I found this on Google. Don’t ask me where it came from.

This is supposedly a music blog, but I just got back from the Walkmen show and I want to talk about FASHIN!

First of all, I have noticed a new breed of hipster lately. Burlington is currently in the throes of Brooklynification, as that borough has reached terminal hipster velocity and must now extend, tentacle-like, to even tiny burgs like our own.

Interestingly, Brooklyn itself is undergoing a bit of a makeover, largely due to the influence of so-called “freak-folk” artists (and Williamsburg colonists) such as Devendra Banhart. The indie-rock cognoscenti’s lock-step fashion sensibility has lately been infiltrated by a not-so-subtle hippie aesthetic. That’s right, kids — you can finally feel free to sport a clam-digger’s beard with those pegged pants of yours.

This confluence of stylistic influences has resulted in a curious hipster polyglot that I’ve yet to come up with a name for. (I have invented a new genre of music, however — it’s called “Yap.” But more on that later). These curious creatures can even be seen in the Queen City. Apologies to Tanner and his crew, but some of you guys are totally perfect examples.

Now that actual hippies see more rockers sporting beards, they feel less intimidated about checking out these mysterious concerts. And who can blame ‘em for expanding their repertoire? So what if they’ll be at the Umphrey’s McGee show tomorrow night. Today’s the day for downstrummed, ahem, angular guitars and faux-boho crooning!

Speaking of guitars, the Walkmen’s auxiliary six-stringer looked sharp in a nice Banana Republic sweater and a wide collared shirt. I almost called him a bitch, ’cause I he was wearing nearly the same thing I was. He has no beard. But he does enjoy a nice downstroke now and again.

Oh, and here’s a new fashion rule: You can have your hoodie. You can have your beard. You can even have your baseball cap. But you MAY NOT, under any circumstances, have all three at the same time — especially if you’re inclined to pull the hoodie over the cap. What is that all about? Are you trying to keep your hat warm?

I understand this post may create a stir among some of my furry-faced friends, so I must insist: I mean no disrespect. I love beards, really, I do! Hell, our 16th president had one, and he was a great emancipator. And let’s not forget about ZZ Top — they had one sweet ride.

So don’t get all follicle crazed on me, aight? I’d grow a beard if I could. My cats won’t let me. They say it scratches their tummies.

Casey Rea was the Seven Days music editor from 2004 until 2007. He won the 2005 John D. Donoghue award for arts criticism from the Vermont Press Association.

21 replies on “Fashion!”

  1. Right now, I’m wearing square glasses. It’s my first pair!NC, you had a wicked Mighty Like a Rose-era Costello beard for a time, right? Were their squirrels in there?I live in Silly-amsburg, tee-hee!

  2. This is all so freaking positive!! I HATE YOU ALL!!!!Can’t we all just get together on a big beard slam??I hate all beards, and people with them.(ie. except for the people who posted here, and anyone I know, or sorta know, or anyone I will ever know, and me, should I ever choose to grow a beard. (I mean ANOTHER beard). But everyone else sucks!!!! FUCK YOU ALL!!!)(ps. I also hate square glasses, except when I used to wear them. And live in Williamsburg. DEATH TO ME!!!!)(xo N)

  3. There I go again Kawabat-O, Cale…. What a doof. I’m mixing and blogging at the same time, and my attention is torn.Yes, there’s indeed a beauty to assembling tone together to as chord or harmony. The cycle of 5ths could be construed as a “process,” but I like to think of it as a mathmetics-to-emotion interface.Any Zen is good Zen.

  4. pluggos were removed when i started transitioning them to OSX. now i dont have the webspace or bandwidth to host the new ones.plus my personal pluggo collection has grown tenfold.maybe someday. cale? do you mean cage?i feel the same way. i love ‘martha, my dear’ as much as i love the sound of icicles dripping on my porch. and i like to listen to both.the musical universe is wide wide open and wonderful.’martha, my dear’ is also a musical process. in fact, everything is a process because everything is temporary and in a state of evolution and change (no matter how gradual). its cage’s zen beliefs coming through….which im totally down with.

  6. Brattleboro IS cool. I saw Acid Mothers there in that tiny coffeeshop. They ripped a hole in the fabric of the cosmos. The highlight was taking a piss next to Wizard Kawabato himself.GD: What happened to the Max/DSP pluggo batch you had online?PS; I’ve been contemplating that John Cale quote about music being a process. Certainly valid, but sometimes I want to hear “Martha, My Dear,” in addition to the thrum of the universe….

  7. the Wire never said Burlington was cool.they said Brattleboro was cool. and by Brattleboro, they mean western Mass.i just hope Holger Czukay or David Crosby moustaches never get too popular.now that would be something!!!!casey, you know i take all this lightly. i know your style. i dig it.its nice to have a conversation rolling on this thread. i would hope that noone is offended or getting hostile because of it. now that would be funny!

  8. Sean, allow me to paraphrase Billy Joel (who sometimes wears a beard):Don’t go shaving to try and please me,You never let me down before.And don’t imagine you’re too familiar,If you don’t have hair anymore.And Mr. Hedstrom, you’re just plain crazy!

  9. I’m at a loss for words. And I guess I need to shave. Casey, this thread is the most interesting, thoughtful, and humorous thing I’ve seen today. I’m not sure if that is good or bad.

  10. I only moved here cause the Wire told me to (although i learned to distrust them when they tried to tell me Dev was good), but also because I imagined the local music column would still make sense when people were only referred to by first name, a fact I find to be a beautiful reality that only affirms my belief in humanity.

Comments are closed.