Mission Statement

Guilty Pleasures: The Music Edition is intended as a forum to review songs that were once considered out-of-favor. Readers are asked to rate the songs using a 10 point voting system (10=strong like, 1=strong dislike) and provide their comments.

The objective is to review the songs offered here with a fresh listen for things like intent (objective), structure, influences (to or from), production value, and performances, all within the context of its musical time frame and while trying to forget past reactions. Hopefully we can hear something different in a song we once thought was less-than-pleasing.

So remember, valid reactions include:

1) None of my friends ever liked this song, but I always did.

2) I never liked this song, but listening to it again after all this time now it makes me want to: (a) tap my foot, or (b) shove a pencil in my ear.

All legit.

-Ken

Friday, August 19, 2011

"Loser" by Beck

The things you can learn listening to teen-age radio...

Back in the day when I was driving the kids to high school and would put on their radio station, most of it provided no relief to the rambling discussions coming from the backseat that I couldn't participate in (tried being cool a few times by interjecting some funny quips - insert crickets sound effect here), but there were a few songs songs that stood out for me: "What's My Age Again" by Blink-182, "Man In A Box" by Alice in Chains, and "Loser" by Beck.

Since I am posting a song by an artist I know nothing about, a look at his Wikipedia page was required and proved very interesting; seems "Loser" was his breakout hit that had record companies scrambling to sign him. I can see why: great lyrics just weird enough that your brain can digest them and still not be sure why you liked them, delivered in a rap style that feels more frustrated than angry, over a funk groove with samples. Extremely creative, and very cool.

The guilt is arguable: good music is supposed to span the generations, but is there anyway a 50 year old father can like his teenagers music without being creepy?

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to "get crazy with the cheese-whiz".


-KO




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