Tonight I saw the Sound Opinions TV show on WTTW

I'm not sure how visuals add to what these fellows are doing.

This reminds me, for some reason, of one of my favorite wttw moments: Phil Ponce hosted a Chicago Tonight roundtable in honor of the Smashing Pumpkins. Greg Kot and Joe Shanaham were among the panel-members, probably with some pop culture prof. And, in Joe Franklin-fashion, Ponce would introduce a song and the camera would pan around the panel sitting there listening to the racket and a few panel members began talking and Ponce made them stop talking so they could listen intently to the song. This happened TWICE. The discomfort was palpable.

I dig the show on radio, though.

biaaatch.

yeah, i think it starts at 10.30. you're not missing anything.

The problem with those Chicago music critics (esp DeRog) is that they really focus so much on shite fly-by-night major label bands from Chicago that they don't put enough emphasis on the really fertile indie scene there.

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I watched "Sound Opinions" (the TV show) the other night for the first time, and God, does DeRogatis get more and more annoying.

First of all, it's the top 5 show, and DeRo's #4 is Cherrywine, which I dunno, I wanted to like, being a Digable Planets fan, but the album ultimately seems sorta lazy and uninspired. But of course, the man who only lists 6 hip-hop albums on his top 100 of the 90's (and half of which are by P.M. Dawn!!) says that in a world full of manufactured pop stars like Britney and Eminem and Jay-Z, it's refreshing to find a rap album with real instruments and its own sound. I mean, not only is the "real instruments" line the worst kind of rock criticism ever, but until fucking Butterfly and his generic funk sidemen write something as good as "Without Me" or Britney's new "Toxic," I'm not buying it, tubby. It's only because it's mildly psychedelic that you'll give it the time of day.

Second, DeRo has this bullying attitude toward Greg that's actually sad, ultimately: On Cherrywine: "I can't believe you missed the boat on this one!" On Grandaddy (his #1 ("one of the best psychedelic pop albums ever": yeah, cool, I like it, too, but all the songs sound the same) (and a big whatever to his take on Grandaddy exploring "the seamy underside of Modesto, California")): "You didn't even listen to this album, did you?" (To which Greg could only reply, "Uh, actually, I did listen to it.") Comparing their lists: "See, you like way more albums on my list than I like on yours." ("Nyah nyah, I'm right, you're wrong.")

Meanwhile, Kot continues to impress me with the breadth of his interests, and not just because two of his top 5 albums are also in my own top 5: 1. Outkast 2. Neil Young 3. Basement Jaxx (DeRo: "Oh come on! It's a 'burn it' CD at best!") 4. Cafe Tacuba 5. The Shins. He also doesn't sound like a blubbering idiot when he's talking about them. Nice work.

I'm curious.

The TV show died in a merciful way, I hope. The radio show goes on.

I download the podcast at least 75% to get pissed off. Tonight I am listening in real time, and listening to them suck the cock of the lead singer of the Effigies (who?) is completely disgusting. "OMG you know, there was the whole punk scene in LA and New York, and no one paid any attention to you guys." Yeah, because you blew goats. "And now you have a new album!" Which blows yaks.

The worst is how little humility the lead singer of the Yaks... sorry... the Effigies... has.

OMG, Jim DeRo just said "like the best of the Clash." These guys suck. This is totally amazing.

Like I said, I listen to get pissed off.

DeRo just said, "I think there should be an Effigies reality show." Ok, I would watch that.

Imagine the Misfits. Then imagine your alcoholic roommate drank half the bottle, and filled it with water hoping you wouldn't notice. That's the Effigies.

holy fucking shit, they're talking about the new Common album. They LOVE the track with him and Kanye and Lily Allen. Whatever with the names, as long as it's a good song, but it's a TERRIBLE song.

Deep breath. Back to listening to music.

kenan, you're an idiot. the effigies were great.

This radio show is amazingly stupid, but I can't help but listen to it (on podcast). I'm addicted, and I get dumber with every episode. Help me! Isn't there an intelligent music criticism podcast out there for counterbalance?

um wtf is this bullshit about the effigies not being awesome

My favorite part the last time I listened was about 30 seconds into an "in-depth" analysis of the Replacements 'Let it Be' album, DeRogatis announced "the truly amazing thing is that Tommy Stinson was only SIXTEEN YEARS OLD when they started the band!"

and 'Let It Be' was portrayed as this album that no one had ever even heard of before.

Yeah, that 'Let It Be' show was endlessly annoying.

and 'Let It Be' was portrayed as this album that no one had ever even heard of before.

well, i'd wager that 99% of rock music lovers under 30 years old haven't heard it.

I did a search and only found this thread... I happen to enjoy this show, even if I don't always agree with the guys. I am kinda glad that it exists regardless of content but I like it more than just for existing.

Do people here still dislike the show?

I listen to the podcast every week, mostly because I find the format interesting even if I spend half the time rolling my eyes over something DeRo says. But I generally like what Kot has to say and he at least tries to approach things from a pov that I am generally down with. I'd love to hear this same format with different critics though.

Very o_O at kenan's Effigies hate.

This past week's show was good for its 1991 throwback. Nostalgia can be fun, especially whilst driving through central Illinois alone.

http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2011/012811/shownotes.html