Typing that statement alone pretty much evokes strong feelings from me, and I don’t really know why.  This is sadly something that comes up now and again, and is usually brought to light from “interlopers” who are not familiar with good music and/or are trying to be funny by assuming this will be taken as an insult.  I don’t know why, but I just might take it as such (an insult), but if you like something should it matter what others think?

In my life of discovering all things slow and acoustic, one would normally assume that a ballad or two would make the cut and be considered “slowcoustic”.  I myself think that Adult Contemporary is chalk full of breathy ballads and Celine-esque declarations of love.  Secondly (was there a firstly?), I think I am concentrating a bit too hard on this made up word/genre that I have created… Sure, a ballad could fit into my preference of the unhurried tempo, but does that make me a contemporary adult?

Let’s start with a few tracks and you can make a decision for yourself.  While not really ballads per se, they have a bit of mass appeal and you wouldn’t feel awkward playing them in front of the rest of the office or your in-laws.

Donovan Woods — “Car Won’t Start” from 2007’s “The Hold Up” LP

Damien Rice — “Lonely Soldier” from the “Lost Songs” Collection

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Okay, both are great tracks, not the most “cutting edge” for indie folk types, but solid tracks.   This brings me to another point, am I allowed to utter the term “singer-songwriter” anymore?  While I feel it is a fairly good representation/description of many artists I prefer, I have noticed the climate around the term cool a bit (is this because they might be considered Adult Contemporary!!).  I for one am going to stay the course and say that I am a fan, nay, a connoisseur of the singer songwriter and gladly include it in my fake genre that is slow & acoustic.

So I might have wandered a bit in this post, but to wrap it up I feel like one has to accept at times that the normals will try to beat you down with their labels from “Guide to music 101”.  Truth be told, there is grey area when it comes to Adult Contemporary and that is just going to be that and I will continue to feel “insulted”.

…I think I need to listen to something that hype machine considers a “top searched” item and feel young again…

~Smansmith

**I hereby allow for 100% denial of all opinions, statements and views outlined in this post at a later date and will not acknowledge any admittance of guilt in this matter.**