Not my greatest post ever

I told someone I was going to write a defence of John Vanderslice against his RELENTLESS ATTACKS, but now I can't really be all that bothered. I mean... Ma... Maybe he really is only an 8 after all.

But, on the other hand...

You see, my problem with Vanderslice, beside the fact that his extremely awesome name blinds me to his actual quality, and the fact that my bitterness at barely being able to hear him over the chattering louts at the Metro when I saw him in 2007 naturally rallies me to his support, is that this sentence is too long.

I'm not particularly fond of much of his early stuff, like his work with MK Ultra, and much of his first three albums. But, on the other hand, I really like a lot of his most recent three albums.

Also, the most salient criticism of him is kinda true; he really does have an obsession with the World Trade Centre attacks. Emerald City seems to be pretty much entirely about it, and so do a number of songs on his previous albums. But, on the other hand, I think I have a certain appreciation for his ability to constantly write about the same thing from a wide range of perspectives, and with significant differences of style. Also, I think I generally get a little bit annoyed at the apoliticism of much modern indie rock. I mean, it seems like in the 80s everyone had something (nasty) to say about Thather or Reagan, in song format... There were the Punks getting pissed off about everything, and before that a whole lot of politically charged Folk music. But then, though I know I'm listening to the wrong genres for it, it seems like everyone clammed up during the Bush & Blair era, which are hardly slim pickings for political rage. Really, I think my favourite political song of the last 10 years is Sovay, by Andrew Bird, and that took me quite a bit of listening just to realise he's singing about the Iraq war. I miss the blatentness of Margaret On The Guillotine. Back when I was 3.

But that's all a bit of a side-rant, considering that even Vanderslice doesn't seem to be straightforwardly critical in any way that I can obviously determine. But I figure I'm probably pretty bad at picking this stuff out. I'm probably missing the blatent political rage in... Like... The Shins, or Beirut or something.

Anyway, just to confirm this, he does actually have SOME songs that's AREN'T about 9/11. Like Angela. Which is about him losing his friend's rabbit. And then, apparently, trying to make up for it by suggesting they leave the city and "get some land out in the middle of nowhere." Real classy there, Vanderslice.

I think I'm getting off the point again. This is a problem with Vanderslice, he makes me get off the point.

Ah, that's right, I should mention his qualities! Well, musically he... Does some stuff with harmonies and electronicy things and whatnot, of which I heartily approve. I guess I just think... I think he's very good at creating moods. I may as well mention my favourite example, his song Up Above The Sea. Both lyrically and musically, I feel the song does an excellent job of evoking a kind of terrible, foreboding paranoia. It's something to do with... The percussion, I suppose. And his voice. Actually, there's not much else in the song, so that would be it.

You know, in the end, I'm pretty sure I'm not actually going to convince anyone of anything here. Give him a 7 if you want, see what I care. I'm sticking to an 8.5, at the least.

:(