Re: In Praise of Taking Risks with Artistry (was conundrum, re: bjork's new CD)

[David Beardsley <db@biink.com>]

Travis Hartnett wrote:

> Nah--young artists need to see someone who is good who has chosen art 
> with a capital 'A' over commerce with a capital 'C'.  Different and 
> experimental by themselves don't have any value.  Much as I enjoy the 
> concept of Bjork, I'm positive that she'd be a footnote without her 
> striking videos.  Her recent output strikes me as tuneless exercises 
> in amazing production, and I get the distinct impression that the 
> backing tracks are welded onto the vocals via sheer willpower and 
> overdubbery.
>
> Bjork is also one of the worst offenders when it comes to putting out 
> umpteen different versions of each single, album and video to wring 
> money out of the devout fan.  I have friends who are Bjork 
> completists, and it's hundreds of dollars a year.  She makes the Cure 
> discography look barren in comparison.  Hardly the work of someone 
> valuing pure Art over Commerce.
>
> So, to summarize my position: always value "Good" over "Different". 

I guess she had to finance the new album. Have you even heard it?
The bulk of it is not pop music, I think it's amazing.

-- 
* David Beardsley
* microtonal guitar
* http://biink.com/db