On first listen, I was almost blown away by the album, but something in my subconscious told me something wasn't quite right. So I reread the press release, which listed numerous prominent musicians, something that put me off, as someone who doesn't snoop on names. Then I listened to the lyrics and had them displayed on Spotify. Ah, Western musicians imitate oriental music because oriental music has a clear canon of themes that can be sung about. This includes unrequited love, but not love, death, and sex. The only ones who included such themes in their lyrics were, and still are, the singers from Algeria who sang Rai. That's considered provocative and rebellious because it breaks the rules. Singing about love, death, and sex is pretty safe in the West. And no matter how prominent the band may be, it's Western musicians imitating oriental music because they haven't internalized it. It's calculated music, lacking the emotions typical of oriental music. I deliberately avoid using the term "cultural appropriation" because this album is a short-lived project that imitates and isn't intended for longevity, nor is it meant to encompass the appropriation of lifestyles and ways of thinking. The latter would then be the basis for cultural appropriation.
Kommentar schreiben