Buying Music
I rarely buy music in actual stores anymore. When I buy a CD, more often than not I order it online. The cost and convenience is unbeatable. But still, buying music online has one huge downside --- it's almost impossible to browse. And that's what I love about going into music stores --- just looking through the bins, with no intended purchase in mind but picking up the products that strike my fancy. I love the cheap used cd/record store because they allow me to explore music without breaking the bank. I've discovered countless of my albums through just browsing and taking a chance. For example, I once bought a copy of Patti Smith's "Horses" for 50 cents. That was well worth a half a buck. And I discovered bands like The Honeydogs through a used CD purchase.
So on Friday after work, I hit CD world on Greenville Avenue for a cheap music browse. They've got a whole wall of cds in the back that are $4.91 or 5 for $20. Sometimes all I'll see is rows and rows of mid 90's cast offs like The Spin Doctor's "Pocket Full of Krpytonite". But sometimes I'll quickly find lots of stuff I want. Choosing a cd is an involved process for me. I always go through the following checklist.
A. Do I already have another album by the artist? If I do, and I never listen to that album, chances are I'm not going to listen to any of their earlier or later efforts.
B. What mood do I have to be in to listen to this? I love punk rock, for example, but I hardly listen to it every day. Unless it's a must have for the genre, I'll usually pass.
C. Will I listen to the CD over and over again in the car? That's a real big issue. For some reason, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I love listening to the Wallflowers "Bringing Down the Horse" in the car. It's a good highway or rolling around town album --- at least it is for me.
So here's what I picked out and why:
Simple Minds "Street Fighting Years" (1989). I don't own a single album by the Simple Minds. I like them. But I wasn't about to buy 1985's "Once Upon a Time". Way too Breakfast Club for me. I really wanted "New Gold Dream" with the super cool atmospheric "Someone, Somewhere in Summertime" song, but it was not to be had on this day. "Street Fighting Years" has a similar dreamy sound, so I was sold.
The The "NakedSelf" (2000). One of my top 20 favorite albums is 1983's "Soul Mining". But Matt Johnson is never going to come close to that one. That album was just too perfect. So I bought The The's last album, hoping I might catch, not lightening, but a small spark in a bottle. It's dark and a bit post apocalyptic sounding, perfect for driving around town late at night. Maybe the weakest selection out of my five choices, but maybe it'll grow on me.
Sam Phillips "Zero Zero Zero" (1999). It's nearly criminal that I haven't owned anything by the lovely Leslie "Sam" Phillips. I'd say that out of all female pop singers, Sam is hands down my favorite. Why she hasn't had Sheryl Crow-like success is puzzling. It's certainly not because of the way she looks because Ms. Phillips is one smokin' lady. And she can write a hell of a song. I really wanted "Martinis & Bikinis" but I settled for this compilation album. This was probably the best purchase of the five. I know I'll listen to this album over and over and go back for more of Sam's stuff. I can't believe I missed her at The Sons of Hermann Hall last year. Stupid.
Pitty Sing, self titled, (2005). I couldn't believe this was in the discount bin already. It wasn't a promo copy or cut-out. And it's only about 6 months old. Pitty Sing is one of those NYC bands that channels the 80's in a good way, much like Interpol, Longwave and the like. They sound lots like Tear For Fears, well, early pre "Everybody Wants To Rule the World" Tears For Fears that is. I'm not sure I'll end up liking this selection in the long run, but I do like the spacey "We're On Drugs" quite a bit right now.
Nada Surf "High/Low" (1996). When Nada Surf scored a minor hit on this album with the talky "Popular" I thought they were going to end up a novelty act, or a wannabe Weezer. It didn't help matters that this song was turned into a video and played along side of that fuckin' "Closing Time" video by Semi Sonic on MTV. Nada Surf just got unfairly tagged with an unfair association with me. But a couple of years ago, I saw them open up for Death Cab for Cutie. And I'm sorry kids, but I liked Nada Surf a lot more than Death Cab. Hooky poppy without being all emo. And this first album of theirs is all guitars all the time.
I go to the counter with my selections. And I always wonder if the hipper-than-thou clerk is going to make a comment. Rarely they do. But this time the clerk says "Wow, there was some Nada Surf back on the discount wall? You came in at a good time." I think I just might have.
So on Friday after work, I hit CD world on Greenville Avenue for a cheap music browse. They've got a whole wall of cds in the back that are $4.91 or 5 for $20. Sometimes all I'll see is rows and rows of mid 90's cast offs like The Spin Doctor's "Pocket Full of Krpytonite". But sometimes I'll quickly find lots of stuff I want. Choosing a cd is an involved process for me. I always go through the following checklist.
A. Do I already have another album by the artist? If I do, and I never listen to that album, chances are I'm not going to listen to any of their earlier or later efforts.
B. What mood do I have to be in to listen to this? I love punk rock, for example, but I hardly listen to it every day. Unless it's a must have for the genre, I'll usually pass.
C. Will I listen to the CD over and over again in the car? That's a real big issue. For some reason, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I love listening to the Wallflowers "Bringing Down the Horse" in the car. It's a good highway or rolling around town album --- at least it is for me.
So here's what I picked out and why:
Simple Minds "Street Fighting Years" (1989). I don't own a single album by the Simple Minds. I like them. But I wasn't about to buy 1985's "Once Upon a Time". Way too Breakfast Club for me. I really wanted "New Gold Dream" with the super cool atmospheric "Someone, Somewhere in Summertime" song, but it was not to be had on this day. "Street Fighting Years" has a similar dreamy sound, so I was sold.
The The "NakedSelf" (2000). One of my top 20 favorite albums is 1983's "Soul Mining". But Matt Johnson is never going to come close to that one. That album was just too perfect. So I bought The The's last album, hoping I might catch, not lightening, but a small spark in a bottle. It's dark and a bit post apocalyptic sounding, perfect for driving around town late at night. Maybe the weakest selection out of my five choices, but maybe it'll grow on me.
Sam Phillips "Zero Zero Zero" (1999). It's nearly criminal that I haven't owned anything by the lovely Leslie "Sam" Phillips. I'd say that out of all female pop singers, Sam is hands down my favorite. Why she hasn't had Sheryl Crow-like success is puzzling. It's certainly not because of the way she looks because Ms. Phillips is one smokin' lady. And she can write a hell of a song. I really wanted "Martinis & Bikinis" but I settled for this compilation album. This was probably the best purchase of the five. I know I'll listen to this album over and over and go back for more of Sam's stuff. I can't believe I missed her at The Sons of Hermann Hall last year. Stupid.
Pitty Sing, self titled, (2005). I couldn't believe this was in the discount bin already. It wasn't a promo copy or cut-out. And it's only about 6 months old. Pitty Sing is one of those NYC bands that channels the 80's in a good way, much like Interpol, Longwave and the like. They sound lots like Tear For Fears, well, early pre "Everybody Wants To Rule the World" Tears For Fears that is. I'm not sure I'll end up liking this selection in the long run, but I do like the spacey "We're On Drugs" quite a bit right now.
Nada Surf "High/Low" (1996). When Nada Surf scored a minor hit on this album with the talky "Popular" I thought they were going to end up a novelty act, or a wannabe Weezer. It didn't help matters that this song was turned into a video and played along side of that fuckin' "Closing Time" video by Semi Sonic on MTV. Nada Surf just got unfairly tagged with an unfair association with me. But a couple of years ago, I saw them open up for Death Cab for Cutie. And I'm sorry kids, but I liked Nada Surf a lot more than Death Cab. Hooky poppy without being all emo. And this first album of theirs is all guitars all the time.
I go to the counter with my selections. And I always wonder if the hipper-than-thou clerk is going to make a comment. Rarely they do. But this time the clerk says "Wow, there was some Nada Surf back on the discount wall? You came in at a good time." I think I just might have.
posted by john clarke at 11:31 AM
1 Comments:
i've got martinis and bikinis and it is brilliant....saw Sam Phillips at the Bomb Factory in 1994, senior year of high school....she was opening for Counting Crows....and yeah, she is smokin' hot...
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