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Author: breno
Date: 01-01-12 11:35
Every 2 to 3 years declared to have returned to form, sometimes stunningly so:
Neil Young
Woody Allen
Sonic Youth
Stephen King
Willie Nelson
Pearl Jam
The X-Men family of comics
30 Rock
Steven Spielberg
HBO Sunday Nights
Gus Van Sant
David Letterman
On the once a decade plan for being declared returned to form:
Prince
Elvis Costello
Bob Dylan
Saturday Night Live
Mick Jones
Jay Farrar/Son Volt
Electronic music
Whoopi Goldberg
The Star Trek Franchise
Cowboy Junkies
Bob Mould
NASA
The Sitcom
The Crime Drama
The Hospital Drama
Every five years declared officially returned to form, then instantly un-declared returned to form:
Paul McCartney
Post Edited (01-01-12 11:48)
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Author: nosepail
Date: 01-01-12 15:59
Neil Young definitely belongs in the second list since he definitely does put out something good every 2-3 years.
Rust Never Sleeps
Ragged Glory
Harvest Moon
<wait for it....>
Prince puts out great shit all the time, so he belongs in the first list.
Dylan has beeen done since Blood On The Tracks in 1974. Now he is perhaps the saddest figure in all of music. Not sure what that list should be called.
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Author: erikalbany
Date: 01-01-12 16:33
I think there should be a special list for Oliver Stone. . . though I'm not sure what it would be called.
"Dylan has been done since Blood On The Tracks in 1974."
I like Slow Train Coming and Desire from the late 1970s. His albums from 1997, 2001, and 2006 certainly got accolades as well. Of those, I do like Modern Times a lot (2006).
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Author: breno
Date: 01-01-12 16:50
Just to clarify, I'm only making on observation regarding the declarations in the media that someone has "returned to form," not necessarily the reality if they have done so or if they have ever even needed to. Some people just seem to get the description tossed at them every few years like clockwork.
Oliver Stone used to return to "troublemaking" or "controversial" form every couple of years, but no one's really declared him as being in any kind of form for quite a while now.
Post Edited (01-01-12 16:51)
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Author: hoip chiggs
Date: 01-01-12 20:05
David Letterman lost his form decades ago. He entertains like a doddering, obnoxious uncle. Letterman: bitter, tough & sarcastic -- New York: bitter, tough & sarcastic. I get it already.
Post Edited (01-01-12 20:06)
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Author: Michael Toland
Date: 01-02-12 09:13
My problems with the phrase "return to form" are (a) that it doesn't have a consistent meaning and (b) it often seems to be damning with faint praise.
In music criticism, it usually means "sounds like they did when we first liked them," which is probably what an artist trying to grow and evolve wants to hear. It's always a good thing anyway, considering how difficult it is to recapture the flavor of one's past without coming across as cynical.
For sitcoms and comedy stars, it seems to mean "he/it's funny again." At least that can incorporate evolution.
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Author: erikalbany
Date: 01-02-12 09:16
"For sitcoms and comedy stars, it seems to mean 'he/it's funny again.' At least that can incorporate evolution."
Again, I'm thinking of a "special" list--this time for Tim Allen, who seems to be back but who, never having been funny or in form, can't be so "again."
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