Let me start this blog entry with a statement. Matthew Friedberger's solo work, Winter Woman in particular, is nothing short of genius. Rewind three days ago. I'm in the middle of an extended surfing period (also known as, my life), when I come across an exciting fact. "Tomorrow the new Fiery Furnaces album Widow City is coming out" is the thought that followed the reading of this fact. In whatever desire I have to understand my favorite band's progression in some sort of chronological order, I figured before I give Widow City it's first listen, I should dig up those Friedberger solo albums and give them a second shot. You know, those albums that have a "1" play count. Or I mean, the first 6 songs have a "1" play count, at which point during the middle of the 7th song on 3/2/2007 (last played) I decided that it was too awful to continue, and switched back over to Blueberry Boat. THOSE albums!
Anyway, before diving in, I of course pull up the Pitchfork review, because I'm a tasteless zombie who can't think for myself. Quick scan, I see a blurb along the lines of "Winter Woman is the popppp album". I see some other shit about blah blah, Blueberry Boat is better, and at this point am ready to agree. I throw on Winter Woman and start up Warcraft 3, my favorite game to play while grudgingly listening to music.
A flutter of discombobulated drums kicks in, the sound of someone balancing a basket full of drum machines on his head, and slipping on a banana peel. The harmonic minor scale kicks in and I realize I'm in for a rough ride. Then, around the third song something happens. Friedberger hooks me right through the cheek with a gorgeous harmonica line: I'm infatuated. My mindset is now completely different. There is something I enjoy between this unnecessary garbage.
Now comes the interesting part. How do I justify this to myself? When chatting about this album am I supposed to say, "Yea, its pretty terrible, besides that harmonica line on Up The River"? Am I the kind of person who latches to music based on aesthetic pleasure, giving no merit to complete or conceptual vision? No way. I do something just as illogical: I force myself to like the rest.
Question time. How much control do we have over ourselves as humans? Who is more true to themselves? The ear candy simpleton who bases their taste around pleasurable aesthetics (I just like what I like man!)? Or the calculated chameleon who adheres strongly to certain "values" in music? I can't answer these questions. But what I can tell you about myself is that bit by bit, for the past three days, Winter Woman has consumed my life.
In this mindset, the seemingly tasteless gear-shifts now reek of artistic genius. I find myself tapping to these beats when thinking about them, in rhythms I don't understand or imagine even existed. Suddenly I'm a fan of something I thought I hated, prog-rock (or this album even for christ's sake!?)!!! Was this my stubborn doing or the inevitable fate of my tastes and values? A little from A and B I believe. Power to the self-determinists!
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2 comments:
1. Winter Women is awesome. It has some dips, but when it's good, it's spectacular.
2. Thoughts on Holy Ghost Language School? I've had it for well over a year and still haven't listened to more than a track or two.
3. You're an awesome writer...seriously dude, well done.
Thanks man I appreciate it! I haven't given HGLS a fair shot yet based on its premise, but ironically the songs I've dabbled in sound pretty accessible.
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