Richard Carpenter on Fresh Air

I downloaded something like 70 podcasts yesterday. On November 25, Ms. Gross interviewed Richard Carpenter of the Carpenters, promoting some new compilation or something. When comparing the Carpenters' original version of "Superstar" to Sonic Youth's (ultimately chart-topping via Juno) version, he said he did not understand or care for the band's rendition. He also calls anyone who thinks the Carpenters are cheesy "ignoramuses". He claims the Carpenters are purveyors of classic American popular music. I concede the Carpenters' version is superior.

For more on the evolution of popular music styles, how Richard might fail to understand Thurston, and how the totally trad Carpenters and Sonic Youth fit into the history of American popular music, I heartily recommend How the Beatles Destroyed Rock and Roll by Elijah Wald. Illuminating stuff, that barely touches on the Beatles, tracing the history of the most popular musicians and recordings that have been (rightfully?) ignored by critics. A whole bunch on Paul Whiteman. Populist without being apologetic or critically compromising. Quite a read.

Also, I recommend Fresh Air.


I swear the Taylor Swift post is coming. Boy, am I pooped.

Michael Jackson - The Defintive Collection

Hiatus over. Another review.

Yet Another Killers Christmas

Finally, the fourth Killers Christmas song. Picking up where "Don't Shoot Me Santa" left off, appropriately ignoring the unfortunately forgettable Elton John/Neil Tennant colab from last year.

The video is a sequel of sorts to "When You Were Young", keeping with the Southwest imagery dating all the way back to "All These Things I've Done". Also, it stars Luke Perry.

They never cease to excite. Brandon Flowers is a velvet painting brought to life. Somebody buy me that damn live DVD.



What is this A video blog? I promise some real posts soon. Probably about Taylor Swift.

Not a Taylor Swift Cover

But still awesome.

From what I can tell, the rest of what they did was sorta reggae. Enjoy.

Genesis is back together

From last night's supposedly decent SNL. I think Jason Sudeikis is probs my favorite.

I’d get a thousand hugs/From ten thousand lightning bugs

After learning that Owl City had somehow reached the top spot on Billboard, I've become sort of obsessed. How the hell did a Postal Service ripoff with what are probably the worst lyrics ever, become a pop phenomenon? Opportunism, that's how! Here's an bit from an article in the NYT (via Maura):

Critics and bloggers have been nearly unanimous in comparing Owl City’s sound, favorably or not, to that of the Postal Service, a Death Cab for Cutie side project whose 2003 album “Give Up” became a surprise hit yet hasn’t released another record. When asked about the similarity, Mr. Young said the Postal Service was never a model yet he considered the comparisons an honor.

But he also wasn’t too shy to note that he has profited from the other band’s recent absence. “They released a record in 2003, and that was it,” he said. “There was really nothing to compare it to until some one else came along and wrote the next chapter. Maybe that’s this record. Maybe that’s this band.”

As with any new band that strikes it big with one song — on the radio, MySpace, in a movie soundtrack — the big question is whether Mr. Young can repeat his success. He is already cultivating a global audience: this week he left for an Asian tour, and has dates booked into March as far as Europe and Australia. But for now, Mr. Young said, the weirdest thing about fame is simply all the new friends who have come out of the woodwork back home.

“People I remember making fun of me back in high school want to hang out and go to Applebee’s,” he said. “I’m happy to do it.”

Apparently his fame is as "weird" as his hatred for goodbyes! Also:

The first time Owl City played in New York, at the 575-capacity Bowery Ballroom in May, the buzz was strong, but the show didn’t sell out; by the time he returned in September, at the same club, there were lines around the block, and Taylor Swift showed up.

Taylor, no!

Listomania Redux

Here's some further meta-commentary on NPR's year-end lists, making this my most meta post ever.

In related news: Jody Rosen is a dude? what? Huh, maybe that explains that stupid Lily Allen review.

***

Two reactions to the original Rosen piece: Christgau contributes music review, and he's into populism (albeit self-consciously academic populism for decades). Also, I dig Sound Opinions, even if they brought on Grizzly Bear as a musical guest. Of course, Bob "Blazes" Boylan is still a jackass.