On Wed, 17 Mar 1999, Matt Benz wrote:
> with such sudden musical changes is funny. It is a radical jump from one
> album to the next. People who like the Neil Young sound don't rush out
> and embrace his rockabilly big band techno albums either. People like
> consistancy. Not everyone is so embracing of the wide range of pop and
> rock stylings that a artist may feel like playing. Not everyone is so
> well rounded as some of the folks on p2. No big deal, just the way it
Ah ah buster.....not so fast. I followed Neil Young through all of his
iterations and really, enjoyed all of them, including _Trans_. I
despise consistancy. Probably another reason I liked Dave Edmunds' Jeff
Lynne phase....it just sounded different. "Different is good",
remember the ad? Sigh......you are probably right Matt. People want a
constant sound/feel. I don't think _Nebraska_ or _Tom Joad_ did any
wonders for Springsteen's popularity. I doubt _Sweethearts of the Rodeo_
added a multitude of fans to the Byrd's popularity. The last Sam Phillips
and Maria McKee albums ripped away popularity and in McKee's case, cost
her a contract.
Tweedy's comments are also reminding me of the statements that Emmylou
made trying to *defend* her Lanois produced _Wrecking Ball_ album.
Dammit, sometime the artists just want to stretch and critics & fans alike
have to find something, anything worth bitching about.
I'm finding Tweedy's transformation equally fascinating as Neil
Young's although I totally agree with your point regarding alienating
fans. He's just feeling so frigging defensive about being asked about his
changing musical direction particularly in the face of his "deified"
musical past. That's a bit annoying to say the least.
I wish he'd relax and just say, that's he's exploring directions that he's
always wanted to go down. You know what else I really do believe,
although I'll be nice and not attribute this to be his main motive....he's
moving his material closer and closer to stuff that could attain
commercial acceptabiltiy and viability.
I'l just say that he's follwing his heart and following that ELO jones
that I've also harbored all of these years <g>.
Jerry
NP: Wilco - Summerteeth
My opinion: It's so interesting with the synthesizers and layered sounds,
wonderful record sonically. Again, I think the writing is really flat and
uninteresting. This seems to be a problem w/ Wilco for many P2'ers. I
also find the violence a bit disturbing. Again however, I love
the sound of this release.
