And what's worse - it sucks that it sucks. After a string of good to great albums, Moby has released a real stinker with Hotel. And what really gets me is that this is probably one of his best-selling albums. Ergh.
I'll get around to writing a full review soon, but in summary:
- It's way too guitar-pop & mainstream-sounding. Gone are the dance anthems. Adios, samples of Spirituals/Gospels. Wait, there's a bit of electronic piano in there...nope, that doesn't save it.
- The lyrics are some of the most un-inspired I've heard in the past 3 years. Examples:
If I could kiss you now\ I'd kiss you now again and again\ I don't know where I begin\ And where you End
Gag!
Come back to us spiders\ Come uncrush my hands\ Let me send beauty rain\ And bring us love again, like you can
What?
Oh, and it's raining\ Raining again\ Oh, and it's raining\ Raining again
*snore*
- Hi post-pubescent angsty style of whiny singing makes for an unimpressive, if not downright irritating sound.
- Gone is the variation between songs that his albums used to have. He sticks with tried and true progressions and verse-chorus structures on most every song, and that gets really old, really fast after you listen to about three of them.
Hotel's 2nd CD is filled with ambient music. This CD is certainly passable. Too bad I have to listen to it right after scalding my ears with the bitter hot dung that is the 1st CD.
Sorry, Moby. I wish I would have liked Hotel. I just can't bring myself to listen to it anymore. It's really that bad.
7 comments:
I agree. It sounds like techno-elevator music. And I really like 18 and Play. And I don't just like Moby because of my second-degree of separation from him :).
how can somthing be too mainstream? if somthing isn't manstream then the general populus start to like it, it becomes main stream, therefore, he would have to deliberatly have to try to be "out there" with every song. People might like it and the cycle starts again. I used google to define "mainstream" and one of the results i got was:
Describing a band that is known by a large group of people. This band could be heard on the radio, seen on tv, or be on a big record label
Considering that even my parents have heard of moby, I consider him part of that deffinition, so Moby's mainstream. Guess you'll have to find some else who's currently "edgy". But they won't be edgy for long if people listen to them.
Interesting definition of "mainstream", Art. I'd say Moby is "too mainstream" because his sound is starting to approach elements of what some average popular sounds are today (e.g. top albums sold in a given subgenre, top 40 hits on the radio in a given program, etc.).
I believe one can be original and not be completely experimental and alienating. I also believe that someone's art can suffer if they try to please the masses, or producers, instead of themselves and their message. It's my belief that Moby's latest album falls into the latter categorization.
I don't think "known by a large group of people" immediately equates to "mainstream" in my book. I believe it's quite relative. Example: Have you heard of Alfred Schnittke? Chances are no, unless you're into 20th century Russian composers of postmodern, polystylistic music. Now, if you're into 20th century classical music, Schnittke may seem "mainstream". If you're not into classical at all, he's probably quite obscure for you (relative to Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven). The important thing to note here is that the absolute number of people who know of Schnittke's music is small, but the relative number of 20th century classical fans who know of Schnittke is large.
So I think it's important to convey exactly what "stream" Moby is moving into. I would argue his sound is moving much closer to the popular rock and electronic genres, typified by what you hear on popular radio stations, TV, and other mass media that convey this genre of music. Is that bad? Of course that's an opinion. I'm not a fan of the above pop rock & electronic music (though I do like rock and electronic music as a whole), so by virtue of that I'm not a fan of Moby's new album.
I love the majority of Moby's collective musical talents and its raining is a fantastic track which i've seen fill floors in clubs all over with everyone enjoying it and with a smile on their face including myself.
Good for you. I'm glad you enjoy dancing to it. For what it's worth, I like dancing to the Chicken Dance, but I also think the Chicken Dance is a crap song.
I must say that your review of moby's hotel recording is crap. There is nothing redeming about it what so ever. Mainstream? Bs! Come on what world are you living in? I think we would all agree that the fly by night teeny bopper bands are "mainstream." Moby... The little idiot from Harlem... Going to be around for a lot longer than that.
David, I think Moby is very mainstream. Consider:
- His music has been heard on television shows, movies, and commercials.
- He's homogenized his sound in order to make it more accessible and easier to sell in those channels.
- He's been featured in most major entertainment and music periodicals.
- People who know next to nothing about electronic music know who he is.
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