And what on earth was it that you bought?
Two dumb things encountered online today spark this post, in conjunction with the cover art thread - more on those at the end. I'm kind of intrigued by the various efforts of small labels to tie music to an interesting object to restore the point of buying CDs in a download-based environment. Some of them are quite attractive (hand-made wooden CD cases and the like). I confess I've been partial to music-as-striking-object since I started buying music - since colored vinyl was the exciting thing, and then picture disks, and then picture disks that weren't even round! (I remember having one single, can't remember what the music actually was, that was shaped like a piano - and that that rather than the music was pretty much the only reason I bought it, so it wasn't just cover art that could trigger the impulse).
I still like interesting physical musical objects. I was recently able to track down a copy of Tetsu Inoue's Object and Organic Code, which is shaped like this (I do also like the music so in this case the unusual shape was a bonus, except that it's not good for all CD players):
And the distinctive packaging of Transcriptions - a delightfully functional and attractive cardboard thingy - created an immediate soft spot for the Spekk label.
But then today I read an email from hibernate recordings that contained this boast:
And then following the links from the Radiohead thread I learn lower down the page from Pitchfork that
Both of these examples seem to me to have crossed the line into silliness and self-parody.
Question: What strange musical objects are you willing to confess to buying? Which ones would you defend as artistic enhancement? And which ones are just stupid? And what's the difference?
I still like interesting physical musical objects. I was recently able to track down a copy of Tetsu Inoue's Object and Organic Code, which is shaped like this (I do also like the music so in this case the unusual shape was a bonus, except that it's not good for all CD players):
And the distinctive packaging of Transcriptions - a delightfully functional and attractive cardboard thingy - created an immediate soft spot for the Spekk label.
But then today I read an email from hibernate recordings that contained this boast:
Vintage string? Seriously?The Clem Leek is a 3" cdr, I'm not sure how many copies there will be but again it is super limited as it's all handmade and comes in a tea dyed envelope, wrapped in vintage string.
And then following the links from the Radiohead thread I learn lower down the page from Pitchfork that
Now I can imagine releasing an album IN a tote bag or accompanied by a tote bag, but the idea of releasing it AS a tote bag seems to require playback technologies that I am not sure exist (though they might be pretty interesting if they did).Chaz Bundick, the young South Carolina resident who records bedroom electronic pop as Toro Y Moi, is also a graphic designer. And now he's teaming up with online arts-and-crafts superstore Etsy to sell his new album as a tote bag.
Both of these examples seem to me to have crossed the line into silliness and self-parody.
Question: What strange musical objects are you willing to confess to buying? Which ones would you defend as artistic enhancement? And which ones are just stupid? And what's the difference?
Comments
Robyn Hitchcock recently released a live version of I Often Dream of Trains in New York whose package can be used as a phenakistoscope. I bought one, but because the word "phenakistoscope" sounded like something H.P. Lovecraft would have come up with, I was afraid to even try it for several weeks because I was afraid it would open up a rift in the space-time continuum. I finally got up the courage to set it up, and sure enough the rift opened up before me in a vast spiraling vortex, but it wasn't so bad really. In fact, I was able to throw some cardboard boxes full of used kitty litter and old Thompson Twins albums into the vortex before it collapsed in on itself, which was easier and less embarrassing than carrying them out to the curb for the neighbors to see.
Thompson Twins
albums
into the vortex.
That might, um,
destabilize things.
More likely though, you'll get them back
Don't want 'em in there either
And while I agree that there could be no universe in which Thompson Twins albums are still actually being played, that doesn't mean the destination universe isn't inhabited by beings who are 4 to 5 times larger than us, and who might have a use for drink coasters of a proportionate size.
Maybe in the parallel universe "Hold me now" comes out as "we come in peace" and they are even now preparing an emissary dressed to look like a Thompson Twin.
Containing:
Thirteen original Throbbing Gristle loops: a mix of experimental noise,
industrial drone, classic melodies and rhythms.
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Built-in 50mm speaker, volume control,
pitch-shift control and loop-selector switch.
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Designed by: Throbbing Gristle & Christiaan Virant
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Concept by: Christiaan Virant (FM3)
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Manufactured by: Industrial Records Ltd (IR)
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Music by: Throbbing Gristle (TG)
Video
Based on the fact that I still appear to be here, and here still appears to be here, I must presume it was the extra-dimensional type of vortex you threw the albums and kitty litter into.
Another entry in the bizarre format stakes: By Janek Schaefer.