Music since the year 2000 has gone through three phases, which can be bracketed by the most prominent popular song at the turn of each decade. 1. … Baby One More Time by Britney Spears (1999) 2. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga (2009) 3. bad guy by Billie Eilish (2019) While the first and second … Continue reading Donda, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, and the sonic revolution of the 2020s
Tag: Art
Evangelion, Ye, and the tragedy of true artistry in modernity
After watching the Japanese manga Evangelion TV series ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’, the End of Evangelion film and the Rebuild saga of remake films — directed by the visionary Hideaki Anno — I perused YouTube videos blending Evangelion snippets with the music of Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. One comment struck me as … Continue reading Evangelion, Ye, and the tragedy of true artistry in modernity
The art of questioning: A complete set of predictions for 2023
I would like to give a systematic set of predictions — some general and abstract, some more precise and concrete — for the coming year. I make predictions not principally to make a ‘prophecy’ about the future. Rather, I wish to test, in a very loose way, my analysis of the present by extending current … Continue reading The art of questioning: A complete set of predictions for 2023
the art of love
why is it that every time i am asked to look for a new girl From Michael Curtiz and Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ (pictured: Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby). a new woman a lady to share in my affections i cannot bring myself to let go of the past i cannot help but bring myself … Continue reading the art of love
Drake just released an alright album? Well, um, no …
Drake releases too many albums that are too long. Or maybe he is just an artist seeing what works. I mean, maybe. Let’s see. The album cover to Donda by Ye, a cover which is much preferable to Drake’s recent choice in artwork across his albums in the 2020s. Her Loss opens with Drake declaring, … Continue reading Drake just released an alright album? Well, um, no …
Jennie is the Kanye of Blackpink
First published on 18 October 2022. Blackpink’s announced leader is often said to be Jennie, who like overlooked member Jisoo is older than the younger prominent members Rosé and Lisa. Jennie also has a new song, played at the Seoul debut of the world tour for Blackpink’s second LP, Born Pink. And it got me … Continue reading Jennie is the Kanye of Blackpink
Rihanna’s Anti and the Lost Technical Artistry of the 2010s
The 2000s laid the technical foundations for a new musical moment in human history. The 2010s opened with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West, hosting rising stars Nicki Minaj and Rihanna as well as old greats like Jay-Z and indie act Bon Iver. This marked an artistic culmination of modern music akin to … Continue reading Rihanna’s Anti and the Lost Technical Artistry of the 2010s
Greatest Of No Time: Why Drake and Jacob Collier are not good musicians yet
Sometimes ranked among the greatest music artists of this century, and regarded by some as among the greatest musicians of all time, Kanye West has recently made forays into politics and music. I have recently commented on the political side of Kanye’s linguistic improvisation, but I would now like to turn to the musical side. … Continue reading Greatest Of No Time: Why Drake and Jacob Collier are not good musicians yet
Kant do charisma: Why Anthony Fantano is wrong about Kanye West
I have for more times than I can recall drawn a distinction between two pillars of modern music: 1. Technique, and 2. Art. Technique relates to instrumental skill and general musical nous. Think musical theory but also the practical application of this theory. What space, then, does this leave for art? Art relates to a … Continue reading Kant do charisma: Why Anthony Fantano is wrong about Kanye West
Shadows of truth: The world is poetry
I have noted a distinction between artistic expressions and statements of fact. But I think these are the same thing. The world is a fleeting image, a mirage — a poem. The world is poetry, not prose. It is artistic expression, not a statement of fact. To make this case, let me draw on a … Continue reading Shadows of truth: The world is poetry