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Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer

Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 04:49PM
I just read Delvin's review of Vampire Weekend, and found it thoughtful and convincing. While I don't think I'll ever love the effort, it's grown on me the past 6 months or so. Is this due to the hype ebbing? I don't know.

In the midst of the latest next big thing bonanza, anyone care to weigh in on The Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca? If not that, how about Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest?

I really like the artwork and typography on the Grizzly Bear album.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 05:11PM
I haven't heard either. Right now, I'm updating a few older reviews. I'll probably write about Dogs Die in Hot Cars too — one of those all-killer-no-filler recommendations I fell in love with.

Thank you for the kind words! Hype or not, Vampire Weekend didn't take any time to grow on me. Now let's see if disc #2 from the boys measures up.

Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 05:35PM
As a big Afro-pop fan, it's probably impossible for me to give Vampire Weekend anything other then a big "meh." I wouldn't mind the watered-down soukous, the Vanilla-Ice-in-a-dashiki routine if, say, Kanda Bongo Man or Diblo Dibala were getting their due. But these awesome talents are stuck in the ethno-music ghetto, ignored by the blogeratti.

I never cared for "Graceland" much either. If I knew nothing about South African mbaqanga I might have thought it was brilliant. I love Simon and Garfunkle after all.

My loss? Could be. "Vanilla-Ice-in-a-dashiki" is probably too harsh. Approaching an artist with no expectations can be difficult. I still haven't gotten over how Death Cab For Cutie are nothing like the Bonzos.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 06:19PM
I've never cared for Graceland, either, and I love me some Simon & Garfunkel, as well as quite a bit of Paul Simon's solo output. Graceland came off as very calculated. Like their lyrical point of reference, Peter Gabriel, Vampire Weekend seems sincere, yet self-aware enough to admit they're pretty inauthentic ("unnatural").

Now here's a painful analogy...I don't think the 2-Tone ska bands were "real" ska. The fact they were mostly comfortable with what they were (sidebar: which is what?) made their lack of credentials a non-issue.

If you'll recall, Vanilla Ice laid claim to street cred and a back story he did not have. The kids in Vampire Weekend may be pretentious, but they make no pretense of being real Afro-pop.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 07:34PM
I don't think the 2-Tone ska bands were "real" ska. The fact they were mostly comfortable with what they were (sidebar: which is what?) made their lack of credentials a non-issue.

Yep, that's what I'm saying about bringing in one's own expectations. Terry Hall wasn't a Jamaican rude boy any more then Vanilla Ice was a Compton gang-banger. But I knew nothing about real ska at the time, so I enjoyed them without reservations. Just as most white pop fans knew little about gangsta rap, so Mr. Van Winkle was (briefly) a legitimate thrill for them.



Post Edited (06-17-09 18:34)
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 05:45PM
> "Vanilla-Ice-in-a-dashiki" is probably too harsh.

Yes, I would have to say so. The guys in Vampire Weekend have actual talent. Still, I understand where you're coming from.

Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 06:50PM
I like Graceland a lot, esp. the title song, but I do admit that Simon seems a little more detached -- vocally-- speaking, than usual, so there's not a lot of heart in it. It's more the pop craft I admire on it.

Vampire Weekend was way too over-hyped for me when they first came out, so I avoided most of their stuff. I'll have to give them another try.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 07:22PM
Actually I almost brought up what a well written review this was when it was first written. It really made me want to hear this album. I personally have some kind of lag with bands like this. Usually after all the hype and BS die down, then I can actually hear the album properly. Well done.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 07:53PM
Delvin's the man.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 08:18PM
"I like Graceland a lot, esp. the title song, but I do admit that Simon seems a little more detached -- vocally-- speaking, than usual, so there's not a lot of heart in it. It's more the pop craft I admire on it."

If you ask me, you just described Simon's entire post S&G body of work. He's always seemed very emotionally detached to me. Though I admire the craft in his work tremendously. And I too like Graceland a lot. It's not "real" African music, but it's what turned me on to those sounds.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 17, 2009 09:11PM
Quote

I don't think the 2-Tone ska bands were "real" ska. The fact they were mostly comfortable with what they were (sidebar: which is what?) made their lack of credentials a non-issue.

Sorry, in this discussion about Vampire Weekend, I just find the comparison to 2 Tone ska bands to be weird (am I missing something?).

Many of the musicians in the various 2 Tone era bands (Specials, English Beat, Selecter) grew up in multi-racial, working class communities like Birmingham that had large Jamaican populations--and they often heard ska, rocksteady, and skinhead reggae records, which were very popular in the UK, throughout their childhoods. So this kind of Jamaican music was part of their milieu, if not their (colonialist) culture. In addition, many of the 2 Tone ska bands collaborated with, or had members who were, Jamaican musicians who were part of the original Jamaican ska era in the 60s, such as trombonist Rico Rodriguez (who played with The Specials and The Special AKA) and saxophonist Saxa (who was a member of The Beat).

While many 60s-era ska songs (a good deal of them by Prince Buster) were covered or appropriated by the 2 Tone bands, it seems that this was done more out of great affection for the tunes than any sort of exploitation of the original ska genre or musicians. The Specials et al. weren't trying to be authentic 1960s ska bands, but they created their version of ska that was appropriate and relevant to late 70s Thatcherite England (and "versioning" is a long-standing and grand tradition in Jamaican music, is it not?), which became the next step in ska's evolution: 2 Tone ska.

In general, I think the question as to whether or not a band has the right, background, or experience to play "real" (insert genre here) music is kind of dangerous. If you are a talented musician and like a certain type of music and can play it well, do it!

(Having said that, the members of Vampire Weekend are all from affluent backgrounds and met at Columbia University, while the 2 Tone ska bands grew up with Jamaican people/culture as part of their everyday lives...you know where I am going with this...)

BTW, if you aren't familiar with it, the following site has an incredible amount of info about 2 Tone, as well as a long article about all of the 60s-era ska songs that the 2 Tone bands covered: 2-tone.info.

Cheers...



Post Edited (06-18-09 09:30)
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 20, 2009 04:46PM
Quote

If you ask me, you just described Simon's entire post S&G body of work. He's always seemed very emotionally detached to me.

What I miss most about Simon & Garfunkel is the histronics.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 18, 2009 01:14AM
Thanks for the insight, Familyman. I wouldn't claim there's an obvious comparison to be made between Vampire Weekend and British ska (hence my "Here's a painful analogy" disclaimer); the point I was making was that there is a difference between paying homage to/respecting something and flat-out ripping it off.

Believe it or not, while I tend to identify as a Georgian (U.S.), I was born in the Virgin Islands and have spent a great deal of time in the USVI, Jamaica and the UK.

Instead of arguing who is more authentic (obviously not the guys who went to an Ivy League school), I'd rather appreciate the fact that artists from various backgrounds can draw upon disparate influences and respectfully develop something relevant, enjoyable and (hopefully) distinctive–note the lyrical content cited in Delvin's review, most of which I'd managed to gloss over before reading his take.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 18, 2009 01:52PM
Jermoe:

Thanks for your comments! I think my reaction was more about whether or not the 2 Tone bands played "real" ska, not questioning whether they themselves were authentic enough to take a stab at it. I realize I strayed into that territory with my post (sorry!) and took a cheap 'n' dirty swipe at VW in doing so (my bad, again).

I was trying to point out that the 2 Tone brand of ska did come about organically--and that the question of whether or not it was "real" ska doesn't/didn't matter, as they never claimed to be the heirs to The Skatalites, Laurel Aitken, or Prince Buster (they just loved their music!).

+ + + +

Speaking of vintage ska acts, a few excellent reissues have recently come out of the pipeline:

Prince Buster: "Sings His Hit Song Ten Commandments" (his 1967 US release)

Laurel Aitken: "Says Fire" (1968-1969 skinhead reggae!)

Laurel Aitken: "Ska with Laurel" (mid-60s ska)

Two other Aitken reissues are coming out later this month: "High Priest of Reggae" and "Scandal in a Brixton Market."

Also, Madness' brand new album, "The Liberty of Norton Folgate" is supposed to be terrific and is coming out on Yep Roc later this summer.

I'm a white boy/man transplanted to NYC from the 'burbs, so I ain't exactly "authentic" myself, but I love the ska music! (I also have had the pleasure of knowing and working with some of the 60s-era, 2 Tone, and 3rd Wave ska musicians...)

+ + + +

When the VW album came out, I listened to it and thought it was okay--but the massive hype surrounding it almost smothered me. Having just read Delvin's review, I think I sold them way short.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 18, 2009 11:02AM
> I almost brought up what a well written review this was when it was first written. It really
> made me want to hear this album.

What higher praise can there be! Thanks, totaji!

Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 20, 2009 05:37PM
When Bridge over Troubled Water came out, I listened to it and thought it was okay — but the massive hype generated by the duo's split just before the album's release almost smothered me. Having just read Kay's comment, I think I sold them way short.

Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
June 20, 2009 05:44PM
Many thanks to every one of you for your kind words and encouragement.

At the risk of sounding a bit narcissistic, I'd really be interested in seeing comments from those who decide to give Vampire Weekend another listen. I'd like to know if you think I was onto something with that review, or if, upon further listening, you conclude that I was way off. Thanks again.

Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
August 25, 2009 12:17AM
So I have been listening to this and enjoying it! Some of it reminds me of the Police (which I hate), but there is alot of good stuff here.

All the talk here about authenticity, can anybody give me a top ten list of great AUTHENTIC Afro-Pop tunes? I hear the Police, Culture Club, and Paul Simon on this album but what are some examples of the REAL deal.
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
August 25, 2009 01:39AM
Ask and the Onion shall deliver:

[www.avclub.com]
Re: Kudos, Mr. Neugebauer
August 25, 2009 02:22AM
Hey, that's a good article, right down to the Putumayo diss. I could have written that.

Must-have comps, mainly '70s funky flava: "Ghana Soundz", "Afro-Rock"

I hear soukous described as a VW influence, but the real deal is furiously energetic: Kanda Bongo Man "Kwasa Kwasa", Diblo Dibala "Super soukous"

The South African geniuses of mbaqanga: Malathini and/or Mahotella Queens. Best concert I ever saw. Too bad Malathini's dead.

And Fela's dead too, so see Antibalas, or Fela's son Seun Kuti. Top-notch Nigerian Afro-Beat.



Post Edited (08-25-09 15:11)
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