Thought Provoking Article on Audio Reviewers and Music

markmarc

This was posted yesterday on the TONEAudio website. It's a 3-5 minute read, but I hope it inspires a good weekend discussion.

The Music Never Stopped by Bob Gendron

BTW, the new issue of TONEAudio is out, all the reviews are of gear $1800 and lower.

cnh

My first question would be: How old is the 'reviewer' for FULL disclosure! Is he a grey beard or 40 and under boy?

Secondly, this question has been around for a while and you can find discussions if you do a search on this site.

Did people my generation or older 'stop' listening to music in the mid-70s? Depends on who they are.

Let's take a brief look back. 70s...the decade trails into the rise of Bob Marley and the Reggae craze, followed by Punk Rock, and later Seattle Grundge. And within that you have the explosion of Rap and its children (which is still alive and well), and Musical Fusions which are the child of a globalized economy, a commonwealth of possibility in the wake of Postmodern thought and cultures? In the high brow world there were Reich and Glass and Minimalism. And in our major cities as Latio populations swelled...salsa and various Afro-Caribbean rhythms exploded onto the scene, collections by Cooder, Byrne and meldings by artists like Manu Chao frolicked across the musical landscape. And Asian composers like Tan Dun wrote scores for global audiences (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). The African Music of artists like King Sunny Ade, etc. mesmerized thousands! Artists like Evora and Virginia Rodriquez brought new life to afro-inspired spiritual pop traditions.

And, as pointed out above, older artists like Dylan, Morrison, etc. continued to rephrase their own songs?

And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Is any of this 'better' than the Golden Age (60-?). That's not really a good question. The question that one should ask is why this period of time has seemingly more 'continuity' with its past than our parents generation did.

My daughter and my son can listen to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, etc. and still be into them? And I can occasionally share some song that they're into, though "I" am far pickier than they are.

Now my synoptic glance above is 'hardly' representative of all that has transpired since I left Grad School in the 80s, and others should feel free to add to it. But what I would say is that we're still experimenting and adding to what happened in my youth--some of it 'good', some of it 'trash', and some of it heading off toward new horizons. And we're all better off for it.

cnh

markmarc

cnh:
I believe Bob is in his late forties/early fifties.

Yes, the forum has discussed this before, but what Bob says is quite profound, especially if you read the original piece by John Marks that Bob Gendron is responding to.

Erik Tracy

markmarc wrote: »

cnh:
I believe Bob is in his late forties/early fifties.

Yes, the forum has discussed this before, but what Bob says is quite profound, especially if you read the original piece by John Marks that Bob Gendron is responding to.

Every generation can be said, in general terms, to 'close the box' on their musical tastes and regard newer music as trash or not as good.

I think what he says is a reminder to keep your mind and ears open - the really good music could still be waiting to be composed...:biggrin:

TNRabbit

cnh wrote: »

My first question would be: How old is the 'reviewer' for FULL disclosure! Is he a grey beard or 40 and under boy?

Secondly, this question has been around for a while and you can find discussions if you do a search on this site.

Did people my generation or older 'stop' listening to music in the mid-70s? Depends on who they are.

Let's take a brief look back. 70s...the decade trails into the rise of Bob Marley and the Reggae craze, followed by Punk Rock, and later Seattle Grundge. And within that you have the explosion of Rap and its children (which is still alive and well), and Musical Fusions which are the child of a globalized economy, a commonwealth of possibility in the wake of Postmodern thought and cultures? In the high brow world there were Reich and Glass and Minimalism. And in our major cities as Latio populations swelled...salsa and various Afro-Caribbean rhythms exploded onto the scene, collections by Cooder, Byrne and meldings by artists like Manu Chao frolicked across the musical landscape. And Asian composers like Tan Dun wrote scores for global audiences (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). The African Music of artists like King Sunny Ade, etc. mesmerized thousands! Artists like Evora and Virginia Rodriquez brought new life to afro-inspired spiritual pop traditions.

And, as pointed out above, older artists like Dylan, Morrison, etc. continued to rephrase their own songs?

And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Is any of this 'better' than the Golden Age (60-?). That's not really a good question. The question that one should ask is why this period of time has seemingly more 'continuity' with its past than our parents generation did.

My daughter and my son can listen to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, etc. and still be into them? And I can occasionally share some song that they're into, though "I" am far pickier than they are.

Now my synoptic glance above is 'hardly' representative of all that has transpired since I left Grad School in the 80s, and others should feel free to add to it. But what I would say is that we're still experimenting and adding to what happened in my youth--some of it 'good', some of it 'trash', and some of it heading off toward new horizons. And we're all better off for it.

cnh

That is an outstanding write-up. Thank you~

quadzilla

For me it was weirder. I started listening to music when I was around 6. It started as mostly the stuff my parents listened to, but I pretty quickly discovered classical, and always loved that. More strangely, after finding I liked classical, I started getting into rock in the mid-70s. From there, I developed likes for new-wave, punk, jazz, then got into the rock-fusion from players like Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai, etc. When grunge first hit, I wasn't that impressed, but it grew on me over time. Even now, I still find new bands that I like. Part of that is that I hear the nods to those that came before, but I also hear what the new bands add.

In short, I guess I'd be classed as a grey beard, if that line is 40. But I'm still finding new composers and new bands to like. So what I'm really saying is that I never closed the box. But I do know a lot of people that have. In fact, I'd say most people I know haven't heard a new band in 20 years. They're comfortable with the stuff they grew up with, and that's where they're going to stay.

dorokusai

I can't stand reading reviews.

BlueFox

I can't stand reading reviews.

Oh come on, they aren't that bad.

Personally, I love reading about gear, music, and someones opinion of it. Since it is only an opinion, I can interpret it based on how well the writer seems to know the subject, past reviews, and general writing style. Especially if the review is for something I know I will never buy.

LessisNevermore

My personal take, is the reason there is a perceived musical "sweet spot", for lack of a better term, is still on the production side. The timing pretty much coincides with the sweet spot.

Business overtook the art. IMO, it can't be simplified into any lower terms.

The guys who had the talent to produce great sounding recordings, were pressed to push out more and more, no longer getting the time to do the little things that made a recording shine.

The capability to make great recordings has never been more widely available, or accessible. For less than $1000, you can set yourself up with a home recording rig, that can produce shockingly great sound, right out of the box. Spend a bit more, and you are getting very close to what the big boys can do, provided you have the skill.

So having said that, the gear can't be blamed. There are great sounding recordings of modern music...but they are only possible, because the extra time was taken to achieve great sound. Big studios (the ones that are left) have to charge a fortune, to cover their costs. I say the ones that are left, because, between the pressure of increasingly smaller budgets from the labels, and affordability of home recording gear, they are closing shop at an alarming rate. Add in a liberal dose of slow sales, and here we are. Viscous cycle.

Business has overtaken the art.