LA Times review of Prog book `Yes is the Answer'

[mboehm]

http://www.latimes.com/features/book..._story_display

[NotTheMama]

Much more balanced than the NY Times review--a very diplomatic piece that probably does a service to prog.

[Splicer]

I thought it was a good review from someone who has a genuine appreciation of music in general.

[bill g]

Yeah, nice review. And in the comments someone mentions progressive ears.

[Chuzzlewit]

I agree...The review was well balanced. As mentioned in the article, I do remember the early Genesis music with Gabriel, as being a particular life-saver for me. My fascination with British culture and history just gelled with Genesis/Gabriel...Hell, my brain exploded the first time I heard "Musical Box" and then "Watcher of the Skies"...Seriously...Been a fan ever since. Already saved the book to my wish list. I plan on purchase.

[notallwhowander]

Still, the implied self-deprecation described in the article rubs me the wrong way: that there some kind of shame to reckon with in liking progressive rock. It doesn't incline me toward the book, honestly.

[NotTheMama]

It's true that you can't really find a pop style that is immune from some kind of embarrassment, if you choose to view it that way. Man those Mohawk haircuts looked idiotic back in the day; how many punks are proud of that?

[notallwhowander]

I'm waiting for the inherent idiocy of the faux-hawk to be universally recognized. A mohawk at least required some kind of commitment. A faux-hawk just takes an idiot and some hair gel. However, if the point of the faux-hawk is to annoy older people: mission accomplished.

[PotatoSolution]

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. (Not sure who first said this, but it is still true.)

[Yanks2014]

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. (Not sure who first said this, but it is still true.)

If it's true, then why do we do it here? Never liked that quote. You can write about any topic, and music is as good a topic as any. A well written description or review can indeed capture essence of what is great or terrible about a piece of music. I've bought plenty of music only based on someone's written words, without hearing a note, and finding out how right they really were.

[N_Singh]

If it's true, then why do we do it here? Never liked that quote. You can write about any topic, and music is as good a topic as any. A well written description or review can indeed capture essence of what is great or terrible about a piece of music. I've bought plenty of music only based on someone's written words, without hearing a note, and finding out how right they really were.

+1.

[notallwhowander]

Well, architecture is a perfectly acceptable subject to explore through dance. It just isn't the thing itself. You're not going to experience a given building while dancing a dance about it. Similarly, you're not going to experience a given piece of music while reading a review about it.

[PotatoSolution]

If it's true, then why do we do it here?

Because here we are just giving opinions, informing each other about new stuff we are excited about, and having a conversation with like-minded folks.

A book isn't a conversation, it is a lecture that tries to tell you what to think about something. I like discussing music (which is what this place is), but I don't like being lectured to (which is what a book about music is).

[NotTheMama]

Because here we are just giving opinions, informing each other about new stuff we are excited about, and having a conversation with like-minded folks.

A book isn't a conversation, it is a lecture that tries to tell you what to think about something. I like discussing music (which is what this place is), but I don't like being lectured to (which is what a book about music is).

What do you like being lectured to about then?

[NotTheMama]

Bumping this to the top because it's a nice piece of writing by a PE member.