Interesting that self destructive/depressive personalities like Jim Morrison, Ian Curtis and Nick Drake should cluster together at this point on the list. It would be perfect if Syd Barrett and Curt Cobain should immediately follow.
It's Morrissey and Jeff Magnum up next actually (should the RYM chart stay as it is), so close enough. Nirvana's Nevermind probably won't be until another three months whereas Syd Barrett with Piper won't be till a long way off.
I may be (or have been) a hipster. But even hipsters aren't gonna hang to a crap album. That this album was overlooked for so long isn't because it was bad. It was just overlooked. I feel Richard and Linda Thompson's albums were the same for me. I didn't feel like a movement or a member of some kind of hipster awakening. I happened upon these albums through friends or reviews and felt incredibly happy and lucky. Sometimes discovery is just discovery and not hipsters trying to out-authentic each other.
I'm surprised George resorts to a lazy, ill-defined yet derogatory cliche like "hipster" when talking about this album. His overuse of the term borders on blaming Drake for people discovering & rediscovering the thing. Dylan was a hipster. Lennon was a hipster. Jagger was a hipster. Townshend, hipster. Davies too. Etc, etc, etc.... But Drake -- NOT a hipster. This is as back-handed a review of an important album as I've seen him write. As if George is guessing at its greatness, but all he comes up with is: "hipster." Which is a very hipster thing to do.
So you use the term "hipster" respectfully, as a compliment to those who rediscovered and re(semi)popularized the work of Drake? Reread your post, or repent! My point was that the paragons you endlessly extol were themselves "hipsters" -- they were "hip" to use the slang of that time period. That's a linguistic fact (seriously, with due respect). "Hipster" is derived from that same slang term. To say the hip paragons were not hipsters is a little like saying Walt Whitman wasn't queer because the slang didn't exist. Get your cart behind the horse, or at least define your terms, especially when you insinuate some kind of pejorative meaning from them. The way you use it smacks of class. Dylan, et al, were in fact "hip"sters. You can argue that, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
Well, let us argue then that Leonardo da Vinci was an impressionist because he relied on his impressions, or that Rimbaud was a mod because his goal was to modernize the artistic world, or that Bismarck was a Nazi because he was rebuilding the German nation. Sheez. Yes, Dylan, Lennon, and Townsend were "hip", but they were not "hipsters" - not any more than being "social" makes you a "socialist", to dispel your pseudo-linguistic argument.
And, for your information, ANY sociological term that is applied to a group of people can be slagged off as "lazy", "ill-defined", and "derogatory". So is any term applied to a cultural sphere. What is "rock"? What is "pop"? There's never been a rock-solid scientific definition of these terms, and there cannot be, because the frontiers are always blurry.
I have to argue on one point. Just because there's only one guitar, it doesn't mean that the arrangement is not complex enough. Where Nick was really unique are actually his arrangements. None of the other guitar singer/songwriters come close, not Dylan, not Cohen, not even Paul Simon, who in this regard stands a bit above the two mentioned before. I'm not talking about musical ideas in general, but they are all way behind the creativity and technique of Nick Drake's guitar arrangements.
An album I could easily live without. It may be musically superb but something in his vocal delivery and overall attitude has always been too sterile and stiffened to connect with me on any personal level. If that was his artistic goal then I guess he did hit the spot but in the department of "tortured souls plucking nylon" I'd be happier to see Jackson C. Frank's only album or Cat Stevens' post-tuberculosis "Mona Bone Jakon" somewhere around here.
It is the first album in the Important Album series, which I haven't heard before. Now that I've given it several listens I may say that I like it, but something is lurking out there, and it is hard to put a finger on what it is exactly which makes me feel uneasy, somewhat disturbed. Something in his tone maybe.
I absolutely love Nick Drake and I’ve been hunting for someone like him who’s around now so I can actually go and see some live music. I read in Mojo magazine about James McArthur, they compared his stuff to Pink Moon so I downloaded the album and I love it, it’s mesmerising. The albums called Burnt Moth and I think its really Nick Drakey in parts with amazing guitar and lovely tranquil vocals not sure how hipster he is but it’s definitely worth checking out. https://jamesmcarthur.bandcamp.com/album/burnt-moth
Interesting that self destructive/depressive personalities like Jim Morrison, Ian Curtis and Nick Drake should cluster together at this point on the list. It would be perfect if Syd Barrett and Curt Cobain should immediately follow.
ReplyDeleteIt's Morrissey and Jeff Magnum up next actually (should the RYM chart stay as it is), so close enough. Nirvana's Nevermind probably won't be until another three months whereas Syd Barrett with Piper won't be till a long way off.
ReplyDeleteI may be (or have been) a hipster. But even hipsters aren't gonna hang to a crap album. That this album was overlooked for so long isn't because it was bad. It was just overlooked. I feel Richard and Linda Thompson's albums were the same for me. I didn't feel like a movement or a member of some kind of hipster awakening. I happened upon these albums through friends or reviews and felt incredibly happy and lucky. Sometimes discovery is just discovery and not hipsters trying to out-authentic each other.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised George resorts to a lazy, ill-defined yet derogatory cliche like "hipster" when talking about this album. His overuse of the term borders on blaming Drake for people discovering & rediscovering the thing. Dylan was a hipster. Lennon was a hipster. Jagger was a hipster. Townshend, hipster. Davies too. Etc, etc, etc.... But Drake -- NOT a hipster. This is as back-handed a review of an important album as I've seen him write. As if George is guessing at its greatness, but all he comes up with is: "hipster." Which is a very hipster thing to do.
DeleteThis is a pretty misguided comment.
Delete1) I am not calling Drake a hipster, so there is no need to vehemently argue against something I have not said.
2) I am not blaming Drake for anything, so there is no need to invent phantom crimes on my part.
3) Neither Dylan nor Lennon nor Jagger nor Townsend were hipsters because the term did not even exist at the time.
So you use the term "hipster" respectfully, as a compliment to those who rediscovered and re(semi)popularized the work of Drake? Reread your post, or repent! My point was that the paragons you endlessly extol were themselves "hipsters" -- they were "hip" to use the slang of that time period. That's a linguistic fact (seriously, with due respect). "Hipster" is derived from that same slang term. To say the hip paragons were not hipsters is a little like saying Walt Whitman wasn't queer because the slang didn't exist. Get your cart behind the horse, or at least define your terms, especially when you insinuate some kind of pejorative meaning from them. The way you use it smacks of class. Dylan, et al, were in fact "hip"sters. You can argue that, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
DeleteWell, let us argue then that Leonardo da Vinci was an impressionist because he relied on his impressions, or that Rimbaud was a mod because his goal was to modernize the artistic world, or that Bismarck was a Nazi because he was rebuilding the German nation. Sheez. Yes, Dylan, Lennon, and Townsend were "hip", but they were not "hipsters" - not any more than being "social" makes you a "socialist", to dispel your pseudo-linguistic argument.
DeleteAnd, for your information, ANY sociological term that is applied to a group of people can be slagged off as "lazy", "ill-defined", and "derogatory". So is any term applied to a cultural sphere. What is "rock"? What is "pop"? There's never been a rock-solid scientific definition of these terms, and there cannot be, because the frontiers are always blurry.
I honestly can't predict at all what George's reaction will be to "The Queen is Dead" or "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." Should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteHe will shelve the former and murder the latter.
DeleteHe gave the first smiths album a (relatively) positive review on his old site... though admittedly that doesnt mean he'll really like TQID though
DeleteI have to argue on one point. Just because there's only one guitar, it doesn't mean that the arrangement is not complex enough. Where Nick was really unique are actually his arrangements. None of the other guitar singer/songwriters come close, not Dylan, not Cohen, not even Paul Simon, who in this regard stands a bit above the two mentioned before. I'm not talking about musical ideas in general, but they are all way behind the creativity and technique of Nick Drake's guitar arrangements.
ReplyDeleteAn album I could easily live without. It may be musically superb but something in his vocal delivery and overall attitude has always been too sterile and stiffened to connect with me on any personal level. If that was his artistic goal then I guess he did hit the spot but in the department of "tortured souls plucking nylon" I'd be happier to see Jackson C. Frank's only album or Cat Stevens' post-tuberculosis "Mona Bone Jakon" somewhere around here.
ReplyDeleteIt is the first album in the Important Album series, which I haven't heard before. Now that I've given it several listens I may say that I like it, but something is lurking out there, and it is hard to put a finger on what it is exactly which makes me feel uneasy, somewhat disturbed. Something in his tone maybe.
ReplyDeleteFunny that in this series poor Georrge gave the worst scores to the best records..
ReplyDeleteThere is no way "Kid A" is as good as you're trying to hype it up as, friend.
DeleteI absolutely love Nick Drake and I’ve been hunting for someone like him who’s around now so I can actually go and see some live music. I read in Mojo magazine about James McArthur, they compared his stuff to Pink Moon so I downloaded the album and I love it, it’s mesmerising. The albums called Burnt Moth and I think its really Nick Drakey in parts with amazing guitar and lovely tranquil vocals not sure how hipster he is but it’s definitely worth checking out. https://jamesmcarthur.bandcamp.com/album/burnt-moth
ReplyDelete