Via: IdolatorThanks to Idolator for pointing us toward Face the Music, a new online column from the Wall Street Journal, with the stated mission of covering "music past and present." While the Idolator staff is absolutely correct in pointing out how flawed and stretched the whole "could the Shins be the next Nirvana?" argument is, we're gonna let that pass. Christopher John Farley, a long-serving Time magazine contributor and the author of several books, has made more of a name for himself (and boatloads more cash) than I have in this writing game. I'm in no place to criticize. The problem, as evidenced by the following quote, isn't with Farley. The problem is the WSJ editors:
"Much later, when I was researching the band's background on the Web, I had to smile at the historical connection. The Shins shared a label with another group that was forced to grapple with great expectations: Nirvana."
Now if Mr. Farley doesn't even know that the band is signed to Sub Pop without researching them online, wouldn't it be fair to say he's a little out of his depth on this one? Is it really that hard to find a reputable music journalist who knows a thing or two about the Shins? We hope that, in the future, familiarity with the subject will be a requirement for the column.
Bad music writing makes my left eye twitch. Thanks for pointing out the shady happenings, friend.