Dead Horse – Silver Spoons
Success in the music world has hardly ever been achieved fairly and squarely. And now that there’s not much left to share, only a fool would leave it up to chance when they could call upon a rich father or wealthy patron to do the trick for them. With clicks moving the needle, we’ve reached the point where some platinum albums aren’t listened to by anyone and global pop superstars are never known by the average man on the street.
So, who’s left to make the tunes, and who’s off peeling the spuds? Oscar Wilde talked about art for art’s sake, sure. But he’d inherited an estate in his teens. The majority of the people who can afford to make music nowadays are the kids who don’t need to work or worry about getting an education that will serve them in the real world. The game’s bought and sold. And all we’re left with is reading the PR statements about how much these people struggled.
The lack of fairness is enough to make you mad. But if you want anyone to listen to you, it should also make you want to crack a joke or two. That’s precisely what Dead Horse did on the manic post-punk stomp of “Silver Spoons.” It’s a revenge fantasy of sorts. And it contains the most wonderful, barked chorus you’ll hear in a while. But a bit of revenge wouldn’t be unfair. Just think of all the trees cut down to make books that nobody will read and all the vinyl pressings filling up landfills. Down with the art made by rich kids!
GiGi Abbott – Elizabeth Meets the New Kid at School
Doesn’t everyone deserve a book or song written about them, a movie about their life, or, at least, a nice, short poem? In theory, sure. But who’s gonna pay for the expenses for any random story like that? And who’s gonna want to hear the stories if they’re not marginally entertaining?
Nah, things ain’t changed for a really long time. All the heroes and the villains are the same. They virtually look the same as they always did and do the things they’ve always done. And each new generation demands that they be the stars of their stories.
Rock music might be one of the few escape routes for the ones who won’t get their stories told otherwise. Whether it’s Lou Reed or Jonathan Richman, rock songwriters have always been able to tell the story of the people who are usually not seen or heard by the majority.
There’s something unsettling about GiGi Abbott’s “Elizabeth Meets the New Kid at School” despite the pretty melodies and arrangement. It’s not just the story of a school bully who is low on cash and on good manners. It’s just that he’s in love with the nice girl in school. Nah, there’s something in this story we’re not being told. Otherwise, GiGi Abbott just found a great way to tell a compelling story about an ordinary hoodlum. Regardless, it’s impressive.
