First posted on Mark Is Cranky:
Pop singer Esthero thinks we need a musical revolution. There's nothing subtle about her stance either:
- I'm so sick and tired of the shit on the ratio and MTV, they only play the same thing no matter where I go I see Ashanti in the video I want something more
That sassy opening to the title track of We R In Need of a Musical Revolution puts a funny twist on this point: mainstream radio is wallowing in stagnation. There's a lot of great music out there not being heard and something has to be done about it.
A musical revolution? It just might be here.
I've had this CD kicking around the 'active' pile for quite some time. Earlier this week, while giving it an Nth listen at work, I happened upon the latest issue of Wired magazine. Being a sorta neo-Luddite, I'd given up on Wired some time during its first year. The content was OK, but the hyperactive layout (things like orange text over a silver background) was enough to make your eyeballs spin counterclockwise. What caught my eye this time around was the front cover teaser: "The End of Radio (as we know it)".
Since radio has been dead to me for a number of years, I figured that this stuff was worth a look.
First up was an article on Howard Stern and satellite radio (written by Ana Marie Cox aka Wonkette...I held my nose and read on.) I've heard more than a few claims that this technology will never take off because people don't want to pay for it. We'll see. Cable television can be considered a counterexample. All I know is that I truly miss the days of free-form radio where the DJ is allowed to play whatever comes to mind. Can Howard Stern drag enough listeners over to Sirius to push it over the top? Could be. Heck, I'm kinda psyched that you can get a Tivoli/Sirius tabletop radio. Cool stuff.
Next article: 'new indie' radio station. Did you know that Steve Jones (guitar, Sex Pistols) is working for the man, the system, radio great satans: Clear Channel? That'd right. He hosts "Jonesy's Jukebox" on Los Angeles station Indie 103. This is the real deal in a true early-days-of-FM kinda way. Jones can and does play whatever he wants. That Clear Channel supports this little bit of revolution is maybe more than a little bit creepy. Their idea is to get their fingers into the coming pie of digital radio. The Luddite in me is a bit skeptical. I mean, sure, high definition radio is a decent concept but let's be realistic about this: people seem to be more than happy with crappy old mp3's. Will HD radio increase listenership significantly? Not without new content.
The third article. Adam Curry and podcasting. This is the one that broke the Luddite's back. For as long as they have been available, I've said repeatedly that I've had no interest in iPods. That changed last night.
Somehow, the idea of podcasts has never resonated with me (maybe I don't know when put that my anti-technology attitude in check). A smidge of their possibilities hit me last week while listening to a podcast by our own Duke DeMondo. Cripes, that thing was funny. Then I get to the middle of the Adam Curry/podcast article and the proverbial light bulb exploded: this technology combines all the best bits and possibilities of indie radio with the convenience of automatic updating via RSS. I can run software like iPodder and it will suck in goodies like the podcasts of Whole Wheat Radio? Yessiree, sign me up. If podcasting can push creative and eclectic community radio out in front of more hungry ears, then I'm all for it. Heck, it doesn't even have to be as organized as community radio, it can be a single person with a great idea and a laptop. The point is that, like low power FM, podcasting can (in theory anyway) wrest control of the musical 'airwaves' away from the big guys and transfer it back where it belongs: where people actually care about the music.
Since Esthero gets at least partial credit for my technological epiphany, I suppose her music deserves some attention. The title track is is a rambling pop/rock thing that delivers its message with Esthero's R&B-inflected voice. While it isn't, in and of itself, revolutionary, it does build up a considerable head of steam. "Everyday Is A Holiday (With You)" is more of a mid-tempo song done with Sean Lennon. Funny how the staccato piano chords sound so Beatlesque. I don't know if Esthero is going to make it big, but dang, her voice (especially when 'soft') is a beautiful thing. "Gone", which features Cee-Lo Green, wouldn't sound out of place on a Lauryn Hill record. I love,love,love the acoustic guitar intro (though the fake vinyl LP static effect has to go.) "This Lullabye" has a sorta bossa-nova feel going on. "I Drive Alone" is a more typical "modern R&B" tune. The closing bonus track has a very cinematic, ambient wash to it. Esthero's voice bathing in all that reverb is more than just a little bit sexy.
What really struck me about this CD was that the diversity of the songs is exactly what's missing from modern radio. Let's hope that the revolution is indeed just around the corner.
Now, anybody got any recommendations on what iPod I should get?
(For more Blogcritics reading on Esthero, click here.)
Article comments
1 - Jason @ Insomnia Radio
I'll buy Esthero's album solely based on that lyric :-)
My podcast, Insomnia Radio, has the tagline 'KILL YOUR F.M.' and I think you'll find that we feature an excellent selection of indie music, devoid of corporate radio and RIAA aftertaste.....
Great article, happy that you found podcasting!
2 - Tom Johnson
Mark, pull out all the stops and get the 60gb Photo Ipod. Forget the "Photo" tag - it's the space that matters. Apple just lowered the price on these puppies to $449 (but they don't include the dock (no big deal) or the Firewire cable (USB only - not a huge deal, either.)) Had I known, I might have held out another couple of months. $599 was just too much for 60gb, but $449 is pretty fair. If you're on a budget but still want space, the 40gb models should be discounted, as Apple will no longer be making the 40gb non-photo Ipod. Oh, and Amazon has a deal where if you sign up for their credit card you get an additional $30 off.
As for the non-Ipod contingent, I'm wary of them. I did a lot of research (3+ months) before I settled on the Ipod as my DAP, and I know there are plenty of very happy owners of competing brands, but there's a lot more owners of Rio and Creative models that have had their hard drives crap out for absolutely no reason, or parts break off. Apple may be the brand to show off, but they dominate the market for more reasons than just vanity.
The best thing you can do is go to a store that has several examples of the various players and actually get them in your hands, powered up, so you can see how it works. Once I held the Ipod and played with the menu system, I was sold.
3 - Mark Saleski
yep, when i get the bucks, i'll probably go for the biggest one available.
4 - sydney
Esthero is amazing. Her first album was a gem. It was popular in Canada but not quite so in the US, despite earing her opportunities to work with all the bug name stars in the US.
Thier will be no musical revolution untill the media and distribution companies are broken apart. Too much power consolidated into about 5 corporations. These companies, not the buying public, control the quality that the mainstream access (contrary to popular belief).
However, popular music will change styles every so often, but the stuff inthe mainstream will always be the safest and most mundane we have to offer. Thats what happens when you have a copoprate music culture.
(excuse my spelling.. lazy)