Word: sanneh
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...Take Kelefa Sanneh's piece in the March 31 New York Times, "New Ideas from the Top of the Charts." Sanneh makes the excellent observation that the tops of the Billboard charts are filled with music that blends different popular styles (No Doubt, Linkin Park), while rock's rebel fringe (The Strokes, The White Stripes) has gone retro, inspired by ancient garage rock and punk. Sanneh allows that in many cases the latter milieu cuts better albums. But the story also seems to equate the mix-and-match stylistic approach of the popular bands with innovation and originality...
...group epitomizes a form of open-mindedness. One might suspect an elusive, scholarly logic is at work here (this is the Times Arts and Leisure section) but the argument only grows stranger. "Other mainstream rock bands are taking similar approaches, succeeding by embracing new or unusual styles," writes Sanneh, citing Incubus, "another D.J.-enhanced band," and Tool, who last fall put on "an impressive show that included lots of odd time signatures and a long interpretive dance interlude...
...Sanneh's take on the retro fringe, it's true that "critics bicker about exactly which bands the Strokes are ripping off - Television? The Modern Lovers? Silkworm? but no one denies that [their album] 'Is This It' pays tribute to a quarter-century of punk and post-punk." Only this leads to a faulty conclusion: "While some acts earn millions of fans by trying something new, the Strokes delight an elite audience with stylish nostalgia...
Bands share musicians, practice spaces,instruments and equipment with one another, as allof these things are hard to come by at Harvard.Though groups average four hours a week ofpractice time, DeMay and Zach B. Sitter '94 playin both Mopar and Fat Day, Kelefa T. Sanneh '97plays in Mopar and Hypertrophie Shitstraw, Matt A.Donahue '97 plays in Toddler and Hypertrophie andAdam E. Rosen '95 plays in Mopar and Neverlovers."The main difference" between playing withNeverlovers as opposed to Mopar, says Rosen, "isthe songs are a lot slower so it's less physicallytaxing." Rosen says he must exercise regularly to"build...