every feminine side to walk through my door. Oh yes!

“His wicked sense of humour
Suggests exciting sex
His fingers focus on her
Touches, he's Venus as a boy

He believes in beauty
He's Venus as a boy

He's exploring
The taste of her
Arousal
So accurate
He sets off
The beauty in her
He's Venus as a boy”

Bjork

Christ, what a wimp I am!

[iceblink555]

Originally posted by jana
who the hell is that second picture of iceblink?!

it almost looks like a realy skanked out liz fraser.

LOL. Jana, I assume you mean the one underneath Rick Astley, which is Jon Astley? I don't recall where I know him from. Seems like I heard something by him back in the 80's.

I hope you're not referring to my 2nd post, which is a pic of Virginia Astley!

--Alan
np: Gabinete Caligari - La culpa fue del cha-cha-cha

[jana]

right right. yeah i meant the second picture in that one post below rick astley.

[Lucibelle]

Yeah, kind of looks like a Liz Fraser drag queen! roflmao

[iceblink555]

Originally posted by Lucibelle
Yeah, kind of looks like a Liz Fraser drag queen! roflmao

ROTF, LMAO! Which reminds me of a Stevie Nicks fan reunion I saw on VH1 a coupla years ago: The guy who hosts the gathering dresses up like Stevie and sings a cover of one of her songs!

OK, so who's gonna volunteer to be our Liz drag queen at CTfest?!

--Alan

[Tinspur]

http://trouserpress.com/entry_90s.php?a=cocteau_twins (http://)

The Trouser Press Guide takes it's place amongst the greatest works of Western literature, alongside Hamlet, Robinson Crusoe, and the Sherlock Holmes stories. Yet, it's impact stems not from it's terse (and quite often myopic) criticism of alternative bands, but through it's thorough discography of alternative music of the past 25 years. Compiled from various critics by Ira Robbins (who contributes several entries himself), the tome gives the vast and meandering landscape of alternative music a structure from which many, including myself, can fathom it's remarkable depths.

The specific entry on CT (see both 70/80's and 90's entries to encompass their entire catalog) is a rather bland view of the band; critics throughout the book use a "must-have impact" paradigm in their assesments, thus anything artistic normally receives an unfavorable or benign review. This approach follows the misconception that music (and art in general) must be didactic, that it must "say something." Music (with lyrics in mind) doesn't have to make a political or social statement to be "effective." The "mood-evoking" quality of the Twins music is what impacts the listener, conjuring up emotions or thoughts that the aforesaid individual may have never had before, enriching them personally, possibly inspiring them to write or say or do something noble for themselves or someone else. Such music provides an atmosphere in which to muse, a medium equal to or greater than a medium in which concepts are simply relayed to you. It peeves me to see critics neglect this important axiom.

My disputation regards not only CT, but other groups who don't fit the "must-have impact" moniker such critics espouse. I simply needed a focal point for my argument (which CT provided).

-Spur-

[kookaburra]

Originally posted by Tinspur
The specific entry on CT (see both 70/80's and 90's entries to encompass their entire catalog) is a rather bland view of the band; critics throughout the book use a "must-have impact" paradigm in their assesments, thus anything artistic normally receives an unfavorable or benign review. This approach follows the misconception that music (and art in general) must be didactic, that it must "say something." Music (with lyrics in mind) doesn't have to make a political or social statement to be "effective." The "mood-evoking" quality of the Twins music is what impacts the listener, conjuring up emotions or thoughts that the aforesaid individual may have never had before, enriching them personally, possibly inspiring them to write or say or do something noble for themselves or someone else. Such music provides an atmosphere in which to muse, a medium equal to or greater than a medium in which concepts are simply relayed to you. It peeves me to see critics neglect this important axiom.


I once read something like this on the back of a can of tomato soup.

[Tinspur]

Would you care to expound upon that?

Spur

[kookaburra]

Originally posted by Tinspur
Would you care to expound upon that?

Sure.

[zed]

...............deep.:rolleyes:

just add water.

Z.roflmao roflmao

[iceblink555]

Kook, wouldya mind turnin' that can around so we can see what Andy wrote on the back?!

--Alan
np: Cat Power - american flag

[zed]

..........POP!

i like it! :D

Z.

[Phil Lawton]

Kook, wouldya mind turnin' that can around so we can see what Andy wrote on the back?!

Wasn't it something like:

"With a bit of luck, friends in the right places, appealing to the art snobs, an outrageous wig and a reticence to speak about my sexuality, I can keep this crap going for years and make a bundle from these suckers."

Although that may have been Richard Clayderman, I could never tell them apart.

[iceblink555]

Phil, it's interesting to see what you think of Warhol (I quite like him myself), but I believe what Kook said he read on the back of the can was something like this:



The specific entry on CT (see both 70/80's and 90's entries to encompass their entire catalog) is a rather bland view of the band; critics throughout the book use a "must-have impact" paradigm in their assesments, thus anything artistic normally receives an unfavorable or benign review. This approach follows the misconception that music (and art in general) must be didactic, that it must "say something." Music (with lyrics in mind) doesn't have to make a political or social statement to be "effective." The "mood-evoking" quality of the Twins music is what impacts the listener, conjuring up emotions or thoughts that the aforesaid individual may have never had before, enriching them personally, possibly inspiring them to write or say or do something noble for themselves or someone else. Such music provides an atmosphere in which to muse, a medium equal to or greater than a medium in which concepts are simply relayed to you. It peeves me to see critics neglect this important axiom.

[iceblink555]

Forgot to change subject line of previous post to:

"Kook's Kan"

--Alan

[kookaburra]

Perhaps I should have said '...something as profound...'

[Tinspur]

Well, I was kind of hoping my post would generate a discussion about CT's music, if Leesa could delete that post I would be most appreciative.

- Spur -

[kookaburra]

Oh, relax, Tinny.

[watchlar]

I'm not understanding what you are requesting leesa to delete tinspur...could you be more specific? thanks