Sing us a song, you're the piano man!
I don't know why exactly but I've been thinking, ruminating even, about Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds, and their key influences, Billy Joel and Gilbert O' Sullivan.
Something bothers me. I think it's rock n' roll's use of piano. No matter how hard one tries, there's always the Elton John-esque aspect of piano in rock. And shouldn't Elton John be avoided at all costs? Oh, yes. Elton John is a zero album artist.
But Billy Joel is good, isn't he? Yes, he is, despite the ubiquity of 'Uptown Girl' which is best avoided. But his pre-'Uptown Girl' work is fine stuff.
Ben Folds is usually acknowledged as being a Billy Joel copyist, but I find that there's a lot more sarcasm and 1990s irony in his warblings. 'Underground' is a class song, with a piano that ensures the hipsters it attacks will never listen to it. I think a two album limit is fine for Ben Folds including solo and his work as part of Ben Folds Five.
Rufus Wainwright is slightly jarring. He has this über-boho image that seems part Freddie Mercury (opera-buff working in the rock paradigm, clever clogs) and part Bowie (un-rock rock music, folksy at times) while being just very hippy without being a hipster about it. I don't put any kind of limit on Wainwright apart from the back-catalogue rule.
Gilbert O' Sullivan, one album, the one with 'Alone Again Naturally' if any. I don't think he's essential, just nice to know his work exists.
Something bothers me. I think it's rock n' roll's use of piano. No matter how hard one tries, there's always the Elton John-esque aspect of piano in rock. And shouldn't Elton John be avoided at all costs? Oh, yes. Elton John is a zero album artist.
But Billy Joel is good, isn't he? Yes, he is, despite the ubiquity of 'Uptown Girl' which is best avoided. But his pre-'Uptown Girl' work is fine stuff.
Ben Folds is usually acknowledged as being a Billy Joel copyist, but I find that there's a lot more sarcasm and 1990s irony in his warblings. 'Underground' is a class song, with a piano that ensures the hipsters it attacks will never listen to it. I think a two album limit is fine for Ben Folds including solo and his work as part of Ben Folds Five.
Rufus Wainwright is slightly jarring. He has this über-boho image that seems part Freddie Mercury (opera-buff working in the rock paradigm, clever clogs) and part Bowie (un-rock rock music, folksy at times) while being just very hippy without being a hipster about it. I don't put any kind of limit on Wainwright apart from the back-catalogue rule.
Gilbert O' Sullivan, one album, the one with 'Alone Again Naturally' if any. I don't think he's essential, just nice to know his work exists.
Labels: benfolds, benfoldsfive, billyjoel, eltonjohn, gilbertosullivan, piano, rock, rufuswainwright
posted by Marc at
8:55 PM
2 Comments:
Look, I don't know. It's like the camp coefficient meets the easy listening ceiling.
Ben Folds. Look, I don't know. If I found one CD I'd sort of nod. If there were two I'd flinch and recoil a shade, but still stay in the relationship. So yeah, agreed. Two max.
Rufus I just can't really embrace. Maximum of one in my books. I'd rather you stock up on Antony and the Johnsons but that's just me.
But Billy Joel?? Marc...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home