Hey Trembling Eagle - I'm wondering what you think of that new Nickleback CD - Would love to hear your thoughts!
Respectfully,
Eli "Rocker" Braden
hey.
I haven't heard the new Nickleback CD but I have heard the band/group before and the lead singer has a strong, good voice, the other band members sound competent at whatever they're doing (it's not my thing so I dunno) but ultimately it sounds soul-less and rather mechanical to my ears. It seems that group could easily be played on a "young" country radio station and fit right in, steel guitars, mandolins and fiddles are all that's missing.
Speaking of Country, I sometimes am forced to listen to a song or two here and there. I'm always struck by the amazing production on those country songs. Its like a whole fucking orchestra of pitch perfect musicians on every track. Apart from the vile lyrics and the forgettable vocalists, male and female, you have to hand it to Nashville. You can go anywhere in the continental United States turn on a radio and hear concert level steel guitar and mandolin playing. That's notable, how this particular strain of Scots-Irish culture became so entrenched codified into not only the collective zeitgeist but a thriving sub-industry, is worthy of study. That you don't see a similar industry pop up around blues guitar, gospel singing or German beer hall songs tells us something. What, I don't know.
I usually think this music isn't for me, I didn't grow up with it, who am I to judge? But then I'll hear something like Johny Cash, Billy Joe Shaver, or Steve Earle and I like it. Just like I spent most of my life thinking I didn't like R&B. Come to find out I just didn't like the shite on radio. Urban radio is whole other sad state of affairs not only is it morally and culturally bankrupt but most of it is just so poorly fucking made. "Radio programming" isn't just a phrase of speech as Stic from Dead Prez says.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3ybRH3IyYA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISFNTRaXRiIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpk3NfqIg4your brother in iron,
Trembling Eagle