These days, the commercial music industry is crowded to overflowing with predictably frothy pop music – the sociological equivalent to a really bad drug (or poison) that is implanted into the public's food and drinking water and is simply ingested without question. Indeed, it could be argued that the U.S. music market is only symptomatic of the American music buyer and his/her consumer mindset.
'It's popular, therefore it must be good.'
Not so. Seriously – what does it say about the average American musical consumer when a recording by someone as predictable an American Idol winner – whomever that may be – is highly-anticipated?! By no means am I suggesting that the 'Idol program doesn't showcase decent talent (from time to time), but the show's popularity and (worse) legitimacy with music buyers is endemic of a rather submissive music-buying mindset – a consumer, not so much a connoisseur – and one that settles for less!
My musical idol, Jody Watley, first coined the phrase "boutique-style" music several years ago – a rightful maxim denoting music that isn't so much made for mass-consumption, but geared toward the listener that is in search of a little something special. Watley has definitely been on the cutting-edge throughout her career, as have artists like King Britt, 4hero, Joi Cardwell, Ultra Naté and Amel Larrieux.... the list goes on. There also exists one such artist in the person of M.E. Grant!
I know what you're saying...
'But there are a LOT of independent electronic artists on MySpace. What makes M.E. Grant better (or different) from any of them?'
Well, for starters – M.E. Grant continues to evolve and make new music; he's not one of these posers creating a MySpace site for the sole purpose of playing around and never reaching some kind of audience – be it small or mainstream. Indeed, Grant regularly blogs on his influences and personal muses – his catharses, if you will. M.E. Grant's influences – Madonna, Tina Turner, Chic, Goldfrapp (among others) – are diverse, and he always manages to keep it fresh, creating various moods and experimenting with sonic textures. His [Grant's] sound is largely electro, but his command of instrumental pop song-structure – coupled with his unwillingness to conform to pop music trends – are admirable (to say the least) .
Grant has an EP available titled, The Love Times Ten. It's available through CD Baby – a veritable cornucopia of indie artists some good (and some not-so good) – as well as iTunes.
You can visit M.E. Grant on MySpace, and also at his official website, me-grant.blogspot.com.
Categories: M.E. Grant; pop music; electro; American Idol
