Hallelujah

[Fab Foodie]

I think X-factor is very good at what it does, there's little pretence behind it really. There have been others game show talent shows over the years so the format is popular. There's been variety in Music, singing from Opera to Battle of the Bands, Choir competitions, Musical theatre competitions, anybody remember Young Musician of the year? OK, so they're lighthearted family fun. I don't see the problem with that.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Exactly. The sound is absolutely generic. Because all the public want is a pretty face that can hold a tune. And the public want what the public get. As some bloke once sang...

Surely the whole thing with Pop music is that it's err, popular? Things that have to have mass appeal must in general be formulaic and innoffensive, easy to understand, look at cars, look at fast food. We always seem to equate popular with bad, it's like a form of snobbery.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

If there were enough people like you then we'd be having 'The Grit-Factor' with a host of aspiring Seasick Steve wannabes.

That would be more like it! It would end being a bit like Python's 4 Yorkshiremen sketch though...

 

[Chuffy]

Surely the whole thing with Pop music is that it's err, popular? Things that have to have mass appeal must in general be formulaic and innoffensive, easy to understand, look at cars, look at fast food. We always seem to equate popular with bad, it's like a form of snobbery.

Could you imagine, say, Culture Club coming through any of those shows? They were pop as anything, but never bland. Even the likes of Britney (largely thanks to the material) are great pop. But the X-Factor and it's ilk are smoother and more bland than anything that's ever come before. Great pop is distinctive. It has character. It sometimes comes from leftfield. The X Factor doesn't even come close to having any of that.

 

[Chuffy]

That would be more like it! It would end being a bit like Python's 4 Yorkshiremen sketch though...

Railroad? We had to draw lines in the sand and walk along them. Then our grandpappy would stab us and steal our meths.

Etc...

 

[Dalestar]

Rufus Wainwright did the Shrek version which was ok, not a patch on Buckley though.

I hate the thought of some manufactured shite, with the backing of the anti Christ that is cowell, using this great song as a corporate money generator.

The puss factor, celebrity leave me in the jungle, celebrity come duncing etc - they all make me puke.

Just read this back and apparently i feel quite strongly about this. :-)

 

[User482]

Well, I'm not 'most people'. I much prefer his father's voice as it happens. In general, however, I like a bit more sandpaper and grit...

Oh I know - you make that quite clear.

Still, "inoffensive" is an odd comment to make - Buckley's voice is incredibly distinctive.

 

[User482]

Railroad? We had to draw lines in the sand and walk along them. Then our grandpappy would stab us and steal our meths.

Etc...

You 'ad meths? You were lucky. We 'ad to make do wi' regurgitated white spirit.

Etc.

 

[Chuffy]

You 'ad meths? You were lucky. We 'ad to make do wi' regurgitated white spirit.

Etc.

We had to suck spat out baccy juice from hot gravel.

Etc...

 

[User482]

We had to suck spat out baccy juice from hot gravel.

Etc...

Luxury.

We 'ad to make do wi ingesting the remains of the landlord's septic tank through a piece of rotten cloth.

Etc.

Ok, let's hand over to the professionals:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

 

[Arch]

Buckley for me. First song I ever downloaded from itunes as a matter of fact.

I heard a snippet of the x-factor girl singing it. No thanks....

 

[theclaud]

I heard a snippet of the x-factor girl singing it. No thanks....

Well quite. Although we must be thankful for small mercies. It was nearly the cheesy boy band, and but for a few votes before the final could even have been [shudder] that nauseating kid with the spiky hair. Ugh.

But it's that **** Brian Friedman that really pisses me off.

 

[barq]

Could you imagine, say, Culture Club coming through any of those shows? They were pop as anything, but never bland. Even the likes of Britney (largely thanks to the material) are great pop. But the X-Factor and it's ilk are smoother and more bland than anything that's ever come before. Great pop is distinctive. It has character. It sometimes comes from leftfield. The X Factor doesn't even come close to having any of that.

I think Culture Club would probably a bit idiosyncratic to get through. Viewed from 2008 they seem like pure pop, but they weren't so mainstream when they started out. X Factor produces very middle of the road acts, but that's what talent/popularity contests do. But even before X factor talent alone was never enough because it took luck in meeting the right A&R man.

The criticism I'd level at X Factor is that, for the kind of pop music it is, they aren't always polished enough. Eoghan Quigg's version of that song from High School Musical wasn't great. If you do a song and dance routine like that it all needs to be really tight.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think Culture Club would probably a bit idiosyncratic to get through. Viewed from 2008 they seem like pure pop, but they weren't so mainstream when they started out. X Factor produces very middle of the road acts, but that's what talent/popularity contests do. But even before X factor talent alone was never enough because it took luck in meeting the right A&R man.

The criticism I'd level at X Factor is that, for the kind of pop music it is, they aren't always polished enough. Eoghan Quigg's version of that song from High School Musical wasn't great. If you do a song and dance routine like that it all needs to be really tight.

I agree
Good pop will always crop-up and survive whatever the source. But let's not forget pop's roots, Motown much revered today was as amuch as a hit factory as Cowell, Stock-Aitkin-Waterman, Chinn & Chapman etc. What happens is that time mellows our reactions and what was once deemed fashionable trite pop often mellows into yestayears classics. ABBA is a perfect example.
Agree on the Quigg thing at that is why Alexandra Burke should be applauded, she never ever drop a note, was never anything less that perfectly timed, tuned, sang complex runs and choreographed well. To me that takes some talent.

 

[JtB]

I've liked Leonard Cohen's music for many years (one of my all time favorite singers), so for me it has to be 'COHEN'.