| Indeed. The author is referring to the up-a-half-step modulation that Barry Manilow tactically used all over the place. I call it a "Manilow". --- But yeah, it's just one of the many elements of musical craft that's missing in today's popular music. Sampled sounds are (by definition) lifeless. Sequenced rhythm tracks are unnaturally consistent. See Paul Lamere's "In search of the click track":
https://musicmachinery.com/2009/03/02/in-search-of-the-click... A lack of rhythmic variation. Consider the folk tradition of wandering from the time signature; Pete Seeger and early Paul Simon for instance. And the Beatles, certainly Generally a lack of pickup notes, or "anacrusis". And the lack of an inspirational melody or chord change. --- 60's pop music was, I think, a special case because the hit songs had to get noticed and appreciated in a worst-case listening environment; typically a crappy AM radio. |