Re: Misguided, TRS

[James Mitchell <jmitchel@wheaton.edu>]

Well, my digest arrived today, with two topics to provoke a concerted
lurker.  

First, concluding a very nice article about the journey that HOL takes 
him on, Alan Stonebridge said:
Personally, I don't see much 'deep' meaning in dance music, or techno or
that general end of the spectrum.  

I really like what you said Alan, and I hope that nobody takes this barely
topical article in the wrong light.  I recently came to apreciate that
particular end of the musical spectrum, and I would like to explain why I
like it.

I love Kate because she invites such concious listening.  With songs like
The Fog she invites the listener in to a soundscape that she has created
for us.  Along the path of music and lyrics she draws out a carefully
chosen bouquet of associations that an audience has stored away.

For me, dance music is the exact opposite.  First of all, the pop genre is
designed for passive aquisition, somthing to be listened to while doing
something else entirely.  Dance music however asks for active
participation.  It is for people who have gone somewhere to do something:
dance.  Unlike Kate's music, which invites in the casual listener for a
journey of self awareness, much dance music is designed to kidnap the
purposefull listener into unconciousness of self.  

The result in both cases is to take the listener out on a trip and blow
the listener's mind.  

Now, speaking of taking the listener on a trip, there is the Red Shoes.  I
have always felt that it is really nearly a concept album, the sunrise to
sunset of a relationship.  I ought to say more, but I'm thunk out, so I'll
skip it.

Out of Darkest Suburbia...
James Mitchell					jmitchel@david.wheaton.edu