Open Your Eyes

a normal amount of stars

2009-10-28T09:34:00.002+11:00

ok, just to fill people in. ‘Shoplifting from American Apparel’ is a novella written by Tao Lin and published by Melville House. Tao is giving shit away to people who write 1500+ word blog posts about him and/or his book (relevant link here). If you live in Australia you have to write 2000+ words to cover postage from North America. Peter has let me hijack his blog for this because I told him I wanted to “win shit on the internet where you need a blog and I don’t have a blog”.

What you are about to read is 2000+ words about Tao Lin/’Shoplifting from American Apparel’ that I will have to belt out pretty fast because there are only 26 winners worldwide and slots are going fast; I will probably mention hipsterrunoff.com, Brandon Scott Gorrell and Soren Kierkegaard as well, and possibly L. Wittgenstein – these last two I usually cringe at when I see them dropped them in non-academic print – I just want people to know that. I may also use first-order logical notation in which case natural language explanations will be provided. If this stuff doesn’t interest you, you can get out right now by clicking here; although I hope to make it interest you enough to possibly buy Tao’s book or at least google him: this does seem to be the purpose of the whole exercise after all.

Chances are that if you do buy and read SFAA you might find it boring. I guess this depends upon what else you read and how often, and also whether you have a particular front to keep up somewhere; but still not much really happens in this book (…although the main character Sam does get arrested twice and the first holding cell scene with the drunk man is very funny and I’ve read it aloud to four people, which I don’t ever do…). Not that ‘nothing happening’ and getting bored is necessarily bad, boredom is an aesthetic decision/response same as any other after all, and the process of getting bored while reading SFAA does allow you think smug little things like, ‘man, what a relief to be reading something that doesn’t want to wow me about life all the time’. And, ‘man, most people are always trying to be 100% interesting in their facebook/twitter updates when life, man, life just doesn’t work like that. Life, life is misguided Gchat conversations’, and other similar things. Plus embracing boredom is eternally hip/anti-mainstream in any decadent culture, so reading SFAA and cultivating your boredom will make you cool/hip, aware, and accepting of how ‘nothing ever happens’ and how twitter/facebook allows everyone to build 100% interesting narratives about themselves that are false compared to their real lives, which are probably boring.

So anyway, say you did read SFAA and it was mostly boring but still insightful and helped you grow your boredom and was possibly even ‘a mirror’, what are you going to do next? This is an important question in general, and particularly important, I think, to Tao Lin and SFAA.

I’m going to start with the “in general”. Caveat lector.

I think it is safe to say that boredom is quite possibly the most authentic state of existence for people living in developed nations. As far as I can figure out The Greeks didn’t get bored, they didn’t have twitter/facebook/Gchat + hi-tech gadgets but they still found things interesting, in particular they found existing interesting. Imagine being an ancient Greek, waking up, looking at shit and going what makes this work? what is motion? what is change? Really deep things. Imagine, lying down at night, looking at the stars with minimal-to-no light pollution and thinking “well, this is a mindfuck. what are those things up there? how do they move? is there an underlying pattern – like, overall? where do I fit in this ‘cosmos’ everyone is talking about…….” There are subtle inconsistencies in this image, but you get the picture.

After the Greeks and before the invention of the internet there was enlightenment science. Enlightment science answered heaps of shit The Greeks had begun asking themselves however many years before – well, it at least re-framed them. The cosmos was no longer layered top to bottom like the original Donkey Kong with man merely on the earth, and was instead found to be massively 3D, like Mario 64, and man, sorry, ‘Man’, like Mario, was the centre of the universe/cosmos/order of things. You think the stars were a mindfuck to The Greeks, well try self-consciousness to enlightment/post-elightement thinkers, OMFG, imagine sitting at your mahogany desk, popping/unscrewing an ink bottle, picking the crust from yesterday’s quill and sitting down to descibe the dialetic of your insides – the universe within. Imagine self-reflexivity/self-consciousness still being new, still being interesting. Imagine having to know Latin and wait for months/years to receive replies to your ideas from friends across Europe. Imagine having the inkling that the whole of existence was made up of atomistic ‘monads’ and not being able to wikipedia it. OMFG. You’d just have to go with it.

Today existing/existence is fairly passe. Everyone does it. There is nothing special about it anymore. You can split existing between yourself and people like you, and people who Heidegger would have called Das Man, “The They”; people who construct 100% interesting life-stories about themselves via social networking tools/the internet: but then you’re just being smug…

Existing is the level playing field. There are no underlying patterns (…speaking of SFAA there is a very funny chaos theory/polyryhthmns passage which I don’t read to others and just enjoy for myself…), there are no actually existing Gods to fall back on, and if you ‘get self-conscious’ unexpectedly you can always whip out your phone and pretend to text someone. All there is is ‘nothing ever happens’ and ‘immense meaninglessness in the scheme of things’. Let this get to you in any way and everything gets boring, find a book like SFAA and you suddenly get bored + aware = hip/counter-cultural, and on-to-something abt life. And then you have have to do something else…

This now + future = choice, is what I think is particularly important to Tao Lin and his work, and is maybe the main reason why you should google him/buy his stuff. When the general tenor of life is boredom and you know this, how you construct meaning from experience becomes very important. And it is an all the time thing.

Need I mention SFAA is about stealing from a multi-national corporation?

‘Shoplifting from American Apparel’ is a carefully constructed piece; you get that feeling first time through and it becomes even more apparent if you read it twice while keeping the themes from the first reading in mind (which it is possible to do in one day, depending on the day). Everything inside SFAA is meaningful, in and of itself; it is tight. Tao’s main character Sam operates upon life like a mathematical function, selecting, from an infinite range of possible ‘life events’ over roughly two years, a set of happenings big (relatively (‘two parts shoplifting arrest’) and small (relatively (‘five parts vague relationship issues’)), and invests in this set of happenings within the book a carefully constructed meaning, meaning against an otherwise meaningless and arbitary world.

‘To transcend’ is a loaded concept for almost anyone who cares to use it, but particularly I think for American fiction writers. But say you’ve read through SFAA once and got bored/aware, should you read it again you might see that what it really hits at is transcending boredom, whether it is possible and how to do it…

On the possibilities of transcending boredom however, Tao is mute. This is something I really like about the novella and it is where I think it derives its delicate narrative tension from, more than anything which ostensibily happens within the piece. I think that for all the kudos Tao Lin’s ‘minimalist Millennial realism’ has received on the internet (and he generates a lot of talk on the internet, this itself being a prime example…) the fact that he doesn’t ever claim or seem to have transcended boredom is why his writing strikes such a cord. This is also what separates his writing from other similar types of writing that could be accused of wallowing in depression. I never throughout the two times I read SFAA got the feeling Tao or Sam was smugly enjoying feeling depressed, if anything I felt that each event within the novel is couched in terms of its possibilities to relive depression/boredom, and is assessed according to a set of rules which it is the reader’s job to find out.

Which brings me nicely to the another aspect of SFAA which I also like; it’s porousness. That SFAA is both tight and porous is singularly impressive and evidence of the kind of weird intense labour which must have gone into producing it. There are, within SFAA elements which it would be possible to describe as plot holes. Some of these, as I’ve mentioned before, it is possible to weave into an internally coherent narrative within the text itself the second time through, others it isn’t, and no amount of reading the book will give you any insight into what is going on (Sam emails a popular website a photo of cash, for seemingly no reason…), instead, if you want to know what is happening, which lets face it, being knowledgable about fine points of detail is a central desire of many/most people including myself; whether their/my particular knowledge is ‘meaningful in the scheme of things’ and ‘actually useful’, or not – then you are going to have to do a little googling to find clues as to how/why some of the seemingly loose aspects of SFAA actually fit within the unique set of rules within which Tao’s character of Sam plays the game of existence.

Tao Lin seems to know this; read many of the other entries to this competition and you’ll see they mostly paraphrase a lot of the stuff/information you can easily find out about him on the internet and often use language obviosuly cribbed from hipsterrunoff.com, Tao himself, and other similar writers. It’s ridiculous if you actually think about, it is as if Tao Lin has sensed the enjoyment of faithful and discerning research into the whys and hows of his work/net persona, and then got a number of people to collate a lot of the available information in one spot. I think it’s safe to say Tao Lin actually does get this ‘high-concept’ when planning things, especially promotion/self-promotion.

I would like to point out that operations of faithful and discerning research into the life and works of authors is a general concept which also applies to current and historical events, and to people you actually meet in real life – it is not some Tao Lin specific thing. What just might be Tao Lin specific about it, at least in my opinion, is that he is publishing in independent print in an age of omipresent communications technology, and he manages to do so with a moral urgency capable of seducing readers into doing a little work to find out just what this guy is on about. I like that.

This said, you could argue that buying and reading something like SFAA takes on an ethical dimension, which is really what all good/meaningful literature does….

That said, whether I can generalise the above statement in relation to SFAA in particular is debateable, at least in my head; mainly because I don’t want to be too fawning, but also because I don’t really have the word count left to argue it out acutely. I might just leave off on this point.

Links:

‘how i will relieve boredom’ by Tao Lin (if anyone is hanging for Kierkegaard & Wittgenstein stuff I promised at the beginning you should be able to find it in here. If you know where to look…)

‘'the gimmicks of american apparel vs. the gimmicks of urban outfitters’ by Brandon Scott Gorrell (unrelated note: I left out the first-order logic stuff; I think it is discernable within the post, but more as a structural thing)

Red Riders

2009-06-18T18:17:00.004+10:00

Red Riders had me worried for a while. Band members were leaving and time was ticking by without much action. It was a shame, not just because of the awesome music they proudce, but because they're genuinely nice guys. So it's great to see that they're back on track and sounding better than ever. They've picked up Brad Heald from The Vines and will be releasing their second album in early July. The first single to come off it was You've Got a Lot of Nerve. I liked it from the beginning, but the more I listen, the more I enjoy. Check it out if you haven't already:

You've Got a Lot of Nerve

Following this is the brand new track, Ordinary. It's quite a simple song, but that's what makes it so endearing. It skips along casually, spreading an air of warmth. I'm not sure if it was Brad's doing or more great work from the others, but damn those guitars sound good. To top it off, they've put together a cool little video to go along with it:

You can pre-order Drown In Sound from JB Hifi online. It's only $21.99 and comes with a bonus cassette of demos. Not only that, but if you pay with Paypal (or a credit card through Paypal), you'll get free postage. Great band, great deal. Get into it!

Oh and I almost forgot. Red Riders are playing as part of the Ivy League benefit gig to Save FBI. It's for a good cause they're playing more great bands. Gooooooooooooooooo.

Myspace

Dappled Cities - The Price

2009-05-13T15:42:00.004+10:00

It begins. In just a few months, Dappled Cities will release their 3rd album, Zounds, and if past experiences are anything to go by, it should be totally freakin' amazing. I’ll save my schoolgirl swooning for the actual release, but let’s just say I’m excited. Yesterday the band unveiled the first single off the album, The Price. I’ve been drawn to this song from the moment I first heard it in a sound check. That was a full 12 months ago and since then it’s undergone plenty of transformations, evolving to become the track we hear today. This refinement becomes noticeable when you put on a pair of decent headphones and give it a proper listen. It’s a mix of intensity and intrigue. On one hand you’re getting attacked by thumping drum fills and sweeping keyboards, but at the same time discovering buried riffs and extra layers. It’s exhilarating without being overwhelming. This mix of subtlety and dynamism has always been Dappled’s trademark, but with more experience and an unprecedented level of production, expect big things from Zounds. In their own words, it's "the album we’ve always wanted to make".

The Price

Head to the Dappled Cities Website and download the full single package, which includes a b-side and two experimental film clips. And of course, don’t forget to check out the Alphabeats clips hehe.

Last Dinosaurs

2009-04-10T20:20:00.003+10:00

This band divides me in so many ways. On one hand, I've found their sound refreshing and instantly appealing, but at the same time I've been listing the bands they appear to be ripping off. One minute I'll be digging a melody, the next cursing them for repetition. There's so much contradiction going on, I'm beginning to wonder if we're schizophrenic. But whatever the case, this is a band to watch. They have a number of very strong songs that are sure to get some attention. In fact, it's more than likely I'll be hating them in about a year, meaning they're set to do quite well. They hail from Brisbane and will be coming to Sydney soon to play a few shows. Both my selves will be keen to see how they go.

Honolulu - This was the first song I heard and it clearly did something right because it spurred me into further investigation and eventually this post. It's got a nice groove to it, reminding me of Vampire Weekend and the way their songs seem to flow so effortlessly.

Myst - This song is eating away at me! You know when you hear a song that reminds you of something and you try desperately to work out what it is? Well this has been my last half hour. Listening to it on repeat, banging my head in frustration. Its quite a shame, because it's actually a good song. I just need some closure. Feel free to put me out of my misery if you spot the reference.

Myspace

Neglect

2009-04-10T20:15:00.003+10:00

to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight
to be remiss in the care or treatment of
to omit, through indifference or carelessness
to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.)
to fail to take or use

A (not so) quick hello

2009-03-05T20:09:00.004+11:00

Of Montreal - Live
They're probably the most mentioned band on this blog, but you can never get enough Of Montreal. They're in Australia for the first time and their Sydney show was pretty awesome. Sure, it was disappointing that they didn't play any old stuff, but when a band is over a decade old, you sort of expect it. What makes them impressive though, is that despite so many of my favourites being absent, nearly every song they played I loved. It's testimony to the strength of their catalogue. Even the songs from Sunlandic Twins pleasantly surprised me. I was really getting into it, right amongst the hilarious mix of freaks up the front.

Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider

Golden Plains
Speaking of Of Montreal, tomorrow I head off to Golden Plains (plus a night in Melbourne of course). If I was sensible, I wouldn't be here writing this, but clearly i dont care about my body, so I'll be launching into what will most likely be a 4-day blur of music and alcohol, with very little sleep. Golden Plains will be quite a different experience for me. I'm usually the economical type, going to festivals with the best lineup and running like mad between bands. This will be the first time I go to a festival and just chill out. I'll still be watching plenty of music, I just won't have a personalised timetable regimented food and toilet breaks. Most of the bands playing, I know, but not well, so it will be interesting. At least very least, I know enough them to know it will be incredible.

The Sun Smells Too Loud (Mogwai)

Decoder Ring
Speaking of epic instrumental bands, Decoder Ring's new album is coming soon, and the word on the street is that it's gonna be big. After seeing them a couple of times lately, I'm not surprised. Did I mention they are supporting Coldplay? Haha good on them. I recently put this song on and was reminded of how stupidly good they are.

Serac

Dappled Cities
Speaking of Sydney bands with new albums coming out, I saw Dappled Cities last night. The show was an intriguing one, and not just because over half the crowd were Bondi Bogans. Many of the new songs had evolved since I last saw them, with either different sounds or entirely new parts. In most cases, the songs had matured and improved significantly, but occassionally a change struck me as kind of odd and disappointing. But I'm sure they know what they're doing. It's kinda stupid how many times I've seen this band, but at the same time incredible because I never grow tired. Their music has a strange appeal. On record, it's quite calming. There isn't standout tracks pulling the others along, but rather a varied stream of interesting sounds, capturing your attention with its subtleties. When playing live, their music is all about energy. A profound jerkiness emerges, as they jump from one direction to another with a sudden chord change or characteristic cry. They have such tight rhythms that you can't help be lured in by the momentum. Before you know it your body is moving in step with the song's every fluctuation. It's no wonder that this band invokes such freakish devotion amongst it fans and a real shame that they aren't more widely recognised. Such is the curse of talent.

You can currently hear Dappled's forthcoming single on the Beach Road Hotel myspace page. It isn't on the band's page and I doubt it will be up for much longer so get in quick.

Valentines Day

2009-02-13T19:13:00.005+11:00

Hopefully everybody reads this in time because you would be terribly upset if you did something wasteful tomorrow, like have a romantic picnic, when there was so much good music on offer. After all who doesn't love music?

The Alandale All Stars play Holiday Road

This is a concept born heaven: a group of Sydney's funniest musicians have gotten together, formed a cover band and play for free on Saturday afternoons. The super line-up consists of Jake Stone and Jerry from Bluejuice, Lindsey from Frenzal Rhomb, the Drummer from Mess Hall, Cameron Bruce (that awesome keyboard guy from everywhere) and Andy Kelly (founder of Ivy Leagure Records). It is a truly deadly combination. They dress like idiots, dance around and produce hilarious banter from every corner of the stage. Not only that, but they play awesome songs from Bruce Springsteen to Steely Dan. I was lucky enough to catch their first show and it was incredible. So much fun.

When: 2pm
Where: The Annandale Hotel

The Devoted Few

I am proud to announce that The Devoted Few's new album 'Baby, You're A Vampire' is finally coming out! It's been a long wait but it was definitely worth it. This is easily one of my favourite local albums so I would definitely recommend picking it up. Not only that, but they'll be celebrating the release with an in-store at the Sydney Apple Store. If you've ever had a desire to see a gig in a glass cube, now is your chance. The fact that The Devoted Few are an awesome live band is just a bonus. Definitely try and make it to this.

When: 4pm
Where: The Apple Store, 367 George St
Listen: Trigger Fingers

There's also pleeeeeeenty of music happening in the night so grab your nearest street press and get intimate!

Laneway Wrapup

2009-02-09T14:45:00.005+11:00

Wow the day went fast. I was bouncing from stage to stage, enjoying my day, when all of a sudden Architecture in Helsinki began playing. The day had disappeared from underneath me! But I think all in all it was another satisfying Laneway experience. I still maintain that even though it has modest (but still awesome) lineups, it succeeds because the secondary factors (layout, organisation, crowd, atmosphere etc.) are great, allowing the music to flourish. Highlights included:

Crazy antics from Still Flyin

More than 10 people, crammed on a small stage. Some of whom are there purely to dance. At least 3 men in short shorts. One in a jump suit. All there to play jazzed up party music. Sadly, I only got to see the first 3 songs, but I certainly caught the fever. For Sydney people, they are playing with Cuthbert & The Night Walkers at The Annandale tomorrow (Tuesday). I'm sensing a very fun night.

MP3: Good Thing It's A Ghost Town Around Here

Rocking out to Jay Reatard

These guys don't muck around. When one song ends, Jay yells the name of the next, and they launch straight in. It's perfect for a band that plays short fast punk. The songs always have great melodies and occassionally some lyrics to match, but best of all, these guys know how to shred on stage.

Discovering The Hold Steady

Ok, so discovering is probably misleading because I know this band pretty well. But until last night, I never really thought much of them. The singing style sort of made every song sound similar and it got a little annoying. But seeing them perform live, seeing them play with such conviction, it all made sense. Their songs are about storytelling. And the best way to get a message across to the audience is to yell every word right at them. It was a powerful set and certainly worthy of the headline slot.

The only real disappointments stemmed from my own physical limitations. I can only be in one place at a time and I can't teleport. But I'm learning to deal with these. All in all it was a great day. I'll be back next year.

Digimuse

2009-01-22T08:26:00.003+11:00

As you may have noticed, I like to rant about the state of digital music and online stores. Well here I go again. In the 6 or so months since last writing, there has been some interesting developments, all of them for the better. Online music is now flexible, convenient and intelligent and we are seeing music delivered to us in new and exciting ways. The future is bright.

TRENDS IN ONLINE SALES

Protection
It would seem that the age of DRM is finally coming to a close. iTunes recently announced that they are removing protection from their entire collection. About time. It’s true that services like 7digital and AmazonMp3 have been offering this for a while, but its good to finally have the market leader on board.

Flexibility
It’s great that iTunes is selling its music without DRM, but you are still fairly restricted when it comes to file formats. If digital music wants to make its mark, consumers should be given the same flexibility that they get when buying a CD. That means choosing your desired format and quality at the point of purchase and ideally, the ability to come back and get a different format if your needs change down the track.

In this department, 7digital is the only company that comes close. They offer a choice between WMA, AAC and MP3, but its still far from a totally flexible system. However what does impress me about 7digital is that a very limited number of albums are available as FLAC. For those who don’t know, FLAC is lossless format, allowing you to burn the tracks to a CD with the exact same quality as the original. While I may not be able tell the difference personally, this move opens up digital music to a brand new market: audiophiles. If you increase flexibility, you get a wider audience and happier customers. Hopefully we’ll see this trend improve over time.

Another area of flexibility that sees 7digital come out on top is price. Stores such as iTunes, AmazonMP3 and every other copy cat, tend to have one price for tracks, one price for albums and very little variation. In some sense this is good, ensuring that prices are always reasonable, but its also very uninspiring. Without any discounts, there's not much incentive to pick up a classic album or try your luck on an obscure release, as you might in a traditional music store. 7digital, on the other hand, may have slightly more expensive prices to begin with, but also a great range of discounted albums that can be very tempting, especially if you've lost your old copy. Price variation and sales are used in almost every area of commerce, including music stores. This is for a reason. It works!

Integration
It is in the field of integration that iTunes truly reigns supreme. If you use both the player and the store, buying music becomes almost as easy as listening to it. The only loser is your credit card. Other stores do a decent job. 7digital and eMusic have download managers that help keep your purchases organized and AmazonMP3 will even add your files to iTunes, but something is missing. It suggests that for online music to succeed, buying and listening need to be heavily intertwined. Perhaps more stores will adopt the iTunes model or maybe someone will figure out a way to integrate listening to your collection into a web-based environment. One way or another, I have a feeling that Songbird, a Jukebox/Browser mashup, could provide the answer for those wanting to topple iTunes.

But apparently domination isn’t enough for Apple because they went and developed Genius, further enhancing the integrated experience. Genius works by comparing your library and listening habits with millions of other iTunes users and generating intelligent recommendations based on the similarities. For the lazy and uninspired, it’s a great way to discover new music. That said, it’s nothing groundbreaking. Amazon and Last.fm have been doing it for ages. However, I can see intelligent recommendations playing an increasingly pivotal role in music purchasing, especially if someone can invent a service rewarding enough to convince people to put their money spending in the hands of an algorithm.

Innovation
The less than stellar performance of online music downloads suggests that offering plain mp3s isn’t enough to convince most buyers. More incentive is needed. Well a key way to do this is to offer mp3s in conjunction with other products. Aussie band The Grates, recently offered a deluxe package of their new album which included a ticket to your local gig when they did their album tour. The savings were enough to convince a teetering fan to take up the offer. However, combining ticket sales with mp3s is also not new. Even iTunes had a go, without much success. But whatever its past record, I think its definitely an avenue worth pursuing. Imagine this scenario: we have a band who are wildly popular thanks to word of mouth and an album that rapidly spread across illegal download networks. As a result of their popularity, their gigs are selling out as soon as they go on sale. Let's say MGMT for example. If they were to offer a deal that gave album purchasers the ability to buy tickets before the general public, I dare say many illegal downloaders would be tempted to pay for the album in order to guarantee their spot. Of course this would also work for either physical or digital album sales, but the online nature of digital music makes pulling this off more of a possibility.

Digital music also makes it very easy for artists to tie in bonus content. Rather than sticking extras on the end of a CD, purchasing an online album can open exclusive access to online areas, containing bonus videos, live recordings etc. Metallica did just this with their latest album and it worked a treat. It’s a small effort for artists, but a big benefit for listeners. By differentiating legal and illegal downloads, you give listeners the incentive to actually pay for their music. All that’s required now is a online music store that makes it easy for artists to offer this sort of content.

DELIVERY OF DIGITAL MUSIC

It’s good to know that someone out there is trying. Trying to shake things up. The past year has seen three new services launch, each claiming to revolutionize the way we will buy digital music. Sadly, I can’t see any of them achieving this, but that doesn’t detract from their merits. Like the subscription model, these services will have both fans and critics, but importantly, will add to the choices of how we want to buy music.

Nokia – ‘Comes with Music’
The premise is as such: you buy a phone and in return, get free access to Nokia’s vast online music collection. It sounds too good to be true and it is. For one, it isn’t really free. These phones will cost more than they otherwise would have. Secondly, it only lasts for 12 months, after which you’ll either have to pay for more or get a new phone. And finally, it really isn’t a replacement for buying music, because there’s limits on what you can do with the music. But I really must congratulate Nokia for going out on a limb and trying this. It may not change the industry, but for those who get it on their phone, it’s a pretty cool bonus feature.

Official Website

DDA Music
This one really had me intrigued. Albums come in a little package, with art and liner notes, just like a normal CD, except that in this case, the music is on a USB stick. Now to me, putting music on USB drives is a stupid idea, but what grabs me about this product is the attention given to extra content. This is something I always felt was lacking from digital music. With a CD you get something physical, something attractive to show for your purchase. DDA tries to replicate this. It also offers plenty of possibilities in the way of digital content, with the ability for artists to offer bonus materials such as videos and live tracks. They can even continue to offer rewards, long after a purchase has been made, targeting fans who were loyal. I wish I could have have tried one of these out, but sadly the launch was appalling. None of the ‘participating’ retailers had even heard of them, and still, more than a month later, I’ve only ever spotted one of them in a store.

Official Website

Slot Music
This format is similar to DDA music except that the music comes on a tiny MicroSD card. It offers similar sorts of bonus content, such as videos and remixes, but lacks the online connectivity of DDA. Even though MicroSD cards would we be incredibly easy to lose and wouldn’t make a very pretty collection, the are probably the smarter option. I’ll always remember the disappointment after I first upgraded from CD player to Mp3 player, of not being able to enjoy my brand new purchases on the bus trip home. Well with Slot Music, the millions of people with MicroSD compatible phones will be able to get their instant gratification.

Official Website

While both Slot Music and DDA have their merits, I think they’re missing the point. It takes a huge improvement for a new format to take off. With cassettes, it was portability. With CDs, it was storage space and digital capacity. These new formats merely offer minor enhancements, and as such, won’t be enough to cause a major shift in consumer habits. The reason digital music has so much potential is because it has the ability to go BEYOND physical formats. This is where we should be focussing attention.

THE FUTURE

Interfaces
Nothing frustrates me more than the fact that I’m not the head of an electronics company with money to burn. There’s one product in particular that baffles me when I wonder why someone hasn’t invented it yet. It consists of a hard drive and touch screen the size of a photo frame. It sits on your shelf and can either use its own speakers or connect to your existing system. It plays music off the hard drive or off computers on your home network and you interact with it using an iTunes/iPhone interface on the touch screen. It also connects to an online music store, allowing you to download new music directly to the device. In other words, its an oversized iPod Touch. Come on Apple, how hard is it to make one of these!? Sure, computers and iPods can do more or less the same job, but the masses would undoubtedly eat this up.

Delivery
We’re seeing a number of trends in technology that give a very strong indication of how we’ll be getting our music. Firstly, mp3 players, phones and cameras are gradually converging into one super device. These devices will become increasingly integrated with the internet and our home computers. Secondly, information is gradually being moved into ‘the cloud’. This means people are storing their documents and preferences online, so they can access them from anywhere.

Going on these two trends, I expect to see our music collections becoming more web-based. When we buy music, from home or abroad, it gets added to this centralised collection, and all our devices will synchronise with it. Not only does it make our music easily accessible, but it’s a natural evolution of collections into the digital world. One of the most rewarding parts of buying records or CDs is that you gradually build a collection that you can be proud of. As our music becomes digital, so will our collections. And it will be online social networks that replace our bedrooms as the place where we share and display our musical history.

Recommendations
Whenever I try and analyse what could improve the performance of online music stores, I usually focus on two key groups: illegal downloaders and audiophiles. There are plenty of other poorly performing groups (single mothers perhaps?), but these are the two I understand. In order to engage these groups, the focus really needs to be on the things I mentioned earlier, quality and flexibility.

Quality needs to match that of a CD. This means high quality downloads, associated content (album art, liner notes, etc.) and some sort of token, to make your purchase feel worthwhile. This token is referring to the sharable, online collections that I mentioned earlier, where you get something to show for your moeny, not just a bunch of mp3s that get lost amongst all your illegal downloads.

Flexibility mostly needs to focus on choice and ease of use. As I mentioned earlier, you should be able to download in whatever format you want and continue to have access to any format. Think of it like buying a CD that gets minded for you online. When you want to download, you choose your settings and rip it. You can even listen online or rip it again if you wish.

If you can offer both quality and flexibility, you’re bringing legal downloads to a level above CDs and illegal downloads and making them worth paying for. As it stands, they are only equal to or worse than the other options, so its no wonder they’re unpopular.

The other area which I feel is integral to the success of digital music is integration. Buying music online needs to be so ridiculously easy that we do it out convenience, even if there is free alternatives available. Take Nintendo's Virtual Console for example. This system allows you to download classic games onto your Wii and play them on your TV. It has been very successful, despite the fact that every one of these games can be played on a computer for free with an emulator. The reason people pay is that its so convenient and nicely integrated into their home entertainment systems. For music, this means integrating the buying process into all the areas that we're listening (our stereos, on the web, on our phones), so that when we want something new, we'll take the convenient option, not the free option. iTunes does a pretty impressive job, but thats only if you're willing to lock into Apple's products. We're still waiting on someone to produce a product that seemlessly ties in all our listening experiences and makes buying online music second nature.

Missing Posts

2009-01-16T11:23:00.004+11:00

A casual glance at this blog may suggest that this is the first post in over a month. However, this is not true. I have posted 3 times and in each case the post has been removed by Blogger at the request of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Where I went wrong, I don't know, but what I do know is that I've been left with a very bare looking blog. If the person who issued those Cease and Desist orders is reading this, I encourage them to contact me. Because in running this blog, I don't set out to hurt any artists and am always willing to co-operate with the wishes of labels. But unless I know the nature of the complaint, I can't fix the problem! Apparently, the notices will be put up soon at http://www.chillingeffects.org/ so hopefully some light will be shed on the matter. I'm almost afraid to keep posting because I have no idea how pissed off the IFPI is. And we all know how much America loves to extradite. Eek!

Hottest 10

2009-01-14T14:21:00.000+11:00

**MP3s removed until I find out why the IFPI is complaining**

It took at least 5 bands spamming me on Facebook, but this year I got my act together and voted in Triple J's Hottest 100 (last year I planned on voting solely for Vitriol but sadly, left it too late). I never actually realised this, but apparently the Hottest 100 is the world's largest song poll. And while its far from perfect, it certainly presents a much healthier look at the current state of music than any Billboard Top 20. So do your bit; vote now before it closes this Sunday. YES WE CAN. Sorry.

Here's my top ten, followed by a shortlist. While it may have been hacked together in a bit of rush, I make no excuses. I was in love with every one of these songs at some point throughout the year.

Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
Santogold - Lights Out
Sparkadia - Too Much To Do
Cloud Control - Death Cloud
Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
Youth Group - All This Will Pass
Jordy Lane - Galileo
MGMT - Kids

Band Of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
Ben Folds - You Don't Know Me
Bird Automatic - Suburbs
Bridezilla - Saint Francine
Born Ruffians - Hummingbird
Children Collide - Social Currency
Death Cab For Cutie - Long Division
Deep Sea Arcade - Crouch End
Devoted Few - The Death Of Us
Firekites - Same Suburb Different Park
Flight Of The Conchords - Inner City Pressure
Hercules & Love Affair - Blind
John Steel Singers - Rainbow Kraut
Kings Of Leon - Closer
Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
Ladyhawke - Paris Is Burning
Metronomy - My Heart Rate Rapid
Mercy Arms - Half Right
Of Montreal - Id Engager
Pivot - O Soundtrack My Heart
redsunband , The - The Eagle
Seabellies - The - Heart Heart Heart Out
Songs - KC's In Trouble
TV On The Radio - DLZ
Ween - Blue Balloon
Yeasayer - 2080

Remixes

2009-01-02T14:19:00.001+11:00

**MP3s removed until I find out why the IFPI is complaining**

As any regular reading would probably know, I'm no fan of remixes. This is simply because the vast majority of them aren't needed. They tend to just hack up a decent track and stick a fat beat on it, hoping to cash in on the fame of the original. It's a blunt and cynical view, but hey, its all too often true. But that's not to say I'm a total hater. When a remix comes along that enhances the original and brings something new to the table, I'll gladly respect it. Here's a couple that have recently caught my fancy.

MGMT - Electric Feel (Aeroplane Remix)
I came across this version at a party. Everyone was sitting back and relaxing when it came on, perfectly fitting the chilled atmosphere. It's so unassuming, never trying too hard to show off the sample. In fact it's really a song in it's own right. It takes the core elements of Electric Feel, spreads them out, adds a sweet bass line and produces an awesome laid back track.

Shout Out Louds - Impossible (It's Possible Remix by Studio)
While never really getting into the Shout Out Louds, I've always had a soft spot for this song. When I heard this version on the radio, I was impressed with how it brought out the track's strengths. The prominent bass elements help to fuel the natural feeling of excitement, while the added texture and reverb add to the song's warm, rich vibe.

Also, while looking for a copy of the Shout Out Louds remix, I came across this article on a site called BiBaBiDi. It takes a similar line of, "the world is full of terrible remixes, but here's some good ones". For the remix fans out there, it's worth a look.

Guilty Pleasures

2008-12-27T14:18:00.000+11:00

**MP3s removed until I find out why the IFPI is complaining**

Considering this blog recently passed the 300,000 visitor milestone (!!!) and we're right in the middle of the Christmas/New Year period, I think it's appropriate to do some indulging. You know those songs that you put on, and love, but only you and friends appreciate them, because only you know the back-stories behind them? Well these are some of my songs. And the back-stories. Cause with all the serious music journalism I've been doing this year, it's about time I had a break.

Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy With It

Ah the Will Smith phase. This was entertaining. At one point we made plans to transform our living room into the 'Will Smith Room', plastering the walls with giant posters of this undeniably cool man. Sadly, the furthest we got was a newspaper clipping on someone's door, but it was all worth it for the utterly bemused looks and remarks of 'You mean you ACTUALLY like Will Smith?'

Toto - Africa

I missed out on Toto the first time round, but recently someone stumbled across this song and we had our own private revival. I think we liked it purely for its excess. With lyrics such as 'Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti', you know you're onto a winner. It's even better live, with drum cages, epic choruses and flashing lights. This song is the definition of spectacle. I especially love how the falsetto singer aged from a token 80's guy into a Hillsong preacher. Brilliant!

Custard - Love Measurer

Custard are without doubt a great Australian band. Anyone who doesn't agree is fooling themselves. But amongst all the hits, this song became a house favourite. The original reason was its rarity. The album it came from, Weisenheimer, couldn't be found on the internet or in shops. So when a live version was found, excitement followed. The signature riff evoked plenty of fist shaking and jumping about. Antics that went straight over the heads of everyone else who wasn't listening to it 5 times a day.

Frenzal Rhomb - You Can't Move Into My House

As I walked to Kings Cross one night and a friend began singing a song about missing a lung, I was reminded just how much I love Frenzal Rhomb. I'm not sure if its the pent-up energy, the simple song sturctures, the hilarious lyrics, or perhaps rebellious allure of excessive swearing, but something makes this band consistently awesome. I'll always remember a road trip to Melbourne, when one of their songs came on and the whole car spontaneously sung along. What ensued was an hour of non-stop Frenzal Rhomb, our voices wearing thin well before their list of hits.

The Real Tuesday Weld - Last Words

2008-12-10T20:22:00.003+11:00

I present to you a single-listen blog. It's always a special occasion when you hear a song for the first time and instantly feel attached to it. The feeling is one of warmth and satisfaction, but also quiet anticipation of what more could await. It's a feeling that happens far too rarely for me, so I had share it while it lasted. Sadly though, the very nature of a 'single-listen' means I can't offer much in the way of description. However I do remember the chorus having some great vocals. They had power behind them, but at the same time were soft and reserved. Check it out for yourself so I can stop mucking around actually give it another listen.

Last Words

| myspace |

p.s. i can't say i'm the biggest fan of the band name...

Howling Bells - Into The Chaos

2008-12-01T17:29:00.004+11:00

It's been well over a year since I've even thought of this band and then all of a sudden, BAM, this song comes on the radio. One round of the chanting opening riff and I was hooked. The slow, haunting vocals took over in the chorus and the Howling Bells memories came flooding back. It's been so long that all I can really remember about their last album is that it was good. With a second album on the way, the band couldn't have found a more perfect lead single than Into The Chaos. My attention is well and truly theirs.

Into The Chaos

| myspace | website |

Seekae - The Sound of Trees Falling On People

2008-11-27T22:06:00.004+11:00

Another album which I've been listening to lately is the debut release by Sydney electronic outfit, Seekae. So early in their career, I would hardly have expected them to have an album, let alone one with 18 fully developed tracks. Their music is some sort of dramatic techno, mixing strange electronic clippings with looping keyboard melodies. I'm only just getting into it, but already I'm discovering an incredibly diverse array of sounds. My current favourite, Void, sees them really live up to 'Shoegaze' tag that they use on their myspace. I've always appreciated the way good electronic artists can build emotion without the need for lyrics and Seekae do just that. I'm not quite sure what they're doing in terms of distributing this album (anyone?), but they have a launch on Dec 10th at the Hoey, so I'm sure you'll be able to find out then.

Void

And just as I was writing this, I discovered another favourite (perhaps I should have listened more before writing this!). This one features some truly awesome keyboard sounds coming from every direction. I hope you guys don't mind me posting two tracks.

Halley Wars

| myspace |

The Motifs

2008-11-27T21:30:00.003+11:00

After listening to Jay Reatard, I don't think I could have stumbled across a starker contrast than The Motifs. As 'Matador Singles 08' finished, iTunes moved into 'Matches', easily the indiest indie release I've ever bought. You really can't fault it, with a mini CD, cover made of glued-on pieces, hand-drawn insert, individual message, sticker and even a sleeve hold it all. Believe it or not, the music is even cuter. The 6-track EP comes in at just 10 minutes, but offers an abundance lovely melodies. I think I did this exact post when I bought it a year ago, but the rediscovery was too good to let slide.

Tell Me More

| myspace | weepop |

Laneway Listenings

2008-11-27T18:38:00.001+11:00

As with every festival I go to, it begins with research. Ever since the fateful Big Day Out '04 when I missed The Darkness, Muse, The Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon due to ignorance, I've been sure to get to know the bands BEFOREHAND, so I know who'll be worth seeing. Laneway 2009 has an interesting lineup, which to be honest, didn't strike me at first. But the more I look at it, the more I get excited. It's not so much a selection of bands I do love, but should love. Hence the research. Here's a few of the bands I've listened to recently.

Girl Talk
Jay Reatard
Born Ruffians
The John Steel Signers

1 - Girl Talk

2008-11-27T18:04:00.004+11:00

The first album was a novelty. The second album is.....also a novelty. But its a damn fun novelty. The insane variety of samples, mashed together so effortlessly, is almost too much for the mind to comprehend. But whilst the last 50 years of music are competing for a cameo, there's wicked beats flowing through every song. I'm looking forward to this live show so much that it will also be my first sideshow for the year.

In Step

| myspace |

2 - Jay Reatard

2008-11-27T18:03:00.004+11:00

I haven't listened to much, but then it doesn't take much to realise that this will be a performance not to miss. Short, fast punk-pop can never fail.

Always Wanting More

| myspace |

3 - Born Ruffians

2008-11-27T18:02:00.001+11:00

I've been pleasantly surprised to discover that this band are more than just one-hit wonders. The rest of their album may not match the brilliance of Hummingbird, but it's got plenty more of their signature slurred vocals, jagged guitars and edgy rhythms. I'm expecting good things when they swing by.

Hummingbird

| myspace |

4 - The John Steel Singers

2008-11-27T18:01:00.005+11:00

I wouldn't exactly call this Brisbane band a highlight on the Laneway bill, but after seeing them live recently, I can testify for their worthiness. The first time I saw them, they were a fun six-piece with a sit-down keyboardist (meh). Now they're a rockin' troupe with some killer songs and great live energy. If only their album didn't come in a Jeans pocket.....hehe. Shame on you Levity.

Rainbow Kraut

| myspace |

John Columbus Residency

2008-11-27T13:05:00.004+11:00

This Sunday will see the final installment in a Hopetoun residency by my good friends, John Columbus. The band (not a person) have recorded their second EP and will be offering it exclusively at these shows. This new EP was recorded live and is slightly quieter and more reserved than their last release. Give it a few listens and you'll begin to see that its strength lies in its subtleties. John Columbus create some of the most soothing and finely crafted music in Sydney. Catch them from 8.30, but get there early to catch The never-disappointing Statics and The recently-revived Crustaceans.

MP3: Skinny Dipping

Decoder Ring

2008-11-16T16:58:00.007+11:00

Last Saturday, Sydney band, Decoder Ring played as the feature act of the Riverbeats festival, a multicultural arts celebration on the banks of the Parramatta River. The location was certainly out of the ordinary, as far as gigs go. The stage was set up on one side of the river, with audience on the other. Above the stage was a giant white dome, with images being projected onto it. As you went down the river in either direction, there was an assortment of lights and candles and two more giant domes. It was certainly worthy of being called spectacle.

Such a setting could not have been more perfect for a band like Decoder Ring, whose music is truly epic. Sure, this term gets tossed around alot, but I'm talking about the expansive, emotional sounds you hear coming of bands like Sigur Ros and Mogwai. The sweeping soundscapes, compounding layers of instrumentation and descents into chaos. This is where you'll find Decoder Ring. And just like Sigur Ros, they know how to use visuals to build on the impact of their music and create that complete experience.

This particular Decoder Ring experience began with a visual montage, soundtracked by them and projected on to the giant domes. It was a fast-paced stream of images that featured, amongst other things, raindrops, monsters and giant sets of teeth. It kept things interesting while the band set up and really built the atmosphere for when they arrived on stage. Their actual set was even better. The lighting, location and nature of their music made for a very awe-inspiring show. The highlight was the final track, Welcome Shoppers, which builds with immense power and then progresses into an awesome rock-out. And if that wasn't enough, fireworks erupted as the final notes were played. It was pretty hard not to be impressed.

Welcome Shoppers

Decoder Ring recently traveled to America to record their new album. Expect to hear more of them very soon.

Website | Myspace

Top Australian Artists of 2008

2008-11-07T17:10:00.007+11:00

Oh how I hate compiling these lists. They are damn near impossible to sit back thinking 'Yes, that accurately represents my tastes'. You just can't do it! For starters, how do you compare an awesome live show with a solid album? Does it count if I got into an album this year that was released last year? I can barely remember back to the start of the year, let alone try to piece together which bands had the biggest impact! And so the list comes to you with so many faults. Missing bands, strange orderings and plenty of bias. You name it, it's here. But I had to walk away from it because no amount of tweaking could have produced a satisfying list. 2008 was a strange year for me. There were no really stand out bands. The bands I loved had a fairly quite year, whilst many new bands entered my affection. And so I was left with about 40 bands, all on level footing. Perfect for compiling an ordered list! I used the criteria of 'Which bands delivered the most enjoyment in 2008' and the result is quite an interesting one. I've certainly discovered a few trends (and holes) in my listening habits which may indicate some exploring is in order. Feel free to post your own list in the comments. Away!

1. Youth Group

2008 was the year I came to appreciate Youth Group. Not just their latest album, but their entire catalogue. The vocals, the melodies, it's all so incredibly beautiful.

2. Cloud Control

The band I have seen more than any other. No releases this year, but more than enough memorable moments. The addictive hooks and swooning harmonies are just too good to resist.

3. Dappled Cities

It's Dappled. Enough said. Three mighty fine performances was more than enough to thrust them right up here.

4. Theredsunband

The year began with a Laneway performance, moved on to some great singles and culminated in a sophomore album. In every case, Theredsunband delivered rich, powerful music.

5. The Devoted Few

After getting a taste this year, I can tell you quite confidently that 2009 will be a big year for The Devoted Few. Both live and recorded, these guys rock!

6. Charge Group

When it comes to creating immensely powerful, vastly expansive soundscapes, Charge Group has no rival. Their music reaches such emotional highs, you're left in awe.

7. The Seabellies

This year, The Seabellies proved what I had always believed; their multi-instrumental ways are not a gimmick, but a defining strength. Their incredible single, Heart Heart Heart Out, is just a taste of whats to come.

8. Cuthbert & The Night Walkers

Bands pretty much don't come any funner than Cuthbert & The Night Walkers. In their stripped back format, they are more colourful, lively and entertaining than ever before.

9. Sparkadia

Sparkadia's speciality is in super sweet indie-pop, filled with toe tapping rhythms and luscious crooning choruses. Their debut album was no exception, earning them a much-deserved place in the global spotlight.

10. Parades

Of all the new Sydney bands that emerged in 2008, Parades are the ones who got me genuinely excited. Their songs move in complex, ever-changing directions, their instrumentation is refreshingly diverse and their vocals are incredibly refined. They've found such a great mix and its only just the beginning.

11. The Temper Trap
12. Flamingo Crash
13. Pivot
14. Bluejuice
15. Deep Sea Arcade
16. Papa vs Pretty
17. Firekites
18. The Curse of Company
19. The Boat People
20. Philadelphia Grand Jury
21. Augie March
22. Bird Automatic
23. Mercy Arms
24. The Straight Arrows
25. British India