In all aspects of life--music, movies, sports--the idea of the “next” great thing is thrown around quite indelicately. The “next” Michael Jordan, the “next” Marilyn Monroe, the “next” Radiohead. Tragically, these comparisons usually fall far short because the comparison is made for aesthetic but not qualitative reasons. [1. The other obvious reason, now that I'm editing, is because these things are among the greatest of their time, unique and irreplaceable. There may be another player as good as Michael Jordan someday, and there are certainly bands as talented as Radiohead, but no one could ever perfectly emulate them, at least enough to make us forget.] The next Michael Jordan is anointed because he is tall, bald, and black. The next Marilyn Monroe because she is cute and blonde, and the next Radiohead because a bunch of young white men make music that isn't a 3 chord romp. The reality is that there will be no "next," despite the ESPN Magazine feature. But damn, Firehorse (singer/songwriter Leah Seigel, Steve Elliot on guitar, Tim Luntzel on bass, and Brian Wolfe with the percussion) might give the Radiohead comparison a run for its money. Of course, they'll probably never get there. But the promise that this album carries and the energy it exudes make And So They Ran Faster... the best thing I heard this week.
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