Red White and Bluemo

James Montgomery’s recent piece for MTV, “Are We Ready For Barack Obama’s Emo America?,” is great not only because of the juxtaposition of stereotypical American values and musical genres, but because the work gives support for emo as a generally progressive and positive mode of communication. Although Montgomery lumps Sufjan Stevens into this mix, the fact that the general attitude of the article (or at least what I take from it over the spare pot-shots at emo stereotypes) exposes a form of critiquing ones’ nation and self as a way to move forward and build to the future is, above all, the first positive message concerning emo of the year. Now there’s some change.

 

Extra: As I pointed out in an earlier post, A.R. Rahman and MIA have been nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar, and they’ve got a 33% chance of getting that award.