Teresa dropped a review copy of the Polyphonic Spree's The Fragile Army on me today (as if we didn't already have most of it).
One thing I noticed in the liner notes-- A prominent announcement saying:
For an optimum listening experience, please load the album into your digital media player as 1 complete track
Although I won't be complying, I do note that I feel as though I've missed something on last few new discs I've downloaded. They go straight into my shuffle playlists and almost never get a straight-through listen. I feel like I'm missing something-- but not enough to change my habits.
Comments
David Gouldin Verified
A point may come when the album completely disappears, but as long as albums are still being created, a lot of thought goes into the song order. A band may release a single, but the album is still the primary medium through which a band will choose to communicate, thus making it a single work in itself and more than a collection of songs. The band is using the album as a whole to make a statement. That statement can't be made on shuffle.
I'd encourage you to take one of your favorite bands and just camp out on an album of theirs for about a week. See if your perspective of the band changes.
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
I agree with you, David. But in the case of Fragile Army (which I listened to thrice straight last night) my opinion went down -- It just isn't as cohesive a whole as previous outings, although there are individual songs I love.
I think this may be more a statement of my lifestyle than a musical zeitgeist-- I so rarely have time to sit down and listen to a full album now that I live and die by the shuffle.
One thing that has reinvigorated my love of certain albums is VH1 Classic's excellent show Classic Albums. Watch an episode about any album you even marginally like and I guarantee you'll go back and listen to it with new ears.
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Neff Conner Verified
Good point, and good advice, David. In this, the "digital age," much of the aesthetic of the "album" has been lost, to a great degree. Remember when you dropped the needle on that brand new record you saved $ for, and studied every millimeter of the the liner notes and cover art as you played it over and over? These days, i spend most of my free time searching out new and interesting music, and less time actually enjoying it. i have over 1,ooo albums on my hard drive, and regularly listen to only about 12% of it. For me, sadly, it has become more about acquiring quantities, rather than appreciating qualities. i will take your advice and spend more time just listening to more of my collection, with "shuffle" turned off.
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
This from a guy who feeds my shuffle addiction with great mixtapes: http://awesomeometer.blogspot.com/
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
David Gouldin Verified
I have nothing against mixtapes. (The RIAA on the other hand ...) At least then you're using your own creative juices to put songs together with a flow that creates a completely new meaning for you. Now, I guess you could argue in the vein of serialist composition that a random number generator creates its own meaning, but I'd be hard-pressed to buy the argument of iPod shuffle selection as postmodern artform.
If you're looking for a good album to listen to straight through, some of my favorites are Radiohead - Ok Computer (or most any Radiohead album for that matter), Weezer - Pinkerton, Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days, or any number of "the classics" from the days when more people cared about the album (Beatles - Abbey Road, Beach Boys - Pet Sounds, Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, etc etc etc).
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
eastside Anonymous
While driving behind the wheel. A perfectly tracked album can make a person drive for hours, and not notice it.
my .02 worth
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
David Gouldin Verified
Is that .02 cents or .02 dollars?
1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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