endless fennesz

[Pearl Harbor Maynard <fleshlike@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

i'll speak up for fennesz Endless Summer. i'm listening to it right now.
(http://www.mego.at/mego035.html)

Vance, there are a couple ways to critically approach a text; one is to 
offer a Transcendental Critique, where the text in question is held up to 
the critic's whim. such issues as 'does the work sound good' and 'where do i 
place this work in the context of similar/different recordings' would be 
addressed in this kind of critique.

the other side of criticism is Immanent Critique, where the text is 
essentially held accountable to itself. Maybe some folks would call this 
deconstruction, trying to locate points of 'disconnection' between what the 
text claims to be, and what the text actually is. (the uptown phrase for 
these flaws is 'axiological inconsistencies')

i think the Endless Summer record succeeds wonderfully in presenting itself 
as a unified whole. Immanent success! the theme of 'Beach Boys fantasy' is 
solid, from the golden shores pictured on the album cover, to the song 
titles and strummy open-chord phrasing of the music. it's no surprise to me 
that this is a NYC sell out. (pun intended) the Beach Boys are very hip 
right now.

it's what chrstian Wolff would call "good-times music": it's engaging and 
enjoyable, not to difficult to get a grip on the themes. lush, pretty stuff. 
so Immanent Critique-wise, this passes w/ an A.

alternately, this is not really an 'experimental' album in any sense. it 
doesn't really resemble hotel parallel or the one on Touch. but it's not 
supposed to be!! it's a paean to pop, and these incorporated pop elements 
work so well.  it's not as if Fennesz is Cornelius, flashing 'Beach Boys' 
imagery like they were gang signs!  The works on Endless Summer are 'almost' 
pop songs. it's that 'almost' that gives it so much character.

maybe some listeners want all-experimental, all the time.  Others (including 
me) don't like their musicians so one-dimensional. :l

bob maynard

np fennesz Endless Summer

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