Sunday, September 16th, 2007 // Paperhouse
In 1996 DJ Shadow released his debut album Endtroducing…... I don’t know much about its impact on the music world at that time, but I’ll share my personal experiences with it.
Once I started listening to the album, it took me three years or so to slowly get obsessed with it. I liked it at first, and thought it was great, but put it away as I got distracted with other new music. Every once in a while someone would mention it and I’d dig it out and listen again and like it a little more. The same thing happened with my friends. They enjoyed it at first, put it away, and wound up completely taken over by its subtle greatness a few years later.
The experience comes in two parts; the first revelation that the album provides the listener is a complete trust in sampling as a musical instrument and an art form. For those unaware, Endtroducing….. is an album composed entirely of samples from other sources — among the first of its kind. Shadow expertly weaves drum loops, bass lines, strings, and all sorts of beautiful melodies into completely new songs. The effect can be mesmerizing; at times it seems that Shadow had all the melodies in his head already and only had to sift through hundreds of records to find the ones that matched what he already knew. In reality, the process was likely similar, though Shadow was probably influenced by the types of samples he heard as well.
Once you hear Endtroducing….. it’s almost laughable to see how excited people get about Madonna sampling ABBA and Crazy In Love’s sample of the Chi-Lites. The difference? Shadow doesn’t owe the greatness of his songs to the greatness of his samples.
The album’s second revelation comes the next time you hear one of the sampled songs in full. Shadow’s samples usually sound nothing like what the end result is on Endtroducing…... For example, Shadow’s “Stem/Long Stem” samples the beginning of “Love Suite” by Nirvana (’60s psychedelic band, not Cobain’s). On Shadow’s track, the strings and plucked sounds are ominous and scary. It’s long, dark, and moody, and most of it is held together by that one sample. In contrast, “Love Suite” turns into a happy, bouncy track right after the point where Shadow’s sample ends.
As in “Stem/Long Stem,” Shadow knows how to slice out a completely benign sample from a track and turn it into something fierce. He doesn’t go for the entire great synth riff. He’ll take the beginning few notes, fuse it with the outro and create something entirely his own. Just listen to Tangerine Dream’s “Invisible Limits” and then check out Shadow’s “Changeling” to get a taste of the genius.
Sunday, September 9th, 2007 // Paperhouse
So you’re a rock star — congratulations. You’ve finally recorded your 10 or 12 songs, and you’re ready to finish the album and send it off to record execs everywhere. But wait — which song goes where?
Now, if you’re Britney Spears or Three Doors Down, you can throw all the singles in a row at the beginning. Whatever. You’ll sell millions anyway, and as long as you hear that one catchy tune, who cares if it’s a coherent or even listenable album? But this problem of poorly planned albums exceeds the top 40, and may even reach artists you like (see Beck’s Guero, Ratatat’s self-titled, or Modest Mouse’s latest for examples of albums that leave you bored by the halfway point).
On a side note, there aren’t many albums that fail in the reverse direction. Maybe musicians are scared that nobody will listen if they load up the back of an album with hits.
So, you’re planning your CD. What comes first? Ideally, it’d be an attention getter, but not the only hit. “Like Eating Glass” from Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm is one example. It’s jagged, angular, and quick, and sets the stage for the album. And, if you bought the album because you heard “Banquet” (track four) on the radio, you’ll keep listening.
Next, cool down a bit — right out of High Fidelity. I wouldn’t say add some filler, but maybe if you’ve got a couple songs that are pretty typical of your sound but not the greatest, tracks two or three might be a good place to put them. Another option is to lead off with a throwaway “intro” track (although this will annoy shufflers) and put the attention-getter at track two, as in the Foo Fighters album The Colour and the Shape (“Doll” followed by “Monkey Wrench”).
At around track four, drop the hit. There’s a lot of precedent here: Weezer’s blue album, Daft Punk’s Discovery, the Red Hot Chili Peppers album Californication, even the new Arcade Fire album. The ideal album would keep the next few tracks pretty strong, with something else interesting around eight to keep everyone listening.
By then, most of your best songs might be exhausted. How do you keep people interested then? If you’re making Talking Heads: 77, you just keep tossing on great songs. Fine. If not, you can switch gears; some great albums have kept interest because their second halves have been the deeper, moodier counterparts to the upbeat first halves (see Abbey Road and Of Montreal’s The Sunlandic Twins.) A contrast will help listeners break the album into chunks that they can easily absorb. And that’s the goal, right?
On the other hand, if you’re making a concept album, disregard this all entirely and follow your muse! Just, whatever you do, don’t put a “secret track” after 12 minutes of silence at the end.
Sunday, August 26th, 2007 // Paperhouse
It is impossible to have a conversation without someone bringing up the heat. Relentless sunlight boils our flesh and swampy humidity makes even typing a sweaty affair. My pink is peeling off and my brain is in a liquid state — and, reader, I am sure you feel the same. With that in mind, here is a playlist of songs for suckling popsicles.
Bauhaus, “Mask.” In “Mask,” Bauhaus sends you directly inside the thick stone walls of a subterranean dungeon. Peter Murphy moans in pain, with cymbals crashing like whips. It’s all dark and gloomy and goth until the 2:40 mark, when a beautiful, light guitar melody replaces whips and moans. “The shadow is cast,” Murphy cries. Hurrah! I need some shade.
Junior Boys, “Double Shadow.” The Canadian duo’s beats are always icy — especially this one, which has whispering vocals that are not warmly romantic. Instead, “Double Shadow” begins with some unromantic insults, and then launches into an understated beat with a compliment: “you good fuck.” At least whoever this song is tearing to shreds has that, right? That, and a surprisingly soulful track complete with handclaps in their memory.
Pluxus, “Solid State.” This Scandinavian electro track begins with a slow, jingling beat, reminiscent of ice cubes clinking in glasses. Quickly, other synthetic sounds roll in, sounding like the best parts of summer — clicking cameras, an oscillating fan, the hum of insects at nightfall, a carnival melody, the plinking of coins into a fountain. Still, the mood is not nostalgic. This slow, dark, and fizzy song seems tired of the summer heat.
M83, “Teen Angst.” What goes together better than teen angst and the dying days of summer? Ethereal male vocals, a throbbing beat, and hazy guitar washes make this an ideal song to listen to during a dusk walk amid the mosquitoes.
TV On The Radio, “Wear You Out.” “Wear You Out” begins as a vocal-driven track, with Adebimpe’s voice fluttering effortlessly above simple drumming. Soon, gentle chimes, horns, and bass arrive and his voice swoops back down to sensually meld with the chugging, bluesy orchestra. After a blast of heat, TVOTR cools it off with an icy flute jam.
The Flaming Lips, “Bad Days.” Just when students start dreading the start of class and the onslaught of work, Wayne Coyne reminds us, “You have to sleep late when you can, and all your bad days will end.” Take heed from this surprisingly low-key Flaming Lips track. Sleep will be torn from our sweaty grasp all too soon, and when the cool fall comes we will be wishing for summertime once again.
