The physicality of our world is shrinking away from us every day. It happened to music first, becoming increasingly portable until now, when its physical existence in our lives has basically evaporated completely. My entire music collection? I can stream it live to my iPhone via Subsonic. I don’t even have a dedicated ‘music device’ any more.
Movies are much the same, since Netflix and digital theft have replaced any need to buy films. Books are being replaced the same way music was. It’s not just media though, the portability of communication has removed the physical limitation of wired telephones. We need never be disconnected, and that changes the way we feel and interact with each other.
I feel like I was born at an unfortunate time. A couple years later, and I would have completely missed the experience of physically hoarding CDs and DVDs; Going next door to see if a friend was home; Going out, risking missing a phone call since your only phone is at home, and not in your pocket; Viewing the media I own as commodities that add value to my life, that I could sell for boredom or necessity if I needed to. A couple years earlier and I could just be blissfully ignorant of the changes happening. Maybe.
These experiences shape your expectation of the world. I grew up with the expectations a physical existence has. I like to hold things in my hands. I like to put things places and have them be there. Sometimes people need to be alone. The turn to digital, portable, has removed the physicality of media and distance. It’s removed the ability to ever want to feel truly alone, because you never really are unless you try.
It’s the end of the year. Normally I’d be coming at you with a “Best of 2011″, and maybe I will, but for now all you get is this new mixtape I worked on. I only made two mixtapes this year (not counting the bonus one I didn’t even bother announcing because it sucks) and that’s sad. I will try harder next year.
My only real goal for this mixtape was to work in several songs that I absolutely love and haven’t included on a mixtape yet. This includes “Monster”, “Auto Pilot”, “Big Indian”, and “To Old Friends And New”. From there I just had to figure out what other songs to work in that would work. I like the flow of this mixtape, and if you try you can even read a bit of a narrative flow into it based on the mood and lyrical content of the music, though that wasn’t intentional and is just how it all worked out.
I’m pleased to announce streaming works on iPhone and iPad now. It didn’t use to, but thanks to the nice people at @opentape (who have gone missing) there is proper HTML5 support. All prior mixtapes are now stream-able as well, and will run in your browser in the background on iOS 5 just fine. Here’s links to my favorites: “hello, my ghost“, “the birthday mix“, “drifted away“, and “Summer 2011“.
P.S. There’s an audible “click” on “Lazybones” by Soul Coughing right near the beginning. I thought this was an error in the MP3 itself, but this click exists in all versions of the song I’ve checked. The original CD issue, the Japanese edition, and even the version of the song that comes on the Best Of Soul Coughing. I’d ask Mike Doughty about this, but he hates me.
Three years ago today I started up this website as a way to write about the music I like so that other people will listen to it and like it as well. I’d say it’s been going pretty well so far. I’m not famous, I’ve never made any money (it’s actually cost me about $400 to do this for three years), but I’ve helped expose music I love to other people who have fallen in love with it.
So, that’s really all the payment I need. That, and the undying love and gratitude of all of my favorite bands. You’re on notice! Here’s to another three years of exposing you to tunes and my own inane, pointless ramblings. There will be a new Mixtape in a few days for you all to enjoy.
Disclaimer: I actually heard this song and loved it so much, I bought this album from Amazon MP3. So let’s get this out of the way: what a good song!
Easiest way to describe Snake Rattle Rattle Snake is to say they’re a bit like if Broadcast conceived with Th’ Faith Healers while listening to The XX. (There’s another band they sound like, but I can’t remember their name now, so I’ll assume you wouldn’t either.) It’s refreshing to hear a female vocalist just sing, and not try to weigh down every song with over the top theatrics or unnecessary vocal gymnastics.
As with a lot of first albums, it always sounds like Snake Rattle Rattle Snake is trying to get their songs to take flight, but they never quite lift off the ground. It’s a solid album, but without much variety in mood or tempo it can start to feel like it drags on a bit. Even the dancier songs, like “Kafka and The Milk”, still sound pretty samey. You can skip around this album and never feel like you’ve landed on different song.
I’d say “Kafka and The Milk”, “NOPD”, and “Adoration” are my favorite songs. If you’re into mellow, atmospheric shoegaze and monotone brunette female vocalists, you’ll definitely love this album.
