Biking an Album

Today I found that my brother's bicycle was not, as I believed, beyond repair. After pumping air into the tires, and fiddling with the broken seat, my dad was able to get it working. This was great news for me, since I don't really enjoy running, and my inline skates have 5 of 8 wheels remaining. (Note that it is indeed possible to use inline skates with 6 of 8 wheels, and probably 5 of 8, if you've got the right 5).

Thus, I was able to enjoy the free-roaming, neighborhood dominating exercise that my rigorous gym routine lacks. Also, since bicycling (recreationally) doesn't require the mental focus of weightlifting or timed running, I can listen to my iPod whilst doing it. I decided I would ride for the length of one album. This would let me listen to some new music and get exercise. Multitasking is a plus.

Of course, I managed to pick an unusually long album, Absolution by Muse, clocking in at 52 minutes. I successfully biked the whole time, with a few brief stops atop hills. When I returned, my legs were quite jelly-esque, a nice feeling (to know I really worked the muscles).

The album was definitely well above average. I had previously listened to Butterflies and Hurricanes religiously (it's currently my most listened track since my harddrive crash in January), but hadn't gotten a chance to listen to the album straight-through. There's a lot of coherence here, with riffs and chord progressions foreshadowing entire songs (the beginning of Time is Running Out and the bassline of Butterflies and Hurricanes, for example). Of course, Butterflies and Hurricanes stands out, but so do Hysteria (for a sweet guitar riff), and Apocalypse Please. The subject matter gets a bit repetitive, but it's forgiven for the great balance of tones and styles, and some really genius melodic and rhythmic structures. Recommended.

All in all, a nice (if tiring) experience. I'll try to increase my biking frequency (possibly to include all my non-lifting days), both for exercise and music-listening purposes.

First Steps with Electronic Music

Next semester, I'm enrolled in the electronic music class at Duke (Music 153S, for those who care). I heard from a friend that much of the course is based out of using the open source electronic music programming language SuperCollider. Last night, I decided to download the Windows version (the main build is for Mac), and started to fiddle around.

Two things right off the bat:

• The program has as steep a learning curve as advertised.
• The program is positively badass.

At this stage, I'm still quite giddy with my self when I can create an arpeggio out of text:

{Pan2.ar(SinOsc.ar(440,0,0.5),0.0)}.play

{Pan2.ar(SinOsc.ar(523.25,0,0.1),0.0)}.play

{Pan2.ar(SinOsc.ar(659.25,0,0.1),0.0)}.play

{Pan2.ar(SinOsc.ar(880,0,0.1),0.0)}.play

That is an arpeggio in A minor (with the bass note louder) How ridiculous is that?!

I'm sure after a few months, that will look silly, childish, and wildly inefficient, but for now its really cool. Using the mouse features immediately show how powerful programming music can be:

JMouseBase.makeGUI
{SinOsc.ar(JMouseX.kr(440,880),0,0.1)}.play
{Pulse.ar(JMouseY.kr(880,440),0.2,0.1)}.play

This code brings up a grid. When I move my mouse left to right, the sine wave pitch raises from concert A (440) to an octave above (880). Moving my mouse down to up does the same with a pulse sound. Here's a screenshot of that in action (I won't put up any sound of it yet, believe me, you'd rather not hear it):

Despite the steep learning curve, there's a lot of material out there to help. I'm working through a course by Nick Collins. So far it's been quite helpful, though a little Mac-biased. I'll be able to give a more complete assessment after I work through a few more of the tutorials.

It seems like this is the place to go for all things SuperCollider, and there seems to be a pretty large community surrounding it. Pretty cool stuff, and I look forward to making some actual music with it!

Music Sharing: Hypermodern Library?

Recently, I began reading Seth Godin’s blog (largely focused on marketing and business), and I happened to find it very interesting. I noticed that he had become a prodigious author, having printed over ten books, with a number of e-books as well. Apparently, Seth had not yet earned enough of my attention or trust, because I wasn’t willing to purchase any of his books yet. I was content reading his blog.

However, when I went to my public library last Tuesday, I chanced upon two of Seth’s books while browsing. Naturally, Seth had done enough to persuade me to loan out his books from the library. While Seth hadn’t yet made much money off of me yet (whatever advertisement earnings he gained from me visiting his website), he had successfully gotten me to read two of his books. I had progressed from spending seconds at a time reading blog posts, to spending a few hours of my attention reading books.

Since in both cases I was impressed with the ideas (the real product here) in the books, I’m much more compelled to now purchase books from Seth. I plan to grab a copy of Purple Cow and Meatball Sundae after my next paycheck. How did this happen?! How did make the quantum transition from “oh yeah, I’ve heard of Seth Godin” to “I’m going to buy something from Seth Godin?”

Business owners everywhere know that it’s hard for people to make that jump. It requires a lot of “trust energy” to overcome suspicion, and concern over wasting resources (what if I buy this book and it’s terrible!?). There are pizza places I drive by multiple times per week that I’ll probably never, ever go to because I’m unwilling to take that risk, to make that jump.

So how did it happen? I never had to make that jump of course. I made a number of significantly smaller, safer jumps until not only was I unafraid of making the final leap, I couldn’t wait for it to happen (I’m anxious for that check…). Look at the process that occurred:

1. I heard of Seth Godin somewhere online, I can’t remember where. (No investment here).


2. I heard of Seth enough times that I decided to look at his blog. (Investment: about 2 minutes reading the most recent blog post.)


3. Enjoying that blog post, I read the next few as they were published. (Investment: about 2 minutes a day. Note that I could quit at any time with no future costs, and very little invested.)


4. Got hooked on blog and spent a few hours reading archived posts. (Investment: a few hours, and they went fast because I was enjoying the content).


5. I saw the books at the library, and loaned them out. (Investment: no money, a few hours to read).


6. NOW, I'm ready to buy books. (Investment: money and more time)

I’d say that the library was a significant step, in that I was unwilling to purchase from Seth until I saw first hand exactly what I’d get by purchasing from Seth. By minimizing my investment in “testing the waters” (by removing the monetary aspect, I’d imagine the time aspect can not be removed), trust was built in the product, and I now will purchase more products.

This paradigm is very similar to my experience in walking through a record CD MP3 store. Very rarely do I purchase a “new” (from a group I don’t already own product from) album based on the jewel casing, genre, and song titles (full disclosure: I did do it once, on a dare with a friend. Both of the albums we got were awful). Slightly less rarely, I’ll buy a CD after listening to a few snippets on headsets in the store (or 30-second previews on iTunes). Unfortunately, I listen to these albums just about as rarely, and doubt I’ll be back for more.

Far more often, I’ll buy an album from a group only after hearing a majority or entirety of the album itself, or another album by the same artist. My methodology for accomplishing this has ranged significantly (in terms of legal…ness). Let’s look at how I started listening to some of my favorite bands (from most to least legitimate):

• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Got a nearly free (about 30 cents) CD from a sale from my school’s radio station. Subsequently bought older CD’s.


• Radiohead: Heard my friend play his Radiohead music all the time at college. By the time I got my own albums, I’d probably heard most of the discography.


• Paramore: Watched videos of a majority of their tracks on Youtube. Loved them, went out and purchased both albums and some merchandise (a rare move).


• Sonic Youth: Downloaded the entire discography because I heard they were good (university internet significantly decreased the investment here).

In all cases, I was impressed by the product enough that I’ve become an actual fan, one who’ll purchase the next effort of each group outright, without preview. The difference is what it took to get there.

The problem, as evidenced by my experience with Sonic Youth, is that downloadable music provides the opportunity to never stop “previewing.” When one can obtain all of an artist’s product with an investment so much smaller than purchasing albums, it’s hard not to say yes. There is nearly no drawback (except a possible RIAA suit) to downloading. The “biggest” I can come up with is that you don’t get the jewel case and physical CD. In today’s world, that might actually be a negative!

I’d say the public library is beneficial to author’s who produce multiple pieces of work. In my particular experience, I was able to read two of Seth Godin’s books, and am now compelled to purchase others (of course, the product must be good to reap the rewards). On the other hand, I was very impressed with the first twenty or so Sonic Youth albums, but don’t feel especially compelled to purchase the next.

Why? Libraries aren’t completely free! Sure, you get to read the books for free, but look at all the hidden negatives:

• Limited availability: I was only able to get two of Seth’s many books. Now, for the next three weeks, nobody will be able to get the two I checked out either. I would guess that the library doesn’t stock more than three total.


• Limited utility: I only get to keep the books for three weeks. I get no shelf value, and if I don’t have time to finish, tough cookies (barring my one renewal). Want to look up something inside later? No dice.


• Limited priority: Libraries don’t get books immediately, especially non-bestsellers. If I wanted to read Meatball Sundae, Seth’s newest book, I might have to wait years (or forever) for my library to stock it. This is a non-trivial investment of time.

Now, consider the music industry and how our ability to download affects those same principles:

• Availability: Once a CD goes on sale, for all but very obscure artists, it’s rarely difficult to find a downloadable free copy.


• Utility: In most cases, high-quality MP3 copies are available for download, which serve equally well as the album itself (minus jewel case).


• Priority: Downloads are often available hours after release, if not leaked before official release.

There’s no downside! This leaves musicians and the music industry a few options, not required by most authors fighting the treacherous library monster:

1. (The good one) Focus on cultivating ardent fans who will purchase product despite downloading.


2. Provide additional value only available to those who purchase physical albums, such as providing additional utility (through online content, posters, etc.). It would be difficult to add availability or priority.


3. Regulate downloading to provide a downside, either making only portions of songs or albums available (good luck), decreasing utility (Youtube does this by making it difficult to listen away from the computer), or enforcing priority (allowing downloads, only a certain period of time after release, again, good luck).


4. (The other good one) Use downloading to one’s advantage, remembering the decreased investment it requires. For example, in addition to recording an album, a band could record a few alternate versions, acoustic versions, or B-sides (even A-sides…) and release them for free via download before the album comes out to create “library-type” fan support.

Downloading isn’t quite the modern incarnation of the library, but with some effort and creativity, it doesn’t have to be the end of the musician (it won’t be).

Album Review: Above the Cosmos by John Garrison (2007)

Introduction:

Former front man for the UK-based band Budapest, John Garrison (who is currently playing bass on tour with James Blunt) released his first solo album, Above the Cosmos, independently last year. The album has made rounds to some independent and college radio stations, but unfortunately hasn’t gotten the playtime it deserves. Garrison’s unique style brings an impressive musical and emotional depth to what could have been a very standard singer-songwriter debut. That said, neither the singing, nor the songwriting fail to impress in this deep, often dark, yet hopeful work.

Tracks:

1. When the Lights Go Out

The song begins with a beautiful line, quickly accompanied by a driving drum line which gives the song a lot of momentum (suspended cymbals are run at 16ths through a large portion of the piece, along with some nice crash cymbal use). Garrison’s voice comes through as dreamlike and hypnotic, with a surprising power and clarity. The run “so hear me out, hear me out, it evens out in the end all of the time” is particularly beautiful, yet haunting. Great lyrics, and an exciting, interesting instrumental backing make this track a wonderful opener. The finish, with heavy bass and drawn out lyric is a clincher.

2. Above the Cosmos

We get a reprise of the piano theme from the first track with some overlaying melodies, and a nice use of ambient music. Feels like it could have been part of the opener, and doesn’t have quite enough structure to really stand on its own. Not meant to be listened to alone, this instrumental piece is nice, but only in context. I wish it flowed out to the next track as well as the previous one flowed into this one.

3. Testimony

A significant change here, we have a much slower piano chord progression, with very simple drum sounds (straight quarters with some fills). The powerful lyrics and voicing may have had more impact with quieter instrumentation during the chorus. Bass work is consistently solid, and the use of additional sounds for again a haunting effect is good. A decent, though not quite original track.

4. Walking on Broadway

Begins with a neat guitar picking melody and heavy strings with a significant bass melody. Another brooding piece, the lyrics are simultaneously what you would and would not expect from the title. Themes of togetherness and support in numbers are coupled with a recognition of the individual loneliness found in each character “carrying on.” Garrison’s voice again navigates an impressive range and run control throughout, with a great ability to convey the emotions here.

5. Carousel

Garrison’s history with bass must be apparent to the listener now, as prominent bass lines and progressions continue to present themselves, in different guises; bass guitar, piano, strings. Interesting use of pauses in rhythm and another nice piano melody keep things consistently exciting instrumentally. The lyrics get a bit repetitive, but are still engaging. The modulation about two and a half minutes in is nice, with the return of the female intercom voice. Garrison’s alyrical wailing here brings a great climax to the piece, which may have lacked energy with its initially pedestrian structure.

6. Convincing Myself

More ambient noise and “everyday sound” recordings become a motif in the album, as Garrison continues to speak of internal conflicts and very relatable psychological/social struggles many of us face daily. A heavier guitar element is a nice change of pace, especially with the grittier sounds, not to mention a pretty nice hook. We also get a return of the more frenetic (if still mostly straight) drums of the opening track, lending a nice intensity to the piece. I wish more of the songs would end with a bang, as the last four have kind of trailed off (this one, particularly, didn’t need to have it’s momentum killed).

7. Bugs to the Light

A return to a slower, more expansive, soulsearching expression. It’s not really appropriate to call these songs ballads, given their more introspective, philosophizing bent. This one is particularly dark yet hopeful, painting the individual as extremely insignificant, while still reflecting a desire to act present in Garrison’s mind. An expansive sound at once represents our smallness and the great possibilities that remain.

8. Shadow

More of a ballad here, the song begins with an allusion to the green light from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, a beautiful, musically simple song detailing an experience of love. The lyrics come in consistently impressive verse, befitting the simple structure to the piano line. A real treat again with Garrison’s lamenting, emotional voice.

9. Below the Radar

Back to the power here in earnest after two slower tracks. The most unusual set of lyrics, relating to a “water wheel world.” Continuous use of water related metaphors, really using all of the imagined architecture of a water-based city. Certainly requires a few listens to get your head around, but we end up with a really nice tour through Garrison’s mind here, though I’d be lying if I knew the correct interpretation, if there is one. The percussion and strings interlude around two and a half minutes is very well done, leading to a final reprise of the main melody and Garrison’s wailing over the final chorus.

10. Abdicate

A rare acoustic sound pairs well with a very high, almost reserved tone in the verse vocals here, then transitions into the standard piano and electric/electronic based chorus, with once again powerful Garrison lyrics and voicing. A reflection at some rivals ability to overtake him, and his seeming acceptance of this fact, until he becomes overcome with some emotional toil, possibly jealously, leading Garrison to reveal his more sinister (inner) thoughts. The most effective “soft end” on the album, quite haunting.

11. Never far From Me

Subtle clock sounds in the back are a nice touch as the only percussion in this piano and vocal cut. Garrison could have laid a tasteful drum track beginning in the second verse, but shows nice restraint, adding to the cleansing nature of this track. One of the most hopeful (yet very possibly sad depending on the context of the song) songs on the album.

12. Happy Hour

The final cut is a nice summation to the album, tying a number of lyrical themes together. Garrison emphasizes the need to act while the time remains (for time passes by us all), the need to act in the moment, and to appreciate the moment itself. Further, while the individual is often insignificant, there is great significance in pairs, in relationships and friendships (the speaking in the background, friendly conversation, is a great addition). An extended chorus fits well with Garrison’s voice, stretching long phrases with ease and impressive power. The first few minutes of standard songwriting segue into a soothing brass part intertwining with Garrison singing sans words again, yet still able to project emotion so well. The album then concludes with more happy, in the moment, talking, some musicians playing (in the fooling around on their instruments sense), people talking in a café, and a wonderful final reprisal of the opening piano theme, a real treat for those who’ve been listening the whole way through.

Conclusion:

Excluding a few nitpicking issues mention above, I found it to be an extraordinary album, certainly one of the best of 2007. I hope to have the opportunity to see Garrison live in the near future. The album is full of intricate, interesting melodies on a variety of instruments, a notable nod to the bass parts (a biased appreciation from this bass player), beautiful vocals, and engaging, emotional lyrics. I would have appreciated a more coherent musical flow, though as an idea the album is put together very well (in terms of song content). Overall, a strong recommendation.

Score:

Above the Cosmos - John Garrison
95/100

Album Review: Cross by Justice (2007)

Introduction:

An album I've had on (modified) loop recently is the debut Cross, by French electronica act Justice. Though newcomers to the genre might find their sound hard to distinguish from more "mainstream" groups like Daft Punk (also great), they've carved out a few unique sounds for themselves.

At times more structured and well-oiled than the average dance tracks, Justice can sound almost orchestral in precision and voicing (heavy use of brass and occasional string sounds). On the other hand, tracks like D.A.N.C.E and DVNO are as gaudy, organic and vocally-driven as popular 90's club hits.

Tracks:

1. Genesis: The opener begins with an ominous melody, setting a strong tone for the album. What follows is 3 minutes of the best organized electronic music I've ever heard. Very orchestral in structure, loops weave in an out of each other with machine-like precision. Heavy bass lines and strong, sometimes harsh rhythms bring a lot of energy despite relatively simple melodic lines. It really is a non-stop assault through, until a clean segue into the next track (the entire album flows like this, with no gaps between track, a feature I always appreciate). My favorite track of the album.

2. Let There Be Light: Similar in style, the second cut is certainly less harsh, though not necessarily less energetic. More focus on melodic changes, and intonation changes throughout the lines, though still a pretty ominous tone. Overall, a bouncier, more dance appropriate track. Some great rhythmic hooks throughout.

3. D.A.N.C.E.: A completely different style here! A bubbly, bouncy, extremely catchy dance track. Vocals sound straight out of the early Jackson 5 materials, fitting nicely with the much more upbeat chord sounds and melody. This was the first single released off the album, and it's easy to see why, the track was made for the dance hall.

4. Newjack: Returns to the instrumentation of the first two tracks, with an addition vocal loop or two. Remains more towards the "happy" side of your average tone spectrum. A little more subdued than the first two tracks (which attacked), the track gets points for a few radical melody/rhythm changes to keep things interesting.

5,6. Phantom Pt. I/Pt. II: Two more really solid vocal-free tracks. A nice laid-back organic, almost fuzzy style to these sounds. A little more repetitive (individually) then some of the other cuts, sticking with subtle changes in progression rather than more drastic changes. It makes for a great progression of an idea, as new layers are added and moved around. Pt. II is a little darker and more powerful, with a really sick melodic line.

7. Valentine: Beginning with a nice little "heartbeat" motif, this is definitely a more emotional, melody-centric piece. Two or three nice melodic and bass lines weave through out without a lot of complicated percussion. At times soothing, at times a little depressing, at times hopeful and inspiring. A really nice piece that I bet a lot of people skip over, because it's not much of a dance track, a departure from the previous songs.

8. Tthhee Ppaarrttyy: One of the most vocal songs on the track, mostly sing-talk style, not quite rapping, but certainly not traditional song. An interesting melodic riff sits amongst generally lo-fi instrumentation for much of the song. Unfortunately, the lyrics nearly ruin this song, narrating the night of a snobby, rich girl going out to party with some friends. It's hard to enjoy the music beneath the visions of the annoying girl, making this my least favorite track.

9. DVNO: The other heavily vocal song, DVNO was much better, in my opinion. Often almost nonsensical, but catchy lyrics about a club (DVNO) make this song funny, and hearken back to bad music videos and 70's and 80's dance clubs (see the music video). Very catchy, poppy, bouncy beat makes this a great track, somehow using artificial clapping sounds in a way I enjoy. Really a much simpler song than it seems on a first listen.

10. Stress: My (close) second favorite cut on the album, Stress is a real experiment. The music reflects the title well, in this high-energy, fast tempo, very cycle based instrumental track. Really interesting combinations of short loops of sound, quickly repeating simple beats, and dissonant chord structures. The intro section seems to go on forever, building up a huge amount of tension, which makes for the best resolution on the album, about a minute and a half into the track. The machine gets back to work right away, building up pressure again. A real treat.

11. Waters of Nazareth: A very solid track, released previously as a single/EP, and well known in the dance circuit since 2006. Probably the most "standard" of their tracks (for the genre), but quite well executed. I didn't find it too inspiring, likely because I've heard similar things in other groups.

12. One Minute to Midnight: The closer is a very stripped down pieces, fitting with it's place in the album. You can hear bits of the album tied up in here, some chords from Phantom, bits of sound/instrumentation from Stress, and melodic lines similar to Newjack, and Tthhee Ppaarrttyy. Again, subdued and simple, but the payoff is in the connection to the rest of the album.

Conclusions:

Overall, the album is put together extremely well (as an album), and a number of tracks stand out in the genre (Genesis and Stress) for me. I loop this, dropping out Tthhee Ppaarrttyy, for hours at a time, and it grows on me more and more. Great for listening to when working or driving, or at a party (if your friends like this kind of music). Even for friends who mostly listen outside the genre, a track here and there will be well received (D.A.N.C.E. and Waters of Nazareth, the singles, are good here).

Score:

Cross - Justice
93/100