The M-word redux

On the latest album by the Be Good Tanyas is a sticker endorsing them thus:

A confident modern approach to a very traditional sound - The Guardian.

Only the Groan could be so moronic as to think "modern" is any kind of compliment. And only a record company could be so stupid as to agree.
I'm glad to report that - barring a couple of cover versions - there's little about the album that's modern; here's the (representative) opening track. And here's their idea of modernity, a video of an earlier song.
This was co-written by Jolie Holland (pbuh). Here she is, unburdened of modernity, or any other imperfection.

Comments

[Gracchi]

Original I could see but modern? Doesn't the Guardian realise that some of the best music ever was produced by Beethoven and Mozart- both dead or that most of the great pop music was recorded over thirty years ago- not to say that tons of good stuff hasn't been done since as well. There is a wonderful comment by C.S. Lewis who once said that anything in fashion was actually always out of fashion (obviously its moment in the sun faded swiftly)- trend following which I suppose that the Guardian is doing there is the stupidest kind of aesthetical judgement.

[CB]

I think record companies will take any phrase from a national newspaper that sounds vaguely like praise when it comes to trying to flog their wares. the faintest of priase is enough to send them through te roof.