IMAGI-BLOG
Is "cute rock" the next big UK import?
Submitted by Erik Gonzalez on September 25, 2007.Last night I was driving to Palo Alto, as I am apt to do on any given Monday evening, heading to Stanford to mount tiny tiny crystals in epoxy. Anyway, I had my iPod on shuffle, specifically in my "New Music" playlist and I noticed that there are now a bunch of songs from the UK populating this playlist that I can only describe as "cute rock." They're charming, vaguely witty, catchy, and sort of throwbacks but also modern-ish and I'm sure they're lining up at borders waiting to invade (if DHS lets them in). NME loves 'em in the "they will conquer the world until we're bored with them next week" way.
You've heard of at least one, namely Lily Allen and Jack Penate (which is odd way to start, considering my dislike of them). However, a couple songs really have gotten stuck in my head without driving me mad.
One you've seen here before, namely the Rumble Strips' "Girls and Boys in Love." I still love this song:
All of the UK is ga-ga over Kate Nash, and her song 'Foundations' sure is cute (sadly she's dating Jack Penate, who is much less interesting):
So, trend or faux-trend, all the cool kids will be crowing about it.
» permalink «
2
elle said on September 25, 2007:
Uh oh, watch out. You may have coined the term. It's going to be used EVERYwhere.
» reply
3
Erik Gonzalez said on September 25, 2007:
ALLALOMusic@1 - huh, you're right. Is Scandinavian bleeding into England, like latter-day Vikings? You know, they found a buried Viking longboat under the parking lot of a pub on the eastern coast of England. Maybe Jens' progenitors landed there and he's finishing the job.
» reply
4
imaginary serotonein said on September 26, 2007:
NME loves 'em in the "they will conquer the world until we're bored with them next week" way
wait a second- doesn't this describe every single band hyped in the british press?! i've given up trying to figure out if a newer british band is any good based on UK write-ups because they're almost always universally loved... for a week or two.
i like lily allen's voice, but that pidgin rap stuff she employs when she's not singing is excruciating.
» reply
Reviews
ALLALOMusic said on September 25, 2007:
hmm...."cute rock" - basically jangle pop from the 90s, mixed with odd ball sounds from persons like Jens Lekman and the ilk (think Suburban Kids With Biblical Names), and then suitably watered down for national exposure.
"cute rock". riiiight. I think this new import might make me sick.