Alright, for a real response to this entry. I know that my opinion doesn't mean much, but here it is anyway.
I think since its all a matter of taste its hard to say what is and isn't honest music. True, we think that we can know what music is more honest than other music, but I don't think you can make a generalization like that. Yes, I know broad generalizations like that are at the heart of good criticism, but still, I think questioning the intent of the artist is difficult because there is no REAL way to know the artists' intentions. I mean, with artists like Daniel Johnston it's pretty clear that it's heartfelt, but what about Jamie Stewart or even (I'm not being serious about this) Jeff Mangum? Jamie Stewart could easily be fucking with us and for all we know, Jeff Mangum could care less about Anne Frank except for creating an image of himself as a crazy artist (? I don't know, I'm just being hypothetical). Just because we think we know an artists' intent doesn't really mean that we do in many cases. Thankfully, questioning an artists' intentions can make music dramatically more beautiful and endeering. I mean, I would love Aeroplane Over the Sea, First Imaginary Symphony for Nomad and 1990 regardless of whether they meant much to their creators, but because I think that they mean so much to them, it makes it all the more wonderful for me... maybe other people judge that music we don't think is genuine is and they love music for the same reason... who knows, anyway, just thought I'd give my opinion.
I think since its all a matter of taste its hard to say what is and isn't honest music. True, we think that we can know what music is more honest than other music, but I don't think you can make a generalization like that. Yes, I know broad generalizations like that are at the heart of good criticism, but still, I think questioning the intent of the artist is difficult because there is no REAL way to know the artists' intentions. I mean, with artists like Daniel Johnston it's pretty clear that it's heartfelt, but what about Jamie Stewart or even (I'm not being serious about this) Jeff Mangum? Jamie Stewart could easily be fucking with us and for all we know, Jeff Mangum could care less about Anne Frank except for creating an image of himself as a crazy artist (? I don't know, I'm just being hypothetical). Just because we think we know an artists' intent doesn't really mean that we do in many cases. Thankfully, questioning an artists' intentions can make music dramatically more beautiful and endeering. I mean, I would love Aeroplane Over the Sea, First Imaginary Symphony for Nomad and 1990 regardless of whether they meant much to their creators, but because I think that they mean so much to them, it makes it all the more wonderful for me... maybe other people judge that music we don't think is genuine is and they love music for the same reason... who knows, anyway, just thought I'd give my opinion.
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