Image by Kelly

Intellectual House o' Pancakes Webdiary

hosted by DiaryLand.com

2006-03-23 - 12:08 p.m.

One result of the unfathomable glut of new music releases (and re-releases, and old releases piling on top of old releases) is that there are inevitably going to be bands that I read about, and think, "They sound right up my alley--I know I'd like them. I'll pass."

This phenomenon has prevented me from exploring in any depth the Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, New Pornographers, the Shins, Death Cab, Rilo Kiley, most of the White Stripes back catalog, and bands like The Essex Green, whose new CD I did get around to listening to, and did in fact like a lot (and would recommend to any fan of well-written pop music).

It's kind of like Internet dating: when you know exactly what you're getting into ("likes the Mets, wants children"), it just takes all the fun and terror of discovery out of it.

The music I've taken the most visceral shine to lately has been stuff I've stumbled upon in live settings, or found trapped in an iTunes shuffle I never made...or a trusted friend has said, "Let me play you this song, it makes me jump around," or it was music I was kinda forced to listen to because I was getting paid to write about it.

I'm sure this says more about me than about the fine bands I reject out of hand just because it's fated that I'm going to like them.

thoughts? (5 comments so far)

previous - next

blog archive

contact