Idolator

In Britain, twee involved wispy wimps who loved their jangle and liked to put it on cassettes (so I hear). "Their clothes are asexual, their haircuts are fringes, their colours are pastel. Cuties like Penguin modern classics, sweets, ginger beer, vegetables, and anoraks." Now America has belatedly responded with "tough twee," which finds its form in the Barack Obama campaign, movies with a "big indie heart" like Iron Man, Gwyneth Paltrow having a fugly freakout, and angry bands like the Arcade Fire. "Just look at Owen Wilson, Scarlett Johansson, Claire Danes and Miley Cyrus, all once Twee, now post-Twee." I never thought of it this way, but Tom McGeveran's "American Cutie" captures the evolution of C86 in a way no rational human being ever could. More »