Comments on: The Raconteurs – Almost Music 2.0 http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/ Independent music from Edinburgh, Scotland - with added gin and swearing. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:23:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3725 Matthew Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:31:53 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3725 I grew up in Vienna, but I spent three years in Singapore at the United World College between the ages of 11 and 14, so I have a pretty good idea what you're talking about. If it wasn't on MTV, then we just didn't hear about it. I managed to find a couple of decent things under my own steam, but it was unusual. It took me until 1991 to discover the Stone Roses. As to the backlash against Vampire Weekend, well I wouldn't say it was enormous or venomous. It's just the rush of enthusiasm had led to a lot of people being tired of hearing about them almost exactly as the album was released. I grew up in Vienna, but I spent three years in Singapore at the United World College between the ages of 11 and 14, so I have a pretty good idea what you’re talking about. If it wasn’t on MTV, then we just didn’t hear about it. I managed to find a couple of decent things under my own steam, but it was unusual. It took me until 1991 to discover the Stone Roses.

As to the backlash against Vampire Weekend, well I wouldn’t say it was enormous or venomous. It’s just the rush of enthusiasm had led to a lot of people being tired of hearing about them almost exactly as the album was released.

]]> By: ben http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3719 ben Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:20:29 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3719 after being awed by at the paradise you create - and that i feel i can only glimpse through the railings - i looked at your link to the the billboard albums http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/yearend/2007/charts/bb200.html ...and pity me, but welcome to my world. that IS the stuff pouring out of speakers in less civilised places. and much as i ignore it i still have some inkling of what most of the names on there might be about not being up to speed, what's this about a backlash against Vampire Weekend? is it on lots of blogs or in general (feel free to tell me to google it if need be). i'd hope there's one against Lightspeed Champion. say it's so. or is everyone being suckered by them/him (heard it on the bbc world service where i am in singapore ... but dont get me started) anyway. thank you for this posting. i would have been oblivious otherwise. i flippin love it when the press tells artists how to conduct themselves. grrrrr. a crap review by an ignoramus has got a good band banned from the main venue here in singapore it seems. after being awed by at the paradise you create – and that i feel i can only glimpse through the railings – i looked at your link to the the billboard albums
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/yearend/2007/charts/bb200.html
…and pity me, but welcome to my world. that IS the stuff pouring out of speakers in less civilised places. and much as i ignore it i still have some inkling of what most of the names on there might be about

not being up to speed, what’s this about a backlash against Vampire Weekend? is it on lots of blogs or in general (feel free to tell me to google it if need be). i’d hope there’s one against Lightspeed Champion. say it’s so. or is everyone being suckered by them/him (heard it on the bbc world service where i am in singapore … but dont get me started)

anyway. thank you for this posting. i would have been oblivious otherwise. i flippin love it when the press tells artists how to conduct themselves. grrrrr. a crap review by an ignoramus has got a good band banned from the main venue here in singapore it seems.

]]> By: Billy http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3720 Billy Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:14:12 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3720 i realised "I may have gone off on a tangent here but it really grates on me when I read things like that" may have been taken as if i was talking about what you'd said. I was, in fact, talking about the Guardian article just in case that was not clear. If you're going to Simon Breed tomorrow night we can natter on about it then. lemme know... i realised “I may have gone off on a tangent here but it really grates on me when I read things like that” may have been taken as if i was talking about what you’d said. I was, in fact, talking about the Guardian article just in case that was not clear.

If you’re going to Simon Breed tomorrow night we can natter on about it then. lemme know…

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3722 Matthew Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:53:50 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3722 Well he did seem to imply that him having to write about it pre-release and not getting the chance to offer an opinion on the album was some sort of slight. But why not write a considered piece about the actual tactics employed - it's not like there's not enough to get your teeth into. If I can write all that bollocks above then surely a professional with time, resources and training would be able to do something better. Well he did seem to imply that him having to write about it pre-release and not getting the chance to offer an opinion on the album was some sort of slight.

But why not write a considered piece about the actual tactics employed – it’s not like there’s not enough to get your teeth into. If I can write all that bollocks above then surely a professional with time, resources and training would be able to do something better.

]]> By: Billy http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3721 Billy Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:15:27 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3721 Hmm I read the article yesterday afternoon and what struck me most was how off the mark the journalist in question seems to be. When I first heard about the album my gut reaction was that it was a rather canny way of avoiding the predictable pre-release album leak - which is, perhaps unsurprisingly, spawned by hacks who receive promos months in advance - and at no time did I think this could be the start of a war against music journalism. I'm not quite sure whether Mr Bennun has an axe to grind in not being able to review the record before "the public" got their mitts on it but the article reads, as you said, like the whinging wail of a jilted teenager, only one who hasn't seemed to grasp that the whole dynamic of the musical sphere, and with it music journalism, has changed dramatically. (Perhaps thankfully) Traditional journalists are no longer the trend setting innovators of old - greater accessibility has seen to that - and it's blogs (much like this), open communication music websites (much like DiS) and MySpace that have become predominant factors in the decision making process of record buyers and gig-goers.Also, dare I say it, good old fashioned word of mouth is still alive and well, hence the initial popularity of Broken Records round these parts. I may have gone off on a tangent here but it really grates on me when I read things like that or meet other journalists who believe they have a divine right to dictate opinion. Sadly, they give the good ones a bad name. Hmm I read the article yesterday afternoon and what struck me most was how off the mark the journalist in question seems to be. When I first heard about the album my gut reaction was that it was a rather canny way of avoiding the predictable pre-release album leak – which is, perhaps unsurprisingly, spawned by hacks who receive promos months in advance – and at no time did I think this could be the start of a war against music journalism.

I’m not quite sure whether Mr Bennun has an axe to grind in not being able to review the record before “the public” got their mitts on it but the article reads, as you said, like the whinging wail of a jilted teenager, only one who hasn’t seemed to grasp that the whole dynamic of the musical sphere, and with it music journalism, has changed dramatically. (Perhaps thankfully) Traditional journalists are no longer the trend setting innovators of old – greater accessibility has seen to that – and it’s blogs (much like this), open communication music websites (much like DiS) and MySpace that have become predominant factors in the decision making process of record buyers and gig-goers.Also, dare I say it, good old fashioned word of mouth is still alive and well, hence the initial popularity of Broken Records round these parts.

I may have gone off on a tangent here but it really grates on me when I read things like that or meet other journalists who believe they have a divine right to dictate opinion. Sadly, they give the good ones a bad name.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3724 Matthew Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:55:27 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3724 That's what I mean really about creating a snowball effect, but to a large extent, like you say, I'm just not too sure how relevant that is these days. Either way, getting the buzz up to some sort of critical mass is helpful for sure. I don't think the fella who wrote the article is a total arse or anything, but the tone of the article was a little bit snide and whiney if you ask me. He made some good points in the comments. And then banned me from leaving any more feedback - fuck's sake! That’s what I mean really about creating a snowball effect, but to a large extent, like you say, I’m just not too sure how relevant that is these days. Either way, getting the buzz up to some sort of critical mass is helpful for sure.

I don’t think the fella who wrote the article is a total arse or anything, but the tone of the article was a little bit snide and whiney if you ask me. He made some good points in the comments. And then banned me from leaving any more feedback – fuck’s sake!

]]> By: Gav http://songbytoad.com/2008/03/the-raconteurs-almost-music-20/#comment-3723 Gav Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:31:23 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1423#comment-3723 The first thing I thought when I read that the album will be released immediately, was for the reasons you point out in the BitTorrent paragraph. And, you know? I wouldn't be surprised if that was the only reason. I think first week sales are still important 'cos they can create opportunities for (further) press, radio, TV spots, but I doubt the emphasis should be placed on these first week sales to the same extent as was a couple of years ago. The first thing I thought when I read that the album will be released immediately, was for the reasons you point out in the BitTorrent paragraph. And, you know? I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the only reason.

I think first week sales are still important ‘cos they can create opportunities for (further) press, radio, TV spots, but I doubt the emphasis should be placed on these first week sales to the same extent as was a couple of years ago.

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