twang |twa ng |
noun
a strong ringing sound such as that made by the plucked string of a musical instrument or a released bowstring.
• a nasal or other distinctive manner of pronunciation or intonation characteristic of the speech of an individual, area, or country : an American twang
Anyone who enjoys Country music can easily associate twang with particular artists (Ry Cooder, Merle Haggard, etc.), perhaps even with particular stringed instruments (Fender® Telecaster®, Banjo, etc.). In the world of Pop music, twang can serve as a tool to augment one's sound or it can be an impediment like none other, causing those who listen to lose all respect for you as a human being. With this thin line of good taste often being toed nowadays by a plethora of artists looking to employ twang(From Ryan Adams to Jenny Lewis to the down syndrome laced affair that is Toby Keith) it's important to look back at some earlier innovation in this sonic area. So, if you've got the time, it might be worth taking a look at the debut album from The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gilded Palace of Sin. Gram Parsons did a lot of drugs, he had cool friends, he went to Harvard for short while, hell, he even banged a snaggle-toothed Emmylou Harris for sometime, by that logic alone, this album merits at least one single listening. Also, bonus points for having not one, but two tracks named hot burrito.
Gilded Palace of Sin
As noted genius Saul Flores will tell you, it was not The Rolling Stones, but, the Flying Burrito Brothers who were responsible for such fan unrest, that Hell's Angels had no choice but to brutally murder an audience member at the Altamont Speedway in December, 1969. Someone brought a knife to a gun fight, and won.
No comments:
Post a Comment