Thursday, February 19, 2009

New Podcast: Indie Art and the Music of The Killers


In this short podcast I provide a reading of the music of the West-based band The Killers as well as general observations about indie art.

I also include a musical review of The Killers' last album Day & Age which I initially posted when the album first came out.

Tip of the hat to Liam for our joint review of the band's recent album.

The music the podcast features comes from my artist friend Camille Nelson's new album First Words. The album is now available on iTunes as well.

You can hear the podcast here.

It will be available on iTunes today under the podcast series: "Gendering the Media with Brikena Ribaj."





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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even though they are mega-popular they're still entirely relevant. It's tough to keep relevance when you're that loved.

Anonymous said...

A generation of dancers/cinderellas.
Hm.
Popularity and its effect on substance is a concrete ramifications.
The Killers being the musical equivalent of Portland, OR would be the analogy I liked the best.

thks.

Anonymous said...

While i might not always like their music, I def. appreciate their well-researched influences.

Anonymous said...

While i might not always like their music, I def. appreciate their well-researched influences.

Unknown said...

Popular music needs to be seen in a bigger cultural context as it reveals much about our Zeitgeist.

Anonymous said...

It balances the other literary pieces.

Why is the 'text' of their music worthy of such scrutiny?

Anonymous said...

Indie art tends to lose some of its appeal when it's liked on a large scale basis. I guess, I get that. I tend to withhold affection from music that starts becoming too popular. The Killers' music has a kind of innocence that 'begs' to be given attention to, I find. Day and Age is a pretty decent senior album, I agree. It's not Hot Fuss but it's still good.

Anonymous said...

My iTunes picked it up yesterday.
I wonder about something here. Why is it that you place so much attention on the geography of music. It seems like every time you refer to their music, you also make a reference to the West.
What's informing the references?

Anonymous said...

I think there's something to the idea that popularity has a lasting, damaging effect on the quality of certain art forms.
Like in the case of Franz Ferdinand, too much focus on the external things, fashion, looks, appeal, et al., might obfuscate the meaning of one's art.

Anonymous said...

"A generation of Cinderellas..." I like that phrase.
The popularity of an art form seems to also rub me the wrong way. Maybe it's because the mystique of the 'new' form is lost when the multitude gets turned on by it as well.
I suppose it makes sense why you'd pick this band to make a new point. If you're still supporting even after much success, then point taken.
And, yes, Denim.
The passenger days were fun to experience and observe. Esp. when the passengers were about a foot taller than the driver. :)
thks for this.

Anonymous said...

And re: Brandon Flowers, I have noticed that he sports new 'get-ups' every time the bands starts a new concert cycle. I don't quite get the feathers on his jacket during this tour. Ergo, I look forward to how you read their concert....

And favorite line would have to be: '...they remind me of really good plagiarizers...'

Are you, perchance, channeling Bertolt Brecht here?

Anonymous said...

Some artists are the Coke and Pepsi of music...
I agree with that.
David Byrne's sharp!
These podcasts are making me think of one particular thing I have been neglecting, that is, the need to pay more intellectual attention to pop art.
I don't know why I have been resisting it for so long....

Why scrutinize their music more than say, bands like Muse or even Coldplay? If it's a reading of popularity you're after that the latter would be the band to 'read' closely, no?

Anonymous said...

Btw, Keane is performing in your neck of the woods in May.
But then again, you knew, ja?