The Committee for Making Observant Readers Overrate Noisemakers, or MORON as the public knows them, does a fine job of placing horrible, horrible bands into the spotlight for all to fawn over. It seems to follow this order: millions of record company dollars to Rolling Stone or SPIN magazine to MTV - or MTV2 if the band is really cutting edge - to modern rock radio.
It needs to stop.
For years now, the music-buying public has been force-fed gruel by the marketing media while incredible records fall by the wayside. These phenomenal albums are then dug out of used CD bins at independent record stores by curious listeners who wonder why they hadn't previously heard of the artists.
The Vines are one of the worst bands in a while. Chris Robinson's new band sounds just like his old bands. The Hives are the International Noise Conspiracy with prettier faces and a couple fat guys. The Strokes are pretty good - but not that good, not even close.
I want someone to explain to me where the media coverage was in 2001, when Rocky Votolato released "Burning My Travels Clean" on Second Nature Recordings. A riveting 11-song ride through acoustic/alt-country perfection, Votolato took a combination of Ryan Adams (one of the only deserved hype boys) and Matthew Good and supplied an honest, striking performance that resides in the mind for days.
This wasn't just an acoustic guitar and a bad Dashboard Confessional rip-off. This was distinct, fresh and original. Some songs, like the remarkable "October" stuck with layered vocals and a lovely, simple piano. Others, such as "Like A Mother" and "Don't Walk Out On Me," provided wonderful use of the lap steel guitar. In every track, Votolato does nothing to shield his intentions and vulnerable confidence - trust me it exists, and if it didn't, he invented it - from the listener who finds himself incapable of refraining from its spell.
This scenario isn't just a one-off, either. The Gloria Record's last two releases have been virtually neglected, 2002's "Start Here" in particular. While the media was only acknowledging bands who were re-inventing rock and roll - which apparently means ripping off the swagger of the Rolling Stones and drinking feats of John Bonham without any of the musical talent - the Gloria Record was releasing 50 minutes of atmospheric, spacey, heartfelt "money." This record was sonic currency, a new medium of exchange, but it was too emotional, too spacey for a market that apparently wanted bad, bad rock and roll.
Sure, Vines' frontman Craig Nicholls could probably beat the crap out of Chris Simpson, frontman for the Gloria Record. Simpson, however, can use words made up of more than five letters and drink alcohol without his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Simpson, formerly of the seminal emo band Mineral, weaves his way through "Start Here" with both an understanding patience and a underscored immediacy that metaphorically glues the listener's ears to the speaker the same way Miss Lippy glues her eyes shut in "Billy Madison." Actually, it's more serious than that, but I can't turn down a pop-culture reference, can I?
Point being, dig through the used record bins at Home of the Hits, Record Theatre and the like. Ask the clerk behind the counter or just some indie dork - like myself - what they recommend. Find the sad kid with dyed black hair, and ask him what he doesn't like or what is overrated and buy that 'cause he's probably wrong. Do anything. Just don't read bad magazines, and don't listen to the radio - please.
Footnote: to support intelligent music, visit www.rockyvotolato.com and www.thegloriarecord.com for more information.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
