For my first blog post ever I wanted to write about something that I have been thinking about for a long time, say 1996. How is it that an artist can write a brilliant album one year and then follow it up not more than a few years later with a bunch a throw-away songs that just fail on every level that the songs on the previous album were unbelievably good.
The answer to this question came to me in an issue of Rolling Stone circa 1996 that was interviewing random musicians and asking about what they did over the summer. One of the quotes was from Grant Lee Phillips who was the force behind Grant Lee Buffalo. Grant Lee Buffalo had released a most devastatingly raw yet beautifully melancholy album in 1994 called Mighty Joe Moon. This album is probably my favorite album of all time, even beating out Joshua Tree and Paranoid Android. So his answer to the question was that he spent the summer in a cabin by a lake writing a new album while spending time with his family. At the time I thought that was cool enough, sounds like a pretty sweet gig, but then the album came out and to my dismay it sounded like an album that was written in a cabin by a lake. It was so sugary sweet that I could barely listen to it. In one song Grant reminisced for an entire song about an old tree that he climbed and played under as a child.
The unthinkable had happened, Grant had become HAPPY! Sure, thats great for Grant and all, but what happened to the haunting songs of deceptive demons(track 6) and searching for that thing called Happiness(track 10)? Grant had broken the #1 rule of great song writing: Sad songs are the best songs. An album full of happy songs makes me feel sad. I guess everyone else felt the same way because the album flopped. His next album was called Jubilee and faltered from the same happy problem causing their label to drop them and the band to break up. It wasn't until the depression hit after his band fell apart that Grant created the little masterpiece called "Ladies Love Oracle". And so the cycle repeats.
So what does all this have to do with Coldplay. Well they have a new album due out and after the disapointment of their last effort I think this one will be worse. Why? Because Chris Martin is too dang happy these days to write a good song. Thanks a lot Gwenyth. Anyways, I've nothing against the Coldplay's, but I fear that their attempt to take the torch from U2 as the world's greatest band will never happen, in fact we may never have another "world's greatest band", but that's a whole other post.
Some other examples of bands falling prey to "Happy Band Syndrome"
The Jayhawks releasing "Smile" after "Sound of Lies" in which the title track still tops my list of Saddest songs ever
Ryan Adams releasing "Gold" after "Heartbreaker", he's still trying to recover from that failure.
Any more? Let me know
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5 comments:
Loved it...you have a new fan.
Sweet blog. We are excited to read up on the music world, since we are outta the loop. We think you are right on. Your hypothesis of sad songs being the best works in other genres of music, like jazz and blues too.
Budd and Katie
hey bro it jeffers your little brother you know jeffers me and britny were talking to kate and she told us about your blog anywho i heard the new coldplay song pretty good not amazing (befor their eyes, oh sleeper, still remains, radio head in rainbows, the higher,and of course 50 cent ha ha ha anyways it would be nice to hear from my big brother brit is getting really big and the baby shower is the 30th idk if brit sent meg one since you guys will get to see her in june well love you bro call me 1 801 404 8563 celly
peace outa
What about 'Happiness' by the Weepies. I LOVE that album. . .thanks to you. . .and it is all sorts of happy.
Hey Chris! Haven't seen you since the U2 concert in SLC years ago. It's good to see your new blog.
I totally agree with you on this. I think No Doubts' best album (or Gwen Stefani's best work) was "Return of Saturn." That was right around the time she broke up with one of the band members. "Tragic Kingdom" was OK, but "Saturn" was the definitely the best of everything, including all Gwen has done since then.
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