L
LoafingOaf
Guest
sdavenport wrote to me in a previous thread....
> this travis album is getting great reviews and positive press
> because it's good. morrissey gets bad reviews and negative press
> because his records are crap. got it?
Of course it's very subjective, but I really don't think this can honestly be said. Clearly the British press is once again overhyping a young band that hasn't earned it, while turning its back on a more interesting artist because he's been around so long.
>just because you
> desperately WANT morrissey's records to be good doesn't change
> the reality of their saddening mediocrity.
No, what I want is for music journalists to actually review the music instead of just following trends. I'd like to see music critics elevate themselves more, to be more like critics of other art forms. I'm glad, for example, that Nick Hornby is now writing music reviews for the New Yorker (this week he reviews Aimee Mann - very good read!). He's setting an example for how it should be done.
> sure, travis' first album sucked, it's true, but this second
> one...gorgeous. and YES, it's far better than morrissey's
> worst...it's far better than several of his pathetic efforts.
> it's got a hell of a lot more in the way of emotion, catchy
> tunes and even lyrics (as silly as they are at times) than
> anything morrissey's done in ages.
Well, I guess you're more into mainstream pop like the Goo Goo Dolls and Travis while I'm generally into more distinctive stuff in the "alternative" and underground scenes. To each his own.
> you'd have to pay me to listen to "madadjusted" or
> "southpaw," but listening to travis' second album is a
> pleasure from beginning to end.
Have Travis ever written a song as good as "Reader Meet Author" (from "Southpaw Grammar") or "Trouble Loves Me" (from "Maladjusted")? Again, it's subjective, but I don't think I'm so far into my own world that I can't tell inspired songs from the conventional, formulaic and boring.
> get over morrissey - the rest of the world did a long time ago.
Have you ever heard of the 80-20 rule? It says that 80% of the population are basically mindless sheep while 20% are thinking individuals. This can be applied just about everywhere in life. I like to think - most of the time at least - that I'm part of the 20%. So I don't really care what the majority thinks. The majority doesn't think at all.
The objective proof about who's right here will be in about 10 years. If Travis is completely forgotten and Morrissey is continually referred to throughout our culture, and studied by pop music historians, and a Morrissey box set is selling at stores, I guess I'll be right and you'll be wrong. Call me crazy, but I predict that's how it's gonna play out. Unless of course Travis suddenly have real inspiration and come out with a masterpiece with their next effort. I hope they do! But it seems highly unlikely they'll ever mean much.
Meanwhile, we have news here on Morrissey-Solo that someone is writing what looks to be an interesting book called "Saint Morrissey," and the summer reading suggestions in last weekend's New York Times Book Review lists a highly praised book titled after the Morrissey song "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side." These are just the latest examples of how Morrissey has made an impact. Other recent examples are a large handful of recent films from several countries with either Morrissey songs or Morrissey references, and a novel by a famous author named after a Morrissey song. So, not exactly forgotten about, unlike the vast majority of bands the British press champions.
> this travis album is getting great reviews and positive press
> because it's good. morrissey gets bad reviews and negative press
> because his records are crap. got it?
Of course it's very subjective, but I really don't think this can honestly be said. Clearly the British press is once again overhyping a young band that hasn't earned it, while turning its back on a more interesting artist because he's been around so long.
>just because you
> desperately WANT morrissey's records to be good doesn't change
> the reality of their saddening mediocrity.
No, what I want is for music journalists to actually review the music instead of just following trends. I'd like to see music critics elevate themselves more, to be more like critics of other art forms. I'm glad, for example, that Nick Hornby is now writing music reviews for the New Yorker (this week he reviews Aimee Mann - very good read!). He's setting an example for how it should be done.
> sure, travis' first album sucked, it's true, but this second
> one...gorgeous. and YES, it's far better than morrissey's
> worst...it's far better than several of his pathetic efforts.
> it's got a hell of a lot more in the way of emotion, catchy
> tunes and even lyrics (as silly as they are at times) than
> anything morrissey's done in ages.
Well, I guess you're more into mainstream pop like the Goo Goo Dolls and Travis while I'm generally into more distinctive stuff in the "alternative" and underground scenes. To each his own.
> you'd have to pay me to listen to "madadjusted" or
> "southpaw," but listening to travis' second album is a
> pleasure from beginning to end.
Have Travis ever written a song as good as "Reader Meet Author" (from "Southpaw Grammar") or "Trouble Loves Me" (from "Maladjusted")? Again, it's subjective, but I don't think I'm so far into my own world that I can't tell inspired songs from the conventional, formulaic and boring.
> get over morrissey - the rest of the world did a long time ago.
Have you ever heard of the 80-20 rule? It says that 80% of the population are basically mindless sheep while 20% are thinking individuals. This can be applied just about everywhere in life. I like to think - most of the time at least - that I'm part of the 20%. So I don't really care what the majority thinks. The majority doesn't think at all.
The objective proof about who's right here will be in about 10 years. If Travis is completely forgotten and Morrissey is continually referred to throughout our culture, and studied by pop music historians, and a Morrissey box set is selling at stores, I guess I'll be right and you'll be wrong. Call me crazy, but I predict that's how it's gonna play out. Unless of course Travis suddenly have real inspiration and come out with a masterpiece with their next effort. I hope they do! But it seems highly unlikely they'll ever mean much.
Meanwhile, we have news here on Morrissey-Solo that someone is writing what looks to be an interesting book called "Saint Morrissey," and the summer reading suggestions in last weekend's New York Times Book Review lists a highly praised book titled after the Morrissey song "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side." These are just the latest examples of how Morrissey has made an impact. Other recent examples are a large handful of recent films from several countries with either Morrissey songs or Morrissey references, and a novel by a famous author named after a Morrissey song. So, not exactly forgotten about, unlike the vast majority of bands the British press champions.
