The Slow Demise of Modern Music Via the Malevolent Soundtrack
Sarah Schmader
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Features
Other instances of some of my favorite artists being whored via soundtracks don't hit home quite as hard as the Juno incident, but it still makes me cringe a little bit. Take for instance any Wes Anderson film (i.e. The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, Rushmore, etc.). Wes Anderson loves him some good ol' 60's music. Several of his films feature songs from Nico (originally of the Velvet Underground), The Kinks, and, of course, The Rolling Stones.
It's annoying enough that hipsters are convinced that every Wes Anderson film is pure genius (they apparently didn't see The Life Aquatic), but they also decide that they suddenly love these old classic bands that they hear being played in Anderson's movies. These bands' records have been collecting dust in your dad's vinyl collection since you were born, how come you didn't appreciate them until now? Oh, that's right, they weren't "cool" yet.
The classic example of a band getting big thanks to a movie in The Shin's participation in the 2004 "indie" hit Garden State. Sam (Natalie Portman) literally says "You gotta hear this one song, it'll change your life I swear" and makes Zach Braff's character Andrew listen to The Shins' "New Slang." This example doesn't bother me as much because I myself didn't know much about The Shins until I saw this movie. The Shins' career has been successful ever since, which their most recent album Wincing The Night Away selling over 53,000 copies.
Where The Wild Things Are came out in theaters this past week. Leading up to the premiere, several people were asking themselves, "What is that awesome song they play in the Where The Wild Things Are trailer? Ya know, the song with all the different sounds?" Well, that would happen to be the Canadian band The Arcade Fire, which incorporates drums, piano, viola, xylophone, accordion, hurdy gurdy, guitar, cello, mandolin, harp, double bass, French horn, and keyboard to make "all those different sounds." Yes, now rush off and download their most recent album off of iTunes while I sit in my dorm room and sob over music's dissipating integrity.
I'm a music snob, and I can accept that. I know I cannot control all of the music I listen to and keep it in a little box for no one else to discover. I am indeed happy that my favorite bands are getting some recognition; I just don't want that recognition to fall into the hands of a fifteen-year-old girl that still wears jelly bracelets and secretly listens to Fall Out Boy when no one's around. No offense.
*The Rotunda would like to apologize for printing the incorrect version of this opinion piece in this week's printed edition.
It's annoying enough that hipsters are convinced that every Wes Anderson film is pure genius (they apparently didn't see The Life Aquatic), but they also decide that they suddenly love these old classic bands that they hear being played in Anderson's movies. These bands' records have been collecting dust in your dad's vinyl collection since you were born, how come you didn't appreciate them until now? Oh, that's right, they weren't "cool" yet.
The classic example of a band getting big thanks to a movie in The Shin's participation in the 2004 "indie" hit Garden State. Sam (Natalie Portman) literally says "You gotta hear this one song, it'll change your life I swear" and makes Zach Braff's character Andrew listen to The Shins' "New Slang." This example doesn't bother me as much because I myself didn't know much about The Shins until I saw this movie. The Shins' career has been successful ever since, which their most recent album Wincing The Night Away selling over 53,000 copies.
Where The Wild Things Are came out in theaters this past week. Leading up to the premiere, several people were asking themselves, "What is that awesome song they play in the Where The Wild Things Are trailer? Ya know, the song with all the different sounds?" Well, that would happen to be the Canadian band The Arcade Fire, which incorporates drums, piano, viola, xylophone, accordion, hurdy gurdy, guitar, cello, mandolin, harp, double bass, French horn, and keyboard to make "all those different sounds." Yes, now rush off and download their most recent album off of iTunes while I sit in my dorm room and sob over music's dissipating integrity.
I'm a music snob, and I can accept that. I know I cannot control all of the music I listen to and keep it in a little box for no one else to discover. I am indeed happy that my favorite bands are getting some recognition; I just don't want that recognition to fall into the hands of a fifteen-year-old girl that still wears jelly bracelets and secretly listens to Fall Out Boy when no one's around. No offense.
*The Rotunda would like to apologize for printing the incorrect version of this opinion piece in this week's printed edition.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Will Guerrant
posted 10/29/09 @ 6:40 PM EST
While I agree that NO ONE likes their favorite 'underground' band to become fodder for scene kids and hipsters, it inevitably happens in some cases, not because of some sort of massive teenie conspiracy, but because the music itself is GOOD. (Continued…)
Thomas Lively
posted 11/04/09 @ 2:38 PM EST
While it's wonderful that you're so enthusiastic about music and every indie and underground musician or band early on in their careers would kill for a fan like you, you're are leaving out one MAJOR point:
These bands MUST make a living. (Continued…)
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