Critical Revisionism

A few weeks ago, I wrote that the first episode of Dancing About Architecture was terrible, but that the second episode was way better. I just want to take this opportunity to emphasise the second point. Like, WAY. Because, while I still think you couldn't call that first episode good, it's now just a distant memory that has been overtaken by how KILLER the show has been Every. Week. Since. Then.

Now, I began watching Dancing About Architecture because I am an unabashed fan/acquaintance of Tim Finney. But the show would not be able to be as great as it now is if both Clem Bastow and Mia Timpano weren't regularly achieving Tim-level excellence. Which they are. Also, I like that the underlying approach of the show is music appreciation beyond the strictures of 'cool', which is a) how most people engage with music, and b) more interesting. See, even if the specific bands/musicians that people make their 'I love this. Why isn't this valued?' arguments for aren't bands/musicians that I can credit, I nonetheless enjoy hearing about how/why other people credit them. Especially if this is done intelligently. Which it is on Dancing About Architecture. That thing Tim said tonight, that 'not everything is good, but anything can be good', is kind of a neat summation of the pleasures of musical curiosity/massive levels of consumption. Tonight I also enjoyed Clem's shout-out to a guy she regards as a formative music-criticism-influencing spectre, 'now tragically lost to acadaemia', who also happens to be my friend Leah's boyfriend, Ramon. But anyway, Dancing About Architecture is the one show I look forward to every week, and if I am unavoidably out on a Monday night, I make sure that it is taped. Which makes me a little sad that next Monday night I will be in Moscow. I mean, I'm not sad exactly, it's just that one of the trade-offs of a lovely travelling spree is it requires that you suspend the regular pleasures of home. But I will leave strict instructions that Dancing About Architecture be taped in the two months that I am away. Because AH LUV EHT. And I just wanted to underline that. AH LUV EHT.