String Theory Media

Sad But True

William Weir nails it in a Slate article about the absurd and unnecessary death of the instrumental pop hit. The amazing statistic:

From 1960 to 1974, 128 instrumentals reached the Top 20, while only 30 did from 1975 to 1990. And since? Five.

I've thought about this a lot because I'm an instrumental guy living in a song town. The only thing more amazing than the power music has over the heart and mind is the dwindling number of opportunities to hear instrumental music.

Wier writes:

I understand the appeal of the human voice, and I certainly can't begrudge anyone's joy at singing along in the car (unless I'm in it). But why such shabby treatment for the instrumental? Marketability.

Exactly. Because for twenty years the music business hasn't been selling music as much as it's been selling celebrity. When people don't hear instrumental music they forget how to listen to it, or they never learn.

Four Days of Infamy at the Nashville Film Fest!

Best news of the week: My documentary about the Infamous Stringdusters, "Four Days of Infamy" has been accepted for a showing at the Nashville Film Festival, which runs at the Regal Cinema Green Hills April 17 to 24. It follows one of the most exciting bands in America on a short tour through Colorado, where the boys contemplate the differences between Southeast and Colorado bluegrass and discover what kind of band they really are. We'll post screening time information as soon as we get it. Here's part one of the film as seen on YouTube, but we hope you'll join us to watch Four Days on the BIG SCREEN!

Critical Mass

Mark Edwards opines in the Sunday Times about the oft-noted gulf between what music critics regard good music and mass taste. His core argument:

"Music critics are assessing music using different criteria than the rest of the world. Or, perhaps more accurately, we’re using roughly the same criteria, but giving greater weight to some of them. Critics are particularly keen on authenticity, innovation, great lyrics and - most of all - a direct and identifiable connection between the emotions of the songwriter and the finished work. We’re looking for the musical equivalent of a Jackson Pollock - it doesn’t have to be pretty, but it must be genuine. If you take a look at the list of (the criteria used by regular music consumers), you’ll note the almost complete absence of these qualities, in favour of attributes that critics often downweight – melody, entertainment value, immediacy, escapism, image."

I gave up music criticism in favor of reportorial music writing and the other stuff I do in part because I always felt a bit phony setting myself up as more qualified to pass judgement on music than any other knowledgeable fan....

Birthday Wishes to Doc Watson

It just came to my attention that yesterday, March 3, was Doc Watson's 83 birthday. No musician in the world has had a greater impact on the way I hear music or play my instrument. He's the living embodiment of all that is true and worthy in roots music, an innovator and a traditionalist in equal measure. I raise my first cup of coffee of March 4 to my hero. May he pick for many more years to come. Merlefest is just 51 days away!

Punch Drunk

If you haven't heard about Chris Thile's new project called Punch Brothers, then let me make it easy for you. I've been following Chris's career for more than a decade now, and I couldn't name many more fascinating musicians working today. I long suspected that he'd move well beyond bluegrass and beyond the acoustic pop of Nickel Creek into some new American vernacular. The first work that fulfills that promise in a big way for me is called The Blind Leaving The Blind, just out on Nonesuch Records. On Friday I had a story run on NPR's All Things Considered about the album, the new band and Thile's ever-reaching musical nature. You can give it a listen HERE>>>