Two new songs featuring stellar dance videos, a study on why people stop pursuing new music as they age, a rare interview with a rock legend, and a brilliant young musician showing off her drum chops
Thanks for this fantastic piece Steve, lots to love here! As a lifelong music lover I’m grateful (if not sometimes overwhelmed) by the vast trove of music discovery sources out there. I’m still managing to listen to a few hundred new albums a year but am also digging in to dozens (hundreds?) of older albums every year. From artists I’ve never heard, or musical genres I never knew existed, to bands I’ve kind of always known about but never really spent much time with.
Now Substack has become another compelling source for musical discovery and my last few months here have been thrilling in that regard.
I think back to friendships in my childhood and early adulthood that seemed so tightly interwoven with a mutual love of music and musical discovery. And I’m surprised and saddened when I reconnect with one of those folks only to discover that they stopped listening to new music when they finished college in the mid-90s. I guess I always assumed that the people that loved music as much as I did back in the day would always love it.
I’ve been enjoying the Jungle album and accompanying videos this year. The Steven Wilson song is fantastic and the video is entrancing to watch. I’m looking forward to exploring his solo work and the work of Porcupine Tree, another one of those bands I’m familiar with but never really listened to. Any recommendations on where to start?
Wow - thanks, Mark! It was great to be reminded of both of those videos. I remember seeing that Public Service Broadcasting video a few years ago and had to show it to my wife immediately -- she is a roller-skater. I should compile a YT playlist of my favorite dancing videos. They never fail to cheer me up to watch them. Natural mood boosters!
And yes, it is surprising and a bit sad that so many friends aren't interested in discovering new music (my wife is one of them). I guess to each their own. I have many friends who pursue/obsess over new music so I don't feel a lack of community. And here on Substack that community has exploded! Like you say, it can be overwhelming to even attempt to keep up! There's so much great stuff out there -- and treasures from the past to discover...It requires some amount of discipline to parcel out the time so things like eating, working and sleeping don't fall by the wayside! Thankfully many of those activities allow for music to co-exist....
I may have mentioned it in a comment before, but I listened to Susan Rogers’ book « This is what it sounds like » She was Prince’s sound engineer/producer, and now she’s a Berklee professor who specializes in psychoacoustics. Her book addresses why people like certain music from a more neurological standpoint. I think coming in at this angle, the book has helped me (even now as an old lady) start paying attention when listening to new songs, and focus in on what it is that is appealing. Melody, lyrics, rhythm, timbre, etc. I have a task now when listening to music.
I think I do that too. I listen to a song or album for pure enjoyment the first couple of times and then try and listen with a more evaluative or scientific ear. I do that with films too. Often the two happen together -- it's clear on first listen or viewing what it is that is grabbing at us.
Sep 4, 2023·edited Sep 4, 2023Liked by Steve Goldberg
Love the eclectic mix of things here, Steve--have only gotten through part of it. I'm not familiar enough with Porcupine Tree to call myself a fan, but love some of their (his) stuff, and I also like the backstory, which is pretty amusing. Did not know about Wilson's stuff under his own name--that's a gorgeous piece, and yes, the dancers are great. In both the music and the dance, I got influences of Dubstep, but cranked up a notch and more emotive.
My brother sends me a lot of clips of young musicians making loop tracks at home--there is a huge amount of talent out there. The question is how they will be able to support themselves doing this--I think the jury is out on the evolving music economy. Elise is talented, for sure!
Played the McHenry interview--that's interesting, but I'm skeptical of the "music as sign of identity" part. For me it certainly wasn't--I loved my parents' music and shared my music with them--my mom was much more open than my dad. I was too much of a social outlier for it even to occur to me that music taste was tribal. I just kept trying to get my Manilow-loving friends to check out Deep Purple, and got no-fucking-where with THAT. But I do fit his demographic of the older male voraciously seeking out new music--to the point where it's getting in the way of other responsibilities!
Thanks, Charles! Glad you enjoyed checking out the myriad of bits and bobs! Steven Wilson has not only created a ton of challenging/evocative/expansive music but has remixed tons of great albums, bringing out even more layers to the music. It has tempted me to get a 5:1 stereo system but I do try to live by the credo I mentioned-- live simply to simply live --or some nonsense like that.🤓
Great post, Steve, thank you. So much to follow-up on there, including the whole Andy Partridge interview (I wrote about 'English Settlement' a few weeks ago).
Steven Wilson is incredible and has made some intriguing solo albums. Very excited about the new one. It's designed to be heard in spatial audio, and he's been holding listening parties that are getting very positive reviews. For those of us with just the two speakers, though, I'm sure The Harmony Codex will still sound great - Economies of Scale certainly does. Another track is due to be unveiled tomorrow.
Yeah - I remember reading your English Settlement piece. It inspired me to play it right afterward! Such a fantastic album. Really, for me, all of them are. I suppose I am slightly less fond of Wasp Star (Apple Venus Pt.2), but the bar was so high it makes sense something would feel less than perfect.
Before Substack, I had a blog titled Fuzzy's Warbles, named after both XTC/Andy as well as the original source, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. My nickname was Fuzzy so it all felt right.
I also am a 2-speaker man, though I do have surround sound for my TV, so if the 5:1 is streamable I may try playing Harmony Codex in my living room! I have a friend who is an audiophile and has played me some of the Wilson mixed XTC discs.
Really cool dance videos, Steve! Not as familiar with Wilson as I'd like to be (although, I'm aware he's been an uber-busy re-mix artist)! Would any of that (from either video, but particularly Wilson's), I'm curious, be considered more interpretive dance than strict choreography (requiring rehearsal and planned steps)? Subtle difference, perhaps, but a thought that occurred.
I always remembered Michael Buble's video for "It's a Beautiful Day" (a decade ago) as being shot in one take. Having just re-viewed it, it's not, but, if you haven't seen it, aside from being a bitchin' song (and not just because I used to karaoke it!), it's a cool vid, with choreography galore (starting especially as he bursts into the first chorus), but clever edits and a cute premise! See if you agree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QYxuGQMCuU
I’ll check out the Buble video later today- sounds great! The dancers for the Wilson video I would have to think were very much choreographed, but maybe given room to improvise as well. I’ll have to look into that! I know for sure the dancers in the Jungle videos are definitely choreographed. There’s a great article about the choreographer that I will find later and link to in the comments.
Thanks......yeah, the Jungle ones looked more (traditionally) choreographed, but the ones in the Wilson video.....quite avant....I wonder if all that was of Wilson's doing, or (I'm guessing) he hired a choreographer and/or troupe to perform? You don't have to do any digging....I'm just musing out loud (the way I'm most likely to muse, it seems)!
Great post Steve! I have a good friend who’s an XTC superfan - he’ll love it (they just weren’t my thing but I love to see folks who are serious fans get a new article or story!).
Over 50 is about that time in life when you start to think what am I going to DO? Music is a good thing to do...
That’s hilarious Michael! It is kind of funny that as an over 50 male, I also had been in a “What am I gonna do when I grow up?“ phase in recent years.
Thanks for the intro to Elise Trouw - will investigate further. When it comes to looping, sometimes it’s very show-offy and not very musical. Sounds like she’s struck the right balance! I’m a long time Sound Ops listener, too, and they continue to do a good job. I get a little tired of the Jason Isbell worship as I think he’s mediocrity personified - especially when they’ve never reviewed ONE Hiss Golden Messenger album 😭. Tirade over - great post!
Thanks Jeremy! Yeah, there is a lot of bad live looping out there. Which is why I specifically her picked out Elise. Her loops are always in service to the song. And watching her make the loops, I am impressed by how relaxed and unhurried she is building the song.
I’m in full agreement in terms of Hiss Golden Messenger not getting enough accolades. But I am a big fan of Jason Isbell, so I wouldn’t use him as my comparison of what gets over attention on the show. That would be Brian Eno! Ha- and I say that as a big Eno fan.
Accidentally deleted my comment (fat fingers!) so here goes: great piece! Interesting to read about how and why we stop seeking out new music as we age. One thing I do is find out who inspired the artists that I love. That way it’s like receiving recommendations from the artists themselves.
I am totally obsessed with all of the Jungle dance videos. Some of the most amazing and original choreography I’ve ever see with such talented dancers - most shot in one take.
I know I’m obsessed too! And I just learned that most (if not all) of their albums have companion dance videos to them! I have some catching up to do...
Thanks Andres! Yeah, it’s worth checking out the study (and listening to the interview). One interesting tidbit he mentioned is that men over 50 is a demographic that tends to return to music discovery greater than any other! Probably connected to fear of aging/trying to recapture their youth! Or maybe I should say “my”, as a man over 50!;)
That’s very interesting and makes a lot of sense. Why not -- I think it’s important to keep an open mind (I say it to myself as well because, although I’m still far from 50, I can already see which direction I’m going 😅)
Thanks for this fantastic piece Steve, lots to love here! As a lifelong music lover I’m grateful (if not sometimes overwhelmed) by the vast trove of music discovery sources out there. I’m still managing to listen to a few hundred new albums a year but am also digging in to dozens (hundreds?) of older albums every year. From artists I’ve never heard, or musical genres I never knew existed, to bands I’ve kind of always known about but never really spent much time with.
Now Substack has become another compelling source for musical discovery and my last few months here have been thrilling in that regard.
I think back to friendships in my childhood and early adulthood that seemed so tightly interwoven with a mutual love of music and musical discovery. And I’m surprised and saddened when I reconnect with one of those folks only to discover that they stopped listening to new music when they finished college in the mid-90s. I guess I always assumed that the people that loved music as much as I did back in the day would always love it.
I’ve been enjoying the Jungle album and accompanying videos this year. The Steven Wilson song is fantastic and the video is entrancing to watch. I’m looking forward to exploring his solo work and the work of Porcupine Tree, another one of those bands I’m familiar with but never really listened to. Any recommendations on where to start?
A couple “dance” videos came to mind for me:
Daft Punk’s Around the World
https://youtu.be/K0HSD_i2DvA?si=Jxxn5R32ms8S1ycp
and Public Service Broadcasting’s People Let’s Dance
https://youtu.be/T0MTqhf9xPo?si=WgTW2_-JY7Flj0Hg
Wow - thanks, Mark! It was great to be reminded of both of those videos. I remember seeing that Public Service Broadcasting video a few years ago and had to show it to my wife immediately -- she is a roller-skater. I should compile a YT playlist of my favorite dancing videos. They never fail to cheer me up to watch them. Natural mood boosters!
And yes, it is surprising and a bit sad that so many friends aren't interested in discovering new music (my wife is one of them). I guess to each their own. I have many friends who pursue/obsess over new music so I don't feel a lack of community. And here on Substack that community has exploded! Like you say, it can be overwhelming to even attempt to keep up! There's so much great stuff out there -- and treasures from the past to discover...It requires some amount of discipline to parcel out the time so things like eating, working and sleeping don't fall by the wayside! Thankfully many of those activities allow for music to co-exist....
Thanks for reading!
I may have mentioned it in a comment before, but I listened to Susan Rogers’ book « This is what it sounds like » She was Prince’s sound engineer/producer, and now she’s a Berklee professor who specializes in psychoacoustics. Her book addresses why people like certain music from a more neurological standpoint. I think coming in at this angle, the book has helped me (even now as an old lady) start paying attention when listening to new songs, and focus in on what it is that is appealing. Melody, lyrics, rhythm, timbre, etc. I have a task now when listening to music.
I think I do that too. I listen to a song or album for pure enjoyment the first couple of times and then try and listen with a more evaluative or scientific ear. I do that with films too. Often the two happen together -- it's clear on first listen or viewing what it is that is grabbing at us.
Love the eclectic mix of things here, Steve--have only gotten through part of it. I'm not familiar enough with Porcupine Tree to call myself a fan, but love some of their (his) stuff, and I also like the backstory, which is pretty amusing. Did not know about Wilson's stuff under his own name--that's a gorgeous piece, and yes, the dancers are great. In both the music and the dance, I got influences of Dubstep, but cranked up a notch and more emotive.
My brother sends me a lot of clips of young musicians making loop tracks at home--there is a huge amount of talent out there. The question is how they will be able to support themselves doing this--I think the jury is out on the evolving music economy. Elise is talented, for sure!
Played the McHenry interview--that's interesting, but I'm skeptical of the "music as sign of identity" part. For me it certainly wasn't--I loved my parents' music and shared my music with them--my mom was much more open than my dad. I was too much of a social outlier for it even to occur to me that music taste was tribal. I just kept trying to get my Manilow-loving friends to check out Deep Purple, and got no-fucking-where with THAT. But I do fit his demographic of the older male voraciously seeking out new music--to the point where it's getting in the way of other responsibilities!
Great article.
Thanks, Charles! Glad you enjoyed checking out the myriad of bits and bobs! Steven Wilson has not only created a ton of challenging/evocative/expansive music but has remixed tons of great albums, bringing out even more layers to the music. It has tempted me to get a 5:1 stereo system but I do try to live by the credo I mentioned-- live simply to simply live --or some nonsense like that.🤓
Great post, Steve, thank you. So much to follow-up on there, including the whole Andy Partridge interview (I wrote about 'English Settlement' a few weeks ago).
Steven Wilson is incredible and has made some intriguing solo albums. Very excited about the new one. It's designed to be heard in spatial audio, and he's been holding listening parties that are getting very positive reviews. For those of us with just the two speakers, though, I'm sure The Harmony Codex will still sound great - Economies of Scale certainly does. Another track is due to be unveiled tomorrow.
Yeah - I remember reading your English Settlement piece. It inspired me to play it right afterward! Such a fantastic album. Really, for me, all of them are. I suppose I am slightly less fond of Wasp Star (Apple Venus Pt.2), but the bar was so high it makes sense something would feel less than perfect.
Before Substack, I had a blog titled Fuzzy's Warbles, named after both XTC/Andy as well as the original source, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. My nickname was Fuzzy so it all felt right.
I also am a 2-speaker man, though I do have surround sound for my TV, so if the 5:1 is streamable I may try playing Harmony Codex in my living room! I have a friend who is an audiophile and has played me some of the Wilson mixed XTC discs.
Thanks for reading my post.
I’m sure the Wilson album will be streamable using Dolby Atmos (certainly it will be on Apple Music). I’d very interested to read what you make of it.
Really cool dance videos, Steve! Not as familiar with Wilson as I'd like to be (although, I'm aware he's been an uber-busy re-mix artist)! Would any of that (from either video, but particularly Wilson's), I'm curious, be considered more interpretive dance than strict choreography (requiring rehearsal and planned steps)? Subtle difference, perhaps, but a thought that occurred.
I always remembered Michael Buble's video for "It's a Beautiful Day" (a decade ago) as being shot in one take. Having just re-viewed it, it's not, but, if you haven't seen it, aside from being a bitchin' song (and not just because I used to karaoke it!), it's a cool vid, with choreography galore (starting especially as he bursts into the first chorus), but clever edits and a cute premise! See if you agree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QYxuGQMCuU
I’ll check out the Buble video later today- sounds great! The dancers for the Wilson video I would have to think were very much choreographed, but maybe given room to improvise as well. I’ll have to look into that! I know for sure the dancers in the Jungle videos are definitely choreographed. There’s a great article about the choreographer that I will find later and link to in the comments.
Thanks......yeah, the Jungle ones looked more (traditionally) choreographed, but the ones in the Wilson video.....quite avant....I wonder if all that was of Wilson's doing, or (I'm guessing) he hired a choreographer and/or troupe to perform? You don't have to do any digging....I'm just musing out loud (the way I'm most likely to muse, it seems)!
Muse away! I do want to know the answer though! So I'm gonna look into it.
Great post Steve! I have a good friend who’s an XTC superfan - he’ll love it (they just weren’t my thing but I love to see folks who are serious fans get a new article or story!).
Over 50 is about that time in life when you start to think what am I going to DO? Music is a good thing to do...
That’s hilarious Michael! It is kind of funny that as an over 50 male, I also had been in a “What am I gonna do when I grow up?“ phase in recent years.
Wait; we have to decide on something to decide on something once we turn 50?
Thanks for the intro to Elise Trouw - will investigate further. When it comes to looping, sometimes it’s very show-offy and not very musical. Sounds like she’s struck the right balance! I’m a long time Sound Ops listener, too, and they continue to do a good job. I get a little tired of the Jason Isbell worship as I think he’s mediocrity personified - especially when they’ve never reviewed ONE Hiss Golden Messenger album 😭. Tirade over - great post!
Thanks Jeremy! Yeah, there is a lot of bad live looping out there. Which is why I specifically her picked out Elise. Her loops are always in service to the song. And watching her make the loops, I am impressed by how relaxed and unhurried she is building the song.
I’m in full agreement in terms of Hiss Golden Messenger not getting enough accolades. But I am a big fan of Jason Isbell, so I wouldn’t use him as my comparison of what gets over attention on the show. That would be Brian Eno! Ha- and I say that as a big Eno fan.
Haha - "Eno" - ding!
Accidentally deleted my comment (fat fingers!) so here goes: great piece! Interesting to read about how and why we stop seeking out new music as we age. One thing I do is find out who inspired the artists that I love. That way it’s like receiving recommendations from the artists themselves.
I am totally obsessed with all of the Jungle dance videos. Some of the most amazing and original choreography I’ve ever see with such talented dancers - most shot in one take.
I know I’m obsessed too! And I just learned that most (if not all) of their albums have companion dance videos to them! I have some catching up to do...
Thanks Andres! Yeah, it’s worth checking out the study (and listening to the interview). One interesting tidbit he mentioned is that men over 50 is a demographic that tends to return to music discovery greater than any other! Probably connected to fear of aging/trying to recapture their youth! Or maybe I should say “my”, as a man over 50!;)
I'd say less about recapturing my youth than about being afraid to miss out on something good!
Yeah that’s the more positive way of looking at it!
That’s very interesting and makes a lot of sense. Why not -- I think it’s important to keep an open mind (I say it to myself as well because, although I’m still far from 50, I can already see which direction I’m going 😅)