Total Number of Ratings: 12
Talk Amongst Ourselves: Does Music Matter?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:18 PM
It's time for another installment of Talk Amongst Ourselves, where I ask Kelly if I can borrow her column, she says "okay," I ask a question and you answer it!
The Question: Do you care about music as much as you did when you were younger? What's stirring your soul through the earbuds right now?
Why I'm asking: I recently realized that I don't give a damn about music.
I've always felt like a bit of a dilettante when it came to music, actually. I've had my bands over the years, but I probably have never bought more than ten or fifteen albums a year in my entire life. I had a friend in college who behaved on "new music Tuesday" the way I act on "new comics Wednesday": he would return from Streetside Records every single week, unfailingly, with at least three new CDs to pile on his precariously balanced tower of discs. "How can he possibly consume that many songs?" I'd think. "Never mind his dorm room; where does his brain put them all?" I have never had that level of commitment. I've always been a voracious reader; I've studied film and watched TV like it was my job; but music has just never found a way to stoke my passions quite like that.
Lately, though, it has gotten noticably worse. At least in high school I was following bands, but now I don't even do that. Is it because I'm older? Is it because music has changed? My iPod, practically since the day I got it, has effectively been my iPodcaster. All I use it for is listening to people talk, even in the car. Really the only time I listen to music is when I am gaming or working out, which is to say I am never listening to music.
Being invited to join the last Murmur music podcast brought the whole thing into stark relief. What would I even talk about? I have to say "no." Have I gotten three songs on iTunes this year? I buy a ticket to every They Might Be Giants concert that rolls through town; I'm in the process of replacing my Beatles CDs with the remastered versions; and... that's it.
So, then, what should a guy like me be listening to in order to set my heart aflame? I recently realized that I must like Regina Spektor, just because I now recognize her voice even if I've never heard the song before, and my ears always perk up. If I heard the Decembrists' music as often as I heard people talking about them, I'd be an aficionado already. What else am I missing this fall?
Music soothes my savage beast, I need it to help me relax and escape. I have a large collection, ranging across a wide spectrum of genres, and am almost manic in my quest to procure more and experience music that's new to me.
Personally, I don't understand the appeal of talk radio or podcasts. I'm constantly surrounded by conversations at work, and go home to chattering children at night... more talking doesn't rock my boat.
I consider music incredibly important but I'm a dj/music director at a local college radio station. It's late (for me) so I'm not sure I could write anything coherent at this point, but I do want to say that even if I wasn't in radio music would never not be a significant part of my life.
I think it's a normal cycle. I'm still considered a 'music guy' by my friends, but I'm lucky to buy 10 albums a year now. And like Josh, I like what I like. If Wilco, Westerberg, Drive-By Truckers, Ryan Adams puts out a new record... I'll get it.
I went from 1986 (dawn of the CD age) to 1996 (dawn of the 'shit, i have a kid' age) buying CD's every friggin week. I think at one point I was topping 4000 of 'em. I was falling in and out of love with bands all the time. Now I just mainly listen to what I already like. I think the last 'new' bands I got into were Death Cab For Cutie and The Hold Steady.
For me, I think it's just being in a more comfortable place in life. I'll stick to safe comforts. Well, except I heard this new Radiohead tune that sounds like an old Pink Floyd instrumental gone wrong. I may have to check it out.
I am definitely a music guy. Having listened to the podcast... I'm really the modern version of the music store Tuesday guy. I end up downloading things, legally or not, pretty much every day.
Some of it is new bands I've never heard of that Pitchfork or eMusic or Tiny Mix Tapes tells me is great and some of it is just following up on the hundreds of bands I have some sort of link to. But whatever it is, I slowly pour through it and I like maybe half of it but it always has something to offer.
I have probably downloaded 120-150 records this year. And I've bought dozens of things, new and old, on vinyl. I make mix CDs for friends all the time. I'm always recommending things to the people who care and it always surprises me how many people do.
I do hear a lot of 'well where do you learn about this stuff?' a lot. And it's odd, because I don't know what to say, really. I mean, I have perhaps more respect for reviews than I ought to, so personally I frequent a ton of review sites and pick and choose from things that sound good. But that's not really going to work for everyone.
A lot of my personal favorites of the year aren't really crowd pleasers for the general public, I wouldn't think. Things like 'Hospice' by The Antlers, which is fragile and pretty but I imagine would be dismissed by many as boring.
As far as more pop friendly stuff, my broadest recommendations would liked be:
Passion Pit - 'Manners' - As Ron boasted about it in an earlier podcast, it's just fun. It is pure poppy dancy fun. And it has more soul to it than a lot of the similar records released this year.
Cymbals Eat Guitars - 'Why There Are Mountains' - This exists somewhere between Mid-90s Modest Mouse, Pavement and something I can't quite put my finger on. It goes between being breathless rock and slowly evolving sorta ballads. It almost all works and when it doesn't it's at least somewhat engaging.
Harlem - 'Free Drugs' - Jangly fun pop-rock music with sharp edges. Doesn't take itself too seriously and is, like Passion Pit, a lot of fun.
Alela Diane - 'To Be Still' - A friend of Joanna Newsom who manages to make similar, folksie music with a lot less esoteric results. Still beautiful, pretty stuff though.
I also recommend like one of the previous commentators recommendation of All Songs Considered. It is a really good resource.
Check out the podcast from NPR "ALL SONGS CONSIDERED". I began listening to that & have found quite a lot of new music that I never would have discovered. These guys pore over 100's of CD's & pick out what they think is the best. Not all of it is exactly to my taste, but that's what music is about, discovering what you like.
I <3 Music. Im 27 and still have a deep love of music, I work outside and listen to podcast as long as I can then the remainder of my day goes to music. In fact in the last week I have acquired 3 cds. Now it is not by any means a regular week but I recently picked up the new Thrice "Beggar", Skindred "Shark bites and Pitbull fights" and Maylene and the sons of disaster "III" and im putting a lot of thought into getting the new Pearl Jam. Working outside if I didn't have music i'd be left with my thought and that can create a problem, me thinking.. ehhh just got shivers. I think I'll leave the think to the other people.
I in the past have been really into the concert scene as well and Im hoping to regain my youth but seeing a few shows in the next few weeks, Skindreds coming in a week to a small venue as is Thrice and Nonpoint, Im pretty stoked.
It's interesting: I was talking with a friend of mine about music recently. After I graduated high school, I went right into the job market and Community college. I didn't go to a four year and I didn't have the dorm experience. This year is probably the first year since I graduated high school that I started buying CDs again. But its fair to say I only buy the new CDs of the bands I know. I bought the new Eminem Album, the new Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and last year's Prince album. But I haven't discovered any new bands. I don't listen to the radio anymore so I never know what the "single of the weeks" is. I'll hear something on the radio in my friends car and re-mark "Oh is this so and so's new song?" to which I get a stare and the reply of "No dude, this songs over three years old." I find the only exposure I get to "new" music is if it appears in a Rockband or Guitar Hero game...sad but true.
I love the music I love. It's still very important to me, but I don't look for new music. Occasionally, maybe 2-3 times a year, I'll find something new that I actually like.
when i started student teaching, i used the precious moments on my drive to the school to listen to NPR so that i'd know what was going on in the world and not seem like a moron. i never went back. if it wasn't NPR, it was my ipod.
Most of my listening time is devoted to podcasts, but I do still keep an eye on new music releases each tuesday. I don't listen to the radio and really never made a habit of it at any point in my life, so the introduction of digital music stores was huge. I think part of the reason I spend so much time browsing new (and old, unfamiliar) albums on iTunes is due, in part, to my film school days. I don't produce a lot of short videos or podcasts these days, but that's really the way I look at music now...as something to potentially be used in some kind of project. I guess it's like looking at a coffee cup and thinking, "Hey, if I smash this it might make a great mosaic tile."
I wonder if I've lost music because radio has deteriorated so badly in the US. I haven't turned on my car radio in years. Is that because I stopped caring about music, or did I stop caring about music because radio stopped exposing me to it?
I'm SURE that's a huge part of it, I definitely enjoy some top 40 stuff but the vast majority of what I like isn't anywhere near what a commercial radio station would play in Montreal.
I was out of the new music game for awhile for that exact reason, since the rock station I listened to since high school went under. Though I recently got Satellite Radio, and its great for anyone who wants to get back into listening to whatever they like since they have a station for almost every genre.
Radio is so bad right now. I mean I do listen to WMMR 93.3fm in my area cause of 'Preston and Steve in the Morning'. But if we're talking about actual music then yes I think radio is dead.
As hypocritical as it sounds since I said I like listening to people talk instead of music, if I decide to listen to music I don't want to hear people yammering between songs except to tell me who was just playing. More than that, I don't like radio because I am a much happier person without constant ads and commercials in my life. If giving me that option makes me a little less in the know as far as new music, I'm fine with that.
I know people who work in radio, and they say radio is dead. It's not a good outlet for new music anymore.
I think MTV is also to blame for this. When was the last time they played a music video on that network? MTV Classics is the only member of the MTV family that plays music, and it's all old.
I thought that digital radio would have more of an impact in bringing good radio stations back -- but nobody's mentioned it here, so that makes me wonder if people who have it mostly use it for talk or for older music. I know my brother has XM and there's a station that just plays old Springsteen concerts, and that's all he listens to. I make fun of him for it, but I guess I'd probably do the same thing.
I'm pretty shocked that so many people don't listen to new music, or generally don't listen to music on its own at all.
If I could only keep one of the following in my life: Books, Comics, Video Games, TV, Movies or Music the answer is undoubtedly music.
I love going to shows, I love discovering new music, I love spending time with an old classic, I love when some song I haven't heard in a while comes on the radio, I love driving with the windows down and the music cranked up.
The thought of not caring about music like stu said boggles my mind.
Listening to the same bands over and over again would be like reading the same book or watching the same movie, sure I can do it with some greats but I want to see what's new and exciting, I want new experiences, new emotions.
I'm pushing 30 and I'm more into music now than ever before in my life, I've seen more concerts in the last year than any other year.
I also listen to on average 5+ hours of music indie canadian music podcasts a week.
If anything I'm a little too obsessed with indie canuck stuff specifically and give the short stick to the US, England and other places producing great music right now.
I had no idea so many people would turn out to be simpatico. I was sure I would be banished after I outed myself.
i can't fathom answering that question. i could give up tv and movies, but i don't think i could give up books or music. reading and singing are the things that keep me sane. when i go too long without one or the other, things get ugly.
RE: Jimski - I love music, love discovering new music, but that's just a personal thing. I don't think anyone is obligated to take an interest in (fill in the blank). Tastes change and we gravitate towards different things and hobbies. If music isn't your thing, it's nothing to feel bad about.
The only times I actually care about music is during a movie, TV show, or video game. In a setting where music sets the mood, I want it to be perfect, but I don't listen to music outside those settings.
That doesn't keep me from enjoying the intros/outros during the iFanboy and Murmur podcasts, but I haven't intentionally listened to music in a very long time.
I'm at a point now where I have everything I want with music. All of my cd's are on itunes and I bought a good two-hundred other songs in a span of two years. Once in a blue moon I will see a film trailer and think: "I'd like that on my ipod" and I'll get it. But really, I don't think there is anything else I want on there.
But I listen to my ipod constantly so music is still an influence in my life. Just that today's music doesn't appeal to me what so ever. Which is weird coming from me since I am only twenty and I've hit a peak with it.
I like music - for me there's nothing more therapeutic than cranking up the volume on a good song and singing at the top of your lungs - but I don't follow music. I have my bands, I know what I like, and I don't really feel the need to go further than that.
I am not interested in music, especially compared to when I was in grade school. I'm absolutely in the same boat as you, listening to podcasts and only hearing a song here or there that perk my ears up.
I think it's because a) I'm almost 30 years old and b) I have been a talk radiophile since the early 90s.
I wish I could care about music as much as other people do, but it's hard for me because Music is just there, but something like talk radio or podcasts allow me to go on forums and discuss the latest episode or even talk to the podcast creators.
There are millions of people creating music around the world, but talk Podcasts and radio give me fresh content throughout the week! I don't have to wait for an album to be worked on and recorded to listen to talk radio.
So, let's get back to the the topic. Here's the answer: you're old. If your favorite bands were cloned when they were at the peak of their songwriting glory and came up with new songs, you'd probably would not be writing this article, would you?
There's a hell of a lot of music out there, and we have access to more bands than anyone ever did. How can you honestly say you aren't into music? For me, if I didn't listen to so many podcasts, I'd spend more time discovering new music on something like Pandora.
You know, I'm a person who loves music but I don't care about new music, and I really haven't since I was interested in which songs from the 'Dirty Dancing' soundtrack had made it onto Casey Kasem's Top 40. I'm perfectly content to let the same artists carve grooves into my brain for months at a time. I spent 1991listening to 'Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits' on tape, spent 2001 listening to 'Nevermind' and the Velvet Underground's 'Loaded', and 2008 listening to 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' and for the most part I'm okay with that. I know I'm less plugged into the zeigeist than I would be if I were keeping track of what's new and awesome, but I wouldn't say I enjoy music less than I would. The way my brain works, I'm pretty sure I get more out of a song the 500th time I listen to it over 15 years than the first, second, or third in a month.
On the other hand, I genuinely enjoy listening to people who are passionate and knowledgeable about music talk about it, and I know a lot of my tastes have been shaped by somebody more observant than I am, pointing out something great about a song I would never have noticed. Thinking about how much new music comes out every week/year/month, though, does tire me out -- so I only like to listen to those people if I'm not going to be expected to remember what they were talking about.
Your article mirrors my own feelings about music. I have downloaded the what I already had in my cd collection but I very rarely buy anything new. I bought the new Decemberist album because I heard so much about it but I have listened to it all the way through maybe twice in the month since I've picked it up. When I was in high school and college music mattered a lot more to me. Like you, I would rather listen to my NPR and Olbermann podcasts than most music. I get more excited about a new book on tape to listen to in the car than any new music that comes out. It keeps my brain occupied better than music does. Maybe my soul just doesn't relate to the poetry that music is supposed to be. I will say that I do love having music on at meal time. For whatever reason it usually adds to the experience of coming together and sharing a meal but outside of that I like listening to the white noise of opinions being thrown around.
Respond
I'm surprised at how many people share your lament, but offer no suggestions. Here are mine:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Phoenix
Sufjan Stevens
Passion Pit
Muse
The Avett Brothers
Regina Spektor
Cat Power
Tegan and Sarah
the ting tings
Andrew Bird
Band of Horses (the funeral)
Imogen Heap
Modest Mouse
Check'em out, my friend.