I don't love the 80s

The other day I was in a hipster bar/club in Washington’s hipster center called the Velvet Lounge. Now, I may have been grumpy because I didn’t know anyone and I was nowhere near cool enough to show my tragically unhip face there (ex: some guy made fun of me for liking Kill Bill), but I am really sick of this. I paid $7 to see this shitty DJ group do something that was billed as “Danceable Art”. With Apple computers glowing and repetitive pseudo-worldly beats blasting, these tight jean wearing maestros turned knobs for two hours for about 40 unaffected and clearly uninspired hipsters who were not dancing. I was worried that I experienced a LOST like time flash, and I too ended in a place I didn’t want to be. Only I didn’t find myself on a tropical island in 1974, but a hip urban bar in 1984.

I never really cared for the 80s and it’s just a bummer that our generation has picked that decade to emulate, but I guess it makes sense. We’re both defined by the technological advancements of our times. They had cinder block cell phones; we have iPhones. And their desire to be “futuristic” is in line with us; but, by nature we’re a bit closer to the actual future. Think about it: Apple (Macintosh) computers are all the rage; tight jeans and flashy colors mean “urban wear”; and our music is inspired by our technology. Sure, it’s great and all that we’re embracing our advancements, but technology doesn’t always do the body or ears good. Technology has given us some incredible music moments like Kid A, late-ish Cure albums, the synth parts through Purple Rain, and (dare I?) 808s and Heartbreak. But I also think it’s killed some projects that otherwise would have been great, namely Paul Simon’s Graceland (I dare).

Before you all chase me out of town with pitchforks and torches, hear me out. Graceland is one of the best written albums of all time, and Paul Simon’s inspiration from the Zulu nation is gripping, but it’s really got that 80s sound (see: Bruce Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love or any Smiths album), and I feel that really detracts from the earthy themes of the album. Nothing kills the vibe of feeling African-y like the electric rhythm section production of this album. The bass sounds like a synthesized tuba and the drum-machine overpowers the nitty-gritty tribal percussion. The songwriting is excellent, even for Paul Simon standards, but it struggles to shine inside the cold electronic shell of this record. This album could be exponentially more warm and welcoming if it wasn’t for those damn 80s. That being said, the Graceland – The African Concert is a more accurate representation of the album. In the film, the songs are removed from the trigger happy production of 1980s Roy Halee and performed with a full band, complete with Zulu crooners. It’s not your fault, Paul or Roy; we’re all victims of our times.

I realize how odd it is to hold a grudge against a decade. Does this make me a decadeist? The 80s did help a lot of things culturally, and for Tom Waits' Rain Dogs and the Indiana Jones trilogy, I say ‘thank you’. Bringing it back around to 2009, I hope our decade will not suffer from the same perplexing obsession with technology that is the 80s, but I don’t see that happening. I guess I’m really looking forward to the neo-grunge movement of 2011.

Anyway, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” is still one of the best songs I have ever heard.

From Washington with Love,

Sanbasl

Also posted in MKEtc