Comments for earworm

Comment on New adventures in hi-fi with Spotify | music news by jazzy

jazzy — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:37:17 +0000

Have been waiting ages for Spotify to launch here… so far so good. If only the TV industry moved to this model.

Comment on Music by Steve Reich: A Conversation and Concert | live review by phjk

phjk — Fri, 11 May 2012 02:10:50 +0000

Nice review but your criticisms of the second part of the evening are a little understated: it was excruciating. “An unfortunate confluence of egotism and sycophancy” was the best description I heard – Reich barely managed to complete a full sentence without one of the Eighth Blackbirds interrupting. And yes they are decent musicians but the best performance of the night was Drumming Music by Melbourne’s own Speak Percussion who were incredible, surprised not they didn’t rate a mention here.

Comment on US President Barack Obama’s playlist | music news by Stevo the Working Twistie

Stevo the Working Twistie — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:51:39 +0000

I’m torn. While on the one hand, it is reassuring to know that the man with his finger on the launch button listens to Wilco and Arcade Fire, it is downright terrifying to think he also listens to Darius Rucker & REO Speedwagon. No Lynard Skynard though. Funny that

Comment on Rdio | music subscription service review by Grover Jones

Grover Jones — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000

So, you get access to “less than CD quality” music, and have to pay for it again, and again, and again to keep access to it? Is that about the sum of it?
At least with iTunes, you keep the music you buy. At least with a CD you get “CD quality”, and can rip it at any bitrate you desire. Combine the two, and you have the best of both worlds.

Comment on The death of Whitney Houston: so emotional | music news by dirt armature

dirt armature — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:45:43 +0000

Sorry Jim, calling someone a snob because they’re critical of someone’s art is not an argument. Tony Bennet’s a gentlemen. I’m sure I could find him praising a singer we’d all agree was mediocre.
Whitney’s voice is wonderful in the same way that the British Royal family are sometimes wonderful: a regal spectacle that makes a lot of money but has a limited range of uses. Or awesomely powerful but never moving. A good musician works on their technique and the tonal control of their instrument. Whitney had great technique, but I feel her tone lacks emotional range. Surely, a wonderful singer needs both these attributes? Or am I just being an elitist snob to expect this?

Comment on The death of Whitney Houston: so emotional | music news by JimDocker

JimDocker — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:04:43 +0000

Billie Holiday is my favourite singer. Pure soul. I love Ella, Aretha, Sarah Vaughan, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield etc…. but you guys have to be elitist snobs of the highest order not to acknowledge how magnificent Whitney Houston’s voice was at her best.

Unfortunately, her best was probably only her first album of really pure singing before the diva sound of vocal gymnastics and screaming began to compete with the other vocal gymnasts.

Tony Bennet is one of the guys that says she had the best voice of all time. Probably too much emotion in that statement, but he knows a bit about singing and has sung with the best of them.

Comment on The death of Whitney Houston: so emotional | music news by Johnfromplanetearth

Johnfromplanetearth — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:31:33 +0000

Her whole career is based on her debut album in 1985 and follow up in 1987, then came the Bodyguard movie in 1991, it was all downhill from there. She was just another substance abuser and the cocktail killed her in the end. Whatever talent she had long since deserted her, as was evident with her recent Australian tour in 2010. It’s sad, but it happens in the entertainment industry all the time as the hangers on do nothing. They sit idly by and watch their meal ticket kill themselves too afraid to step in and do anything to save them in fear of being cut out of the loop, being branded a trouble maker or interfering in the ‘stars’ life. Whitney Houston was a train wreck about to crash for the past 20 years and just like Amy Winehouse before her last year the accolades and love come far too late.

Comment on The death of Whitney Houston: so emotional | music news by GLJ

GLJ — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:47:12 +0000

Music business is not necessarily about music. Its mostly about business. There are many many wonderful songs and musicians who are not MEDIA MEGASTARS ETC. who produce & perform without the STAR TRAPPINGS of these music business bunnies.

Whitney Houston was a wonderful singer …but… & there is a lot of agreement here…. the songs were trite. They were songs designed to sell… Its the business baby…Its soul destroying …. for the listener & can you imagine for the performer??

Its very easy to think that music is that which comes out of the TV / Radio. But there is a world of music below the radar. Whitney was on the radar , bigger than real life, better than the real thing.

It must be hard to be that BIG.

This is the music business.

Comment on The death of Whitney Houston: so emotional | music news by dirt armature

dirt armature — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:13:54 +0000

I agree with marilyn. Whitney had very good technique and this was put to, largely, histrionic effect. Her timbre, when you compare it to the tones the singers on marilyn’s list produced, lacked soul.

Comment on Rdio | music subscription service review by ggm

ggm — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:47:08 +0000

(there have been some complaints from artists about royalty rates but that’s another article for another day)

Its the whole story for me: at the $144 p/a pricepoint, I’d rather buy the CDs.