the de-valuation of tunes (again!)

Another article about free music being uncool and unsustainable, as well as damaging to all of us in a way -- it's always been hard for really good music to get out there, so I would say that in a sense not much has changed, but I still find this article though-provoking. Some of the comments below the line are also pretty good.

http://www.nsfreepress.com/story/music-devalued

the Hype Machine

Just read an article on the Guardian site about bands who initially do amazing then lose massive sales and their fanbase when their next album comes out. Seems to me like a trend that's more and more prevalent, especially when you look outside of mainstream pop -- the likes of Glasvegas, Franz Ferdinand, and even Vampire Weekend all seem to have had that flavour-of-the-month quality to them. Not that their latter efforts were good/bad, but more that whatever they did next didn't seem to garner as much attention as their debuts. I'm sure we all have our theories why, and I think many of the comments below the article itself are quite valid. My own suspicions are to do with the internet and the sheer volume of supposedly good music that's coming out -- once one band has been massively hyped, there's another one to hype up the next day. It's reached a saturation point and I'm not sure how the average fan is supposed to keep up with everything they're being told is good/great. Personally, I've gotten a little sick of music at the moment and can't really pay attention to anything new. Ipods and the instant nature of the web haven't helped; I was better off with radio and when good DJ's had more of a say. Blogs are kinda like all new media in that their content needs to be constantly renewed -- that means they always have to go after the next artist/sound/album. Also, for me, with so much music out there I feel like it's gotten a little cheaper -- all these people, they're not saying anything particularly new or profound, it's all a bit simple and repetitive really. Maybe this is what growing older is like? When pop music just doesn't seem to matter as much. Anyway, here's the article, and the comments below really do seem to sum up the many reasons why some artists are having a harder time now, while also reasoning that maybe it's not just about sales anyway.

Raving like it's 1986

Yes, 1986, cos the first video featured below is from way back then. Didn't know house music culture was so established so early but I'm guessing black kids in Manchester were ahead of the curve (massively ahead! Maybe the year is mislabeled?). Back then I was eight years old and listening to things my older family were into -- stuff on Top of the Pops and the radio basically, Michael Jackson, Abba, Dire Straits. Who knew this underground thing was bubbling up? There's quite a lot of nostalgia for that era going around; blogs like Class of 808, musicians like Calvin Harris, and the second video below attest to that. Not sure how I feel about it -- I love the tunes and the era but I was too young to truly be a part of it; at the same time the current fashion is forcing me to realise that all that is way in the past. Plus, when it comes to nostalgia for music and fashion, what's next? A Britpop revival featuring crap Liam Gallagher type haircuts? I hope not. I think the mixed feelings come from the fact that I'm a recent old skool revivalist myself (if you've seen my trainer collection this will come as no surprise) -- it felt good to be doing my own thing, now it's a current thing, soon it'll be a past it thing. That and the recognition that it is the past, and that it's gone now, replaced with thousands of new Mp3's a day but no proper new scene. Anyway, check out the vids and enjoy the moves, the gurning, and the blinding clothing.





The one right above is by Friendly Fires, yet another band I don't know too much about, but I can definitely relate to the lyrics here and what the band-member is saying at the end of the vid -- watch it all the way through and you'll know what I'm talking about. Closest I've come to a nice outdoor dancefest is the Movement festival in downtown Detroit, but sadly I'll be missing it again this year. There is something special about being outside and dancing with others. One more thing, that first vid is from a community centre in Manchester, England, in 1986 -- check out the crowd. It amazes me just how diverse the rave scene really was, and also how it never took off in the US like it did in the UK and Europe -- why is that? Especially keeping in mind that in the beginning most of the music was coming from America.

Twinkly sounds

I've been having a very busy, strange, and exciting month here in NYC, much more than usual. But its also been stressful, and as always, my automatic method to de-stress is to listen to music.

Bjork's latest single was released a few months ago but I'm only posting it up now. Have a look at her website, one of the funkiest I've ever seen.

'Crystalline' is the single and its got a sound only Bjork can pull off, and what I really love is how it goes all drum n bass at the end - I'm very happy to see that come back around. Its one of those songs I know I can play on repeat...

Old Band Releases New Album That Almost No-One Will Buy

And with good reason too -- cos what I've heard isn't very good. Who am I talking about? The STEREO MC'S. Remember them? Were they ever really anything more than a one-hit wonder? It's hard to remember now. What I do know (circumstantially -- I came across an ad while looking up events in DC at RA) is that they've got a new collection of songs out, and it's called 'Emperor's Nightingale'. It's not terrible, to be honest, and probably if I paid more attention to the lyrics I might even like what I'm hearing. But the music backing up said lyrics just doesn't stand out to me in any particular way -- it's a bit dancey, a bit poppy, but I've not heard anything special. For some reason I keep thinking of that other old dance band, Faithless, though I have no idea why cos I don't think the music is really that comparable. I think it's cos of Rob Birch's voice sounding a bit like Maxi Jazz's. You can judge for yourself at a mini-site with some streaming tracks and a video here. Videos. I'm surprised anyone bothers with them anymore; I mean they cost money, and most people don't even spend money on music now. If you go the website do listen to the tracks 'Tales' and 'Bring it On' -- really quite decent and deserving of a bit of attention. And you know what, I've just Youtubed the Stereos and I feel a little bad now. I mean check out 'Connected':

That is class! Look at Rob Birch! He hasn't aged at all -- cos he can't. How could he possibly look any older? And what about 'Step It Up'?:

These videos make me happy -- they remind me of how seriously Brits (used to?) take their pop music and culture -- the clothes, the look, the feel! Lovely stuff. Probably a book could be written on why music is taken so seriously in the UK -- to the point that bands like the Strokes and the Killers broke over there before they did in their native US. But that book will not be written by me (and surely it's already been written?). I'm pretty sure this new album will get lost in the mix, in the thousands of new releases that are out every month -- but who knows, maybe it'll get picked up on the radio and talked about in the UK? We can only hope.

UPDATE: I've now listened to 'Bring it On' a couple of times and have decided that it's wicked. So, with that, and cos I know many interwebbers are ultra-lazy, here's a Youstube of said track:

Jon Convex

Just discovered a new tune and producer via Benji's B Radio 1 show that featured Martyn, which was on air a few hours ago. Listen to this mix its pretty terrific, you can download it here. Thanks to Didier for the tip! (Ps on this mix you can hear lots of new tracks off of Martyn's upcoming brand new album!!!)

So here's the tune its called 'Falling Again' by Jon Convex. He's signed on Martyn's 3024 label.


And it turns out he's got a mix up on FactMag.

Hurrah for new music!

Here to Stay

I just want to note first that I love the name 'Felix da Housecat'. It's so fun to say.

Recently I got a 'new' vintage audio system. It was time to move on from my big black Aiwa box that I bought used in Ann Arbor 7 years ago. When I got my 'new' soundsystem the first song I played was a record I bought in some random record shop in New York a few years ago. The record is a single by New Order (one of the best bands ever in my opinion) called 'Here to Stay' and there's a very fantastic remix by...Felix da Housecat. This was released in 2002 I believe.

When I was playing the song, the guy who sold me the system and had come to deliver and set it up, was astonished that I was playing New Order; he remarked he hadn't listened to them since his high school days in the 80s.

Anyway, here it is! It sounds amazing when I play it in my room by the way. I love it.