Best of the Music Web - ConsequenceOfSound.com

Those of us who lovingly caress our yellowing back issues of Creem and Trouser Press have largely been let down in the hope that the Internet would somehow resurrect the dormant art of intelligent music writing. An explosion of music-related sites and blogs has followed the pattern of the 500 channel world of cable TV -- more outlets for the same old crap.

Thankfully, just as there are islands of intelligent life in TV land, so too are there a few glorious outposts of inspiration for music lovers on the web. Beginning with this post, Bruce and I will shed light on these sites, while presenting - in their own words - the thoughts of the men and women behind them.

Let's start with Consequence of Sound, a New York and Chicago-based site that presents the work of more than 50 talented writers, editors, graphic designers, and photographers. In less than three years, CoS has become one of the most important and influential music sites on the planet, a rise driven by a hipster-resistant attitude and a powerful focus on thoughtful and open-minded writing. The site has also become the go-to source for festival news and lineups.

We spoke with CoS founder Alex Young about his site's philosophy, the state of music fandom and why Joe Strummer is still a hero to twentysomethings.



Jon: Recent pieces on CoS have ranged from T. Rex to Genesis to Die Antwoord. In an age of micro-nichery you seem to go against the grain by covering a wide swath of music. Do you see more music sites going in that direction or will things get narrowed down more and more?

Alex: I think our willingness not to discriminate is what differs us from all other sites and blogs out there. These days, everyone is trying to become a taste maker and so any band that can strum a guitar or make something that sounds even remotely like music on Garageband is blogged about. Pitchfork had its successes early on and to some extent still does, but in my mind, this oversaturation of "buzz bands" has diluted the "indie" genre so much so that it almost becomes impossible to find a worthwhile band.

So rather than set out to be something we're not, we figured we'd stick to covering music we actually enjoy. A lot of people view this ideology as "unique," but I really don't feel that's the case. It's just that we form our tastes on music we enjoy rather than what's hip or hot. Consequently, that means posts about Foo Fighters, Eminem, and Neil Young, rather than some random band playing Glasslands in Brooklyn on a Tuesday night. It also helps that we have a staff of contributors with such a diversified taste, ranging from Radiohead fanboys to Rammstein lovers.

I do, however, think the whole "micro-nichery" idea you bring up raises a good point. It's just that, a micro-niche, and there are only so many people who enjoy bands w/in that category. To bloggers, it might not seem like it, but 98% of the world has no idea who Animal Collective is. Yet, we treat them like they're the second coming of the Beatles. How this model is sustainable for bloggers is beyond me.


Jon: What's the one thing you hoped to accomplish with CoS at the start? Are you accomplishing it, or have you changed your goals?

Alex: To be honest, I didn't start CoS with a specific goal. Rather I was bored and wanted an outlet to write about the White Stripes, Springsteen, and Rancid. But over time, it clearly evolved into what it is today and thus we have developed some aspirations in that time. In might seem cliche, but my goal is to be the best -- a one-stop spot featuring all the information a music fan would ever want. Already I feel like we offer most of that with our unbelievable news team, top notch live coverage, the Festival Outlook, upcoming release calendar, and concert calendar, and we have even more great stuff planned.



Jon: Our membership is mostly in their 30s, 40s and 50s, and a lot of them think today's young fans don't have as much passion for music as they did at that age. I tend to disagree with them on this, but I'm in the minority. What do you say?

Alex: Yes and no. The kids who read music blogs on a day to day basis, attend music festivals, etc. are incredibly passionate about music. On the other hand, there is also a percentage of kids who discover their music through top 40 radio and the Jersey Shore and thus don't really know what qualifies good music and bad music. Still, I don't know if tastes have anything to do with passion. All I know is that at the end of the day, whether legally or illegally, tons of music is being consumed by the younger generation.


Jon: I see that you list the Clash first among your favorite bands. They're my all-time fave, but I came of age with them. What is it about their music that speaks to you across the years?

Alex: To me, The Clash embodied the true spirit of what a band is supposed to be. Politically, they reflected the voice of a frustrated and angry generation who had long been suppressed by government. Musically, they weren't afraid go off the beaten path. They could have been made five more albums that sounded just like their debut or Cut the Crap and sold just as many more albums as they ultimately did, but instead they risked it all in hopes of trying something new. You know how these days all the buzz bands sounded the same? Back when The Clash were around, no one sounded like them. Lyrically and musically, you can't really ask for anything more.

Plus, there was Joe. Whereas The Clash embodied the true spirit of what a band is supposed to be, Strummer defined the idea of a "frontman." He had the look, style, swagger, hunger, and most of all, talents. In my mind, no one will ever come close to touching him.




Visit Consequence of Sound: http://consequenceofsound.net/