Vinyl: Is the experience worth it?

This blog is in responce to the reading titled“Take Those Old Records Off the Shelf” : Youth and Music Consumption in the Postmodern Age.” This essay is about the reemergence of vinyl records as an alternative to the ongoing trend of digital music consumption. The author, David Hayes,  argues that
youth consumers are starting to adopt and listen to the traditional though somewhat out of date LPs and
turntables. Many are doing this to resist industry-regulated contemporary modes of music
consumption. This article was very indepth and quite lengthy so I will comment on a few of the points that really caught my eye.

According to the article, many music fans feel that the golden age of recorded music had died with the suicide of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain in 1994. I agree with this bold comment to a certain extent. I feel that since Kurt’s passing we have not seen another artist with the talent, realness and creativity to rival Kurt Cobain. Here is an example, In Bloom. It’s off the Nevermind soundtrack and both the video and the song are unbeleivable.

[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY3oEvaq71A]

Now this is not to say that there has not been some impressive musical talent since then but I have to agree with the author here that this is the point in time when the Golden Age of recorded music died.

Much of todays music is so similar and repetiitive and very few of the real “big” names can even play musical instruments that it’s almost made a mockery of the music imdustry. The Pussy Cat Dolls are marketed and produced to the max, have very little legitimate talent and still manage to remain all over the charts. I can’t imagine who’s buying this music but clearly people are. Honestly watch this clip and tell me how bad this music is.

[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhaZEkkE_ZM ]

Sorry to put you through that.

I thought it was also an interesting comment about the way that vinyl increases participation in musical listening is possibly a contributing factor to the enjoyment of this form of music. Perhaps we’re all sick of everything being turned into something ‘easier’ and more efficient, maybe the vinyl listeners are onto something. When I’m on the computer and I click a song off my list of hundreds am I really listening to the music like I should be. By actually being engaged in the  process of musical listening maybe that greatly heightens our awareness and therefore the enjoyment of the music. This may be as important as the actual content of the music!   

Another point that really caught my attention was this quote from an avid listener and purchaser of vinyl records. “[Records] sound a lot different than CDs. They’re not as clear. It just sounds better. It sounds like you’re actually with (the musicians) when they’re playing it.” Now this is a point that unfortunately I could not verify as i called all my friends in town and none actually own a record player anymore. If this proves to be true though there must be something to be said for the reallness of the experience. If the listening experience is that much closer to the live music experience then here in lies, in my opinion, the best reason for the purchase of vinyl records.

It’s quite interesting how a subculture had developed in recent years surrounding the enjoyment of vinyl records. I for one am content with my current satisfaction from digital music and thats how I will choose to go forth. This article definately had this music fan second guessing myself for a litttle while though.