Every Wednesday at noon, Ryan Schleicher, Evan Rytlewski, and Matt Wild take to the WMSE airwaves to discuss all things Milwaukee. This half-hour fun-fest is called The Disclaimer, so named because none of the oft-ridiculous views expressed on the show necessarily reflect the views of the hosts’ employers. Milwaukee music, Milwaukee art, Milwaukee events, and D.I.Y. lawn care tips are frequently discussed—and rarely agreed upon. The Disclaimer: talk radio for the sane.
Remember when pop music was at best a guilty pleasure, and at worst disposable garbage? Remember when “real” music was solely the domain of brooding dudes who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments, man? Those days are over. For the last decade or so, “poptimism” has taken over as the dominate mindset for music critics and fans alike, elevating pop music to serious art and deeming it worthy of serious discussion. For the most part, that’s been great—but has it gone too far? Ryan, Evan, and Matt delve into a recent Washington Post column by Chris Richards that examines the “poptimism” phenomena and its potentially stifling effect on music criticism. Katy Perry, Beyonce, Beck, Taylor Swift, D’Angelo, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, and New Kids On The Block all get shout-outs from the Disclaimer crew, as do The Dark Knight, Call Of Duty, and the fact that Rolling Stone chose that fucking U2 album as the best album of 2014.
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