The "reunion" was (IMO) a failed opportunity. It came as no surprise that it was crap, but still I had hopes they could be their ages and make real music as the old men they now are. Instead we get the "Let's autotune and over produce this thing so we can capture 1965 again!" Yay, only nope. It's fake and sickening. I love the BB's for what I love about them. BW is one of the greatest musical entities of the 20th century - unfortunately saddled with the stupid marketing/image yoke that has continually suppressed and limited his scope. He has done wondrous music, for which I am grateful, but allowed to simply be a creator without all the baggage, he might have done so much more. Just look at what Dylan has been able to do in his elderly years - love him or not, he's been true to himself and done as he wished with no compunction to be the Bob of 1965.
Are you referring to just the live album or the entire 50th reunion itself?
I am referring to the studio album.
In reading comments here, people keep talking about "breaking new ground" - and that isn't what I mean in my criticisms of the album. It's not about breaking new ground. What new ground is anyone breaking these days as far as popular music goes? I don't expect the BB's or any other older artist to be cutting edge or breaking new ground - all I want to hear is an honest, genuine expression of their art
as they are now, not some c*ck up of what they were 55 years ago. I want their voices, not auto-tuned b.s., etc. There's often too much adherence to whatever "image" these older acts feel they had. My wish is that they had stepped out of that yoke and recognized that ultimately it isn't the image that draws the audience - it's the music. You don't have to ignore the image, you can touch upon it, but what were you before the image? You were a group of guys who loved to sing harmony. Are you now not old men who still love to sing harmony? Good! I love harmony, whether boys in their 20's or men in their 70's - I want to hear those voices as they are NOW. I don't know if I am expressing my thoughts very well, but basically I would have loved an album of them around a piano (and maybe a few other instruments) singing together as well as they are now able. Maybe that wouldn't have sold, but I would have bought it.
Dylan has been brought up in this thread - and no, Dylan isn't breaking new ground or anything - but to me, he comes through as genuine as who, what and where he is now. I like that, and from my perspective he succeeds. He is one of the only older artists I find meaningful simply because he is what he is. He's not gilding his lily.
Anyway, this is all just my personal preferences and whatnot. Doesn't make me "right" (it's just right for me) and no one need agree.
I agree with that.
I guess what I meant by "breaking new ground" was going forward, instead of just looking backwards. For most of the "heritage" acts, that's what they have become - just replaying the songs they recorded over 50 years ago, trying to be that image. Paul McCartney is still trying to be Beatle Paul. The Beach Boys, in their splintered state, barely acknowledge anything they recorded after 1967.