Gutted, but on the plus side....new chair

So my proposal for The Meadowlands didn't make it through to the long list for selection. I am, as the title of this post suggests, a bit gutted. However, I've found the process of writing the proposal to be a useful one and it's given me some impetus to push on with a few other projects which will no doubt pop up on here at some point in the near future.

First up here's a rather nice chair I bought recently for my mix room (which is nearing completion).

Books!

Point of arrival #1 - The Wrens 'I've made enough friends'

This is going to be one of those semi-regular, can't-think-of-anything-better-to-write posts where I'm going to have a stab at investigation my favourite bits of music, not whole songs, but the little moments within them which makes them great (though I'll admit up front that the little moments often depend on the whole song to elevate them, thus Point of arrival). It seems only fitting I kick off with a Wrens track though I'm back-tracking a bit, to their second album 'Secaucus', released in 1996, to track 12, 'I've made enough friends.'

Weighing in at 2.48 it's nigh on perfect pop but it squeezes a lot into the time. This is less about classical pop song structure (verse, verse, chorus etc.) and more about poetry with musical accompaniment. In isolation the title reads as pure statement but as the song develops we come to understand it is also part plea and part burning frustration. At 1.50 we hit the songs raw nerve. The music drops back, the harmonies take over, "I've made enough friends".

Check out the lyrics here and give it a listen. I guarantee you won't spend a better 2.48 today.

Unleashing your music on the world

Stevie Wonder had the right idea. In 1976 he flew over 200 journalists to Long View Farm Studios in Massachusetts to listen to his new album 'Songs in the Key of Life.' Watching the film it's hard to believe the effort that went into this single event to say nothing of the cost. But for an artist at the height of his powers, his 18th album and the first released under a new $37 million contract maybe it was worth doing it with a bit of pizazz.

In slightly less salubrious, though no less iconic circumstances Pink Floyd held their press preview for 'Animals' at the Sports and Social Club of Battersea Power Station in London a year after Wonder's shindig. Battersea was still a working power station at the time and was featured on the albums cover though it still doesn't strike me as the logical choice for a an album launch!

In the here and now there are myriad ways to promote your new record without the hassle of chartering a plane, arranging a party or even turning up, but that doesn't mean the album launch event is a thing of the past. Norah Jones recently unveiled her new record 'Little Broken Hearts' live in full at SXSW. The Foo Fighter's did something similar for 'Wasting Light', broadcasting live from their studio (in 3D no less) but they went on to top that by playing a series of gigs in fan's garages, tying the live experience of the album with it's recording which took place in Grohl's own garage.



The Wrens went in a slightly different direction with the release of 'The Meadowlands.' To celebrate the albums completion (and in all likelihood to ensure against further tweaking) they decided the only way to truly finish the album was to have a party and erase the master tapes. They then released a limited edition of the album, screen printing all 1000 covers themselves. No planes, champagne, or flying pigs in sight. I reckon they're saving all that for the next one!

Song's in the Key of Life video via 33 1/3
Dave Grohl video via NMETV

White vinyl is definitely the classiest....

Few days at home with my folks so a bit of a break from the Wren-athon but I did manage to dig out my Napiers 7". Appropriately enough it's a 33 1/3

Coincidence is a wonderful thing

The first all digitally produced Billboard Number 1 single was on the top spot when Napster was launched in June 1999. I think tonight's clean desk policy made things go a lot smoother. Still on course for Thursday submission.

Welcome

I am currently in the proposal phase of the writing process. The end result will (hopefully) be a book for the Bloomsbury Academic 33 1/3 series about 'The Meadowlands' by The Wrens. One self-imposed deadline is already fast receding into the distance. New deadline is Thursday!