The Null Device

2002/2/9

An interesting analysis of boy/girl bands, allegedly from an (unnamed) US study.

Percentage of unique words in lyrics. Average word length. Frequency of "love", "heart" and "baby". These were the criteria used by a US study of boy, girl and teen bands. The researchers picked albums by four of the biggest pop acts around - Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and 'N Sync - and pitted them against an album by Pink Floyd, their musical opposite.
"there is a scientifically proven relationship between how bad a band is and the number of times they sing the word 'baby' "

(via gimbo)

commercialism language music 6

A copy of the out-of-print first Minimum Chips EP, Swish, just fell into my hands (ta, B.!). It's quite Minimum Chips; not quite as Krautrockish/Stereolabesque as Freckles, though still lots of Casiotone goodness, bleeps and such. The artwork is rather techno-retro as well, looking like something from an early 1980s home video game package. And it's interesting to note that they were apparently based in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley at the time; I didn't know that.

(Btw, I wonder who will be supporting Stereolab when they play in Melbourne. Myself, I'd nominate Minimum Chips, Ninetynine or possibly Lacto-Ovo.)

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