Originally posted on 21/1/10
The Album.
Inspired by... something recently, I've taken some time out to defend the album, that most sacred of musical expressional methods, which, as a result of the scummy ippod generation, is dying.
Discounting compilations, live albums but including EPs, I have 158 CD albums. The album is something that was once what bands were measured by, going by the strength of a bands albums rather than singles was the way to judge them. Of course you did have bands like New Order who did it the right way, releasing albums and releasing singles that weren't on said albums. And look at what resulted from this period. Album-wise, Movement and Power, Corruption & Lies. Single-wise, Ceremony, Temptation, Procession, Everything's Gone Green, Blue Monday, Confusion and Thieves Like Us. Since the internet came along however and changed the way lazy (ie just about all) people buy (or not) their music, the album is dying.
Things like Spotify, Limewire, Napster and i-fucking-tunes are ruining the music industry by allowing people to simply buy songs from artists that they like, rather than the whole album. Perhaps it's just because i'm up my own arse when it comes to music and will happily tell you I have the best music taste of anyone I know, but surely if a band/artist goes to the trouble of making an album, that it should be listened to and considered as such? This is why I try to avoid singling out songs when I review albums, as it does a dis-service to the band who's channelled so much time and effort and creativity into making an album, only for some retarded 15 year old to download the first single, claim that they love the band and subsequently forget about them when the next blue-eyed nubiles pop up making an enjoyable noise.
As I write this, i'm listening to Fly Yellow Moon, Fyfe Dangerfield's debut solo effort, released on Monday. Aside from being something everyone should listen to, even though they wont because his name sounds silly and no-one knows who he is, it's a shining example of what i'm talking about. A beautifully uplifting effort, it is what an album should be: a collection of songs to be listened to together, in the order assembled, and to be enjoyed with the sleeve-notes, which have to be one of the biggest wastes of print in production today.
Please, if you do one thing this weekend, take a chance on buying an album. Even if it's by a band you'd never admit to liking to anyone else. Even if you rip it to your computer and never play the actual CD, just give the album a chance. It deserves more than the kicking it's getting currently.
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