“Too Much Time,” from John Vanderslice’s Romanian Names is one of my favorite tracks of the year, and I was pleased this week to see that he’s released a demo of the song to gear up for the single’s 7″ release. The stripped down model of the dreamy contemplative track is on the playlist we’re offering you today, and in about fifteen words I’m going to link up a vid of Vanderslice performing “Forest Knolls” with a full on orchestra just because every track on this album mystifies and stops me dead in my tracks. It’s an arresting album and if you’ve not given it a run through, you’ve got a gaping hole in your 2009 arsenal.
Although Vanderslice has flirted with commercial success, many of his antics have involved mocking the industry, rather than blending right into it. His music is sincere, lyrically powerful, and since he’s a dude who didn’t begin recording until much later in his life, the emphasis is squarely on the artistic side of things. I reviewed Romanian Names earlier this year and lauded the album for its metaphorical nature and shredding intelligence. Each track points to Vanderslice’s artistic vision and each arrangement screams of his attention to detail and perfectionism. This is art, to me. I buy into it because of its sincerity and completely underrated under-exposure. I’d imagine he wouldn’t want this any other way.
Fast forward to several things that irk me. To begin, I was watching (don’t ask me why) the ABC debut of the new show, “Mercy” and caught Heartless Bastards’ Erika Wennerstrom belting out a track at the show’s tail end. I suppose I should go backwards and mention why I have always loved Heartless Bastards. When Stairs and Elevators came out, I loved the lack of pretense and raw, unrefined bluesy energy the trio smacked me with. How many copies of that record sold? If we’re lucky, maybe 20K? The band’s live show, likewise, was always t-shirt, jeans, and attitude. Here is my Les Paul, and here is my heart and soul performed just for you. At no point in these three years of albums did I ever expect Heartless Bastards to pair up their artwork with a bathtub love-making scene on network television. Juxtaposition can be used for artistic emphasis, but this doesn’t quite jive. The band has changed to fit a model, and in this process, loses so much of their artistic worth. It’s not necessarily about selling out as much as its about the obnoxious nature of what shelves they choose to showcase their art upon. The twelve seconds of oddball artistic pairing sealed Heartless Bastards’ fate as far as I’m concerned. They’ve lost control of their art, and I should have seen it coming when I saw Erika dressed in frilly French blouse when the band performed on Letterman months ago. Check out these two contrasting vids. One vid is from 2007, and it’s the stripped down and killer “Runnin’” off of Stairs and Elevators. The second is the Letterman performance of “Out at Sea.” If there isn’t a noticeable difference, shoot me dead right now.
And…
This idea also applies to the indie-rock heavy soundtrack of the upcoming film, New Moon, from the teen-friendly Twilight series of novels. The last couple of Sundays have been devoted to Brian and I bickering back and forth about musical value of certain bands, etc. However, this week we’re in complete agreement that this soundtrack is bothersome and mildly revolting. As an English teacher, I could begin the rant discussing how terribly written these novels are in the first place. Every teenage girl that walks into my classroom carries one of these behemoth, wordy, and pseudo-Gothic novels in tow. I ask kids to discuss literature, they bring up Twilight. I ask them to read Hawthorne, they say they’d rather read Twilight. I explain to them that Gothic literature is best understood if some of the early novels are read first (i.e. Frankenstein, Dracula, Wuthering Heights), and they tell me to scram. To be short, even from a literary perspective, I have issues with the series altogether and its gluttonous mainstream bloodsucking (pun completely intended). Only one student has asked me about Wuthering Heights, which is alluded to quite often in the series. She’s a winner, and I should probably hand her Yellow House quickly before she attaches Grizzly Bear with god awful teenage garbage writing.
From a musical perspective, I have trouble with this all-star cast of indie musicians lining up to get their tracks on this sure-to-sell soundtrack. The tracks on the soundtrack are quite good and this makes it even more perplexing and frustrating. As Brian succinctly asked in our discussion this morning, “Is everything for sale?” Veckatimest is artistically brilliant, but there’s something inherently ugly about pairing their style with trashy teenage vampire novels. The mere thought that a child will now associate Grizzly Bear, not with their art, but with Edward Cullen, is agitating. Do I still think “Two Weeks” is one of the best tracks I’ve ever heard? Yes. Do I think Edward Droste and crew are in danger of misfiring and wrecking their artistic worth by selling their music to masses that don’t understand? Absolutely.
Ultimately, it’s not about a band’s song being featured on a soundtrack or a television show, in my opinion. It’s about WHERE the tracks pop up and WHERE the band chooses to showcase their art. I suppose it’s possible that Lykke Li, GB, Bon Iver, Thom Yorke, BRMC, and Sea Wolf all read the trilogy and find it intriguing. If any of the members of these bands happen to read this post, I’d love to hear why you think your artwork is aptly paired with this particular film and novel series. Let’s wrangle and discuss. Secondly, I’d like all bands to look up at track five of the soundtrack. Yes, your art is also paired with The Killers. I wish bands would consider that the music they produce, at least to many, is about its artistic merit. The choice of where this artwork goes is delicate and important. I’ve got a bee in my bonnet and I’d love to hear our readership agree or disagree here.
As far as our playlist goes today, it’s a biggie. It includes quite a few tracks we’ve been meaning to get onto the site, including the killer El Perro Del Mar track, “Change of Heart,” and Memory Tapes’ “Green Knight.” The big deal, of course, is the new Bleach reissue about to hit at Sub Pop, and the previously unreleased Nirvana track, “Scoff” that they’ve released to the blogosphere. The remastering is well done and the track sends me way back. We’re loving it over here. As mentioned, Vanderslice’s “Too Much Time” is here, along with quite a few other odds and ends we’ve spinning at Citizen Dick Headquarters all week. Happy Sunday to y’all, and stay tuned for some killer album reviews throughout this week. Fall is here, and we’re loving it.
Nirvana – Scoff (Live at Pine Street Theatre)
John Vanderslice – Too Much Time (Demo)
The Swimmers – A Hundred Hearts
The Sweet Serenades – On My Way
Florence and the Machine – You’ve Got The Love (The xx Remix)
El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart
Phoenix – Love Like a Sunset (Animal Collective Remix)
Lou Barlow – Sit Back and Watch (Franklin Bruno Cover)
I feel the exact same way with the twilight soundtrack. Probably no one in my school knows who Grizzly Bear, Thom Yorke or Bon Iver is except for me, but they sure know who Edward is…
it’s a shame they won’t listen to these bands for their music but because it comes out in New Moon ughh
I have mixed feelings. I’d rather have some bands to myself (it might sound egoistic, but most people have mixed feelings when their favorite, unknown band suddenly gets played sick on the radio), but it’s good that these soundtracks send out good music.
My music knowledge/interest started with The OC. I really liked the music I heard on that show and since then I REALLY started listening to music. Not because it’s on the show, but because it IS good music. Music is my biggest interest now and yes, it started with The OC and I thank the show for that. Twilight will do the same with lots of kids too, nothing wrong with that, I think.
The one thing I really HATE is that when bands get big exposure, the gig-tickets get doubled.
Max-
Good points, and actually I first saw Kings of Leon on The OC and loved that. To me, it’s not about whether or not they wind up on TV or on a soundtrack. I think it’s more WHAT show and WHAT soundtrack they’re on.
Art Brut on Gossip Girl last night is questionable in my opinion haha. I guess sometimes it’s probably out of their control anyway. Shouldn’t be out of their hands at the indie level though.
A lot of teenagers read, watch and listen to dreck, they are teenagers and can be forgiven. If in the midst of the over wrought sludge that is the twilight series they chance upon some good music that inspires them and gets them interested in different sounds then maybe they’ll grow up to be adults who appreciate good music.
Would you prefer that they didn’t?
Lachy-
In this particular case I think I would prefer that they didn’t-at least through this way specifically. I will agree with you that many teenagers digest garbage art-wise, but this is unfortunately often because they fall prey to marketing of said trash. Does a heavy-hitting artistic soundtrack make up for the fact that it is used to push a marketing machine? I think it’s a problem. For the tweens who hear Grizzly Bear on this soundtrack, sure, they’ll get great music. What is the cost for Grizzly Bear or their artistic merit, however?
Pick any teenage cult movie. Do you remember the music tracks for their artistic worth, or for the film-associations that you make? The Crow’s soundtrack years ago was amazing. However, whenever I hear a single song off of it, I think of the movie. I find this problematic for bands. I think, for certain bands, this is an okay motive. It’s all in where they choose to diplay their art. For some of this lineup, however, I wouldn’t have expected it. Drops them down a notch in my book. Not everything needs to be for sale.
To find out the cost to Grizzly Bears artistic merit, listen to the song they have made available for this sound track. Does it have artistic merit? What is it about and can you relate? Does it elicit an emotional response? Do you enjoy listening to it? How does it compare to previous releases? These are the questions I ask myself when evaluating music. Whether or not it was used to soundtrack a movie I’ve never seen is not something I would worry about.
Everyone else is allowed to work paying jobs, why not artists?
Ugh. “Everyone else is allowed to work paying jobs.” Go screw. Art isn’t a fucking job. A fundamental definition of art is something that one does that isn’t for sustenance or procreation. Using art as commerce cheapens the process for everyone. Yes they can have fucking day jobs. Ed Droste can go work at the post office if he needs some cash. He’s not, so I’m going to assume that he’s doing fine. If the sole motivation is to make some bank, you’re not an artist. That is the point. Not the relevance of the piece of work to my life. I love me some Justin Timberlake, and the dude speaks to the deepest parts of my soul, but it sure as hell doesn’t belong in a museum. Veckatimest, on the other hand, may well have a place in MOMA. Whoring that ethos out fucking sucks.
I disagree, I don’t think that “not for procreation or sustenance” is a part of the definition of art. Art is a form of human expression. Just because someone likes what you had to say and paid you for the results of that expression doesn’t cheapen anything. Radiohead sell tshirts too.
Lachy-
You’ve already agreed to the idea that teenagers listen to and watch “dreck.” If this is the case, what puts them in a proper position to accurately evaluate and digest work for artistic value? You’re flying around without a map if you think 99.9 percent of these children will critically approach any of the tracks on this soundtrack. This is what draws my ire specifically. Nothing connects or points to an audience that matches up with artistic endeavors. This is all about money and sales, Lachy. Thom Yorke has a track on here.I suppose the t-shirts weren’t getting it done. YOU may be able to listen to art the way it’s intended (I’d imagine that’s why you’re reading us in the first place) but the audience this soundtrack is marketed towards is not Grizzly Bear’s audience. They are consumers and tweens, the biggest and most economically attractive segment in America. This pairing is what I disagree with. Why showcase their art on this particular platform if it’s indeed all about the music?
It’s not the kids who are questioning the artistic merit of this soundtrack. If all goes to plan they will hear it, like what they hear and seek out more. Baby steps. You don’t need to do research to recognise good music, if something hooks you in you can do the research later. I know that’s how it worked for me.
Also, I don’t think that its fair to say a certain type of artistic endeavor must be matched to the “correct” audience to make that artistic endeavor important or valuable or whatever. “Grizzly Bears audience” is the subset of people who have heard Grizzly Bears music. They may not be “Grizzly Bear fans” but if bands aren’t allowed to play their music to people who haven’t already heard their music…
It was you who asked the question “What is the cost for Grizzly Bear or their artistic merit?” and I would argue that you are in a position to answer that question just by listening to the music. “Selling out” does not happen automagically when an artist gets paid for their art, it happens when they start tailoring their art to make sales. So, listen, evaluate, decide. Not decide, evaluate, listen.
(unless Grizzly Bear have started writing power chord songs about vampires, relax, all the new songs will probably be ace to listen to completely removed from their pasty, bloodsucking context).
Five points:
1. Selling out happens the moment you step out of the garage and give your creation to the world. When I start laying down tracks, we’re going to set the tapes on fire as soon as we’re done putting material on them.
2. Nothing exists devoid of context. Separating a thing from it’s context is like separating a raccoon from its tail.
3. Please use an apostrophe to indicate possession in future comments. (As in: Grizzly Bear’s audience)
4. The art as expression that has no direct gain thing is not mine. It comes from Scott McCloud’s work examining graphic art. I use it because citing relevant sources adds credibility to one’s argument. I apologize for not referencing it directly.
4. Dialogue is the most interesting part of having a “web log.” Please keep reading and poking us in out soft parts.
poke poke
1. Have fun with that. New definition: selling out happens as soon as you let anyone hear you playing your instruments. When I start making music I’m just going to imagine it playing inside my head.
2. I agree, but audiences can change the context of art they consume. Instead of listening to this music in a theater while watching vampires they could listen to it in their cars or bedrooms or whatever. If the Tweenlight association is the only thing that’s distasteful about this album then just break that association.
3. Correcting people’s grammar on the internet is pretty cool. While we’re on the pedantic train, your list has two entries for the number four.
4. 5 minutes of internet research tells me that Scott McCloud also wrote something called the “Creator’s Bill of Rights”, which includes at number 8 this:
“The right to prompt payment of a fair and equitable share of profits derived from all of our creative work.”
I’m not sure if “creative work” and “art” are the same thing, but they would have to be at least related. He seemed pretty keen on getting paid for it either way.
LOVE the calling out of the double number four issue! Too trashed to comment intelligently, but nice eye! Haha.
I think we should offer Lachy a job.
Sure thing. Once Lachy realizes that we are correct on this whole “Art” thing. Haha. Once again, now I’m too hungover to reply intelligently. My apologies, Lachy. Our repartee has been excellent, however. Thanks for reading and being articulate. We don’t get enough of that around here.
I agree. What I dig about Lachy is he knows his music and takes it seriously – just has a different perspective about it than we seem to. And he deftly sidestepped Brian’s bombs. Besides, we’re gonna need the muscle when we implement Project Don’t Ever Big Time Citizen Dick. Right Brian and Rob?