But anyway here's my very simple idea: recommending music (or indeed, any culture) to friends of our age is a delicate matter, as the very recommendation itself is often enough to put you off. What, another thing I feel obliged to go pay attention to?? But hey, it would be shame if we never talked about what we liked, or ever recommending anything ever.
I was talking to a friend who didn't like Breaking Bad, didn't really get it. I said give it a chance. He said he was well into series two - I said, give up, if you don't like it by now, it's just not for you.
This gave me the idea for a new form of music recommendation - basically, suggest one song that, if your friend listens to it and doesn't like it, they can safely disregard the band in question. This is really a mercy towards your friend, freeing them from obligation rather than putting more pop culture in the queue.
The song shouldn't necessarily be the best song, the smash hit - maybe the one that contains the band's most appealing characteristics AND more indulgent flourishes.
Without further ado, Safe Disregard #1: "Like Like The The The Death" by Silver Jews. If you don't like this, don't worry about Silver Jews.
Excellent idea. Can also be done with directors and authors. If there's nothing you like in, say, Live Flesh, don't bother with Almodóvar.
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