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Thread: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

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    Default "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I think I'm pretty musically open-minded. I love Broadway musicals, Rage Against the Machine, Bach, Chris Stapleton, old time, Bluegrass... you get the idea. If it's good, I'll listen to it.

    I've found most of Thile's musical guests musically dull, lyrically a bit too clever and esoteric, faux-trendy... generally just boring and uninspiring. No groove to be seen, heard, or felt within 100 miles.

    And, again, I like a lot of kinds of music.

    Perfect example: a few weeks ago David Rawlings was on. He and Gillian killed it. I didn't know the songs. I don't even remember them now. But the groove was there, the feeling... it was palpable.

    In short, if LFH has one more artist with only 1 name, a Nord with atmospheric pads, and an atonal forgettable song with no melody... then I might rant on the Internet (ooh... what a threat!).

    Here's my theory: There's no money in poetry. There's a little money in music. So these poets grab their MacBook and/or a guitar, use "Cool Singer-Songwriter Name Generator", and write poems with music-ish stuff behind it.

    From now on, refer to me only as, "Neet-koe". I'm riding this train to my first spot on LFH!
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  3. #2
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    A lot of music today seems like self serving angst. No groove, story, edge, feeling.

    Like you said, then there's David and Gillian, Old and in the Way, Sam, Steep Canyon Rangers, et. al.

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    Registered User Michael Neverisky's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I didn't hear the episode tonight but I have, for the most part, been impressed by the guests! Let's see... I remember Gaby Moreno, Lake Street Dive, Yo Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer, Calexico, Jonathan Biss... etc. The stand-up comediennes have been hit-or-miss, in my opinion, but the variety and quality of music has been extraordinary. Maybe I just got lucky?

  6. #4
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I'm with Michael. I haven't caught all episodes, but in the ones I have listened to, I have enjoyed the music. The comedy, not so much.
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I’ve actually bought a couple of albums based on LFH guest performances. Gillian and David are other-worldly musicians. I’ve watched their appearance probably 15 times, because they’re just that damn good. I’m actually loving this show right now. I rarely listen or watch live, but start looking for vids Sunday morning...

    All that said, I haven’t dug all the musical guests, either, but they all can’t be home runs...I have been amazed at some of the music that’s come out of some of the song of the week catalogue. Don’t love them all, but some are freaking brilliant. Can’t wait to play Elephant in the Room at our next Thanksgiving gathering
    Chuck

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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I'm at the back end of the Baby Boomers, and I still listen to LFH every weekend, just to see what the kids are doing.

    I might not like everything I hear, but I think it's important to hear it, to stay just a little bit connected at my increasingly disconnected old age. At least it's mostly acoustic, compared to what else is happening in popular music culture. That's worth something. And Chris is exposing a lot of young artists that wouldn't have another outlet like this. That's worth something too.

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  11. #7

    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I find the shows with the live video feed much more entertaining. Even when the musical guests aren't my cup of tea, I'll still watch. Chris has an amazing musical ear, and if he hears something in their music, I'll give them a try. Overall, the hits have outpaced the misses for me.
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  13. #8

    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Harris View Post
    ... the groove was there, the feeling...
    Right on. That's usually the only reason I listen to (or play!) music, is because of the groove. Natural mood enhancer.

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Harris View Post
    ... Here's my theory: There's no money in poetry. There's a little money in music. So these poets grab their MacBook and/or a guitar, use "Cool Singer-Songwriter Name Generator", and write poems with music-ish stuff behind it. ...
    Lol. Sounds about right. Maybe your analysis there explains why I've almost always felt irritated and annoyed by gratuitous lyrics in music. If I wanted to hear poetry (lyrics), I'd go to a poetry reading (which, unsurprisingly, I steer clear of). I'll take good solid instrumentals please.

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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    De gustibus non disputandem est, as we used to call her (nod to Robert Benchely).

    I didn't like everyone who played on A Prairie Home Companion, either. But a widely-distributed, live-performance show that features a wide range of folk/acoustic, sometimes ethnically based, music, is worth supporting, IMHO.

    When they hired Chris T, they probably knew what they were gonna get. From what I've heard/seen of him and his music, I don't find the guest roster for LFH surprising. As one nearing his mid-70's, I find I still like to be surprised, perhaps challenged, even pushed to the edges of my comfort zone, every now and then. Which is why I tend to lend a not-totally-hostile ear to Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, Live From Fur Peace Ranch, World Cafe and other similar venues. Don't like everything I hear -- so what?

    News Flash: not everyone likes everything. But, I think everyone likes something. I usually find a nugget here or there, and just pass by all the non-nuggets.

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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I've really enjoyed most of what I've seen on it; sadly, I haven't watched but a small smattering of it.

    You know, Babe Ruth couldn't hit a home run every time he stepped up to the plate. .342 is pretty good in baseball. Kudos to CT for now being in a position to do what he wants for the most part, and I shudder to think how much he gives to keep a show like that on track. Takes special people up front and behind the scenes to make it happen over and over.
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    Registered User JH Murray's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    As I move into my late 50's I find that I have difficulty relating to music made by 20 year olds because their experience of the world is so vastly different than my own. So some songs on LFH challenge me, some turn me off, some make me smile, and some blow me away. The quality of the musicianship is stellar, even if all of the lyrics don't move this old soul. On a recent show Thile talked about Gillian Welch's Time the Revelator as an important coming of age album for him. While I love that album, I had to sit and ponder what that album might mean to a young person at that moment in his life, much in the same way that the Ramones first album blew my world open over 40 years ago. For that opportunity to sit with a musical soul that is fully alive, I am thankful.

  18. #12

    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    I think Thile is a great interpreter of music. As a curator and composer I just don't have the same tastes I guess. I have a thing for masterful musicianship. I figure I'm stuck listening to a two-bit hack most of the time (that's me) so when I listen to music I want to hear absolute masters of their craft.

    I'm a snob and a PIA. Let's just call a spade a spade!
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    Default Re: "Live From Here" Musical Guests: Clearly I'm Not Hip

    Say it isn’t so! Thile splits the crowd here? Who would have thought?

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