who is Bob Lefsetz?

I understand actually criticizing Lefsetz at this point is sort of like shooting Bjork's goldfish, but I'm going to do it anyway. Like Bob, I hadn't heard Ought before their name started popping up in year-end "best of 2014 lists". Unlike Bob, I think of these lists as an opportunity to expand my knowledge, rather than a chance to confirm my pre-existing opinions. So I listened to Ought, and it turns out that I really like them. But hey, you keep right on cursing the darkness, Bob.

why does there have to be music i haven't heard of? it makes me feel weird

tbf, whoever was the editor for that list didn't google Arca either, or they'd realize the wrong label was listed for his album release

btw, for anyone who genuinely doesn't understand where lefsetz is coming from, i'll break it down for you. he is the voice of the People, and the music he likes is the People's music. people who champion music other than the music he champions are either elitist self-appointed gatekeepers, if he hasn't heard of the music, or purveyors of mind-numbing pap, if he has heard of the music and disapproves. you could actually make a decent argument that he is in fact the voice of the People considering the sheer number of people who have exactly this approach to judging the aesthetic value of creative work...

I just love his idea that some eager young music fans are going to have their spirits crushed because they excitedly go to listen to a White Lung song and are so disillusioned they give up on music forever.

this guy's ideology is so genuinely bizarre

He's like the Alex Jones of music commentary.

Does Alex Jones talk about pubescent girls as much?

if getting riled up about HPV vaccines counts, then yes.

2014: The Year White Lung killed music

should be noted that the dude also thinks taylor swift is obscure:

Name two songs from “1989.”

Even better, have you heard anything other than “Shake It Off?"

i'm not clear what records released this year he thinks anyone has listened to. besides, i guess, eric church.

"Radio Lefsetz Reminds You: Listen To The Church of Your Choice (As Long As It's Eric)"

bjork's goldfish?

well the silver lining here is i didn't even know there was a new cold specks record

zach: yeah, the one flopping around on the floor in faith no more's "epic" video. "shooting fish in a barrel" seemed somehow inadequate.

"Christmas used to mean something. Back when I was in college, we couldn't wait till Christmas. You'd hear about Christmas on the radio, and when it came to your town you were all primed for it. Everyone knew everything about Christmas. Hell, it was as big as the Eagles back in the 70s. No one cares anymore. Christmas isn't on the radio. Irving Azoff told me he couldn't even get Christmas into WalMart this year. That's because Christmas stopped caring about its fans. It became about organic chestnuts and free range turkey. Hell, the average Christmas fan in Omaha, Nebraska doesn't want organic chestnuts and free range turkey. He wants the Christmas he grew up with. Can anyone even name a present they got this Christmas? No, you can't. That's because Christmas stopped mattering etc etc etc"

what authority does this little man have

Is that what's bothering you, Bunkie?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qty7IP8wlXM

I like him calling Nilsson's "Coconut" the "All About That Bass" of its time.

in which he argues that luke bryan's "crash my party" is the song of the year partly on the grounds that it had more cultural impact than anything on tom petty's 2014 album:

http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2014/12/26/song-year/

his "quote a lyric, then riff on thoughts you're having about it" style is so incredible

We just want to do it over again. Everything. With you. Start with a kiss, graduate to sex, we’re completely enthralled.

Funny that the 2014 song of the year features the lines

I’ve been listenin’ to the radio all night long
Sittin’ ’round waitin’ for it to come on and here it is

This roots the song, I scan XM ALL DAY LONG!

I worked an event for about a week earlier this year, and hit it off with one of the other guys on the backstage crew for the first couple days. then once he start raving about how great Luke Bryan's "Play It Again" and it just kinda ruined it. hate that song so much.

Is Luke Bryant one of those dudes who wears a baseball cap instead of a cowboy hat? Actually, that's pretty much of all 'em these days, isn't it.

Graduate to Sex: My Life in Music by Bob Lefsetz

^^There's a Cumme Laude joke in there, and I'm ruining the chance to make it.

there's a moment in the Nashville episode of Sonic Highways where someone is making a boilerplate comment about modern commercial country music, and they cut to a quick scene of Luke Bryan looking like this performing at an awards show without even saying his name, and it's such a cheap shot but i loved it anyway

http://www.cmt.com/sitewide/assets/img/events/2012/cma_awards/show/cma_awards_jk_155123869-x600.jpg

Luke Bryant rocks, fuck the Foo Fighters

i first read that as like "the 'sonic highways' episode of nashville" and thought whoa nashville goes a lot harder than i thought

President Keyes w a hot take, sizzlin!

What is with you guys and "hot takes"?

That was more of a drunk take

another blazing hot take

How so?

he can't stop!! he's a natural!

Bully

President Roosevelt?

just playing pres

call me Johnny Hottakes

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d5/Ep73_01.jpg/300px-Ep73_01.jpg

ok, 'Johnny Hottakes'

johnny take in the buildin

Being a hipster might make you cool, but it won’t make you rich.

Of course, some hipster music breaks through. And that’s great, we need the bleeding edge, that’s what’s wrong with too much of today’s pop, the formula. But most hipster music is just not made for mainstream consumption, which is fine, but please stop complaining that no one wants it.

Imagine making a tech product no one wants. Do these people complain, no they PIVOT! An incredible percentage of tech companies started out making something different, and when no one wanted it, they took the essence and turned it into something else.

Which means if you know how to play, you don’t only have to play the music you do.

no they PIVOT! <--new indie bnd name

I used to get angry whenever I saw this thread at the top of Site New Answers. Now I weep.

that was already an indie band name

Now I weep

Emo band?

I don't know, his combination of cluelessness and weirdness makes him more interesting to me than e.g. Klosterman -- whose views are less obnoxious but also very dull.

Found an old clip from Lefsetz's public access TV days:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xG00OC_imA