(TV) The New Yorker / Future of Pop / Nick Hornby

["Casey, Leo J" <CaseyL@VOLPE.DOT.GOV>]

The latest New Yorker magazine is a special double issue
devoted entirely to music.  

There's some fine pieces of writing here:  
"Radiohead Brings Back Braininess To Rock"  (Alex Ross),  
"Listening To PJ Harvey" (Hilton Als), a short but nice 
essay by Robert Christgau on "Kurt Cobain's Legacy", and 
what I think is the best things I've read this year, 
"The Billboard Top Ten" by Nick Hornby. 

I was one of the few who didn't care much for Hornby's novel
"Hi Fidelity" (not discussing the film here);  I found the 
musical favorites of that novel's protagonist and of Hornby 
himself rather unadventurous, and its storyline a little too
 feel-good for my taste.  

So I was pleasantly surprised----even a little shocked-----when 
his short "The Billboard Top Ten" turned out to be a brilliant
piece of writing.  He paints a picture of the future of pop music 
(based on his listening to last month's Top Ten albums) in 
which he skillfully manages to be both terrifying and hilarious.
To get back on topic:  Although Hornby does not explicitly 
mention Television or Verlaine (I'd really be stunned if he's ever
listened to them in his life), the future limned in this piece is a 
future with no room for their music.

	Leo

PS:  As a bonus this double issue of The New Yorker also
contains a strong piece by our beloved MM Listmaster and
Television maven, Philip, in which he delineates the band's
history and reviews its Chicago gig.   
--------------
To post: Mail tv@obbard.com
To unsubscribe: Mail majordomo@obbard.com with message "unsubscribe tv"