Hannah errant
Re: Origins of Totalitarianism: If we should be awarding Jazze Pha a slot for "Lose Control," then shouldn't, by Clover's own logic, we also be making room in that slot for Cybotron? If, indeed, the collective effort is what Clover suggests we recognize, over individual genius. (And isn't this, anyway, sort of the argument of all popists [love that MS Word thinks I should be typing "papists" there] who say that it doesn't matter that Ashlee or Britney or Kelly or whomever doesn't write her/his music; that essentially the name/face is merely a synecdoche for the whole capitalist production process?) No, no poll with only artist/title/label categories will recognize producers, at least recognize them by name. That is a structural slant; but then again, the fact that Tori Alamaze's deleted (and totally disowned by her original label) version of "Don't Cha" could chart alongside the Pussycat Dolls' version (albeit without producer Cee-Lo's name attached in either instance) suggests that the poll at least reflects the slipperiness of the pop machine, and does account for moments that escape the official narrative.
And but also, and stop me if I'm jumping on a personal hobby-horse here, but I don't understand quite how the "electronic diaspora" functions in the same "crack-white" universe of singer-songwriters. (Let's not forget without whom "Lose Control" never could have come into existence.) That most of electronic-music's northern listenership is white is a red herring, I think (I mean, so is hip-hop's); doesn't the fact that artists still remain secondary in importance not only to their labels but to their very subgenres speak to a very different ethic at work? Of course, P&J is also structurally slanted away from recognizing that music on its own terms, as a collective action—although the fact that comps like Run the Road could place as high as it did (#52) shows also that there are at least some loopholes. (Albeit grime's a sticky example, being at once a collectivist phenom, and yet its individual artists seem dead-set on gaining individual fame as lyrical geniuses. Whither the producer, once again?)
Comments
if memory serves (and maybe it doesn't), didn't missy produce 'lose control' her own damn self?
Posted by: martin turenne | February 1, 2006 03:49 PM
which if i'm right means jazze produced one great single ('1,2 step') and a slew of cringe-worthy tongue-in-cheek slow jamz (like bun b's 'i'm ballin' and slim thug's 'incredible feelin') on otherwise great rap albums. if we're talking oversights let's talk mannie fresh, whose 'the mind of mannie fresh' LP and raft of truly great club songs (see jeezy's 'and then what' and bun b's 'i'm fresh') place him head and shoulders above phizzle, at least in my '05 books, which i'd now like to close forever. hi philip.
Posted by: martin turenne | February 1, 2006 03:59 PM
where's Human After All and all that jazz?
Posted by: jaime | February 1, 2006 09:50 PM
aggregate polls like that don't mean much except to show who is contributing as critics. Does the Village Voice pay much attention to electronics? how many dance writers were polled? Only a few. still, those who are interested can look at individual ballots and take their recommendations from there. that's why you should keep fighting the good fight, Philip.
still pretty surprising that dance was so thoroughly ignored though, at a time when it seems so fresh and alive.
Posted by: jeremy.a | February 2, 2006 08:11 AM
There are so many problems with P&J it's difficult to know where to begin a critique. Whether it's the extremely questionable statistical engineering, the fact that it's riddled with writers who spent more time on "Match Point" or the Boston Red Sox during the last year than on any music, or the increasing deterioration of its presentation online, the old beast seems worthy of little more than passing notice. Some intensive housecleaning -- or better yet, an outright mercy killing -- is very much in order.
Posted by: Tim | February 3, 2006 08:32 AM