I Hate Moving

Digital music files a love/hate relationship.

I love listening to music on many different formats: vinyl, cassette, reel to reel, and 8-track tape, even compact disc. The idea of holding a tangible object, putting it on or in the applicable player, and then being able to read the liner notes while also gazing at the artwork fascinates me. 
So predictably I have a love/hate relationship with Mp3's, WAV's, and other digital music formats. Let us list the hates first. 

Hates: Digital music files play with lower quality sound; they also allow you to listen to music virtually anywhere which takes away from the idea of sitting down and actually listening to music. Digital music is extremely easy to steal without getting caught which takes away from music sales, in-turn musicians are less likely to produce quality music in the future. If people do purchase digital music they are limited in what they are able to buy, iTunes, one biggest sellers of digital music files only has about 1% of the worlds recorded music available. Lastly digital music does not come with fancy, beautiful, sometimes collectable jewel cases or cardboard vinyl slip cover protectors, which makes the idea of having a music collection almost pointless, you cannot have collectable digital music files. 

And now the loves.

Loves: Digital music files are portable, you can run/walk, drive, work, and do so many other active things with your entire music collection on a device the size of a half dollar. Digital music has brought the rise of many user friendly file sharing websites where artists both good and bad, signed or unsigned, popular and not can share their music for free, for purchase, or both. There are many people without the money, space, or the mental capacity to have music collections of compact discs, vinyl or cassette tapes and are required to listen to music on digital music players. Etcetera.

Most of these points are self explanatory, however I would like to expound on a few of them.

File hosting and sharing sites such as Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Drip, just to name a few have opened up brand new ways for people to bring out their musical creativity. Soundcloud a music hosting site where artists signed or unsigned can upload their music on a stream listening format, that artist can then make the track available for download or even set a link so listeners can purchase the song from iTunes or Bandcamp.  Because someone cannot play music well, or does not have the money or resources to release a music project on CD or vinyl, does not mean a barrier should be put up for them to not play or share their music with others. Music is for everyone, it should be played by everyone. Drip.fm is also a very interesting site and new way to share digital music, where record labels are making their catalogs available to fans by a monthly subscription. For example you sign up for Stones Throw Record Label  on Drip for $10.00 a month and you get every single new release (and some old ones) from that record label downloaded straight to your inbox whether you like it or not. Interesting concept.

For people that are unable to have large music collections because they are in nursing homes or have a small amount of living space there are wonderful organizations that exist to help people in those situations bring their favorite music to them in the form of digital music. Many amazing results are seen through this process, some people are healed, “come alive”, and are highly impacted by this music and amazing results are seen. In the past I have donated to Music and Memory ; check out their website to watch videos on how music heals people, even digital music. My favorite is Henry. Like stated above, when digital music files are condensed into smaller files, you lose sound quality, there is a GREAT article about that Here. The rest of the reasons do not need to be expanded on.

All this said I have a digital file music collection, a vinyl collection, a compact disc collection, an 8-track collection, a reel to reel collection and a cassette tape collection, if I had to give up any of them; digital music is defiantly going first. However if I ever have less space or eventually end up in a nursing home, I will always choose music, even if I cannot physically touch it.  

New Skweee Music

Losonophono, one of only three records labels in the United States that distribute Skweee music, recently released a new cassette tape at Anthem Records in Portland Oregon. A limited edition tape of 100 copies called Paper Boat by Markis Sage (two different artists), I got the hand numbed copy #89. The tape also included a download card and info on how to get the vinyl copy for $5.00 if it is ever released. The labels website states that they will only produce a vinyl edition of the release if the cassette catches on, but if I got #89 and there are only 100, I think it is likely that the vinyl will be coming soon!
What is Skweee music? It is a genre of electronic music that started in Sweden. Its main purpose is to use vintage synthesizers and produce the most interesting sound from them. This is not Noise music, it is melodic and dance-able, but it does not stick to the same old boom/tic/boom/tic/boom/tic..... drum lines as techno, trance, and house does. It is creative, well thought out, and innovative music.
This is a great release and anyone interested in new electronic music should check it out. You can listen to the entire album at the bottom of the page here!
Stand out tracks are: Creature of Lagoon, Count Humble vs. Vallatron, Ranking Officer, and Pig Courier Down.
The Cassette tape itself is green.
Oh and the art work is awesome!

Impractical Cockpit

Continuing my list of music I picked up last month on Record Store Day is an album by a New Orleans group Impractical Cockpit called, To Be Treated. This one I got from my third stop at Everyday music (Downtown Portland location). Because I had been living in California for 14 months I have not had the chance to go record shopping since back in Portland, Everyday Music had changed their whole store around. The checkout area had moved, the genres moved, pretty much the only thing that seemed to be in the same place was the classical music section and the listening station. I did my rounds, looking through the electronic music section first, select artists in the Hip-Hop section, and then ventured my way to the Experimental vinyl section after browsing through the Record Sore Day releases. Here in the Experimental section I found Impractical Cockpit. I had never heard of this band though supposedly they have released five albums before To Be Treated, the one I stumbled upon. The listening station had a line, and I did not feel like waiting, so for $6.00 I decided to give it a try based on it's cover and it saying on the vinyl it self that it featured a track with a trumpet, I love trumpet! I am split on this album, most of it is grungy, crappy singing, and simple drum beats. On the other hand, there is wonderful noise, beautiful soundscapes, and some fun randomness. The most abstract yet my favorite of the album is called North 41° 53' 0" - Longitude: West 70° 45" 46' some noise and other weird sounds, while a small group of people yell out what seems to be random numbers, you can listen to that song and some of their other, here. There is defiantly way better noise and experimental music out there. I would not recommend this record to anyone at least not as a great release. But for six dollars it was worth the risk and from the enjoyment I get from North 41° 53' 0" - Longitude: West 70° 45" 46', I am happy.

Also at Everyday Music that day I picked up the Quakers album I blogged about weeks ago "They're here to shake the foundations". I was super excited for the instrumental versions and they did not disappoint. But I must say I was pleasantly impressed by the originals as well. Great album, plus I found the double CD for $8.50 used!

John Haughm - +46 17' 36​.​30", -124 4' 20​.​13"

This seven inch one sided single vinyl is limited to 500 hundred hand numbered copies (I got number 460). Put out by Anthem Records, I also bought it from the Anthem Records shop, and although they did not get any Record Store Day releases in, they were discounting all their vinyl by 20%. This release is very experimental, however it is not harsh or too out there. I think almost anyone could sit through the five minute track & possibly even enjoy it. I am fascinated by numbers & how they work, but, I am absolutely horrible at solving math. Because of this fascination the coordinates that make up the track name caught my attention immediately. What made me pick up the record instead of passing by it, other than the coordinates was the interesting photograph that is on the cover, a photo taken by NASA of clouds. When the clerk saw me looking at it and gave it a good word, I was sold. Even if you do not have a turntable I recommend this vinyl, just looking at the cover and reading the extensive liner notes about it is worth the seven dollars (or you can download the mp3 and look at the photo online). You can listen to, and buy the mp3 if you enjoy it here. Whooshing and looping guitars make up this beautiful track. Instruments and equipment used: Fender Deluxe Reverb / Travis Bean 10005 / Nova Delay / Loop Station / Mac Book Pro. Enjoy the free listen even if you do not purchase it. 

Portland Cello Project

The Portland Cello Project's Record Store Day release Homage is amazing! Plus it is on orange marble vinyl and limited to 350 copies worldwide. I stopped at Music Millennium early in the morning and could barely make it upstairs to the vinyl section. The already narrow aisles of the store had now turned into squirming, snaking, lines of music lovers all waiting to purchase the music they had carefully yet hurriedly selected. After browsing the vinyl for a few minutes I realized I did not want to stand in the ever growing line that was already at least a forty-five minutes long. Because of this, I passed up on the Portland Cello Project (PCP) vinyl as well a few other selections, assuming that I would find them elsewhere. After visiting Anthem Records, Everyday Music (which I figured would have PCP), I was lucky enough to get one of the last copies at Jackpot Records. I am excited I found it, it was the only record on my list that I really "needed". It is that good. Portland Cello Project has three other albums on Compact Disc, Homage is their first on vinyl. A non-limited version of the vinyl, plus a CD copy can be found on their web store. PCP's style is based on upon the idea of playing cellos in a way your normally wouldn't hear cellos being played. For Homage specifically the idea was to interrupt Hip-Hop instrumentals. On this album a few of the songs they tackle are by OutKast, Talib Kweli, even Lil Wayne's hit Lollipop is covered. Most of the songs stick to the original, however certain tracks take on a life of their own and you would never realize it was a play on another song. Many of the songs feature drums, trombones and other orchestra like instruments. PCP's crew is always changing depending on who is available for tour, and it is rumored that they have over 900 songs to choose from when they play shows, therefore no show is ever the same set. Earlier this month they played a concert of Pantera covers exclusively. I could go on and on about the group, but if you would like ore info about Portland Cello Project it can be found here and here. Homage, best buy of the year so far, will probably finish out the year as the best buy.
Next review will be on John Haughm.

"They’re here to shake the foundations."

The Quakers get their name comes from earthquake, a 35 member Hip-hop group that focuses on three producers: Fuzzface, 7-Stu-7 and Katalyst. You can read more about them here. 
I love instrumental music, Jazz, Classical, Hip-hop beats, Noise, Electronic ect. so it goes without saying that when amazing producers and composers make music with lyrics I love when they release the instrumentals of the original songs. Normally this takes months or years to come out with the instrumental only albums, but Quakers are releasing their debut album with both the original and instrumental versions 2 CD or 2LP  formats. Split evenly originals on one disc instrumentals on the other. 
From what I have heard from them the music is amazing. Touching on Big Band Horn Jazz, Electronic, to everyday Hip-hop. I pride them for being creative and finding a wide array of rappers, but sometimes I don't want to here someone rapping about stuff I don't care about, let the music speak. Poetry in music is creative, encouraging, and inspiring, it has its time and place. With Quakers they are letting us choose what we are in the mood for. Check out a few of their tracks here, if you like what you hear, buy the album!

MRR-ADM the 10" still waiting for more......

I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of MRR-ADM's 10" vinyl a couple years back when Stones Throw Records released this post. My ears never get tired of hearing it. It has amazing drumming, funky bass, and makes me look like a bobble head when listening to it. You can listen to a couple tracks on YouTube, if you enjoy it you can still purchase five of the six tracks via Mp3 format here. They signed with Now-Again records back in 2009 but I still have not heard of a full length release. This 10" is so good I can wait a couple more years for more, however, I am getting anxious!