Is the current group of Soca artists developing a reality check?
"Have we lost the whole concept of what soca is all together melody should not be one we throw to pan alone but to MUSIC on a whole!"
Fay Ann Lyons- Alvarez
Has the musical pendulum started to swing back to great musicianship, melodies and intelligent lyrics?
Replies
Faye Ann Lyons-Alvarez has hit the nail on the head. She is showing a maturity I didn't soca singers are capable of. the pendulm has swung back to simple sweet music. One only has to look at what Cassie is doing- simple nursery rhyme melodies, no clutter; no instructions and a simple storyline, and he goes to the bank. Machel Montano is the man responsible for taking socs down a racehorse road.
Keith Anderson
One second Mr. Anderson. I believe it was in an interview right here on WST years ago that Sparrow raised his concern over where the music was going. He couldn't understand how someone with Super Blue's talent was singing a song like "Get Something and Wave". While I agree completely with Faye Ann, ironically it was her father, Super Blue, who has the distinction of leading soca on its current path.
bugs
Bugs:
Don't blame Superblue for writing a song that was so timely, overwhelming, demonstrative and cutting edge that it sent the public (and calypsonians) into a decades-long, ever-evolving, insatiable frenzy from which they have still not recovered.
That is rare talent!!! You take "Soca Baptist" and "Get Something and Wave" and you are hard-pressed to find any other calypsonian with two better songs.
The word "blame" is usually associated with a negative context - so Mr. Gonzales I will use the word responsible. I would submit the Baron, Becket, Sparrow, Shadow, Kitch and maybe even Rudder as others who could step up to that challenge.
bugs
Is it a song about pan and panorama? as in Dus in Dey Face? or an unmemorable tune with equally childish lyrics which may be played by some bands but never heard again?
Over the years the majority of our so called artist have been guilty of producing several of these "Pan Songs" which are often over arranged and made more complex in a vain attempt to make them exciting. What I still find unacceptable is the use of some cheap synthesised steel drum voicing instead of the real thing.
But I suppose this is the price of progress, a natural dumming down of an art form to be inclusive regardless of ability or skill.
As Eric would say Pan for Life.
If I had my way, I'd abolish the category of "pan songs".
It stereotypes the music and musicians, and that's not necessarily a good thing.
Any good calypso should be suitable for pan,even if the subject matter has nothing to do with the pan.
Putting good calypsos in the Pan Song category diminishes the music, and adds nothing to the calypso artform.
Glen can you remember what started the "Pan Song"? It was because the songs they were making were'nt suitable for pan. What I have seen over the years is T'dad being influenced by the music countries play, example, we never used to play our music fast, fast, the other smaller islands did, so Trini start too, the same can be said about Jamaican music. I'm not saying this is good or bad but Trinidad should always promote "We Kind Ah Music"
Thanks for the PAN SONG we are able to enjoy music with great musicianship, melodies and intelligent lyrics,[though it is mainly about Pan] Soca music has sold its soul to technology. What we have now is the "BEAT" and "RIDDIM" no Brass and the Bassman playing one note. Technology should enhance what we have; in our case it has stuck the pendulum.