Two Bears in a Record Store

In a similar vein to a previous post looking at ageing rockers, I have been thinking recently about the virtues of artists or bands that choose to (or are forced to) retire after only one album. Those who are forced are generally speaking called "one-hit wonders", and while this is accurate it often comes with a negative connotation, an expectation that they should have gone on to make many more popular songs, why should artists not be happy that they have been able to make even one good song considering how many of us will never come close?


Not to deny that there is a lot of good music (we wouldn't be writing this blog if there wasn't), there is a difference between goodness and greatness, and a difference between greatness and genius. Amidst the thousands upon thousands of bands and artists that have come and gone, there are only a few that have demonstrated genius over a long time.


Music is literally everywhere today. The rise of the iPod has allowed people to easily create a soundtrack to their lives, and it is easier than ever before for people to create music in the comfort of their own home. In this climate of musical saturation many artists can release multiple albums off the back of one good song, and thanks to commercialism we will continue to buy the albums as they come out. While I believe that pop music is the most guilty of this crime, rock, indy, and electronica all fall foul of repetition.


I personally like the idea of artists or bands setting themselves an end date for their musical career. The Streets is a prominent example, with Mike Skinner having announced early in the bands career that they would be releasing only 5 albums. I am sure that Mike will stay in music, but to have the conviction to call it quits on his own terms is admirable.


Sometimes bands are given their opportunity to quit while they are ahead, and yet ambition, pressures from others, or even greed push them to do one more song, album, or tour. There has been a rash of old rockers returning to the scene in recent years, and I simply cannot see how this improves their image (I am not talking about those artists who have been performing for decades, but rather those who have disbanded for 10 or 20 years only to return in mediocrity).


And then there are bands who make one amazing album, implode, leaving one or two members to pick up the pieces and try and make it work again. INXS was never the same after Hutchence's death. And while I would desperately love to be proven wrong, I fear that the reincarnated Wolfmother will pail in comparison to that amazing first album (although I am a fan of the new single).


So what do you think? Should artists call it quits after one good song, album, or decade? Or should all artists be allowed to continue producing music as long as someone is willing to record it?


CB

Here is numbers 10 to 6 of my Top Ten albums of 2008 (in no particular order):
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
British India – Thieves
The Streets – Everything is Borrowed
Coldplay – Viva la Vida
MGMT – Oracular Spectacular


Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes debut, self titled album proved to me that there is always new ways to reinvent rock music – in this case by taking down the tempo, latching onto harmonies, and capturing more than just a little of that old-school rock feel.

This five-piece band from Seattle came from virtually nowhere to become one of the darlings of the 2008 music scene, and I am happy to blindly follow the masses in praising their unique and otherworldly sound.


British India – Thieves

Thieves marks the second album for Melbourne based band British India, and is a fitting follow up to their debut breakthrough album, Guillotine. While this album hasn’t yet had quite the number of hits as the previous album, I think over time it will be remembered as a well rounded piece of work. Particular highlights include ‘God is Dead, Meet the Kids’ and ‘You Will Die and I Will Take Over’.


The Streets – Everything is Borrowed

The penultimate album for Mike Skinner and The Streets is a welcome return to form after a celebrity focused and indulgent previous album. While Skinner hasn’t returned to singing about the day-to-day (and is not likely to ever again), the album certainly shows a man who is much more content about his lot in life, with the over-riding theme being reflection on the bigger things in life such as love and spirituality. My favourite track on the album is ‘The Escapist’, the first single, which best sums up the vibe of the entire album.


Coldplay – Viva la Vida

I have loved Coldplay since ‘Yellow’, and Viva la Vida was an exciting album for Chris Martin and Co., with the world’s biggest band (apart from U2) looking to capture that stadium sound they have been working towards for 4 albums.

The album starts strongly and carries this through for the entire album, with tracks ebbing and flowing over the course of the album. The highlight of the album for me is ‘Strawberry Swing’, a song that harkens back to the bands’ softer, quieter days.

Ultimately, Viva la Vida is a success in as much that it makes me want to see how these guys perform this album live, and how they stand up as crowd favourites against classics from the Coldplay stable.


MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

MGMT are the IT band of 2008, and Oracular Spectacular is an album that has slowly but surely infected the masses with its psychedelic sound scape. For me, ‘Electric Feel’ is one of the best songs of 2008 and sums up the general feel MGMT were going for in their debut outing.

However, while songs such as ‘Electric Feel’, ‘Weekend Wars’, and ‘Kids’ are brilliant examples of the potential of these two Brooklyn based boys, the flow of the album isn’t quite perfect, and the end of the album in particular feels a little slow. Despite this slight drawback, the quality of the good tracks makes this a must-have album for 2008.


Coming soon: my top 5 albums of 2008.


CB