Two girls. Two mics. By Artist. By Title.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Trashy pop, radical sincerity?

Though I've never kept up with FOX's debut season of Glee outside catching some of the performance scenes, I've been tracking its vast popularity & have heard of commitment to the show from some unlikely followers. I stopped in for last week's "Journey to Regionals," in which the famous bad-band's biggest hits are medleyed in a climactic season finale performance. In realizing that Glee is clearly the only institution (save roller rinks & 8th grade formals?) giving the exact kind of curious reverie to Journey, I thought it would be important to introduce the topic to this blog, as there's an obvious roke-like question underpinning the show's appeal. The greatest karaoke kids are easily closeted show choir admirers, but rarely former members. And it's the same self-consciousness that occurs with bad TV when the characters speak in that show that you contend with as when you enter the karaoke room. But it's usually a quick journey until you give over & the bad song turns good.

This overthought Salon.com piece says to perhaps aggrandize the indulgence, "The difference between adequate escapist fluff and transcendent popular art is the difference between the moments where Glee characters talk and the moments when they sing.". A lot of words returning us to a replayed note, that there's a draw to pure singing over pretense on art that's tough to deny.

-G

No comments:

Post a Comment