Cost Effective Listening Experiences: CDs
I recently got access to Spotify, an online music listening program that essentially lets you listen to whatever, for free. It’s exhaustive, it’s like having the iTunes library and more at your fingertips. Which is great, except for one thing. Instead of listening to that one album I’ve always wondered about (such as Queen’s “Night at the Opera”), I’m constantly searching for other albums to listen to. I call this “internet listening.”
A few days ago, I took a friend from out of town to an honest-to-God, brick-and-mortar record store. While browsing, I found a copy of James’ “Seven” for $1.99. I’m a casual James fan (remember “Laid”? You would if you heard it), so I bought it.
I paid $1.99 for it. That’s two songs from the iTunes store. Did I get my “internet money’s” worth? I’ll keep my criteria simple: Would I hit “skip” if this song came up while my iTunes was on shuffle? Let’s find out.
1. Born of Frustration.
Skip. Too early 90s, and not in a good way.
2. Ring the Bells.
Maybe skip. It’s a nice straight ahead rocker. There aren’t enough of those on modern radio, and I can never have enough in my library.
3. Sound.
Skip. For no reason at all except to hear what’s next.
4. Bring a Gun.
Skip.
5. Mother.
Skip.
6. Don’t Wait That Long.
Turn it up. Classic 90s curveball track. Not your four-to-the-floor backbeat, lead baseline, accent guitar. Totally building that space that I remember when I put on the giant headphones my dad had. They weighed your head down so all you could do was look through the CD booklet in your lap.
This has a great chorus, especially the backing vocals. And quintessential Tim Booth lyrics: “Body language is an SOS/ I don’t understand how a fight starts.” The first half is clunky, then I hear the second half and realize I, too, don’t understand how a fight starts. Maybe it’s some body language I keep missing. Maybe you’re on to something, Mr. Booth.
7. Live a Love of Life.
Skip. Every James album has a few songs like this, and they make me wonder if every now and then they’d be nice to the backup guitarist and record the song he wrote.
8. Next Lover.
Skip. The flute player wrote this one.
9. Heavens.
I’d listen to this. I feel like there should be a video for this song. An official video, one for MTV, not a live one.
10. Protect Me.
I’d listen to this. Alternative rock waltz. A lot Brit rock albums had one. Plus, there’s a guitar line that’s reminiscent of the main hook from Arcade Fire’s “Rococo.”
11. Seven.
I’d listen to it. Nice album closer. Sort of like “Cose Semplici E Banali” from the Afterhours’ “Non e Per Sempre” album.
So that’s 4.5 songs I wouldn’t skip on my iTunes, for $1.99. So, roughly $0.50 a song. Quite cost effective. And there you have it, another totally subjective principle, blogged about. I call that “internet reasoning.”
