Personal Anthems (cos no-one else appreciates them)

[Corpsey]

In the last year I've become obsessed with a semi-obscure unreleased song by SWV called ''Mystery''.



Even though you can tell that it hasn't been properly mixed down and to a lot of people it might sound like a pretty MOR or even saccharine love song, I absolutely love the harmonies and production on this song (and actually I like the slightly unpolished feel of it, it gives it a bit of a bittersweet frailty or something). Its just one of those ones that gets to me.

The thing is I don't think ANYBODY I have played this song to (tentatively, as you do with songs that you aren't aware of anybody else liking) has appreciated it with anything like the level of enthusiasm as me. This has happened to me a lot over the years, this weird, depressing experience of playing a song to somebody that I absolutely adore, that has become part of the fabric of my life-experience, and getting at best a ''that's quite good!'' response. This is exactly the way I have reacted to other people's favourite songs, of course - its a 'horses for courses' thing.

Just occurred to me while listening to ''Mystery'' three times in a row today that this might be an interesting topic to discuss on here. OR IS IT JUST ME?

 

[Corpsey]

In fact, I've been musing today (musing and masturbating, the twin cornerstones of my life) about how SOLITARY my experience of music has become, for the most part. I listen to music all the time, on headphones and at home on my speakers, but very rarely WITH other people. And when I consider the most potently emotional experiences I've had with music in the last few years, they have generally been accompanied by... well, BEING ACCOMPANIED.

I think there's something so gratifying and touching about listening to music with your friends or partners or family or whoever, and all connecting over how much you're enjoying it. I wonder if listening to music is now, more than ever before, a generally solitary pursuit? Of course we are all connected by the internet, and millions tune into X Factor and go to music festivals, but I suppose in the distant past almost the only time you'd hear music was when it was performed live, to an audience.

 

[IdleRich]

I think you should be wary of extrapolating too much from yourself. I'm listening to music with my girlfriend right now (Dave Ball - In Strict Tempo since you ask) which is the normal state of affairs here - it has to be cos we've got the record player in the living room and that's where we both tend to sit. If friends come round then they're gonna hear it too and yesterday a load of us were playing records to each other in a pub down the road. But, that said, I'm sure that I do have personal anthem type tunes, simply songs that others don't like so much I guess. Let me have a think and see what I come up with...

 

[Corpsey]

Yeah the second post was me being wanky really.

 

[paolo]

If I've got someone round or I'm at someone else's I can't really sit and pay attention to the music because I'll be talking away. I only really get 'wow isn't this great' shared experiences when I'm out

 

[the_woof]

I found this on a white label a couple summers ago, probably was more well-known in its time and it's not like I get blank stares from people when I play it for them... but I listened to this at least once a day for months, I don't think anybody else has been that personally blown away by it.


This one is probably also more popular than I think, but it's the only track I have from that album and I connected with it in a really personal way cause I heard it while contemplating a long-distance relationship.

Relating to solitary listening, I've definitely been surprised by how rarely I and other DJs and producers talk in detail about tracks and albums. I'm not sure if this is something people are doing and I'm just not part of it for some reason, but at least in the Boston scene and during the time I've spent in NY it feels like the way we talk about music is relatively superficial (with some exceptions of course). Greg Wilson did this Living to Music thing for a while, I'm thinking about organizing one whenever I get my shit together. He outlines it here: http://www.gregwilson.co.uk/2010/06/living-to-music/

 

[Patrick Swayze]

I tend to listen to music alone as I only really like grime and all my friends are black

 

[baboon2004]

When you've got a sizeable proportion of the records ever made at your fingertips through youtube, maybe it's inevitable that the fine differences between people's tastes will become more apparent, and you'll end up obsessing about different records. With a smaller number of records to choose from, as in the pre-internet era, it's more likely that obsessions will overlap.

That said, I liked the fact that in 2013, there were a lot of big hits that were also really good records - music felt a bit more communal that it has done in recent years. Even Burial's writing Xmas crowd pleasers.

 

[mistersloane]

Burials blatantly did a Xmas song. Sellout.

This year, probably more than any year in the past, I was able to listen to, and share, music with my friends who were into music. So we ended up doing whole youtube nights, much more than before, where whole nights were just about Youtube. This ended up being about what one liked, and what one remembered without being able to pull it off a shelf, it makes music more nebulous, and harder to find, I found.

Thus I appreciated, this year, people who concentrated on obscure music cos I realised how muc more work that is, now.

But I still, really, only listen on headphones to early 90s NY hiphop instrumentals, and rarely talk about that with anyone, so I feel your pain. But hang with it, buddy, someone, somewhere, is out there for you. And when you find em, marry em.

 

[philblackpool]

In the last year I've become obsessed with a semi-obscure unreleased song by SWV called ''Mystery''.



Even though you can tell that it hasn't been properly mixed down and to a lot of people it might sound like a pretty MOR or even saccharine love song, I absolutely love the harmonies and production on this song (and actually I like the slightly unpolished feel of it, it gives it a bit of a bittersweet frailty or something). Its just one of those ones that gets to me.

The thing is I don't think ANYBODY I have played this song to (tentatively, as you do with songs that you aren't aware of anybody else liking) has appreciated it with anything like the level of enthusiasm as me. This has happened to me a lot over the years, this weird, depressing experience of playing a song to somebody that I absolutely adore, that has become part of the fabric of my life-experience, and getting at best a ''that's quite good!'' response. This is exactly the way I have reacted to other people's favourite songs, of course - its a 'horses for courses' thing.

Just occurred to me while listening to ''Mystery'' three times in a row today that this might be an interesting topic to discuss on here. OR IS IT JUST ME?

This is a Max Rees (Cambridge soul DJ)-type tune.

I wouldn't say the one below is a flop when you play it to people, I'm just always amazed it is not more popular. It was a minor hit at the time & I got sent a promo, which passed me by, then when I was going through stuff to pass on years later I played it again & thought it was fantastic! It is I suppose from that Dum Dums pre-Busted/McFly era, but (like Busted at times), it raises a smile lyrics-wise, in fact its got that sorta creepy Pulp vibe to it! It looks like he has staggered on in near-obscurity since, I should probably check more of it out. I think I listened to some of the other Catch stuff at some point & it wasn't as effervescent.

 

[philblackpool]

This Charo one isn't exactly unpopular, but it never gets its dues in the Salsoul catalogue, I think cos the singer was some sorta airhead celebrity & a bit short-tongued, but I like it, I always thought it was genuinely silky & latin & it was the first Salsoul one I owned.

 

[philblackpool]

There was a little period of Mid-town Euro hardcore stuff that had this particular strict beats & Mentasms but pre-gabba sound. I only heard these a coupla years later - there are only a handful that sit right in this sound (I know theres loadsa stuff that's close, but these are just edging a bit more towards gabba), but as you can see from the view count on these Deadkirks & Mac De Hey ones, they weren't majorly popular I don't think & you rarely hear them on revival. I love em, great pumping yet creepy sound.

 

[philblackpool]

Always thought this was rather lovely in a sorta light Detroit style - Irish semi-well-known DJ Donnacha Costello, very low viewcount on youtube again:

 

[philblackpool]

I know I'm gonna be on my own with this one. Peel played it once or twice. Its on Rabbit City but it ain't what they're known for. Sorta epic yet thrown together, slightly hammy hardcore, bit upful in places, quite pounding in others, but I think not meaty enough to really get played out - I wasn't out much at that point, but I've never heard it on a tape or revival. Low viewcount again:

 

[philblackpool]

Lysergically good Foreheads In A Fishtank track... Got a decent release but they were just too weird. Their revival page doesn't get many views & nor do the vids by the look of it:

 

[philblackpool]

Fruitcake (Drunks With Guns spin-off). Another Peel play. Don't know quite what it is that I like about this band - their other stuff is ace as well, but this is my favourite still. Sorta Shadows-y but lo-fi as anything, stupid yet creepy vocal effect, pushed into overdrive at the end. What were they trying to do?! Low viewcount again. I tried to contact Deleon for an interview the other year & got no reply.

 

[philblackpool]

This one was probably a 'hit' but I just don't get why you don't hear about it more cos its the same rapper as on Dominator & this mix is as good (if not quite such a revelation cos its from a coupla years later). Sorta same bracket as the Mid-town ones from before. Intense. I love tracky European rap loops when they work!

 

[philblackpool]

J Pac "Nutter": Another one I got a promo of, didn't catch onto & then picked up on later when going through stuff. Their other stuff never caught me & they're obviously on many levels terrible but its great pop & like the Catch one, you wonder how they were thinking the lyrics were chart material! Funny thread about em on Popjustice but that's about it at this remove...

 

[philblackpool]

Papa Sprain: these guys aren't exactly unknown but they never get nearly enough dues. Shunned a bit at the time for the interconnected but nowhere near as good Butterfly Child. Did a great Peel session & three EPs, all of which were very intriguing but May the best. Tunes all sound totally different from each other, which probably didn't help. Low viewcount & barely any interest when they try & revive their rep online. This is what religious music should sound like now:

 

[philblackpool]

Po! Again these guys aren't totally unknown - they did quite a few records & I guess were kinda well-known on that twee scene. They had a decent website about ten years ago but it lapsed & I believe they do sensible things now like teach etc. The name's a bit hard to google. I suppose people like this if you play it to em, but its a very specific style. This one (obviously an anfem for them, cos its on several of their releases) & Bus Shelter In the Rain (more melancholy, not on youtube) are my favourites. Its not so much that no-one likes this one, its that I can't understand why no-one has ever forced it into the general consciousness more, it really is a lovely song. Hardly any views again: