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Why is that whenever dudes are blessed with impressive technical skill and versatility, they usually end up throwing themselves into pastiche or parody? […] "Friends" is Ween's version of gay disco (specifically Erasure and the Pet Shop Boys), and though it's amusing the first time through, by the fifth or sixth listen it becomes clear that it's not only a fantastic song, but that these guys could probably make an entire album of this stuff without really trying too hard. There's a fondness for the genre that comes through in the song, but also a bit of condescension in its inane lyrics ("a friend's a friend who knows what being a friend is") and its relentless cheeriness.
Source: Fluxblog.
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dictionary.com: pastiche parody genre inane relentless
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Some artists are so good at what they do that they can make tricky, labored craftwork seem easy, and others are merely just good enough that they can turn out strong material without actually trying very hard. Fountains of Wayne are erring on the side of the latter on their new album Traffic and Weather, and though it doesn't make a song like "Yolanda Hayes" any less enjoyable, it's hard for me not to dwell on how the band seems totally unwilling to challenge themselves or their fans. Like a lot of other acts in the power pop genre, they've got this all down to a scientific formula, to the point that the group's primary songwriter Adam Schlesinger has built a lucrative career penning pop pastiches for Hollywood productions. He aims for comfort and familiarity and generally hits the mark, but now that Fountains of Wayne's central gimmick — humorous yet sympathetic lyrics about the mundane details of suburban life — apparently comes as easily to them as the chord changes, the entire endeavor seems forced and insincere, as though they are just pumping out more product to keep the brand alive. In fairness, that description applies to a lot of different artists, and that sort of competence and strength of identity can yield pretty amazing work, but Fountains of Wayne's stubborn refusal to alter their approach in any way is beginning to seem stale and unimaginative. "Yolanda Hayes" is a delightful little song that works on its own terms, and that goes for a lot of other songs on the new album, but there's a nagging sense that it could be a lot better if only they'd deviated from their recipe a little bit.
Source: Fluxblog.
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dictionary.com: labored latter lucrative pastiche mundane deviate
| The track is a rather fantastic approximation of 60s R&B crafted by producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, who manage to approach the genre with a tuneful subtlety that avoids dreary, bloodless traditionalism or drab pastiche. Winehouse matches their style with a relatively understated vocal that at best recalls the weary yet strident tone of Lauryn Hill, and lends depth to a song that conflates denial and stubborn pride.
Source: Fluxblog.
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dictionary.com:
subtlety
drab
pastiche
strident
conflate
