I spent many hours last night trying to come up with an introductory paragraph for this new series. I would write two sentences, get midway through the third and realize it was all crap. Delete. Start again.
This morning while getting ready for work, I read Lisa McKay's profile of our February BC of the Month, Tom Johnson. Tom is one of our finest music writers. It did not surprise me at all when I discovered he, in answering one of Lisa's questions, found a way to say what I was struggling to say:
I simply can't help myself. I love pointing people to new music, I love trying to get the word out, and love keeping people interested. There are few things more satisfying than turning someone on to some band or album that they've never heard before. I still get very excited about new releases, in a very geeky way – which is why I keep tabs on release dates and such and why Overlooked Alternatives exists, really. That's just me talking to myself about why something is exciting.
There was a time when radio and MTV were a part of that process of turning us on to the next great song, artist, or album. I am sad and frustrated to say that rarely happens anymore. MTV had to spinoff a channel in order to play videos anymore. I can't explain what has happened to radio except to say, having worked in the industry for a time, I hate what it is becoming. If you can't turn to MTV and you can't turn to radio to find the best of what's going on, where do you go?
The Listening Room.
Like Tom, we not only love music but we love talking about music. Each week, you will find the songs that have been making the rounds in our CD players, iPods, and heads. We'll tell you who they're by and why they have infected us. Tell us what you think. Do you know and love these songs, or do they make you want to jab scissors in your ears? What have you been listening to?
Assistant Music Editor DJRadiohead: "This is Hardcore" from This is Hardcore by Pulp
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
Great idea, DJR. Why not have a place where everyone can inflict their earworms on everyone else?
I'm a bit more than slightly ashamed to admit it, but Pulp's one of those bands that I somehow missed out on, and now have no idea what the big deal is when I keep seeing Different Class and This Is Hardcore mentioned as some of the 90s best. And now those expensive import Deluxe Editions are out, so I can't possibly settle for the mere 1-disc issues if I check them out, now can I? (Tip: If you do decide to get these deluxes, look for Caiman as a reseller on Amazon - I've bought imports from them many times because they're much cheaper, and they're almost always brand new items.)
2 - DJRadiohead
Tom, thanks for the tip and the praise for the column. Now that you've found it, you are politely commanded to get in on the action.
I was going to order my expensive import from CDWow which boasts free international shipping. That way you only get fucked on the currency exchange. I will look for Caiman first, though. It's going to be an expensive indulgence.
I can't remember ever hearing a Pulp song until some time after the turn of the century. I had heard OF them, never checked them out. I had been listening to a lot of UK music (blame The Duke in no small part) and saw the compilation in a store. I threw down the money and hoped I'd like it. It wasn't immediate. It had to grow on me. They don't, to me, sound like the other famed Britpoppers. That's not to say their completely original or anything. It's to say they don't sound like Oasis or Blur to me. I'm not knocking those guys, either. I fucking love Oasis and like Blur. Pulp, at present, sits between those two for me. I do need to get some of their other albums to be more definitive.
Damn the record industry churn, but I can't buy the single-disc "old" versions if there is a new shiny available.
3 - zingzing
hrm. i can't second the opinion on caiman. they are not a good company, and i would never order from them (again). they show up so much on amazon because they claim to have almost every item. it's just not true. i ordered from them once... a month went by, my order was not fulfilled. so i spoke with them. they said there was a delay. yeah. so, after a few more weeks and no word, i cancelled. within the hour, caiman was claiming to have the item again, but this time at double the price! so i ordered again (because it was a gift, and they were the only ones that "had" it.) some two and a half months after i ordered, i finally got the item, at double the price. screw caiman. bad, bad company!
4 - GL Hauptfleisch
Good idea for a feature, DJ. I miss my record store days when I had discounts and better access (and money) for new albums such as Norah Jones'. I can still dig out the Pulp, though--thanks for the reminder.
5 - Tom Johnson
That's weird, zingzing. I've ordered many items from Caiman and only had a couple of odd issues here and there, but nothing like that. Maybe you just had that one unfortunate bad situation with them? Always check resellers' ratings and customer feedback on Amazon - if they're bad, it'll show. I just got a package from them last week, in fact - about 4 days after I placed the order.
6 - DJRadiohead
GLH, thanks for that- I'd love to have you flinging selections and suggestions in the coming installments.
I miss those days of discount myself, although I make a hell of a lot more now than I did then. I'm not sure if it all balances out. I tell myself it does. I was fortunate enough to get an advance of the Norah CD. BC Magazine does have its perks.
7 - zingzing
tom--i realize it was probably an abberation. but, they handled the situation so horribly. it was a gift... that was two months late. emailed questions met with stock, prefabbed answers. my question about how they could just double the price on me was greeted with indifference. i felt cheated and like i was completely wasting my time.
caiman has generally good ratings, which is why i ordered from them in the first place. after this, however, i will not. they pretty much stole my money (the extra eight or nine bucks they made cancelling and the filling my order at a higher rate). so, order with caiman... run the risk of getting robbed.
8 - Mat Brewster
Whoa, nice picture DJR. I can almost make out the whole face.
I think the bird is your best side!
9 - Phillip Winn
Wow, DJ, that's a huge picture. Any chance we can switch to a version of the Norah pic that's not 2818x3645? Makes the page load slowly. :-)
10 - DJRadiohead
I downsized it, Phillip!
Fine, fine, fine... I'll go resize it. You damned tech people. =)
Brewster, I agree that The Finger is my finest attribute, but TWTWIM selected that picture. It doesn't matter to me if you take the piss out of it, but you might want to dodge her if you do.
11 - Mat Brewster
You can't downsize Norah!!!!
Funny you should mention thewifetowhomIammostcertainlynotmarriedto because we had a very lovely chat the other day about how to piss you off.
All I can say is, watch your back.
12 - DJRadiohead
Pissing me off is like shooting fish in a barrel, Sparky. I go apoplectic 39 times before lunch... on a good day.
13 - Connie Phillips
Thanks, DJR, for launching this feature, it's a great idea! Nice picks everyone and I look forward to seeing what everyone picks next week... and beyond.