Thursday, June 4, 2009

Little Boots vs Blur



My bullshit detector has gone walkabout momentarily.

I have no way of knowing if something like this is any good. It sounds like typically overwrought wish-I-was-still-teenage angst to me, too florid and aware of itself to give the song the vulnerability and poignancy it requires... but there again, isn't that what I-wish-I-was-still-a-teen love is all about? I didn't particularly enjoy Blur's original so much either: it was OK, but sat rather uncomfortably with the chirpy-chirpy-cheapness of the crowd-pleasers, and you couldn't pogo to it, no way. My wife loves it, though.

And, as to whether or not I think Little Boots is a good, a decent, a worthwhile thing, based on this one clip (and a couple of others I peeked at)... um, I tend to think not. I'm sure she believes she loves the song, but she doesn't communicate that love - not to me - and she doesn't communicate any desire for the song's object, which presumably is the point. I distrust anyone who plays piano so traditionally and rigidly. I'm not saying she's as bad as Tori Amos yet but... give her time. Give her time.

I mean, she's rather anodyne.
Posted by Jerry at 5:56 AM
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7 comments:

  1. Susi O'NeillJune 4, 2009 at 6:14 AM

    Agreed. I think sadly like a lot of young women appearing in (almost) alt pop music nowadays she seems typical of the shallowness of the wider pop industry, all about the fame, not even really about the love and glamour that makes pop music great. Despite a great first album, I think Goldfrapp's got a lot to answer for.

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  2. everetttrueJune 4, 2009 at 6:16 AM

    Yeah, never considered Goldfrapp but... I'm in complete agreement with you there.

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  3. alistairJune 4, 2009 at 7:30 AM

    I kinda liked that Blur song at the time, but this recording seems to be so lacking in, well, ANYthing remotely engaging. I don't understand these young people today. Which is a large percentage of the whole point of course... It's also kinda why making any critical commentary on it is almost pointless: it's very unlikely that the target audience of the music is going to have the slightest interest in what someone of my generation would think. And why should they? Even when my generation was young there was only a tiny minority (relatively speaking) who bothered what older generations of critics were saying. And they all wanted to be music journalists anyway, so... Okay, i should REALLY be thinking of my job interview in a hours time...

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  4. FnarfJune 4, 2009 at 12:16 PM

    Today's random pop tart association: Taylor Dayne. The piano thing is flat-out terrible; she can't sing, sorry. I can see why boys like her. The real produced pop hits are tolerable confectionery, but by herself at the piano, no thanks.

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  5. MrLukowskiJune 6, 2009 at 8:32 AM

    I have heard some rumours about those covers videos of hers all being part of some quite elaborate, ages ago pre-planned marketing campaign to sort of warm the cockles of our hears, don't think it's very representative of her as an artist, though maybe representative of why you're meant to warm to her.

    But I think she serves up some pretty enjoyable electro pop, it is kind of anodyne, but if something can serve as a quite enjoyable celebration of anodynity (..?) I would say it is her album. Er, maybe.

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  6. BonVoyageAugust 22, 2009 at 10:42 AM

    This is a poorly conceived and poorly shot video. Translation: A bad idea. Turn the piano around and face your audience, the camera. If you're going to go all soft and tender on us with a Blur piano cover we need to see your face for expression and maximum dynamics. I'm tired of staring into your ear. Secondly this isn't some Winston Churchill conservative fireside chat so what's with the "at home" setting in the den? What are you running for Prime Mister? No! Take a few minutes to set up a more interesting stage. You might as well be singing from the next cubical in an office space. Thirdly where's her manager to talk her out of situations like this?? "Little Boots" needs to save this stuff for friends and family ONLY!

    BonVoyage

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  7. everetttrueAugust 25, 2009 at 5:27 AM

    (From Facebook)

    Larry Pickleman
    i saw little boots on tv the other night at some festival...by fuck she is vile!!
    Fri at 10:02pm · Delete

    Andrew Davenhall
    This is a poorly conceived and poorly shot video. Translation: A bad idea. Turn the piano around and face your audience, the camera. If you're going to go all soft and tender on us with a Blur piano cover we need to see your face for expression and maximum dynamics. I... Read More
    Sat at 12:53am · Delete

    ReplyDelete

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