"Piracy is the new radio" - Neil Young

Are you there, internet? It's me...

I did not start this blog because I expected people to come here for music; I did not start this blog out of expectations of a plethora of readers, either. This blog has been a lot about self-actualization. I have written about music because it has moved me. Every post made thus far has been because there has been something to say that hurt to retain. Here is the truth...

I have found all of this music courtesy of the internet. There has been word of mouth and whatnot, but never has that been on an international scale. We've reached a stage where a song recorded in North America can be spread around the world in an instant. Is this really a problem? Think of what file sharing and the internet has come to replace. Though the radio has never really stopped, it's notoriety in the making of bands has diminished from instant fame to a slight spur in popularity. What was once an essential component in the discovery of new music has diminished. Reveled artists reveal that they used to idolize the greats that would gallivant  across airwaves and into homes across the world. This is what made music accessible...

To exhibit radio's past influence, turn to Sam Beam of Iron and Wine. His fond memories of warmth and honest emotion of seventies radio music inspired his writing and composing of his latest album. Gone were the hushed acoustic tones of the Creek Drank the Cradle and departed was the mellow catharsis of the Shepherd's Dog; instead, Beam wanted to write something true to the days of innocence and youth that delivered him to artistic expression...

I use Beam as an example not just to illustrate the effect the radio had, but to ask a simple question: is that possible now? Let's ignore piracy at this point and simply look to the radio. Would a station that played more popular mainstream music, the kind that promotes promiscuity, be able to have the same effect? More importantly, what of the fact that music hardly takes up half the programming? Which now leads me to the biggest question...

Did radio die because there were alternatives, or did the alternatives become more alluring because radio dwindled in appeal?

One doesn't need an economics degree to understand how supply and demand works. Everything operates in equilibrium, but if something changes, the supply, or, more frequently, the demand curve shifts thus establishing a new equilibrium. One factor that can shift the curves (and the degree of a change) is the introduction, or availability, of substitutes...

As radio introduced commercials and alternative programming, radio went from being a place of discovery to background music; what was once an active engagement became the soundtrack to mundane events or the long drive home. Whereas one once had epiphany-like moments of realization or actualization, radio became more of a testament to our fear of silence than our desire to discover. Could it be that this was when radio began to diminish in influence? As for piracy...

I believe that Neil Young's statement is true. I look at people who have preceded my generation and how radio was their go-to way of listening to the latest single or discovering what band was up-and-coming. This is what piracy has become for us. People who love music want to discover it; they want to find the next soundtrack to their romantic involvement; they want to find the next song to cry to our to burst out in glee. They want what music can provide. Consequently, finding new music has never been easier. I am not an advocate for piracy; I, like most of the 50% of the population who take part in piracy, feel guilt in my actions despite the desensitization. I feel like I'm doing something wrong, but I also put that aside in order to discover more. If it weren't for piracy, I wouldn't be a concert fanatic or a merchandise fiend. It's in this that piracy is doing a service for these bands. Would there be a couple hundred people at some Brooklyn-based band's debut at a local venue if piracy didn't enable their latest album to be shared all the way to Vancouver? Would some British band getting rave reviews and massive plays from the BBC really make it over the Atlantic had their music not been shared up and down the east coast?

Piracy is the new radio.

People have always known how to share music. All that has happened is the medium has changed. As one artist reminisced, they used to personally record songs from the radio and make his own compilations to share with friends. Though this massive scale boost may not be all benefits, it certainly helps bands trying to make it big by providing advertising...

But piracy is still a slippery slope type problem. Where is the line drawn? At what point does it become all detriment and no benefit? Bands do make loyal fans at the click of a button and that is an incredible testament to our technological development, but where it grows to from here can be problematic...

Piracy may be the new radio; moderation might keep it that way.

Copyright, Piracy, and an Infringement of Human Rights

It's happening. Not that we want it to happen, but it's happening. It's not like the industry asked for something this extreme, but it's still happening. It's not like America just went through a similar predicament, but it's happening...

Just as an overview, what the heck, Canadian government? And while we're at it, what the heck governments of major nations? Are we seriously going to go through this? Let me get this straight, we want to stop piracy. Well, that's somewhat amiable, but let's get a couple things straight.

First off, you're taking one of the worst approaches to an anti-piracy law possible. Why not use the pathos of faces of the industries you are hoping to protect? Like SOPA, Bill C-11 is hoping to make media sharing difficult, "unwarranted" image use, and makes digital media almost inaccessible. But, as always with bills like this, the implications spread insurmountably wide. Those people passing the bill NEVER CONSULTED THE ARTISTS OR THOSE CLOSE TO THE SITUATION. Reread that if you must. Like our brethren to the south, Canada has formulated a bill that may actually be of detriment to those they are aiming to protect. This should be the first, and biggest, warning sign. ISP banning and what would be practical penalties for frequent pirates or those deserving of implications are now being put on suspected pirates. In other words, if you are SUSPECTED to have illegally downloaded something, expect to lose your internet for a prolonged period WITHOUT CONVICTION...

Second off, why can't we learn from other nations and their missteps? Hasn't the repercussions of SOPA taught us something? This may have something to do with America's influence on us as a nation, but they have some things we do not; this is where Canada is, in so few words, less lucky. For SOPA, Wikipedia blacked out; protest was widespread and, fortunately, the representatives listened. But those were American sites run by Americans with more than America in mind. We don't have very many people who can take action on the behalf of our nation. Who will speak with the volume we, as people, cannot reach? Yes, our system of operation is slightly more involved, but under the distraction of SOPA, this bill can be passed with practically no opportunity of verbalizing our displeasure...

However, on a side note...

Is piracy really theft? Is media sharing REALLY a problem? For starters, piracy isn't actually stealing. Stealing connotes the removal of something from one person's possession and taking it as your own. File sharing is the exchanging of copies of files. A simple example would be an article in, say, a journal. If your friend recommends an article in a popular newspaper or literary journal, is it wrong to make a photocopy and keep it for yourself? For the most part, nothing seems intuitively wrong; put it on a global scale, then the average being seems irked or off put. This doesn't make piracy stealing, though...

And while we're at it, can't piracy be calmed or maintained as opposed to put down? It's a simple form of advertising if made in moderation. With popular programs like Spotify, couldn't a free service be made so someone can try the album before they buy? Let's not forget the vast expansion of the digital market. Music is at its most accessible point in history now; competent individuals will concede that this, if not maintained, can only grow. So let's draw up a possible situation here...

I, a music fan by my own definition, download anywhere from 2-10 albums a month depending on how exciting or full the month is. Hypothetical situation, set up a site that operates similar to Bandcamp except on a more major scale. I mean, an everybody involved type of scale. The site tracks your downloads and charges you a fee based on what you download. Perhaps one album free, then an incremental increase? Or, even better yet, a system that begins with a free album, then goes with a required amount to pay for each album that decreases with each album so people feel inclined to download more albums? But, alas, it's never that simple...

Simply put, our civil rights are at risk. instead of being sensible and easing anti-piracy laws onto civilians, the government decided to jump to the worst of extremities. Unless we can raise our volume, nothing we can accomplish matters. Write, speak, know. All we can do at the moment is spread word and hope to raise awareness. This is not a bill that attacks piracy, this is a bill that attacks people. Help preserve the sanctity of being a citizen...

This isn't going to be easy; we don't have the loudest speakers on our side. But succumbing and dwelling in defeat will accomplish less.

undun, or, the enigmatic character of a concept album

A concept album is an intimidating task and a perilous project. For the Roots, the audacious project of doing one was met with great voracity. But, first, some background information...

The Roots have a history of bringing a unique twist to rap and hip hop music. Working with indie artists, as well as more mainstream innovative talents, How I Got Over kept adding to their overall progression as artists. Their dynamic has kept them true to their background (something I, as a young and slightly entitled Caucasian can never relate to) while modernizing and adapting to music. Whereas most rap has either been stagnant or dumbing down for a more simplistic appeal, the Roots have been challenging that dynamic...

There was the introduction of Joanna Newsom and Sufjan Stevens to their music (and now Stevens has helped produce this record); there's the idea of creating a sound that has elements of rap and classical for a unique hybrid that has garnered critical praise...

Undun, in itself, is a concept album. Or, to be more precise, it is a reverse-chronological narrative, but that really entails the former (and really, I should abandon such pretentious language). The character the album centers around, Redford Stevens (coincidentally named after a Stevens song), grows in poverty, the setting for his brief, yet tragic, life. Songs like "Lighthouse" and "The OtherSide" show signs of regression and death before the climatic, well, beginning to the album. But what makes the album so special is the natural growth and decline in reverse order. That catharsis that builds in the middle, the hectic conclusions that reflect the unruly birth into an unfit setting, all of this follows a somber and slow beginning in death. The whole process is poetic in itself without overstating the idea. The Roots have done something incredible by taking a common (and quite honestly, overdone) artistic process and brought a new innovative approach...

Just that alone should be enticing enough to garner a listen. How did they approach life in reverse order? The task was daunting and yet they exceeded mere success. In my experience, I find concept albums underwhelming. Stories get lost beneath ominous layers of noise; well orchestrated selections find themselves contained by the morals and concepts of words. The Roots created a world and character drawn from inspirations in both media and life to create a ubiquitous wall of emotions and sound. Sorrowful notes hold but are often countered by high points. What "Redford Stevens" lacked in his life was a clarity, class and wealth. For each of these components, Undun is abundant. It isn't BlackThought's lyrics that carry the story, but the cohesion of dynamic beings molded with guest spots that never cause a misstep or queue. This album, released early December, may get lost in the transition from 2011 to 2012, but you owe it to yourself to give this incredible album a listen.

I have a favorite album from 2011...

I've already stated I hate year end lists... But that doesn't mean I can't have a favorite album...

After much (moderate) deliberation, I came to an undeniable conclusion. But first, I should clarify. This is not the best album of 2011, nor should it be interpreted as such. As was implied in the last post, I believe Bon Iver had the best year of all artists. Both him and his album respectively succeeded beyond expectations this year and will be remembered for doing so. However, since I've, to an extent, already discussed that, here is an album that best exemplified what a dying genre can accomplish...

Explosions in the Sky are, by far, the best post rock band (based, of course, on your definition). Post rock itself, has become stagnant, yet Explosions in the Sky has found their perfect niche. It's been over a decade since they've released their first album and the whole growing process has been more of refinement than change. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care has shown that they are still reaching their pinnacle...

The album itself resembles a trek. Leaving behind "Last Known Surroundings" until asking "Let Me Back In," the album exudes a feeling of a score, but fuller. Whereas a soundtrack may provide complimentary melodies to scenes with explicit visuals, the album is rich enough to emulate the imagery and emotions that can only be expressed via a physical presence. Each and every song adds to a progression while maintaining a monumental progression within itself. Of course, the catharsis of a distorted breakdown is still in every song, but just because it is predictable and borderline formulaic doesn't mean it doesn't succeed. Like with most good things, an upheaval of a consistent, succeeding component would be a major risk, and an unnecessary one at that...

"Postcard from 1952" was my first "favorite" or "highlight" of the album, but it changes with each listen. "Human Qualities" is the perfect follow up to the epitome of an opening with "Last Known Surroundings." The album succeeds in many ways, but it's greatest success was somewhat surprising...

Explosions in the Sky is still one of the most incredible bands to experience. Intricate songs that speak volumes without words or vocals, they outdo themselves once again. This may not be the BEST album of theirs, but here's what it is: an ambiguously structured set of melodies to project a story. What you make of that story is up to you. Just because there are sordid endings and SOME definite emotions, you provide the backstory and the characters. Think of this album as your project. Do not undermine this album or do it a disservice by not giving it what it deserves. Simplistic and hedonistic albums may be the perfect background soundtrack to travel, but this one requires you to think and create to make it incredible, as did past EitS albums. If you do not want to put work in, it may not be the essential album for you, but it still is an incredible collection of songs...

But, hey, I never said this was the best album; this is my favorite and may mean nothing to you.

A month left in 2011; the last month preceding 2012

I hate year end lists, I really do. I hate the idea of having to gather up every album released over a 365 day period and having to cross compare them only to give them an order. It bothers me that people think that list is synonymous with what the year will be remembered for. People idolize those who idolize and now routine music blogs have increased traffic spikes as they hastily put together some subjective compilation of albums that spark controversy and debate. Instead, here is a compilation of what I will remember the year for. This is not a best of, nor is this simply limited to artists and albums. Be it five years, or ten or whatever, this is what I will remember the year for...

Concerts and an increasing appreciation for live shows:

I have little to say about the bands I've had the privilege to see this year that hasn't been said; admittedly, I find it awkward to write about concerts as I find my over excited nature can be misconstrued as mere boasting. But I can say this: live shows have never been as exciting to me as they are now. This could be the fact that I have a new found appreciation for musicians and their mediums, but it's more than likely the fact that I now have someone I can share the experiences with. The two times I saw the Decemberists, I was able to have my excitement compound with that of another fanatic in my cousin. These were the third and fourth times we got to see them together and their showmanship is easily the most genuine, involving and entertaining I've seen; appreciation of stage and a sharp wit has made Meloy and company an interactive and memorable experience. I also got to see the Black Keys with one of my best friends through high school during the last summer before we parted and a day after my birthday (one of my favorite birthday gifts I've given myself to date). But it's been the inclusion of someone who is more appreciative of stage conduct and performance than myself that has rejuvenated my bewilderment of those highly anticipated nights, and I am endlessly thankful of what she's done for me in that sense. However, she isn't the lone reason I long for concerts more than ever. I've come to realize which each group of musicians can bring to a show. For some, a low key but compassionate presentation gives you the feeling of a local band or best friends on stage, yet yield an experience incomparable to others in sound; for others, bringing out antics or big time sets with lights and whatnot is more effective. As a result, each show can bring about a whole new aspect of performance that the last one could not. No matter how many shows you've gone to, another can introduce something you've never seen before. Or perhaps that live rendition of songs you've come to love brings about a whole new appreciation or memorable experience that becomes synonymous with it...

Bands I love finding success/widening fan bases:

Everyone knows Bon Iver, now. One of music's best kept secrets has been on more front covers following this release than he has preceding. Typically, I feel a sense of loss when a band I have affection for goes on to become well known. I remember (not so fondly) the plethora of people mispronouncing Sigur Ros (SEE-ger ROSS) and exclaiming their excitement towards the gibberish and bright sounds of Gobbledigook (admittedly, when I brought up my unbound appreciation of Ara Batur, possibly the most beautiful song written, most would not know of it... that bothered me more than the mispronunciation). There was as sense of loss that accompanied with it that I forced myself to ignore. I mean, who am I to selfishly hoard bands and keep them from renown and success? But what stung me was not so much the fact that other people listened to them, it was that people were missing so much of what they were doing. I tried to equate their appreciation of the band with mine, and it simply didn't work out. I felt like they were focusing on such a small part of their portrait whereas the portrait as a whole was more beautiful than any small part; it was also how it was being appreciated at such a superficial level that bothered me. This year, however, Bon Iver was brought into a legion of fans who loved him for all the right reasons. I listen to For Emma and his new self titled and I can attempt to pick apart each song or the album and still miss something that each of these new fans have heard. The superficiality of his sound is not what captured the fans, it was his audacity to try something new. It was his compassion and emotive lyrics and, most of all, the way anyone could relate to them that captured these new listeners. Justin Vernon wrote a record that was, in itself, himself. People have tried that before and some have succeeded, but no one has done it better than Vernon. Not only was the subject matter dear to his heart, but the sound personified himself. As a result, nothing else sounded like him nor accomplished what he did. I imagine this is what having a child succeed is like: you appreciate them when no one else knows of them, but when they start to succeed, you have nothing but pride. I will never forget when I saw Bon Iver and how in a room of almost three thousand people, no one was touched in the exact same way. When people ask who I listen to and I mention Bon Iver, they may roll their eyes and possibly make a remark under their breath about how everyone else does, but I don't listen to him the same way as anyone else. No one does. That is one of the reasons I'm more than happy to share him. That is why it would be a disservice for me to be selfish.

Older genres live long; newer genres (should) die hard:

Helplessness Blues is one of my top albums of 2011. The sound Fleet Foxes found and used hasn't really not been done before, but they added a twist and flair that made it undoubtedly their own. Folk music has always been that way. For decades, it has somehow stayed alive and stood for something new for each rebirth or iteration. There is an undeniable influence by the likes of Van Morrison on the album, and it works. In fact, it works incredibly well. Helplessness Blues is easily one of the most enjoyable and memorable albums of the year and shows why folk will not die. It may progress, in a sense, to a slightly non recognizable state, but it will still, at heart, be what it is. Then there is dubstep. I hate dubstep. I hate the crowd that praises dubstep and builds it up to be something it's not. I can't stand all these fanatics who feel like it's the future of music. Now, when James Blake's full length debut came out, I jumped on the bandwagon (something I'm not very proud of). I wrote a lengthy piece praising what he did with the current state of music and his innovative use of voice and effects. Though I thought his debut was easily one of the best albums of the year when it came out, I've now become bitter towards the legions of people who are now (ironically) saying what I did to a greater extent. When people claim he is one of the greatest and most innovative artists, I cringe despite having said that myself. Is he talented? Of course. Do I still love the album? Yes, but just not as much as I used to. His sound is irrefutably his own, but I have an admitted flaw: when people praise music, I become more critical of it. When people try to convince me something is better than it is, I hate it. This is what has happened with James Blake. Now that so many people like it, I've come to scrutinize every flaw about it. The flow of the album is at times non existent and there are times when it feels like an embellished or elongated EP. Why? Each song can stand alone, but together, they just don't do each other a service. I think about every album I adored this year and it's because it did something beyond a collective of songs. But with James Blake, he is exactly what he is and nothing more. He is a producer with an affinity for music and singing who would probably do better partnered with another musician. I respect him, don't get me wrong. He could certainly be one of the defining voices of our generation. But he disappointed me with his Bon Iver "collaboration" and the way that everyone praises him has created a certain disdain towards him. But his recent criticism of mainstream, North American dubstep has created a new found respect for him (it should be noted that he wasn't saying he was better, but what influenced him is better). But two EP's have been moderate at best and I don't know how to assess his legacy this year. I'll concede that what James Blake is doing is good and can bring about some new innovations in music, but dubstep itself should die. It has had its time and that time should pass. We have enough dubstep for now and I think that music should take larger strides towards... different innovations. I will always remember 2011 as the year dubstep grew to an unbearable state.

Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness /// Are you there past lovers? It's me, angsty music

I can't wait for Hello Sadness. No, really. I've listened to it and all of that business, but I really can't wait for it. I can't wait for that moment where I press play and one album length later, I feel oddly relieved. I can't wait for when I start to remember words; I can't wait for that first emotional breakdown I share with it; I can't wait until I shed a tear to it or fall asleep next to it and wake up next to it void of regret...

Los Campesinos! does that to me. They are a band that specializes in pathos; they are the soundtrack to your break up and the background music to every lust fueled romance. But most importantly, they are emotive. Every single word inspires sympathy or relatively, and every single word bears that bittersweet resemblance. The problem is, I'm still trying to find that in Hello Sadness...

Even on past albums, when songs were off beat or purposely humorous ("I think we need more post coital and less post rock"), they could always be taken seriously or at face value. But that unique quality seems lost in Hello Sadness's "character." The band has described it has the most sincere album of theirs to date, but the eloquence at time fails them as less verbose and intricate choruses and verses bring the album to an idiosyncratic halt. "Songs About Your Girlfriend" is already an infantile name for a song, but singing of making "her purr like a cat" just seems so childish it can't help but capture the listener for the wrong reason. And what of "You are an angel, that's why you pray/And I am an ass, and that's why I bray"? The flow of the album is immediately broken up by these troublesome lyrics. But that isn't the only fault with Hello Sadness...

By trying to make a sincere album doused in depressive lyrics and undertones, Los Campesinos! sort of said farewell to half their sound and stumbled onto much ado. Songs vary in quality and emotive songs, though they outweigh the faltering ones, don't seem to match up against past centerpieces. "To Tundra" is a terrific highlight, but one must really dwell on the album before creating that relation to it. Hold On, Youngster was uppity, but in an effective manner and often juxtaposed the subject matter. Shorter, catchy songs paired with well positioned and composed transitory pieces made for a memorable album and Romance is Boring did much of the same, but with more depressing content. There is no "You! Me! Dancing!" on this album nor is there a "Sea is a Good Place to Look to the Future." The single "By Your Hand" is a terrific melody and tweeish singalong; "To Tundra" is that perfect emotional breakdown song. But where other albums succeeded in pairing its memorable tunes with those well placed pieces, this album feels full of B-sides. I want to call it directionless, but it seems just the opposite at times just the direction is antithetical to what I wanted and expected...

This doesn't mean Hello Sadness is a flat out bad album, it's simply comparatively not up to expectations. The album, instead, falls into this unwanted purgatory where it borders on being a stand out, but falls on the side of forgettable. Ten years from now, I can see myself playing Romance is Boring and remembering how I felt it paralleled my break up. I can play We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed and remember that first time I heard "Oh we kid ourselves there's future in the fucking/But there is no fucking future," then smirked only to have that line recur over and over. Instead, Los Campesinos! has gone with a slightly different tone and a more serious subject matter, but sometimes it felt like they should have stuck to their old sound. I commend them for making this album, I really do. In an industry that condemns breaking a norm, they wrote what they wanted to write; to be completely honest, I can't see this album losing them any devout fans. It's just in a year of memorable releases, where will it stand? Where will it stand within their own material? Regardless, Hello Sadness is an album that deserves to be experienced a couple of times. In the mean time, I'm going to wait for that connecting experience to occur so I can hopefully appreciate this album the way it deserves to be appreciated.

American Mary, or, the National and Autumn, or, the Excitement of Seeing a Band Twice

Last year was a big year of concerts for me. I was able to see Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Sufjan Stevens... These were all bands that I had anticipated seeing and to have them in such a narrow time period made for a very fulfilling couple of months. This year hasn't been much different and I am an incredibly lucky person to be living where I am, to be so close to these venues, and to have a certain person to see them with. But now it's nearly November. Dreary, drab winds have taken a home in alleyways and busy streets bluster with men among gusts. Winter is nearing and the grey, monotonous days have begun to roll in. But as the sun retreats behind clouds and we gather up coats and shelters, this is the perfect time to break out the depressing sounds of the indie (an appropriate term for the band that began as part of the DIY culture) kings, the National...

High Violet was only released last year. This was following the immense success of Boxer. It's not frequent that a band renown for such depressing sounds and lyrical content can find such commercial and critical success, yet the National has somehow done just that. Their sound has not been matched in its seasonally synonymous nature. Brisk winds and coloured leaves falling like peeling scabs getting caught and whisked away come through in each song. Wandering blank, bleak concrete with slanted rain drops hitting your face has not been matched with a better song than England. The sound can not only be attached to surroundings and a setting, but a feeling that, in turn, is attached to a setting...

Not only do I get to see the National, I get to see them twice. This is an opportunity that I've been waiting so long for. To see a band on back to back days, I can't get over how lucky I must be. And here we are, in autumn with winters ways coming in our direction, the optimal time for such a sound. Matt Berringer's distinct baritone resonates in this dismal atmosphere and the intriguing twin duality between the Devendorfs and Dressners creates the perfect atmosphere for their minimalist compositions. The National have proven time and time again that excessive additions are exactly that: excessive. With modest doses of strings and brass, the National have created incredibly emotional grounds for their sound to be built upon. With the emotion that they have grown from, one can't help but associate the music with the gloom of autumn filling the streets, flooding around our ankles then taking us whole...

How fitting that with autumn coming to a close, the National will be completing what will probably be the last shows in support of High Violet. If you live in an area that they will be playing around, I recommend checking them out. The support acts for this tour so far have been superb and you will certainly be getting your money's worth. If you can see them twice, and your budget permits, consider the chance to see two of these shows an focus on the different acts. With the weather as it is and band's sound, don't be afraid to dwell on the sadness that has been interwoven into their sound, this is an experience you certainly cannot miss out on once, let alone twice.