So I read a blog this morning and about threw up. It basically was a video of Brad Paisley prancing around in the rain ruining a bunch of beautiful guitars. Then I had a friend post a video on Facebook that displayed actual music (not to mention respect for 6 stringed instruments.) So I thought this would make a great death match. Though, I think I do a disservice to John Mayer's music for pitting him against something so beneath him. Please hang on while musical snobbery takes over and I briefly explain the difference in complexity between a typical country song and that of a life long lover of the guitar, singer, and songwriter. Is this blog about Brad Paisley vs. John Mayer? No, truthfully, if I was told I could go out and have supper with one of the two and music was off the table as topic of conversation, I would pick Brad Paisley in a heartbeat. Is this a gleaming example of why country music is sub-par to...well...almost everything else (with the exception of...maybe...worship music :) Oh, and rap doesn't really even count as music. I actually heard a country song the other day where the girl singing rapped a bit. I never thought you could mix the two, but it's true what they say. When you mix country and rap you really do get crap. The following is not meant to offend, but to educate.
Water by Brad Paisley:
Neon by John Mayer:
See? That's what I mean.
1 comment:
I certainly think your argument for the complexity of Mayer's music is valid, but claiming that it's therefore BETTER brings me back to the topic of art that I blogged about a month or two ago. Lady Gaga's music and videos, for example, are widely considered to be beautiful artistic expression... but I think it's all pretty much dog crap on a stick (actually, it doesn't even deserve the stick - dog crap in a mud puddle?).
So I guess I'm asking, does "more complex" = "better"? Lady Gaga might have some things about her music and videos that are more "complex" than something that, say, Shane & Shane might put together, but I'd take Shane & Shane any day.
My usual problem with people who lambast all country music out of hand is that they (unlike you) don't have a REAL appreciation or knowledge of any music at all. They've simply decided that "country music is stupid" because they believe what all their friends say. Furthermore, the argument against country music often seems to go something like this:
1. Many people who sing country music have southern accents.
2. Southern accents come from the South and don't sound very intelligent.
3. The southern part of the country, according to stereotypes, is less educated and intelligent than the rest of the country.
4. Country music is for dumb people.
I understand that YOU'RE not making these arguments, but the usual moron on the street who automatically thinks you're an idiot if you can sing along with Tim McGraw usually believes those premises, and I happen to think they're flawed. You can certainly argue against country music in terms of preference, complexity, and probably other things, but don't just say, "Well, it must be dumb because people have accents, and all they sing about is losing their dogs" (which is entirely untrue).
Good Death Match, though.
Last time you wrote a Death Match you said you had a doosy coming up. When do we get that one?
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