Look outside the raincoats gone

We build them up just to knock them down.

It's not a new phrase by any stretch of the imagination.

It's been a mainstay in the music press for years. Back when I used to read the NME, that phrase seemed to appear in the letters page virtually every week. It just seems to be more relevant in this digital age. Or at least it seems to be a more prevalent attitude.

No sooner have Elbow been announced winners of the 2008 Mercury Music Prize than the naysayers go into overdrive denouncing both their victory and the award itself. It's kind of predictable I guess. And for every person like me who thinks they're worthy winners having produced a fine record, there's always going to be someone with the opposing view. But the negativity just seems to be for the sake of it. Like a knee jerk reaction. In an age where everyone can have their say online, the negativity seems so overwhelming and never ending. Maybe cynicism and negativity just shout louder.

As quickly as the hype builds, the backlash kicks in. And the cycle seems to be getting ridiculous. To the point where it's almost impossible to discern which came first. The cause and effect are blurring. The music itself almost becomes a by-product in the attempt to discover or rubbish the next big thing. The Black Kids album was derided almost before it came out. It couldn't help but fail to live up to expectations of a blogosphere that went apeshit crazy over one great song. Let's not forget they're still a relatively newborn band. They didn't come out fully formed and may well go on the deliver on the promise they show. But we've got to give them a chance. If we build up and knock down every band, we're never going to get any bands coming through. As much as I love 'Pablo Honey', it doesn't hint at the greatness that was to come from Radiohead. If they released that album now, would they be allowed to develop and evolve their sound. Or would they be denounced as a one hit wonder band? Dropped by a record company unwilling to take a risk? It's worth bearing in mind.

And yes, I'm fully aware that this site plays a part in the process. I'm not blinkered enough to suggest that it's all them and not me. But I try to be balanced. I attempt not to overdo the hyperbole. I write and share about music that genuinely moves me. I don't write about bands just to get traffic. And I try not to waste my time being too negative. That Verve review aside obviously. But even that was relatively balanced. I went into it wanting to like it. My reaction was genuine at the very least.

Anyway, I'm not entirely sure where I was going with this. So I'll leave you with a live track from Vampire Weekend. They're another band who, in less than a year, have gone from music industry darlings into backlash victims. Perceived failures. True the album was bit hit and miss but it was better than it was worse. And, in A Punk, they’ve written one of my songs of the year. So I for one am looking forward to a new album, whensoever it may appear.

Vampire Weekend - a punk (live acoustic version with strings) original version available on 'Vampire Weekend'

mp3 / music / vampire weekend