Comments on: The End of the Album as the Organizing Principle – A Rebuttal http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal music . media . web. culture Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:16:05 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tom http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal/comment-page-1#comment-138418 Tom Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:35:45 +0000 http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/?p=2075#comment-138418 Dave and Casey, I always enjoy reading both of your writings. These recurring topics about "death of the album or CD", "free mp3s to all", "pay what you can" etc are a lot for anyone to digest and sort out. Many of us claim that we'll alway's want that tactile experience of having the album and putting it on. I'm one of those guys for sure. I don't listen to musch music (weird, I know) but when I do it's usually one of my few favorite CDs that I've had for years, I just don't need the constant stimulous of new sounds and new music, although I still pay a lot of attention to new bands, because there's always that special one that catches my attention and I can make an emotional connection with (I loved that I could buy three songs off the MGMT album on iTunes, I really didn't like the rest). It's easy to have our convictions about the album but it's also important to realize that most of the new, young music fans are never going to have that experience of taking the bus to the record store on Sat and digging through all the bins and bins or albums looking for Iron Maiden imports or buying albums that have cool cover art just to discover when you get home that the band is lame. I thinkthealbum or CD will alsways need to be part of the picture though because it's a comprehensive work that is a critical piece of the artist and throughout the career a collection of albums makes for a comprehensive body of work. If over a 10-30 year career artists only put out singles it would be impossible to track and sort and devide the eras and trends and experiments with out using a spread sheet. The album is like a historical marker that the artist and fans need to comprehend and track and connect the body of an artists work. I guess my point is that I truely believe that the face of the music world is completely changing now, probably more than it has inthe last 50 years, but I think the album will always be a neccessary piece ot the artist, something tangible to hang onto in a sea of millions and millions new songs and artists and videos and ring tones and commercials and festivals and compilations and blogs and tweets and so on that we get hit with every day. On the other hand I can't remember the last time I bought an album in a store, I buy from bands at shows if I really love it but trouth be told the the last 10 albums I purchased have been on iTunes. So, yeah, it's hard to sort our our convctions from reality. Humans typically fear change and I think that is playing a huge role in the music world right now. Although many of these changes are great! Keep up these great articles and discussions! Tom Dave and Casey, I always enjoy reading both of your writings. These recurring topics about “death of the album or CD”, “free mp3s to all”, “pay what you can” etc are a lot for anyone to digest and sort out. Many of us claim that we’ll alway’s want that tactile experience of having the album and putting it on. I’m one of those guys for sure. I don’t listen to musch music (weird, I know) but when I do it’s usually one of my few favorite CDs that I’ve had for years, I just don’t need the constant stimulous of new sounds and new music, although I still pay a lot of attention to new bands, because there’s always that special one that catches my attention and I can make an emotional connection with (I loved that I could buy three songs off the MGMT album on iTunes, I really didn’t like the rest).

It’s easy to have our convictions about the album but it’s also important to realize that most of the new, young music fans are never going to have that experience of taking the bus to the record store on Sat and digging through all the bins and bins or albums looking for Iron Maiden imports or buying albums that have cool cover art just to discover when you get home that the band is lame.

I thinkthealbum or CD will alsways need to be part of the picture though because it’s a comprehensive work that is a critical piece of the artist and throughout the career a collection of albums makes for a comprehensive body of work. If over a 10-30 year career artists only put out singles it would be impossible to track and sort and devide the eras and trends and experiments with out using a spread sheet. The album is like a historical marker that the artist and fans need to comprehend and track and connect the body of an artists work.

I guess my point is that I truely believe that the face of the music world is completely changing now, probably more than it has inthe last 50 years, but I think the album will always be a neccessary piece ot the artist, something tangible to hang onto in a sea of millions and millions new songs and artists and videos and ring tones and commercials and festivals and compilations and blogs and tweets and so on that we get hit with every day. On the other hand I can’t remember the last time I bought an album in a store, I buy from bands at shows if I really love it but trouth be told the the last 10 albums I purchased have been on iTunes. So, yeah, it’s hard to sort our our convctions from reality. Humans typically fear change and I think that is playing a huge role in the music world right now. Although many of these changes are great!

Keep up these great articles and discussions! Tom

]]> By: Terry http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal/comment-page-1#comment-138408 Terry Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:30:05 +0000 http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/?p=2075#comment-138408 I love the act of playing a vinyl lp. I like how it feels, how it looks, and how it sounds. There are great arguments about the poor business model of vinyl/cd's but i continue to enjoy the experience of playing vinyl and listening to say Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's 10 wonderful songs one after another. I love the act of playing a vinyl lp. I like how it feels, how it looks, and how it sounds. There are great arguments about the poor business model of vinyl/cd’s but i continue to enjoy the experience of playing vinyl and listening to say Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson’s 10 wonderful songs one after another.

]]> By: Jenny Tatone http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal/comment-page-1#comment-138015 Jenny Tatone Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:20:46 +0000 http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/?p=2075#comment-138015 While I feel Casey wrote a smart, sensitive and thoughtful response in defense of the album here (nice work Mr. Jarman!), I continue to believe the album experience is most definitely on its way out. Yes, for those of us who grew up with the album, we will continue to listen to albums (and demand that a certain number stick around). But for kids born into the digital age, their is little, if any, inclination to sit with a full-length recording. Hardly do they even listen to music without participating in some other form of online entertainment--the new detached/distracted experience with music is unlike anything that has come before, in my very humble opinion. Music comes at them via so many mediums, the experience is one of overexposure and the relationship is fleeting. We adults can make our guesses at the future of music (how it will be heard, felt, etc.) but we'll never understand the new experience in the way the kids, who are already so seamlessly assimilated into this virtual style of existence, they've accepted it without even thinking to question what they might be missing. That said, nostalgia (and the passing on of nostalgia) will keep the album alive. But for the most part, the next generation (most of it) is uninterested in the album or any of its tangible accompaniments. This is not a shift in format, this is a shift in lifestyle and the transition is huge--the album is, sadly, the least of my concerns. (of course I'll never stop listening to them ;) We've got to think beyond the format and wonder about what incessant engagement with the movement and activity of technology (over the "art" it purports to share) means toward our future relationship with music. The emphasis on breadth over depth, motion over pause, frightens me a bit. Sorry for the grimness. I'm looking for the bright side but it's tough sometimes... While I feel Casey wrote a smart, sensitive and thoughtful response in defense of the album here (nice work Mr. Jarman!), I continue to believe the album experience is most definitely on its way out. Yes, for those of us who grew up with the album, we will continue to listen to albums (and demand that a certain number stick around). But for kids born into the digital age, their is little, if any, inclination to sit with a full-length recording. Hardly do they even listen to music without participating in some other form of online entertainment–the new detached/distracted experience with music is unlike anything that has come before, in my very humble opinion. Music comes at them via so many mediums, the experience is one of overexposure and the relationship is fleeting. We adults can make our guesses at the future of music (how it will be heard, felt, etc.) but we’ll never understand the new experience in the way the kids, who are already so seamlessly assimilated into this virtual style of existence, they’ve accepted it without even thinking to question what they might be missing.

That said, nostalgia (and the passing on of nostalgia) will keep the album alive. But for the most part, the next generation (most of it) is uninterested in the album or any of its tangible accompaniments. This is not a shift in format, this is a shift in lifestyle and the transition is huge–the album is, sadly, the least of my concerns. (of course I’ll never stop listening to them ;) We’ve got to think beyond the format and wonder about what incessant engagement with the movement and activity of technology (over the “art” it purports to share) means toward our future relationship with music. The emphasis on breadth over depth, motion over pause, frightens me a bit.

Sorry for the grimness. I’m looking for the bright side but it’s tough sometimes…

]]> By: Justin http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal/comment-page-1#comment-137875 Justin Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:22:30 +0000 http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/?p=2075#comment-137875 Why would anyone assume that the only alternative to an album is a single? Why would anyone assume that the only alternative to an album is a single?

]]> By: Joe Wallace http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal/comment-page-1#comment-137843 Joe Wallace Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:17:34 +0000 http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/?p=2075#comment-137843 Hear hear! I think the death of the CD is probably a lot closer than the death of the album--after all, we've had a LONG time to get used to music being presented in this format--in the same way that the net won't kill off books any time soon, I think the album is here to stay for a while....indie bands, if you want to help kill off the album, release all your stuff as singles and b-sides only. Anything longer than a single and b-side combo prolongs the album's shelf life as a concept. My two farthings. Hear hear! I think the death of the CD is probably a lot closer than the death of the album–after all, we’ve had a LONG time to get used to music being presented in this format–in the same way that the net won’t kill off books any time soon, I think the album is here to stay for a while….indie bands, if you want to help kill off the album, release all your stuff as singles and b-sides only. Anything longer than a single and b-side combo prolongs the album’s shelf life as a concept. My two farthings.

]]> By: Q-Burns Abstract Message http://www.pampelmoose.com/2009/04/the-end-of-the-album-as-the-organizing-principle-a-rebuttal/comment-page-1#comment-137828 Q-Burns Abstract Message Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:36:34 +0000 http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/?p=2075#comment-137828 Fascinating stuff from both sides. I don't think the future is either/or. I believe there will be album artists and there will be digital/singles artist. The interesting thing is that these two camps will have not only a different outlook and marketing philosophy but also a 'sound' that is shaped by the technological path they've embraced (likewise influenced by how this path shapes their outlook). Sort of like (but not really) the artistic decisions that separate film-makers who shoot on digital video vs. those using classic film stock. I think that's kinda cool. Fascinating stuff from both sides. I don’t think the future is either/or. I believe there will be album artists and there will be digital/singles artist. The interesting thing is that these two camps will have not only a different outlook and marketing philosophy but also a ’sound’ that is shaped by the technological path they’ve embraced (likewise influenced by how this path shapes their outlook). Sort of like (but not really) the artistic decisions that separate film-makers who shoot on digital video vs. those using classic film stock. I think that’s kinda cool.

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