Blogcritics: Comments on Most releases are just too crappy to be bought

Comment by BRICKLAYER

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 14:21:59 EST

Dudes, I don't have a CD changer at work, but I want to get in on this, so here are the last 5 CD's played at work today (In reverse order): The Coral-Magic and Medicine Rites of Spring-Self titled My Bloody Valentine-Self titled (twice) Antimatter-Saviour Boss Hog-Whiteout/Stephen Malkmus solo record CDR But when I go home, of course I'll turn on my 50 DISC CHANGER. Anything more than 50 is gaudy, like wearing a silver Superman medallion that's too big. A little bling is a good thing. As long as it matches your track suit and sneakers.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:28:12 EST

Though I have always avoided multiple-format buying (for, um, obvious reasons: it's kind of redundant), there are many records I have bought more than once. I think my record (pun fucking intended) is Hot Rocks: bought it around 1972 lost it in the Great Fire of 1977 bought it again when I got the insurance money wore it out DJing with it by mid-'80s bought it again was stolen along with about 100 other records from the trunk of my (then)wife's car bought it again all of this was vinyl and I still don't own it on CD.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:19:37 EST

heck, i even buy new vinyl. eric sez i'm hopeless.

Comment by Shark

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:17:22 EST

Mark, re. I bought the album, I bought the 8-track, I bought the cassette, and I bought the CD. and I bought the album again Man, I should invite you to my next garage sale!

Comment by Shark

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:13:50 EST

Chris: re. "Idea" for a blog - You'll give me credit, right? Email royalties to fwbull@earthlink.net Thanks in advance. Re. Delaney & Bonnie - I saw them open for Blind Faith. Jealous, ain't cha.

Comment by Chris Kent

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:46:34 EST

I will not deny I am sick in the head, but have embraced that fact and thus am quite happy.......

Comment by Craig Lyndall

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:45:07 EST

I actually do like some of the newer stuff. In my "changer" The Appleseed Cast - End of the Ring Wars At the Drive-in - In Casino/Out Hall and Oates - Rock n Soul part 1 Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days Ryan Adams - Love is Hell EP's

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:17:16 EST

CD changer? you guys are sick.

Comment by Chris Kent

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:04:06 EST

LOL @ Shark - you gave me an idea for a blog, though can't do until the weekend. Anyway, in my CD changer - Allman Brothers Band - Live at Atlanta Intl. Pop Fest 1970 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Streetcore "Gangs of New York" soundtrack The Best of Delaney & Bonnie The White Stripes - Elephant for what it's worth.....

Comment by Michelle

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:59:19 EST

thanks for the hint, though really, i'm fed up with music. i enjoy the silence instead. it may sound weird, but i mean it. :P

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:54:00 EST

seriously though Michelle, if you want to dig up a pile of indie releases head over to cdbaby.com you can browse by genre and check out tons of artists. i've bought quite a lot of stuff through them. happy hunting.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:51:39 EST

even worse than that Mr. Shark, the my order of self-abuse is: I bought the album, I bought the 8-track, I bought the cassette, and I bought the CD. and I bought the album again

Comment by Michelle

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:16:00 EST

yeah, well, i say - hail the 80ies! but please spare me with most of the stuff released since the early 90ies.

Comment by Shark

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:10:09 EST

Just want to add my 'huzza!" to Tom J's gospel of good music. One could spend YEARS learning about/listening to/buying etc. various greats from the past. And there's no guessing: The stuff has already been deemed worthy thanks to the filter of history. These pop robots won't even be a footnote in music, so I say stick to the best. The one problem: you have to expand your tastes and do a bit of research. re: RIAA suing, etc. Shark says SCREW THEM! Here's my music collecting past --- hence, my justification for criminal acts against the music biz: I bought the album, I bought the 8-track, I bought the cassette, and I bought the CD. The way I see it: THOSE FUCKERS OWE ME! For the curious: Currently in my CD changer = Django Reinhardt: Entire Works - Vol.1 The Pearl - Jelly Roll Morton Back to the Barrooms - Merle Haggard The Vivaldi Album - Cecilia Bartoli Sex Pistols seriously. *note: nothing after 1979

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 08:51:40 EST

Hence the popularity of file sharing, especially of pop hits, where the album IS mostly filler.

Comment by Michelle

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 05:02:44 EST

There's always the isolated gem here and there, but the majority of the major, big-sales items are one- or two-hit wonders. Yeah, that's very true. And worst part of it is - mostly those 1 or 2 great songs are on the same album or two different ones and the rest on the album is a mess. So why buy an album that's filled up with fillers for the sake of one song? And why buy the single if the single already costs half as much as the album?

Comment by Mark Saleski

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 00:43:21 EST

tom speaks the truth. same for me. and i've got a sagging floor to prove it.

Comment by Tom Johnson

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 00:09:36 EST

I'd also see no point in suing people, because they mostly just exchange stuff online that they also wouldn't buy if they couldn't get it online. I agree, and it's a very good point. The industry doesn't want to admit it, of course, because it blows any of the tiny amount of credibility with which they manage to inject their sob-story. They'd probably just sell the same amount of albums, because people would still think twice about whether they want to buy the stuff or not. In my case, they sell more. I use mp3s only as samples. If I like what I hear, I buy it. If I don't, I delete them. I find most of the released stuff so crappy nowadays that I wouldn't even waste my time on downloading it. This is absolutely not true. Okay, it may be true for you, but it is NOT true what you're insinuating: that most music is bad. Most popular music is bad, but there is so much incredible, intriguing, beautiful music out there that never makes a commercial dent. I would say that the overwhelming majority of popular artists are putting out sub-standard albums, but I could say the same thing 10 years ago, or 20 . . . it has been true for a long time. There's always the isolated gem here and there, but the majority of the major, big-sales items are one- or two-hit wonders. The really worthwhile music is likely to be the stuff that never even shows up on the charts. If you're missing out on that stuff, it's your fault - you can seek it out. I did, others did. Seek and ye shall find. The good stuff is definitely out there.