Re: KB, SV, King Crimson, Joni, Joan Armatrading ...

[Doug Alan <nessus>]

> From: hound!hejira

>> [Me:] In German: "Deep.  Deep.  Somewhere in the darkness, give her
>> your light."

> Dankeshoen!  I'm impressed; I caught the "gib" and the "Licht", but
> nothing else.

I don't deserve the credit.  It was deciphered by a friend of mine,
who's taking German, and it took him about a week.  I didn't even know
it was German, until he told me.  It sounded to me like "Deefa.  Deefa.
Urgen voida deefa.  Keep this unleashed."

I want the German version of RUTH!!!  I know it exists, cuz someone I
know heard it while in Germany....  but no one can find it anywhere.

> You might give it (hejira) another try.

Actually, I shouldn't comment on "Hejira", cuz I haven't heard it.  But
"Wild Things Run Fast" and "Court And Spark" didn't do much for me,
though they are certainly good.

>> [Me:] Well SV is quite less challenging musically [than KB].

> True, but her lyrics are *wonderful* -- and are more accessible to a
> larger audience than those of KB.

I agree.  Suzanne Vega's music is wonderful too.  Just not as
challenging, but everyone's ears can use a rest ever now and then,
right?  I'm not convinced that Vega's lyrics are any less cryptic,
though.  (And they're not as good, but still excellent!)

>> Why does she *loathe* KB?  Too pop?  Not pop enough?  Too
>> progressive?  Not progressive enough?  Well?

> She found it "too pop".  Then again, her first exposure to KB was side
> 1 of HoL.  I told her to give it another chance, but she seems
> resigned to the notion that it's loathsome.

What does she think of Peter Gabriel?  KB is certainly no more pop than
PG.  And thinking about it, I'd say that Suzanne Vega is considerably
more pop than Kate.  Though, the "pop" part of Kate is more modern
pop....

Thinking about what "pop" means confuses me sometimes, because I usually
think of "pop" and "accessible" as being kind of synonomous.  Though
something that's accessible might be in an old style, and thus no longer
pop.  But then there are people like XTC, who do what sounds like
innaccessible pop, which almost seems like a contradition -- but that's
what it sounds like.

In any case, that's what the first three songs on "Hounds of Love" sound
like to me -- innaccessible pop.  While Suzanne Vega is more like
accessible avant-garde folk pop.  It seems to me that any accessible pop
should be considered more pop than inaccessible pop.

In any case, if you want to cure this friend of thinking that Kate Bush
is too pop, give her a tape of "The Dreaming".  Is it possible that
anyone could think that "The Dreaming" is too pop?  I think not....
unless perhaps they listen to nothing but The Residents.

If she already has her mind made up, you could not tell her it's Kate
Bush and label the tape "Cathy Shrub" or something....  She'd probably
think of a different excuse not to like it though, since people who make
up their mind determinedly on a superficial listening are like that....

> Hey, no one took up my cue.  Any Joan Armatrading fans around?

I know there's at least one other out there!  Don't be afraid of
speaking up.

> I picked up "The Key" the other night and noticed, for the first time,
> that several members of King Crimson (great group!) were backup
> musicians, as well as Stewart Copeland.

That's pretty impressive!  There's also a Roche's album that has King
Crimson minus Adrian Belew backing.

			"The more I look at it, the more I like it
			 I do think it's good"

			 Doug