Comments on: Sugababes at war! http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:16:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Josh http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-127 Josh Sun, 08 Apr 2007 13:43:33 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-127 so you disagree that Blur's eponymous album contains some of their most enduring work? so you disagree that Blur’s eponymous album contains some of their most enduring work?

]]> By: Rav Casley Gera http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-129 Rav Casley Gera Mon, 09 Apr 2007 12:23:11 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-129 Naw, I don't, but I still think it doesn't match the giddy invention and sheer uniqueness of Parklife. Blur's decline was far slower, and shallower, than Oasis'. But <i>Country House</i> nevertheless marks a turning point - the moment the Albarn-dominated cockney-sature personality of the band had clearly burned itself out. The swing towards Americana - and increase in influence of Coxon - handed them a creative reprieve, but I wouldn't argue it constitutes a genuine second artistic peak, no. You're not the first to have picked up on this, natch. Naw, I don’t, but I still think it doesn’t match the giddy invention and sheer uniqueness of Parklife. Blur’s decline was far slower, and shallower, than Oasis’. But Country House nevertheless marks a turning point - the moment the Albarn-dominated cockney-sature personality of the band had clearly burned itself out. The swing towards Americana - and increase in influence of Coxon - handed them a creative reprieve, but I wouldn’t argue it constitutes a genuine second artistic peak, no.

You’re not the first to have picked up on this, natch.

]]> By: RP http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-131 RP Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:22:49 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-131 As well you know, album 5 is my favourite Blur outing, 'Americana' or no. My vote is for Damo and pals. As well you know, album 5 is my favourite Blur outing, ‘Americana’ or no. My vote is for Damo and pals.

]]> By: RMcP http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-132 RMcP Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:18:51 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-132 Oh dear. Two people have already picked up on the same thing... Well, as I am already here: To say that the clash of Oasis and Blur in the charts marked their 'artistic declines' is a stretch of facts in any way you look at it. For a start, the singles clash has nothing to do with either band, but more to do with band management and record company marketeers - Not something that would impact on their music tendencies for some time. Come to think of it, Blur would have been way down the line with their next tunes before audiences got their mits on the 'Country House' single. Secondly, Blur as a band went from being labelled britpop, to indie rock, through lo-fi and into african-inspired-electronica! Maybe your 'artistic decline' could be more explained as a movement away from the Smash-Hits oriented target market to new areas of experimentation and musicianship? Combined with the world tours, acclaim on both sides of the pond (4 x #1 album in UK alone) and the unit sales that followed the '95 Oasis incident, I refuse to see how this could be labelled as any form of 'decline', artistic or not. And I know many bands that would take the result, no matter what you want call it... The only decline (of a sense) that Blur unfortunately encountered was one of personalities when poor Coxon and Albarn had a barney and the latter asked the former to leave. That's I feel better now. Crikey, I wasn't even a big Blur fan, and I hated Oasis. Who would've known? Oh dear. Two people have already picked up on the same thing… Well, as I am already here:

To say that the clash of Oasis and Blur in the charts marked their ‘artistic declines’ is a stretch of facts in any way you look at it. For a start, the singles clash has nothing to do with either band, but more to do with band management and record company marketeers - Not something that would impact on their music tendencies for some time. Come to think of it, Blur would have been way down the line with their next tunes before audiences got their mits on the ‘Country House’ single.

Secondly, Blur as a band went from being labelled britpop, to indie rock, through lo-fi and into african-inspired-electronica! Maybe your ‘artistic decline’ could be more explained as a movement away from the Smash-Hits oriented target market to new areas of experimentation and musicianship? Combined with the world tours, acclaim on both sides of the pond (4 x #1 album in UK alone) and the unit sales that followed the ‘95 Oasis incident, I refuse to see how this could be labelled as any form of ‘decline’, artistic or not. And I know many bands that would take the result, no matter what you want call it…

The only decline (of a sense) that Blur unfortunately encountered was one of personalities when poor Coxon and Albarn had a barney and the latter asked the former to leave. That’s

I feel better now. Crikey, I wasn’t even a big Blur fan, and I hated Oasis. Who would’ve known?

]]> By: Rav Casley Gera http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-133 Rav Casley Gera Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:26:15 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-133 I didn't say the singles clash <i>caused</i> the decline, just that it provides a convenient marker for it. There's no doubt Blur's later work contains some exciting ideas, and some of their finest tracks ("You're So Great", "Death Of A Party", "Tender" and "No Distance Left To Run" are all great, for starters). But having listened again today to <i>Parklife, Blur</i> and <i>13</i>, I still maintain there's a consistency of inventiveness on <i>Parklife</i> that later albums can't match. Seen in the context of the obvious immediate creative crash of <i>The Great Escape</i> and the eventual low point of <i>Think Tank</i> - neither of which are bad albums, but equally neither of which represent anything like the band's full creative capability - I think it's legitimate to describe the post-<i>Parklife</i> period as one of artistic decline, albeit a slower and shallower one than that undergone by Oasis, and one not without its high points. I didn’t say the singles clash caused the decline, just that it provides a convenient marker for it. There’s no doubt Blur’s later work contains some exciting ideas, and some of their finest tracks (”You’re So Great”, “Death Of A Party”, “Tender” and “No Distance Left To Run” are all great, for starters).

But having listened again today to Parklife, Blur and 13, I still maintain there’s a consistency of inventiveness on Parklife that later albums can’t match. Seen in the context of the obvious immediate creative crash of The Great Escape and the eventual low point of Think Tank - neither of which are bad albums, but equally neither of which represent anything like the band’s full creative capability - I think it’s legitimate to describe the post-Parklife period as one of artistic decline, albeit a slower and shallower one than that undergone by Oasis, and one not without its high points.

]]> By: Josh http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-137 Josh Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:14:20 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-137 to get back to the topic- what does everyone think of The Good, The Bad & The Queen? to get back to the topic-

what does everyone think of The Good, The Bad & The Queen?

]]> By: Tammo http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-138 Tammo Sun, 15 Apr 2007 10:00:18 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-138 Pretty damn ropey. And I hate Albarn's hat: http://www.nme.com/images/84_TheGoodtheBad_L211206.jpg Chief. Pretty damn ropey. And I hate Albarn’s hat:

http://www.nme.com/images/84_TheGoodtheBad_L211206.jpg

Chief.

]]> By: RMcP http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-140 RMcP Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:35:31 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-140 GBQ is a grower, despite the hat and the fact that the band won't name themselves (GBQ is just the album name). It's music for old men basically, so I am never going to be their target audience... They played in my office canteen a couple of weeks ago ;) GBQ is a grower, despite the hat and the fact that the band won’t name themselves (GBQ is just the album name). It’s music for old men basically, so I am never going to be their target audience… They played in my office canteen a couple of weeks ago ;)

]]> By: Rav Casley Gera http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-141 Rav Casley Gera Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:15:12 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-141 Hang on - the single's being marketed with the GBQ name as well, not just by title or with the individual member names. So surely that means GBQ <i>is</i> their name? Anyway, here's a good gig for further pondering: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7780450 Hang on - the single’s being marketed with the GBQ name as well, not just by title or with the individual member names. So surely that means GBQ is their name?

Anyway, here’s a good gig for further pondering:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7780450

]]> By: aristo annora http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-3553 aristo annora Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:08:37 +0000 http://casleygera.com/2007/04/06/sugababes-at-war/#comment-3553 i have nothing to do to Mutya.I love siobhan donaghy so much,she is so cretive that her overall album is amazing.Despite of her lack of succes first album,doesnt affect that she has made a great album.And for Donaghy's second album,i trully admit that it has a very beautifull effort.I wish i could hear more record from Sweetie siobhan Donaghy. i have nothing to do to Mutya.I love siobhan donaghy so much,she is so cretive that her overall album is amazing.Despite of her lack of succes first album,doesnt affect that she has made a great album.And for Donaghy’s second album,i trully admit that it has a very beautifull effort.I wish i could hear more record from Sweetie siobhan Donaghy.

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