why lo-fi? why now?
Every aesthetic inevitably seems to get resusciated these days, and now it seems ‘lo-fi’ has been re-canonized (maybe re-re-canonized?). I found this totally surreal MTV news feature on the new lo-fi movement led by the preeminent paleo-vj John Norris. He interviewed the prime suspects - Times New Viking, Jay Reatard, No Age and I was pretty surprised how little awkwardness there was between interviewer and interviewee. Usually, the big media giant invading the tiny subcultural crevice feels like watching an ant being slugged to death by an unnecessarily large, blunt object.
What doesn’t make sense to me is why this ‘movement’ even exists. I mean, didn’t Pavement, Guided By Voices, etc. epitomize the lo-fi scene of the early 90’s? Wouldn’t Garageband or something of its ilk be considered more emblematic of 00’s lo-fi? I can think of a few musicians that’ve recorded full records just with their computer and its internal microphone. Ok, so you can make the economic argument that lo-fi was first and foremost a movement borne out of fiscal necessity, only later codified as an aesthetic preference (kinda like ‘indie’ huh?). And the bands interviewed for the MTV segment certainly cited economic factors as one of its driving forces.
That might have had more validity in the early 90’s when indie bands didn’t readily have access to big fancy recording studios. But the advancements in home recording technology (in terms of fidelity and affordability) makes me suspect what should really go without saying; that lo-fi like ‘indie’ is at this point, a purely aesthetic category that has nothing to do with what it ostensibly claims to adhere to. I mean honestly, if a kid growing up in the bronx in the 1980’s could bang out a beat on an emu sampler or on an mpc nowadays, the economic argument for a bunch of white dudes from colombus, ohio recording on a clanky 4-track is clearly bunk.
that’s not to say i don’t dig times new viking or no age, which i really do. but i guess i didn’t expect to hear something as time and place specific as the lofi sound of the early 90’s re-introduced almost 20 years later. maybe someone should record their next record on a phonograph.
