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| From | "Rick McCall" <rmccall@cox-internet.com> |
| Subject | The Same |
| Date | Sat, 22 Feb 2003 11:19:10 -0600 |
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Since dollars are in very short supply the past couple of years, cd buying
has been way down (like two last year, including the Jellyfish box). None
this year until last week when I found Aimee Mann's Lost In Space really
cheap.
Even though I've always liked her, this cd wasn't near the top of my want
list because I'd read numerous Auditeers say it all sounded the same, as did
most of her music.
Gotta say, this is Mann's finest moment, IMO. Production that sounds full,
but not overblown and excellent, memorable melodies. And there's something
soothing about that voice. Humpty Dumpty would be perfectly at home on
Badfinger's Straight Up if Pete Ham was singing. Just a terrific cut.
At any rate, this got me to thinking...sameness is usually used as a
negative in regard to a musician's sound. But to me, if everything Aimee
Mann did sounded like Lost In Space, I don't think I'd be bored.
Others, like Myracle Brah, sound the same (I'd place Adam Schmitt in that
category as well) and although I enjoy them, I do move on after a while.
Badfinger had a huge sameness to their sound, but I loved it all.
However...some of the artists who have shown remarkable versitility can also
get old to me. Bowie has gone through more changes than most people go
through clothes and he finally lost me after Let's Dance. Up to that point,
I thought he was a genius. Now he seems washed up.
The Beatles were quite varied in their approach and never bored me
(including the doodlings on the White Album) except for parts of Let It Be.
Japan/David Sylvian completely reinvented themselves from a punk band (which
I enjoyed) to a neo-romantic (I'm sure there's a better term for Japan's
later sound sound - Stewart?) group to a more atmospheric feel after Sylvian
went solo. Loved it all.
Costello is another example of many changes, some of which worked and some
of which didn't, but he has always been interesting.
The Monkees sounded the same uniformly, with the exception of Nesmith's
self-penned songs. Davy or Mickie could have interchangably sung each
other's songs, although Dolenz was the far superior vocalist.
I'd be interested to discuss others who have undergone great changes
successfully or whose sound has remained the same with great success.
Rick
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