Some people might find the seemingly haphazard nature of the music disconcerting, as it really doesn't follow any noticeable pattern. Some of the juxtapositions (like the Seven Galleon Jug Band's recording of "Wipe Em Off" followed by the Mozmar Caire Orchestra from Egypt playing "Raks Baladi Hag Ibrahim") are even jarring in their sudden changes of sound and tonal quality.
There really isn’t any deep hidden meaning behind the way the songs are laid out anymore than there is a pattern to the arrangement of the accompanying pictures. If you ever have made a compilation cassette tape or CD of some of your favourite music, you'll know you usually have your own reasons for why certain songs go together, and I'm sure that's the case with Victrola Favorites: Artifacts From Bygone Days and its creators, Rob Millis and Jeffery Taylor. I can't believe that they would have done anything accidentally. Even a decision to be completely random is a deliberation after all, and they would have known it would result in a certain amount of disorientation on the part of the listener. In any case, part of what made this an interesting listening experience was not being able to anticipate just what what would be hearing next.
One thing is for certain: no matter how confusing the sounds might sometimes become, this is a fascinating musical voyage around the world, and one that anyone with an interest in the history of recorded music won't want to miss.
Article comments