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Davey
09-09-2011, 10:28 AM
I guess there is a line in there some place, probably has to do with how many "units" an artist would be expected to move. But forget that for a moment, what do you think of our modern day ability to sample just about any music? And by sample, I mean to check out before buying, not necessarily to download and keep in lieu of buying.

On the one hand, thousands of artists would never have been heard without this easy access. But it also somewhat dampens the excitement for new releases form my favorites. A case in point: I've been listening for the last few weeks to the new one from a big favorite, Richmond Fontaine The High Country, in lossy MP3, and loving it, and now I remember that this hit the store a couple days ago, and I could be spinning the vinyl or CD by now, instead of the MP3. But that easy access took away some of the excitement that would've been there in the old days.

So do you still get excited with a new release looming from your favorites? Do you avoid the pre-release listen, or still check out everything before buying? Can you really even tell much from a quick listen?

Swish
09-09-2011, 05:22 PM
I guess there is a line in there some place, probably has to do with how many "units" an artist would be expected to move. But forget that for a moment, what do you think of our modern day ability to sample just about any music? And by sample, I mean to check out before buying, not necessarily to download and keep in lieu of buying.

On the one hand, thousands of artists would never have been heard without this easy access. But it also somewhat dampens the excitement for new releases form my favorites. A case in point: I've been listening for the last few weeks to the new one from a big favorite, Richmond Fontaine The High Country, in lossy MP3, and loving it, and now I remember that this hit the store a couple days ago, and I could be spinning the vinyl or CD by now, instead of the MP3. But that easy access took away some of the excitement that would've been there in the old days.

So do you still get excited with a new release looming from your favorites? Do you avoid the pre-release listen, or still check out everything before buying? Can you really even tell much from a quick listen?

It irks me to listen to music on Siriusxm because that's all they play. I ordered the new Richmond Fontaine as they're on automatic for me, but I understand your reasoning. I guess the early leaks do mess things up a bit, but I'll still buy the real thing nearly every time

ForeverAutumn
09-09-2011, 05:35 PM
There are several albums coming out, that are on my buy list, that have been leaked or are available for streaming. I tend to avoid doing this. I still love Tuesdays and I don't want a "pre-listen" to lessen my excitement of something that's on my autobuy list.

However, if I'm sitting on the fence about something or am unsure of whether I want to buy something then I'll try to listen before I buy it.

In the olden days, before CD burners were common and MP3s hit the scene you could buy a CD and return it if you didn't like it. There was really no need to have to listen to something before you pulled the trigger because if it sucked, back it went. But technology made that return process a dangerous tool and returns are no longer allowed. So I don't feel that being able to hear something before buying it changes the risk of getting a bad disk any. But it certainly does hurt that old Tuesday excitement.

Davey
09-09-2011, 10:03 PM
I ordered the new Richmond Fontaine as they're on automatic for me, but I understand your reasoning.

Yea, I went ahead and ordered the CD today from their bandcamp page (http://richmondfontaine.bandcamp.com/), which also comes with an immediate FLAC download (or whatever format you want). Just $12, so got me some full res High Country to enjoy now, and CD coming in a few days.

jonnyhambone
09-10-2011, 04:46 AM
I'm a bit of a Luddite so I rarely do too much work to get a pre-listen, same hand, I'm frugal (poor) and try to make sure I'll really dig what I spend money on. I tend to check out reviews and listen to the song or 2 that gets a pre-release stream. Spotify or eMusic is slick for checking out albums that are already out. I think it's probably good for artists considering the digital d/l's that so many people do exclusively for their music consumption. I buy lots of music in hard copy - mostly lp's - and am more likely to buy something I've heard at least a song or two of...in fact, I keep a list on my phone of things I know I want and others I've heard of but need to check out further before pulling the purchase-trigger. Speaking of the easy access, like your Bandcamp ex., I find myself going directly to band's sites or at least a label's site to check it out and often order directly from them...gotta be good for them to get my $ directly I'd think. Same if I know I'll be seeing someone in concert soon...I'll wait and buy an album from their merch. table which has led to a couple fun things like a Jessie Sykes album and a Buffalo Tom album both signed by the entire band to me personally.
I'm still guilty of spontaneous purchases based on a cool cover or random moment of weakness...
also, thx for the Richmond Fontaine heads-up...watched the video (http://captainsdead.com/tag/richmond-fontaine) that they have out for it and will pick up the vinyl next week!

bobsticks
09-10-2011, 04:59 AM
However, if I'm sitting on the fence about something or am unsure of whether I want to buy something then I'll try to listen before I buy it.
.

I'll second this, both for artists of which I'm familiar but most often for the obscure flailings from the obscure flailers recommended on these here austere pages.

Davey
09-10-2011, 08:01 AM
...also, thx for the Richmond Fontaine heads-up...watched the video (http://captainsdead.com/tag/richmond-fontaine) that they have out for it and will pick up the vinyl next week!

Cool, I thought about splurging for the vinyl too, but it's from Diverse in the UK and so is pretty expensive here, over $32 at Amazon. Should be some better deals at the indies, though. Same deal with the last one, which was also very good if you like the style they've adopted on the last few records, kinda laid back and literate, with a couple rockers to mix it up. This one is my likely record of the year, though. Really amazing. The CD is a bit loud, (assuming the FLAC download is the same as the CD), as was the MP3, but not too bad. Still sounds OK. Vinyl would probably sound nice. Great band and amazing record. John Askew produced this one and gives it some of that noir-esque sound he brought to that great Tracker record of his own, Polk. That Live Farndale, UK (11th Sept 2009) show I mentioned awhile back that can be downloaded is some hot ****. I think there's still one song posted on my SotD page. I could up the whole thing if there's any interest.

noddin0ff
09-12-2011, 06:24 AM
I've been sampling a lot of music lately and I think my purchasing results are mixed. I used to walk through the shops and buy things that got good employee reviews or had nice album art or some such. It was always a bit of a crap shoot for me. Now I sample more, buy less. But I tend to listen to what I buy more. And the things I buy are more off the beaten track and generally not in the stores I frequent.

So, I'm stuck. The stuff I find I like, I can't walk in a store and buy. There's too much to wade through online (e.g. Amazon); it's not as fun as flipping through a rack. Also, there's just a ton of crap out there to download and listen to and that makes that inefficient. But, by reading reviews, looking for downloads and streams I find some good stuff still. I spend less, but it's better targeted. I tend to fail to purchase big acts so I think easy 'samples' hurts the big guys disproportionally.

nobody
09-13-2011, 09:18 AM
Good for artists as far as getting their music heard...bad for artists trying to make a living. People just don't pay for much new music anymore. Outside a few mega-pop bands, groups are left to make their money touring and that's a rough life for anyone to make a go at for too many years. I still try to buy new music, although I admit if they don't pout it out on vinyl I rarely do...outside an occasional cassette for kicks. If it's CD only I generally either pass or grab an electronic copy from someone.

There really is just soooooo much new music coming out all the time now though, what with digital recording so easy anybody and everybody has a CD out somewhere. Makes it hard to sort through. I probably pass over things that aren't engaging in a 30 second sound clip sometimes because I don't have time to give a long listen to so much. if nothing else, I think they way the music is delivered colors what music catches our attention.

SlumpBuster
09-13-2011, 01:30 PM
It's been good for me. iTunes has been great. I'm late to the party only getting decisively into digital music this year. But I've been drowning in new Zydeco and Cajun, as well as 90's pop punk. Those are two of my favorite genres that were always hindered by difficult access at brick and mortar stores. I used to have to go to shows just so I could get to the merch table to buy hard to find stuff. Remember the world when it was easier to get to the show then it was to find the album at Tower?

It was easy internet and digital access that introduced me to Pagliaro. And for that I'm grateful. I listen to his records and download his music. Would not have if I was dependent on the store down the street.

Listen to some Pag, it will make you happy: Michel Pagliaro - What The Hell I Got - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JtmGo8rfAo&feature=related)