David Byrne On Stephen Colbert, Bad Reviews
Last night David Byrne went on The Colbert Report. During the jokey Q&A he got insightful, where other people laugh, trying to answer Stephen C's questions as carefully as possible even when they were meant as a punchline (see, for instance, the analysis of "Once In A Lifetime"). The chat was followed by a performance of Everything That Happens Will Happen Today's "Life Is Long." You can see both portions at Videogum. You'll note Byrne brought the all-white outfits and interpretive dancers of his Songs of David Byrne And Brian Eno Tour, which received a less than stellar review by Jon Pareles in yesterday's Times. Byrne sounds great, but after watching even a couple minutes of the hammy dancers, I can't say I'm entirely unsympathetic to Pareles' thoughts on the night. Byrne, who admits he hasn't read the review, has an interesting response to it at his blog:
Tipped off to the article by "C" before he sees it, Byrne brings up the notion of music snobs "who like to remind everyone that they heard so and so back when they were really good" then specifies that this "is the same reviewer who leveled charges of 'cultural imperialism' against Bush Of Ghosts in his Rolling Stone review back in the early 80's." He decides he won't read the article because "it seemed to be one of those reviews that comes from some psychological issues the writer has" and therefore wouldn't be constructive. While parts of Parales's old RS review are harsh (actually, it can get heavy handed), it isn't as harsh as Byrne remembers it. Pareles, who gave Bush 3.5 stars, ends the review with a provocative question:
When they don't succumb to exoticism or cuteness--luckily, that's most of the album--the Byrne-Eno backups are fascinating, complementing the sources without absorbing them. David Byrne and Brian Eno pile up riffs and cross-rhythms to build drama, yet they keep the cuts uncluttered and mysterious. As sheer sound (ignoring content and context), many of the selections are heady and memorable. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts does make me wonder, though, how Byrne or Eno would react if Dunya Yusin spliced together a little of "Animals" and a bit of "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch," then added her idea of a suitable backup. Does this global village have two-way traffic?
It's clear he was building up to this central idea. The bigger question: Has anyone answered it sufficiently? All this to say: The Byrne vs. Pareles standoff is fascinating. You can read Byrne's take at his blog. (Since RS came up, it should be noted they loved the show.)
Posted at 3:01 PM by brandon in Video
Tags: David Byrne | Jon Pareles
No, really - Col_Bert isn't fucking funny.
Score = -39
I really don't know who he's fucking.
Score = 11
are you guys hard-pressed on news? you have to take from videogum twice in one day?
Score = -6
why shouldn't they link to videogum if there is something interesting and music-related there? colbert has hosted some pretty noteworthy interviews with bands over the last year.
Score = 8
The dancers were an amazing part of the show. FNYT.
Score = 4
I just read the review from Time and I would like to say they are dead wrong. I saw David Byrne in Austin and it was a great show. It was obvious we was trying to give more than just a concert so that is why he used the dancers. I recomend everyone see the show
Score = 3
David Byrne is the man, Pareles just wanted to sound cool and talk about how the old days were so much better. Never trust a flautist.
Though I'll admit I would've liked another guitarist.
Score = 2
It's always been a one way traffic.
Score = 0
I thought that the dancers brought some of the frantic, goofy but really interesting energy you see in stop making sense. When I saw it at ACL I was blown away. My "bro" co-worker with a faux hawk later explained that the dancers were "gay" and he only stayed for "that one song I like"
Look, the word hipster gets tossed around a lot, but lets be real. Your average kid sporting an ironic sweatband/bandana that can't remember if he really likes Talking Heads because he downloaded a torrent and listened to it once can go fuck off. David Byrne's enitre schtick seems ti be based on being incredibly dorky and fun, but still artsy. The guy comes off as a goofy character who is sincere in his motives that happens to create good art.
If some silly dancers bother you... you were never really on board. He WAS the silly dancers when his hair was black.
Score = 9
"If some silly dancers bother you... you were never really on board. He WAS the silly dancers when his hair was black"
exactly
Score = 1
saw the show in san francisco last fall and it was incredible. this pareles character clearly has an axe to grind
yes the dancers were a bit distracting on some songs, but overall a nice addition.i didn't see anyone complaining when the extra action marching band came out for the 2nd encore, either
Score = 0
I miss the gigantic suit.
Score = 0
What really comes across in Byrne's response is how he actually feels hurt by the review. Not because it bruised his ego, but because the reviewer didn't really understand his art in the first place. This is my gripe with the vast majority of music critics. They don't really understand the art, they just build their careers on sounding cool. It's easy bitching about how David Byrne was better back in the day when you think of him as a cultural symbol and not a real person (or real artist).
By the way, this was one of the very best concerts I've ever been too.
Score = 2
Saw him here in Vancouver. Is part of the nerdy shtick to do three two-song encores with long, applause milking, chorus line bows between each? Good show but those encores...c'mon.
Score = -1
It seems to me that M.I.A. (who sampled the Clash) and Esau Mwamwaya (who, as The Very Best, sampled Architecture in Helsinki's own cultural appropriations) are signs that the traffic is starting to flow the other direction. Just in time for the twilight of the American Empire!
Score = 1
Just saw him in Brooklyn, NY, and it was awesome. The encores were not milking applause, the applause was given willingly and the crowd wasn't going to let him go home without 3 encores!
Score = 0