Well, broadly speaking, yes, this is a fairly reasonable take. Sensible. Measured. I find myself largely in agreement, which is frankly a relief these days.
However, there are a few points that rather stick in the craw:
Now, comparing Kanye West to Bryan…really?
That feels like comparing a malfunctioning space shuttle to a rather confused pigeon.
Yes, both are airborne disasters in their own way, but one has billions of dollars, a sycophantic entourage, and Yeezy-branded delusions of grandeur, while the other… does not.
I’ve written reams on Kanye and the hideous apparatus that insists on propping him up like a particularly lucrative corpse in a weekend-at-Bernie’s scenario. Bryan, talented though he may be, simply does not occupy that stratosphere of unchecked cultural capital.
And as for the domestic violence situation look, I deal with the legal system on a daily basis. Not from the defense table, I hasten to add. It’s a grim, bureaucratic machine built to assign blame like it’s playing a cosmic game of hot potato. But reality is not, despite our best efforts, a courtroom drama.
It’s messy. It’s murky. And people shockingly are not easily divided into “evil villain” and “innocent saint.” Often, tragically, they’re both damaged, both dangerous, and both doomed to a kind of slow-motion mutual destruction.
Now, the bit that really deserves more fanfare the music. My god, the man’s sound is like if Leonard Cohen, Elliott Smith, and Johnny Cash wandered into a bar, had an argument with Brand New and Taking Back Sunday, and then all recorded a concept album together in someone’s garage. It’s brooding, brilliant chaos clearly drawn from a sprawling mix of influences, and frankly, I think that’s going to carry him further artistically than Kanye’s increasingly unhinged techno-narcissism ever could.
People think I’m joking, but go listen to a bunch of early third wave Emo and you can see its fingerprints also on Bryan.
Overall.. Great article! Nice to see someone writing with nuance!
If you read my other pieces you'll see I'm quite positive on ZB's musical output, although I don't think he's got much on Leonard Cohen or Elliott Smith yet (he's young, plenty of time). I actually agree with you about the emo influence in some ways.
However, I don't think I "compared" Kanye to Zach Bryan. Moreso used him as an example of why I would stop listening to an artist - and how, for me, it isn't a decision based in ethics. I don't think you need to feel defensive about the distinctions between the two of them, as Kanye is a horrible Nazi. They are not really in the same category.
The emo I think of with Zach Bryan is more Midwest Emo -- I think it might be interesting if he took things in that direction, even more raw and stripped-back than he currently is.
I mean, the delineation in sound for Midwest emo is a bit of a strange thing (not the idea ZB liked Midwest emo, just that people get really attached to that tag.) As it is (mid west emo’s sound) lifted right from Brand New which is an east coast band.
You can draw a pretty straight line from Silent Majority to TBS to Brand New, to any Midwest emo band. Saosin, Hawthorne Height, even down to ADTR and other harder elements.
IMO when I hear ZB lyrics, the thing I see him taking from emo is something right from TBS, and FOB. The never actually saying specifically what you are talking about. Always alluding to it.
Is One Eighty By Summer, Swing, and I am Fred Astare about Jesse Lacey? Maybe.
Is Thanks For the Mmrs, Dance Dance, And Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things to Do Today about an ill fated romance between Pete Wentz and Mikey Way of My Chem? Maybe…
But we’ll never tell.
It’s also, a GREAT way to see if someone will throw themselves in front of a bullet.
“I think this song is about his relationship with her.” Says fan after hearing a song with possibly some negative comments about her… “oh why is that?” ZB may ask… “oh well you said a lot of negative things so I assumed.” Says the fan… then any song writer can say “ah, so you must have a pretty negative view of her.”
It’s a “don’t think about elephants.” Way of writing.
Well, broadly speaking, yes, this is a fairly reasonable take. Sensible. Measured. I find myself largely in agreement, which is frankly a relief these days.
However, there are a few points that rather stick in the craw:
Now, comparing Kanye West to Bryan…really?
That feels like comparing a malfunctioning space shuttle to a rather confused pigeon.
Yes, both are airborne disasters in their own way, but one has billions of dollars, a sycophantic entourage, and Yeezy-branded delusions of grandeur, while the other… does not.
I’ve written reams on Kanye and the hideous apparatus that insists on propping him up like a particularly lucrative corpse in a weekend-at-Bernie’s scenario. Bryan, talented though he may be, simply does not occupy that stratosphere of unchecked cultural capital.
And as for the domestic violence situation look, I deal with the legal system on a daily basis. Not from the defense table, I hasten to add. It’s a grim, bureaucratic machine built to assign blame like it’s playing a cosmic game of hot potato. But reality is not, despite our best efforts, a courtroom drama.
It’s messy. It’s murky. And people shockingly are not easily divided into “evil villain” and “innocent saint.” Often, tragically, they’re both damaged, both dangerous, and both doomed to a kind of slow-motion mutual destruction.
Now, the bit that really deserves more fanfare the music. My god, the man’s sound is like if Leonard Cohen, Elliott Smith, and Johnny Cash wandered into a bar, had an argument with Brand New and Taking Back Sunday, and then all recorded a concept album together in someone’s garage. It’s brooding, brilliant chaos clearly drawn from a sprawling mix of influences, and frankly, I think that’s going to carry him further artistically than Kanye’s increasingly unhinged techno-narcissism ever could.
People think I’m joking, but go listen to a bunch of early third wave Emo and you can see its fingerprints also on Bryan.
Overall.. Great article! Nice to see someone writing with nuance!
If you read my other pieces you'll see I'm quite positive on ZB's musical output, although I don't think he's got much on Leonard Cohen or Elliott Smith yet (he's young, plenty of time). I actually agree with you about the emo influence in some ways.
However, I don't think I "compared" Kanye to Zach Bryan. Moreso used him as an example of why I would stop listening to an artist - and how, for me, it isn't a decision based in ethics. I don't think you need to feel defensive about the distinctions between the two of them, as Kanye is a horrible Nazi. They are not really in the same category.
Thanks for reading, appreciate it.
Never fear when it comes to subjective things (especially Kanye) I never feel defensive lol!
The emo I think of with Zach Bryan is more Midwest Emo -- I think it might be interesting if he took things in that direction, even more raw and stripped-back than he currently is.
I mean, the delineation in sound for Midwest emo is a bit of a strange thing (not the idea ZB liked Midwest emo, just that people get really attached to that tag.) As it is (mid west emo’s sound) lifted right from Brand New which is an east coast band.
You can draw a pretty straight line from Silent Majority to TBS to Brand New, to any Midwest emo band. Saosin, Hawthorne Height, even down to ADTR and other harder elements.
IMO when I hear ZB lyrics, the thing I see him taking from emo is something right from TBS, and FOB. The never actually saying specifically what you are talking about. Always alluding to it.
Is One Eighty By Summer, Swing, and I am Fred Astare about Jesse Lacey? Maybe.
Is Thanks For the Mmrs, Dance Dance, And Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things to Do Today about an ill fated romance between Pete Wentz and Mikey Way of My Chem? Maybe…
But we’ll never tell.
It’s also, a GREAT way to see if someone will throw themselves in front of a bullet.
“I think this song is about his relationship with her.” Says fan after hearing a song with possibly some negative comments about her… “oh why is that?” ZB may ask… “oh well you said a lot of negative things so I assumed.” Says the fan… then any song writer can say “ah, so you must have a pretty negative view of her.”
It’s a “don’t think about elephants.” Way of writing.