Has music become background filler? These days, it seems as though music is largely consumed while doing something else. Reading, running, driving, exercising, working. Music very often plays in the background while we are focused on other things. What happened to music being the focus itself? I like to bring music into many of the things I do, but I also like to set aside time to just listen.
When I was a kid, music was the focus. Listening to music was an activity in itself, rather than a background additive. I recall countless times when friends and I would sit around a turntable mesmerized by the most recent albums we’d purchased. Discussions popped up about lyrics and we’d roar when a cool riff erupted. We were ingesting the sounds that would define our lives. Rock & roll was new to us and each album unlocked newfound passion for the genre.
One day after school a friend & I walked to his house and found a package from Columbia House – the monthly mail-order music club. Eager to see what had arrived, we were stoked when Van Halen’s Diver Down slid from the shipping box. A new release from Van Halen was cause for excitement and drove us into a frenzy, racing to drop it on the turntable. We played it over and over that afternoon, excited to tell everyone about it the next day at school.
Liner notes contain great info that doesn’t accompany digital files
Listening to music is an experience that begins for me with album art and track lists before getting to the media. I love finding a record’s inner sleeve full of band images, lyrics, and art. Those cassette inserts that fold out endlessly to reveal a trove of info always draw me in. Even the expanded booklets inside CDs have become part of my listening experience. All these tactile facets enhance what I love about music, and they are things that streaming doesn’t really provide, robbing fans of the full immersive experience.
I’ve gotten a few odd stares when mentioning my interest in liner notes. I think they’re full of great info and incites. However, liner note relevance has nearly disappeared in the digital age where MP3 files exist alone on phones, computers, and various players. There’s no physical component which is a shame because liner notes have resolved lyric disagreements and revealed insights into the music.
Reading liner notes used to be a mandatory part of listening to any new record – from the songwriting credits to lyrics. Hearing the music is wonderful, but the listening experience for me has always included the info packaged with an album along with the sheer joy of lowering a phonograph needle onto a new album or rewinding a cassette. And getting up to flip it over. Sifting through songs on a playlist neglects some of the best elements of the listening experience.
Iconic album covers are reduced to a tiny thumbnails, replacing that wonderful artwork in the streaming world where corporate profits reign supreme. Physical packaging does more than protect the media. It’s a complimentary aspect of listening to the music it contains. I love incorporating music with my everyday tasks, but I appreciate it much more after having the time to delve into everything an album has to offer when it’s in my hands, not on a playlist.
I’m the sort of person who prefers browsing my local record store more than downloading MP3s. Hearing your favorite album is only a part of listening to music. Sit back. Zone out. Let your favorite music invade all your senses!
By CapeCod.com Staff
