If you want it to be.
But not because he says so. Or Carly Simon -- who also did a "noir"
album -- says so.
There's nothing inherently noir or hard-boiled in most instrumental
music -- only what the listener brings to it.
Even all that brassy, horny jazz associated with old crime films and
TV shows isn't necessarily "noir." Well-suited to it? Maybe. But on
it's own, without any association to a film or TV show, would we hear
it and automatically go "That's noir."?
If DOUBLE INDEMNITY was scored with bluegrass or Celtic reels or
electro-pop, would we automatically associate bluegrass and Celtic
reels and electro-pop as "noir?
TV's CRIME STORY a few years ago featured Dell Shannon's RUNAWAY -- a
song that also featured prominently in Lucas' AMERICAN GRAFFITI. Is it
now a crime song? I wah-wah-wah-wonder.
Now, songs with actual lyrics -- that's a whole different thing. Some
guy singing about sitting in Old Sparky waiting for the switch to be
pulled, wishing his baby was sitting in his lap? That's dark, sir, no
matter how you play it.
So, is Setzer trying to write actual noir music, or just music that
will make us think of old noir films? There's a difference.
Kevin
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