Now, over the past two evenings, I've been playing around with StumbleUpon, or however the hell it's written. Now, I have no problem with the site. I doubt I'm using it how it's meant to be used, by just clicking every interest and going with it, but I've come across several things I'd like to comment upon.
Firstly, SoundCloud. On paper, it's a brilliant idea. Like Youtube without the visuals, allowing lovers of music and sound to have a site all to themselves, in which to listen and comment. The "comment" is where I have my problem. I'm aware there are a million and one ways to fix this problem (from go into the settings and turn it off (I presume), to turning off my monitor, to just shutting my eyes), but I still feel it's an irritating aspect of the site. That problem is the fact that every redneck from Canberra to Caledonia can put their opinion directly on the video. WHY? Did someone think "We should make this like Facebook, except the people writing comments have no idea who you are?" or some other vaguely popular site? To be perfectly honest, I'm not on Facebook or Twitter or any site more social than this one (with that one comment I'm still so proud of), so perhaps the majority of web-goers enjoy having people with no spelling or grammatical ability placing vague, uninformative comments on music (well, readers of this blog clearly show they just might). The worst part, possibly, is the fact these comments are placed at specific points in the song. How am I supposed to know if the comment "ben folds iz a nob" is in relation to his entire career, this song only, or this specific piano solo? More importantly, it encourages people to comment on parts of the song before the song has even finished.
I'm more than aware I do a little too much research into my song reviews (especially "3 Songs") and I can expect everyone to wish to do research on the back-catalogue of the artist, the song's background and context, subtle lyrical hints and other such considerations but (and I want this phrase to stick out)
If you have not heard the song, you don't have an opinion on it.
This is not to say that the "reviewer" has a bad opinion of the song, or not one worth reading, but his/her opinion is not an opinion of the song, but rather an opinion of the portion of the song that they have heard.
Now, I'm sure that many people on the site listen to the song repeatedly and carefully spellcheck their well-written, insightful and unique review, but I am yet to read one of those. What most people are doing is just judging a song on a small part of it. To give an example, imagine if I went and reviewed every album due to come out over the next year on the title alone. Would that be insightful? Accurate? It would be incredibly entertaining, but that is somewhat beside the point. In the end, it would be like the people who think they know a genre based on only a few songs.
Moving away from SoundCloud, as I wish to do, this brings up a very important point regarding my own reviews. This is not to say I do vague reviews on work I'm only vaguely familiar with (as that goes without saying), but to address my generalising. Everyone does it, but like being an irritating prick, that is no excuse.
1. "American hip-hop is angry and materialistic"
2. "Metal is pointless noise without value"
3. "Mainstream music has less value than obscure music"
Firstly, these three statements are all false, at least as I'm aware. Secondly, I'm guilty of almost outright stating and generally believing these things. I'm aware none of these are all round accurate, and probably aren't true for even the majority, but they all have a little logic behind them, and although no-one has brought any of these points up to me (as no-one gives a shit) they are things I feel guilty for believing. The 2nd statement is more a matter of taste. I don't enjoy several elements common in Metal, such as obnoxiously loud music, screamed vocals and a sense of repetitiveness, but I honestly can see the appeal, to people who view music in a different manner.
1 & 3 actually have a lot in common. In regards to 3, my logic is that music that is widely enjoyed is often easily digestible, containing no actual value, but merely one factor that everyone can enjoy. Popular music like that normally has few redeeming factors for me, but can still produce a few goodies. The problem I have with some popular songs is that good groups that only have one really big song both spend the rest of their careers attempting to re-create that song and being judged for that one song. I don't like the goldfish memory of pop. What I do like is when an artist who manages to be so good everyone can enjoy them comes along, and allows a brief but memorable moment when I know the groups everyone is talking about. Then the goldfish memory kicks back in and they're gone.
In regards to 1, I refuse to accept that this in not true for a large number of songs. I've heard them, they exist. On the other hand, I know for a fact many American rappers can do and have done things unexpected and spectacular. However, my knowledge of American rap is limited to what is popular, and what is popular is what is expected, and what is expected is what I don't like. The reason I don't like American rap, and this is far more frank than I expected to be here, is that I don't like the people making the music. The entire goal of the industry seems to be attempting to have yourself seen as the most threatening, angry and violent individual available, and why would I want to listen to that person's music? Give me a popular rapper who is like able, humble, calm and good, and I'm sold.
Now, I've attacked and defended in this post, but there is a problem.In this post I've addressed three generalisations I've made that may offend some and reaffirm the fact I'm no music expert to others. The problem is that in this post alone I've probably made half a dozen assumptions more offensive and obnoxious than these three that I'll never notice. I'm sorry for that, and although I wish to be informed and even-handed in everything I do, I'm afraid I'm merely human. My deepest apologies.
H. Rourke
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