Genuinely Good or Nostalgia Trip?
I am currently nerding out on Thomas Dolby. Not "She Blinded Me With Science," but the album The Flat Earth, which I listened to mostly in high school, and have sporadically dug it out ever since.
At this point in my life, I seem to be doing that a lot (see my previous post on The Birthday Party). I go back and listen to old albums I had and go "WOW! What an overlooked classic!" But is it really that great, or am I just fixated on it because it harkens back to a certain point in my life, in this case, 8th through 10th grade? Mind you, those weren't particularly great times for me, but at least I had some refuge in this album.
I tend to think I like The Flat Earth still it's because it was genuinely good. The songs are pretty, the lyrics are smart, and the song "Hyperactive" makes me jump around. Conversely, I've revisited other songs and bands and thought "what the hell was I thinking?"
Bauhaus springs to mind. So do The Beatles (most of the material post-Revolver is just too self-indulgent. I mean, Sgt. Pepper? Come on. Who wants to sit down and listen to "For The Benefit of Mister Kite?"). Well, I still enjoy both bands to an extent, but I'm more discriminating with their music than I used to be.
So, is The Flat Earth good? Or just a stupd nostalgia trip? I know I should just enjoy what I enjoy, but I can't help but to second guess my taste.
posted by VoteJoe at 6:29 PM
2 Comments:
Funny Thomas Dolby story...
I was a HUGE fan of his back in high school. I recently rediscovered both this album and Golden Age Of Wireless...both really hold up I think...aside from She Blinded Me W/ Science. Anyway, I'm dj-ing this industry ringtone thingy in New Orleans at House Of Blues and who walks in but Thomas Dolby! Apparently he's been in the ringtone biz for quite some time. Anyway, I start looking thru my records to see what I can drop to get his attention. I find Whodini's Magic's Wand, which he wrote and played (instrumental sounds like a Dolby b-side). He strolls over, bald as can be and says, "wow, haven't heard that in a while!". Did I mention he's got a full set of braces? It looked kinda cool on him. He's actually preserved quite well. We chit chat about this and that. I tell him how much I've been re-digging his stuff. I felt like I was back in high school!
We spoke about Flat Earth a lot.
So...yes, you are not crazy. This album is wicked. And funky. No wonder George Clinton saw something in him.
Worry not. The Flat Earth is a great album, especially "Dissidents". It's my favorite Thomas Dolby album (although there's really only one other competitor for that title, because pretty much everything after this is kinda weak).
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