Settling the Pop Score: Pop Texts and Identity Politics (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series)
List Price: ?9.99
Amazon Price: ?7.98
Used Price: ?6.07
Customer Review: Early thoughts
I have just recieved this today and it is an impressive package. The tracks have good sound, given the origin of some of them. The sleeve notes are excellent, especially the good news of further Iveys tracks to follow. However there is one problem, there only appears to be 18 tracks on this disk, not the 21 stated. The missing tracks are by Misunderstood. If there had been a problem with these tracks, perhaps this could have been dealt with before the disk was released. Consequently a star is lost.
Customer Review: Psych Sounds From Apple
Beatles collectors, jump on this one if you have not already. This CD fills in some Apple-related gaps nicely. Apple Publishing was kept busy in the late 60’s with several tracks by Grapefruit, Focal Point, Ways and Means, Misunderstood, Paintbox and John Fitch and Associates. Some of these saw the light of day and others not but there is not a bad track here. I think this is the perfect example of the fact The Beatles were juggling way too much at the time to really give much time to the publishing arm of Apple but these tracks will show the listener that the groups involved deserved much more. Some of the shining moments of the CD include five demo recordings by The Iveys later to become Badfinger. Much has already been said about them so I will only add that these tracks add to the list of truly great and under appreciated songs from this incredible band. The packaging is done very well with several band pictures and a previously unpublished photo of John, Paul and Ringo with Grapefruit. Additionally anyone who is into 60’s British Psychedellia would live this collection as well. I would not hesitate to buy this one.
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Amazon Price: ?3.98
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Customer Review: The year of the 60’s
1964 for whatever reason was the year that seemed special to me defining thje 60’s and this compilation is very good. I think a lot of good albums also came out this year, and I have seen that 1964 year on them.
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Featuring 40 pop high-quality karaoke favorites from the last year or so, this is a great compilation for everyone as Disc 1 features all female songs and Disc 2 features all male songs. [DISC 1] 01. SMILE (Lily Allen) 02. HUNG UP (Madonna) 03. STICKWITU (The Pussycat Dolls) 04. I WISH I WAS A PUNK ROCKER (Sandi Thom) 05. CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD (Kylie Minogue) 06. FROM PARIS TO BERLIN (Infernal) 07. RED DRESS (The Sugababes) 08. SWAY (The Pussycat Dolls) 09. BECAUSE OF YOU (Kelly Clarkson) 10. COOL (Gwen Stefani) 11. CRAZY CHICK (Charlotte Church) 12. SUDDENLY I SEE (KT Tunstall) 13. BEEP (The Pussycat Dolls) 14. PUT YOUR RECORDS ON (Corinne Bailey Rae) 15. SORRY (Madonna) 16. FAME (Irene Cara) 17. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN (Cyndi Lauper) 18. I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW (Tiffany) 19. DANCING QUEEN (Abba) 20. I WILL SURVIVE (Gloria Gaynor) [DISC 2] 01. IS THIS THE WAY TO AMARILLO (Tony Christie) 02. BAD DAY (Daniel Powter) 03. VALERIE (The Zutons) 04. NO TOMORROW (Orson) 05. I DON’T FEEL LIKE DANCIN’ (The Scissor Sisters) 06. YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL (James Blunt) 07. FREE LOOP (Daniel Powter) 08. THAT’S MY GOAL (Shayne Ward) 09. YOU RAISE ME UP (Westlife) 10. CRAZY (Gnarls Barkley) 11. ROCK DJ (Robbie Williams) 12. OBVIOUSLY (McFly) 13. SPEED OF SOUND (Coldplay) 14. ALL TIME LOVE (Will Young) 15. BETTER TOGETHER (Jack Johnson) 16. STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU (Stealers Wheel) 17. DON’T STOP ME NOW (Queen) 18. DELILAH (Tom Jones) 19. HELP! (The Beatles) 20. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP (The Foundations)
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Settling the Pop Score: Pop Texts and Identity Politics (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series)
Customer Review: Review from a UK reader
Certainly pathbreaking, although at times difficult to grasp, Settling the Pop Score is truly interdisciplinary and at the cutting end of music research. Stan Hawkins addresses irony and humour in an entertaining way, and his chapters on Morrissey and the Pet Shop Boys gave me a new insight into these pop stars. This book also deals with Madonna’s music and argues convincingly for why we need to take her music as seriously as her looks.
If you are a music or cultural studies enthusiast, this book is informative, although you’ll probably have to muster up a good deal of concentration to read parts of it preferably on a quiet evening before you’ve had one too many drinks!
Customer Review: Scholarly but entertaining!
There is a shortage in books dealing with pop music that approach the subject in a scholarly way. Stan Hawkins’ Settling the Pop Score was one of the few books that was invaluable to me when taking my masters degree in popular music studies at a UK university. The book approaches the analysis of various artists, Madonna, Prince, Pet Shop Boys, Morrissey and Annie Lennox in a fascinating and intelligent manner. Building on a range of theoretical premises, which are clearly outlined in the first chapter, the author proceeds to apply them in his readings of these various mainstream pop artists. So, the question is, does Hawkins settle the pop score? Well, this is difficult to answer. But one thing is certain, he offered me a way of thinking about music and musicology in a way that goes far beyond the everyday writings of so many music journalists. As well as music students, this book should be of use to students and enthusiasts from other fields.
