[Applerill]

Okay, so as my brother Georgerogers42 is forcing me to listen to live Ted Nugent at Starbucks, contemplating why we all hate him made me think of the ways we process music in general.

When I ask George why he likes Ted Nugent (or many other uncool rock and power metal bands), George just tells me "they're good!". Normally, that word "good" should be a completely redundant phrase to describe music, especially since the phrase reeks of objectivity. But then again, could there be a whole class of music that should only be judged on craft as opposed to art?

In film criticism we throw around the word "genre film" to describe directors like Mario Bava, John Ford and John Carpenter who do their job in almost a workmanlike manner, and normally don't ever talk about "themes" or anything like that in their work. When you watch one of their movies, to ask for "serious art" is redundant, because that's never what they were trying to do.

Is there such thing as "genre music"? Should I ignore the misogyny and dorkiness of Ted Nugent and just appreciate his guitar playing in a technical sense? I know that a lot of you don't like the idea of analyzing art in general, but it seems like there should at least be some distinction between something like this and a Radiohead album. Are there any great albums where you should focus more on the craft than the art?

EDIT: Maybe "pulp music" is a better way to phrase what I'm talking about.

[Kiki]

'Good' could be put on any music which was made to somebodies hearts content

I think there could be 'genre music' although some musicians may not want to admit. It's hard to say though

[MrFrogger]

[mickilennial]

[Applerill]

Oh, I'm not doubting they made amazing stuff, or even that they're auteurs; I have lots of their movies ranked among my favorites. But listen to any of the interviews with Ford, and he will absolutely refuse to talk about the themes in his work. And as soon as he finishes one movie, he goes back to work the next day to work on the next one.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being a "genre" artist; I'm just wondering if we should even complain if something isn't musically The Searchers.

Also, I love me my uncool dad-rock and power metal. For goodness sakes, I'm about to give a Ted Nugent album a 4/5z I'm just saying that, in most critical contexts, it's hard for people to take you seriously praising them.

[MrFrogger]

[mickilennial]

Fair enough, though on that point,

[Skinny]

I get what Applerill is trying to say, even if he's going about it rather cack-handedly, and I sort of agree. As with books and films, music can also be of great worth purely as a great "genre piece". For instance, Project Pablo's album from earlier this year was a lightweight, shallow release that just happened to work fantastically as a tribute to smooth, Balearic house music, and therefore was a very impressive "genre piece", even if its aim was no higher than being just that - a sort of cheap throwback. It didn't make the album any less enjoyable or worthwhile, but it would be pointless comparing it to this year's universally acclaimed, ostensibly more "serious" releases like To Pimp a Butterfly or Carrie & Lowell when its whole raison d'être was something else entirely.

I think some people see Charlie as some elitist pseudo-philosopher and are trying to use everything he says as evidence to back up this predetermined idea of who he is, when actually he was just asking - despite what many of us argue in terms of an album only being as worthwhile as the listener believes (i.e. the "eye of the beholder" idea) - if perhaps we should (or do) consider the idea that albums could/should be judged not only on our own terms but also partly based on the intention of the creator (e.g. that Project Pablo album I mentioned above which was clearly meant as a fun tribute as opposed to some original, thought-provoking vision of what great music is or should be).

Regardless of all this though, and despite saying that I do find myself occasionally thinking of albums as great "genre pieces" (and often loving them because of that - I adore MC Eiht's We Come Strapped, because to me it works fantastically within the given parameters of g-funk), it's not something I particularly think about - i.e. I don't finish listening to an album and then attempt to classify it, or see it from the point-of-view that it does what it set out to do well; first and foremost I either enjoy something or I don't, and perhaps afterwards I might try to figure out why.
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2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.

[Applerill]

[mickilennial]

I enjoy b-movies, I enjoy formula music, I enjoy some young adult/pulp novels. That's about of a direct answer I can to the question.