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Martian · 06-17-2009, 04:13 PM

The album as an artform is not new, but it hasn't been the only way to release music... well, ever.

A good album is a wondrous thing, but it takes a real commitment. Sometimes I'm not looking to give a band 40 minutes or an hour (or more) of my time. Sometimes I want music for background, sometimes I want music for a mood, sometimes I just want to listen to something heavy or light without a huge investment.

Interestingly, vinyl seems to be making a comeback. It seems that there's a strong contingent of music fans who appreciate and miss that most unique of media. The characteristics of vinyl and the 78 are lost in digital media (including CD's). The gottahaveitnow nature of digital music takes away a certain feel to the appreciation of the music -- I'm not sure how to phrase this, except perhaps to say that 78's are lazy and hope that my meaning comes across.

But.

The possibilities of digital media excite me. The problem was that previously an artist was more or less confined to the album as a mode of release regardless of whether or not that was the best method. This is where we end up with albums that contain one or two hits and 10-12 filler tracks -- the filler is just there to take up space, the musical equivalent of styrofoam packing peanuts. Granted, there's occasionally a gem buried in all the excess noise, but that's decidedly rare.

Digital media, when it truly is embraced, will do away with this paradigm. It leads to more freedom to the artist, by not limiting releases. An artist will be able to release a single track, or maybe 6 or 8. Maybe a trilogy of trilogies -- the whole thing allows a lot more flexibility in terms of the how, when and where. It has the potential to destroy the whole one-album-every-three-years release cycle that so much of the mainstream music industry is tied up in, and that so many of the fringe players seem compelled to emulate. In fact, I foresee the short attention span of the online world dictating such a thing -- bands will be forced to innovate, to move out of the old way in favour of shorter release cycles and fewer, higher quality tracks. Less MSG.

The times they are a-changing. Whether this forebodes the end of the album as an artform I can't say. I will say, however, that holding up the seventies or eighties as the golden age of The Album As Art is a bit silly -- there was just as much filler in those days, but it's long enough ago now that most of the weightless stuff is thoroughly forgotten is all.

06-17-2009, 04:13 PM	#15 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	The album as an artform is not new, but it hasn't been the only way to release music... well, ever. A good album is a wondrous thing, but it takes a real commitment. Sometimes I'm not looking to give a band 40 minutes or an hour (or more) of my time. Sometimes I want music for background, sometimes I want music for a mood, sometimes I just want to listen to something heavy or light without a huge investment. Interestingly, vinyl seems to be making a comeback. It seems that there's a strong contingent of music fans who appreciate and miss that most unique of media. The characteristics of vinyl and the 78 are lost in digital media (including CD's). The gottahaveitnow nature of digital music takes away a certain feel to the appreciation of the music -- I'm not sure how to phrase this, except perhaps to say that 78's are lazy and hope that my meaning comes across. But. The possibilities of digital media excite me. The problem was that previously an artist was more or less confined to the album as a mode of release regardless of whether or not that was the best method. This is where we end up with albums that contain one or two hits and 10-12 filler tracks -- the filler is just there to take up space, the musical equivalent of styrofoam packing peanuts. Granted, there's occasionally a gem buried in all the excess noise, but that's decidedly rare. Digital media, when it truly is embraced, will do away with this paradigm. It leads to more freedom to the artist, by not limiting releases. An artist will be able to release a single track, or maybe 6 or 8. Maybe a trilogy of trilogies -- the whole thing allows a lot more flexibility in terms of the how, when and where. It has the potential to destroy the whole one-album-every-three-years release cycle that so much of the mainstream music industry is tied up in, and that so many of the fringe players seem compelled to emulate. In fact, I foresee the short attention span of the online world dictating such a thing -- bands will be forced to innovate, to move out of the old way in favour of shorter release cycles and fewer, higher quality tracks. Less MSG. The times they are a-changing. Whether this forebodes the end of the album as an artform I can't say. I will say, however, that holding up the seventies or eighties as the golden age of The Album As Art is a bit silly -- there was just as much filler in those days, but it's long enough ago now that most of the weightless stuff is thoroughly forgotten is all. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame