[via special correspondant and other important m-word, megan steinman]
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/magazine/18bands-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin

The author focused on three performers:  Final Fantasy, St. Vincent and Panda Bear - all of whom I like, esp Panda Bear and his crazy-kooky Animal Collective compadres.  And yes, as author he (John Wray) has every right to select his subjects and thesis at whim.  But seems to me Wray does absolutely minimal stretching and investigating beyond June’s lineup at Northsix in Williamsburg.

Really?  You’re going to publish an entire article on the art of introducing electronic-based looping into the pop/rock idiom, giving credit to Trey Anastasio of Phish (just threw up in my mouth a bit, sorry), but no mention of the following:

1. Jon Brion.  Hello - Friday nights at Largo!  Some of the best music I’ve seen in LA, if not anywhere.  You’re heart’s made of dry ice if it doesn’t melt at the site of Jon running around the stage from tricked out upright piano, to bass, to drums, to…. before finally picking up his guitar while the ghosts of Jon Brion’s Past accompany him on the smartest pop songs I’ve ever heard.

2. Mad Lib!!  I know the article is about pop music, but c’mon.  Mad Lib’s got more music personalities than Sybil.  How about going from hip-hop to pop to teaching himself jazz and jazz band choreography in order to form the band, Yesterday’s New Quintet.  And THEN, making solo side projects for the “members” of YNQ.

3. Dan Deacon.  What about a man who turns his audience into instruments themselves!

I’m sure the recipients here can come up with many more examples.  I can only hope that the author did too, but lost them in editing.

OH!  And I have to end with a quote from the article that is guaranteed to make Doug Darnell’s blood boil.  See, Doug has a REAL issue with live performers hiding behind laptops and claiming that alone to be a “show”.    So, Doug, this one’s for you:

** When I mentioned the ever-more-frequent use of laptop-based samples onstage, however, Clark narrowed her eyes.  ”That’s tricky,” she said.  ”I did a show once, and the guy who was on before me played a DJ set using his laptop.  To the crowd, it had the appearance that he was deeply engaged in thought - you know, really working those buttons - but I took a peek from backstage, and I saw that he was actually playing Solitaire”. **

YUP.

PS.  If you can’t open the link to the article because you’re not signed on with a free NY Times “account”, well then you should immediately sign yourself up.