Top Albums of the Month

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Permalink Reply by Jason on September 24, 2008 at 9:50am

If we are headed into an age where albums are less popular, Im for it.

Let me start by saying; what the fuck? Congruity? What a word. Had to look it up and Im still a bit shaky on how you mean it. Im guessing you mean it in a way that the album has a theme throughout, or that the artist/band has a unique style that carries through on each track? If that, I can sort of understand your point for certain artists, but I think for the majority, a 'musical congruity' doesn't really exist.

Ive always thought too many artists and bands get away with throwing together album fillers to beef up their album without putting too much thought or effort into the tracks. I think this way it will force them into producing the best music they can every time and not just settling. You mention albums made of singles sounding mediocre, but I think its the other way around. A lot of albums end up sounding mediocre due to their album fillers and get picked up due to their singles. Again i would like to say that a proportion of artists and bands can produce fantastic albums which wouldnt work as singles but as albums are spot on; but again Id say for the majority this is untrue.

I also like to think an age of singles will allow people to broaden their tastes. Instead of getting an album and listening to the 12 songs on it, you'll get 12 different songs from different artists who have different things to say and different styles, different ideals, and different haircuts etc.

That said I still like to get albums to give me a feel for the artist/band, but unfortuantely end up deleting some songs after a while when I realise they're just not that good.

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Permalink Reply by Lex Inzunza on September 24, 2008 at 3:48pm

Damn that was a really good counter point. I especially like your reasoning saying, "singles will allow people to broaden their tastes." Which is how I've found a lot of good music in the past by getting mix CD's. I'm still going with the album preference, if only for the many great concept/theme albums produced. One last thing what is your top five of the month?

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Permalink Reply by Robbie H on September 24, 2008 at 10:44am

I don't think artists will stop making albums, at least not the good ones. The good ones avoid 'album fillers' as Jason said and actually work to make songs that fit together and fit together well.

Part of how I judge what bands get to stay in my library is how well their albums create 'themes'. Of course, I'm a very picky (borderline snobbish, I admit) music person, and most people aren't.

So, I guess in terms of money - it would be smart of artists to move to making lots of singles that consistently sell, than to make a bunch of singles of the same theme, some of which people will never listen to. But who wants to listen to artists that are just in it for the money?

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