It’s plastic synthesizers, neon pinks and greens and all things huge and tasteless. The decade of decadence is governing our culture, music especially, selling nostalgia to the middle-aged and novelty to their children.
The death of Michael Jackson, no doubt the most affecting music story of the year, has created an outpour of covers, tributes and endless video montages, not to mention an ungodly number of CD sales. But while the King of Pop’s death may have supplemented the resurgence of the 1980s, the era’s influence reappeared long before June 25.
Observe two of pop’s biggest stars of the moment: Kanye West and Lady GaGa. With his shutter shades and self-professed Star status, West is the figurehead of the revival. Lady GaGa’s career thus far has been aping that of Madonna’s, though, like West, she’s found success in the rhythms and pastel synths of the 1980s.
But the era’s influence on the world of pop is not so recent, as 80s stars have laid claim to concert ticket sales for the latter half of the decade. Before last year was half over, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Van Halen had grossed $133.9 million in concert tours alone, according to Pollstar.
Barbra Streisand struck concert gold in 2006 and Tina Turner, another 80s icon, grossed $83.5 million from January through July of 2009. Bands from The Police to U2 (well, obviously) recently enjoyed a lucrative reunion tour, according to the trade magazine.
Consumers continue to pour out money for concert tickets to win back a piece of their romanticized youth, to relive corners of their lives that have long been darkened. But it’s bigger than that.
At the moment, the U.S. is on the brink: of forfeiting our decadent way of life, of joining the ranks of the unemployed, of losing ourselves in political correctness. Everything is exaggerated and merged. As in the 1980s, huge change is coming quickly and, as in the 1980s, pop is filled with big, loud character.
Perhaps artists like West and GaGa aren’t as proactive as they think they are, since they’re essentially reacting to the world around them. They aren’t producing culture as much as transmitting it. The message here is underscored by its means of delivery: LOUD is back.
It’s pretty hard to ignore what is perhaps the best remix of 2009, so far. If you’ve been anywhere remotely near the music blogosphere, chances are you already know what I’m talking about.
I’m talking about the highly anticipated Justice remix of U2‘s Get on Your Boots.
The mix is very full of Justice’s signature style, yet retains much of the original U2 feel. This is the sign of a well done remix, changing your interpretation but not your impression of the song.
One thing I’m very impressed with this mix with is how it stitches Bono’s quick lyrics in a way that makes them make perfect sense. A feat not easily done.
Fun is the new brainchild of Nate Ruess (The Format) and Andrew Dost (Anathallo). News of this project has helped keep me from spiraling down into a deep dark depression over the loss of one of the greatest pop bands of all time. While I love the name, I am slightly annoyed that yet again I will have a hard time finding anything on them with just a google search. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to hear this album. Nate has written in a blog post that these are some of the best songs that he has ever written. Not to mention that he has been getting the help of Andrew Dost for the arrangements. And if for some reason you are unfamiliar with Dost or his former band Anathallo, the guy is a musical genius who can play pretty much any instrument, “switching from singing and playing the glockenspiel to playing the piano and flugelhorn” all mid-song. Not a joke, I’ve seen him do it. So far they are still unsigned, which I am assuming is by choice, cause I don’t know why all the labels wouldn’t be fighting over them. But as long as the new album gets finished and makes it to my ears, I don’t care how they do it. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more information to share with you all. But I will leave you with this great demo version of one of their new songs.
Unfortunately they have only updated their studio journal 3 times in the past three months, so I’ve learned a whole lot of nothing about this new record. Except that it is going to have a reggae song in it and that Ryan plays an omnichord on one of the tracks. But honestly all it takes for me to get excited about a new Guster album is to know that it is being made. These guys put on one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen (easily top 3) and their last few studio albums have just blown me away. There are tracks on Keep It Together that still give me chills. Like the track I sampled below for those poor unfortunate souls that have yet to discover the wonders of Guster.
Here is a video of some guy named Larry playing a fluglehorn on one of the new songs that is tentatively titled “Lost at Sea.”
Yeah I know, I am behind again. Another of my most anticipated albums got released before I could write about it. And unfortunately I have been too busy and too poor to listen to it. But I will tell you why they made it all the way into my top five. It is because somehow Bono and his crew have not only managed to have an incredibly successful and lucritive music career that has spanned over 3 full decades now. And all the while they have managed to attain the attention and the respect of both music critics and the mainstream media. So for as long as they are in the business I am sure that I will get excited about anything that they create. Not to mention, they were like my second music love as a child. Although I must say that I am slightly disappointed with “Get on your Boots.” It seems to be a less awesome “Vertigo” in my mind.
The creators of our favorite album of 2006 are finally back with their fifth studio album, The Hazards of Love. I absolutely cannot wait to hear what apparently started out as a musical, and has turned into yet another themed record from The Decemberists. According to frontman Colin Meloy, it is a “mossy and evil” record, that tells the story of a woman named Margaret. I absolutely adore how nearly every song they write tells a story, and I am excited to know that this new album has a cohesive story to tell. I am also glad to know that My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden, has lent her gorgeous voice to a fair number of tracks.
It’s plastic synthesizers, neon pinks and greens and all things huge and tasteless. The decade of decadence is governing our culture, music especially, selling nostalgia to the middle-aged and novelty to their children.
