Monday, June 20, 2005

The Bigger Picture

The bigger picture, according to Kris' formulation, is that artists more and more today lack a message. I think this is true in the sense that most artists have less to say, through their music and otherwise, that I'm interested in listening to. Some try to substitute an overt political message, which isn't quite the same thing. Springsteen rides the fence on this. Pearl Jam dove right in with their last album. Unless done with a hefty dose of skill and grace, these usually turn out to be failures--they come off heavy-handed, overly preachy, and the music suffers.

But if bands today lack a true message--if they have nothing to say to us, if they are just candy for the ears--then why is music such a huge business? From the most glammed-up girl singing songs right off the assembly line to the garage band building a fan base through exhaustive touring, there is money to be made. The demand is still huge. Maybe I'm just not sure what you mean, Kris. What message do you find in those albums you mentioned as true "albums"?