Great music isn’t always obvious.

Think of it like this.  Chances are (to quote a former colleague), your favorite song didn’t become your favorite because you only heard it once.

Which perhaps is why Coca-Cola — arguably one of the most famous brands of all-time — still advertises.

Why then, if there’s a decent band, critically acclaimed even, under the radar but the real deal… here comes release date, folks make a lot of noise… the record drops, it’s great and… SILENCE?

Basically, that’s what happens.  It’s a mindset across the board… from marketing campaigns to blog reviews, radio-play to Gray’s Anatomy soundtracks, the NEXT big thing is the story — a dog-eat-dog scrapple among Pitchfork wannabes to claim the uber-crown of cutting edge.  Even day-old is too old… and you know how I feel about old.

And for a heritage act?  Forget it.  Yesterday’s news is no news whatsoever.  Shame, really.

For one, our emotional connection to music is undeniably fueled by a mysterious neuroscience-nostalgia; a process which “requires that we’re able to hold in memory a knowledge of those notes that have just gone by alongside a knowledge of all other musics we are familiar with” (Levitin).  Meaning, REMEMBERING is therefore key to discerning.  A symbiosis is at work: the new NEEDS the old.

Two, it’s the old music that lays the groundwork, gives us context, putting us  “tantalisingly close to the past, so close that [we] can almost reach out and touch it” (Bowie).  A prospect that, as we age, sounds pretty damned good.

Ideally, new music then feeds off this emotion and is able to transfer it, to absorb it as its own miraculous fountain-of-youth sonic serum… simply by association (the busy work of all those neurons); what’s new, suddenly and strangely, feels familiar.

Of course it’s the familiar which has value and, in the end, is what counts.  Not the $.99, not how crappy it sounds condensed into an MP3.  But how the song makes us, the fans, FEEL.

Although first, as is the case with shampoo, cereal, winter tires, sneakers, etc., we have to be regularly REMINDED that the song even exists.  Some of us to discover it for the first time.  Some of us to discover that we love it for the first time.  And some of us, glorious rediscovery.

Because we don’t give a shit if it’s new or old.  We just have to like it.

No Comments »

Just heard about this on the radio… literally, just at this moment. I thought maybe I’d misunderstood. Double-checked by Googling the story.

All true.

How strange is it that I actually called him just yesterday with an idea I had, wanting his feedback. I left a voicemail on his home answering machine, not knowing.

Loss for words.

An iconic talent who by luck became my neighbor (or I, his) and by grace, became my friend.

Deeply sad. Also deeply blessed that I had a chance to know him.

Thank you Artie for your ever-bright support and wisdom. And of course, your music.

www.artietraum.com

No Comments »

Ageism is what it is.  And I’m not talking about teenage-backlash or a twentysomething’s glib naïveté.  Most of it comes from within; sabotaged by our own kind.

Think about it.

It’s not that we grown-ups ever lost interest in music.  Music (as dictated by industry mafiosi, radio, media, etc.) lost interest in US.

The result being that now, our once exalted status of “fans” has turned, less desirably, to “old.”

These days, age alone apparently predicates a biological incapability to rock.  Don’t believe me?  Check out what was supposed to be the AARP’s dedicated music site.  Sadly, looks like they had to pull the plug as it’s now MIA.  Although if you browse the archives, it’s clear that even the flagship of grown-up clubs is musically clueless.

Um, AARP?  That oft-referred to “generation” defined by music?  Yeah.  Those are YOUR members.

What’s more is that occasionally when “fans” and “old” coexist, it’s all tiptoes around the proverbial elephant: we are NOT young.  Hence the term “late adopter” (whispered like Woody Allen would “cancer”).  Or  “fans of a certain age” (thank you, Wall Street Journal— whose median age, ironically is 50 — for additionally going so far as to celebrate how stupid we look when rocking in public).  Is it me or does anyone else notice a slight bit of negative connotation here?

At least there is always “aging hippie,” right?  Not exactly an insult but really, is this a compliment?

All I’m saying is I prefer “fan.”  Whether I’m in the mosh pit or sidelined sucking wind, I’m still, and most importantly, a fan.

Although today, after hearing this:

“tree-hugger” works too.

4 Comments »

More or less the same deal as before: a list of music/music-related whatnot worth mentioning.  Some of it new.  Some of it new-ish.  Some of it just plain new to me.  And then there’s the old and the just because….

Lay It Down, Al Green
So good to have the Reverend getting his sexy-self back on… the man is smoooooooooooth.  Duets with Anthony Hamilton (title track) and John Legend (”Stay with Me”) are faves but it’s nearly impossible to choose.  You NEED to own this.  And then invite someone sweet over for dinner.

Revolution, Eric Avery
Moby meets Baz Luhrmann.  What a ridiculously steady, catchy groove.

High Society, The Silver Seas/The Bees (U.S.)
Formerly The Bees (U.S.), currently The Silver Seas (some annoying legal-issue-forced name change).  A go-to album on par with any number of classics.  In fact, it’s hard for me to choose between this one and Starry Gazey Pie (their first)… HS just happened to be on top of the stack.  Thanks to the smart-pop mastery of main-Sea/Bee, Daniel Tashian, these are the kind of records you can leave on replay.

Weeds, Various
Quite possibly the best TV soundtrack ever.  Apparently you can buy actual compilations but they’re not complete (don’t you hate that?).  Click the “various” link above which takes you to the Showtime site for a full list of songs as balls-to-the-walls as the show.  And no, this isn’t music that necessarily stands alone.  Which is why it’s called a SOUNDTRACK, i.e., visuals required.  I can’t Netflix episodes fast enough.

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Derek and the Dominos
I finally got around to reading Pattie Boyd’s autobiography which naturally, put me in the mood.  Decent read, by the way.  Not sure though that we’re any closer to knowing the secret to her clearly magnetic, inspiring power.

Submarine Symphonika, The Submarines
How excellent to hear this while trying on flip-flops in Old Navy!  Meet my friends Blake (Vermont rules!) and John, a.k.a. The Subs.  Glistening, intelli-pop that makes you feel infectiously happy.  If you’re just discovering them now, Honeysuckle Weeks is their latest, Declare a New State, their first.  Buy both.

Santogold, Santogold
Yep, still loving it.  Read this if you haven’t already.

Grandmaster Flash, Fresh Air
Terry’s interview originally aired July of 2002.  That bit where she asks him to run down a play-by-play of the Quick Mix Theory an action?  Word!  It’d stopped me dead back in 2002 so having just read Flash’s recent autobiography (phenomenal) it was time hear the Grandmaster lay it out once again.  Real-life fucking magic.  Goosebumps even.  Had to listen to it twice.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
Whoa.  I loved him the moment I saw he’d posted covers of “Spirit in the Sky” and “Drive” on his MySpace page.  And let me tell you, the sound quality on both is downright awful, nearly unlistenable… but it doesn’t matter.  There’s just something about this guy, something genuinely new.  In truly the strangest of ways, he reminds me of Jeff Tweedy… it’s that kind of suck-you-in.  “Written Over” for one.  Wicked.

The Good Ones, KaiserCartel
LOVE this song.  Feels very new-wave, which I have a thing for.

Oldies, Cruisin’ 93.5
In the grand scheme of things, there is absolutely nothing special about this radio station.  However, it’s the only oldies channel we can get on our porch.  And since all self-respecting BBQ should be accompanied by The Beach Boys, etc., sometimes even bad radio —Gold Bond “Itch” Powder commercials included — is just the thing.

No Comments »