Another record pulled at random from my record collection during Boxing Day with the family was the 2001 album by Lali Puna, Scary World Theory, selected by my brother- in- law HSD. Lali Puna were/are based in Munich, still active I think, the blank but compelling vocals of Valerie Trebeljahr sitting on top of experimental electro- pop. The album, nearly twenty years old now, sounded really fresh. Nin- Com- Pop has laptop or sampled drums, organ, a few guitar licks, some hiss and lots of presence.
The album's title refers to the work of sociologist George Gerbner who researched and wrote about the long term effects of television. He usually called it Mean World Syndrome. According to Gerbner the longer a person spends living in the television world, the more likely they are to believe that social reality aligns with the reality portrayed on TV. Gerbner's conclusion was that television heavily influences people's perceptions of the real world, for instance people exposed to regular violence come to believe the world is a very violent place and suffer increased levels of anxiety, fear and pessimism as a result. Gerbner also said that traditional forms of cultural story telling that came from the home, school, church and communities were being replaced by the millionaire owners of the television companies who have 'few stories to tell but a lot to sell'.
Anyone watched any of the latest series of Love Island?
Nin- Com- Pop
6 comments:
I only have one Lali Puna album and a 7", not sure why I didn't investigate further as I liked what I have. It was KEXP Seattle that put me onto them.
Wow not heard this in a while. Might have to dig out the album too now
Is this a music blog with social theory or a social theory blog with music? I can confirm that the new 'fake world' does exist. If you haven'r seen it, Adam Curtis's documentary, 'HyperNormalisation', is on the BBC iplayer at the moment. It covers a lot of the themes you've been onto over time. Good soundtrack also.
Also I heard a radio review of 'Love Island' by someone seeing it for the first time. They said 'The trouble with it is that it gives too much voice time to the people in it, when really they don't have anything to say'. ha!
-SRC
It's a music blog first SRC- everything else is even less well informed than the music stuff. Adam Curtis's films are essential but I haven't seen Hypernormalisation.
Love Island is odd. My wife and daughter watch it. On the surface (and there's a lot of surface) its vacuous and blank television, several weeks of identikit 20 somethings who know little about anything except eye brows, white jeans and fake tan, being put into manufactured relationships while the producers hope they'll start rutting or rowing. There are young men who kiss their biceps like its a good look. Beneath the surface there's a lot of opportunity to see how unhealthy relationships work and maybe there's something educational for the young in that.
I have a 2nd Lali Puna album, Faking the Books. Need to play it to see what its like as I can't really remember.
Yes Adam, the music's great. everything else is a bonus. Even being an apologist for Love Island, Ha! Impeach the President!
-SRC
NB I'm not a Love Island apologist.
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