[microsound] NEW from and/OAR: Francisco Lopez

[Bill Jarboe <billjarboe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.and-oar.org/pop_and_27.html


 Hello,

   I have no problems with Francisco Lopez, in fact I've never listened 
to his recordings. Looking at the presentation of this release provoked 
some thoughts and I think it merits discussion.

   I thought the mp3-0mb. was especially cute. I'm just observing that 
in many of these micro-sound, lowercase, field recording , what have 
you type of releases the text photos and graphic design seem more 
important to the consumer than the audio. I have no objection to good 
design ,I'm noticing that many people like to be told 'what it is' 
before listening. What happens when no-one states 'what it is'? Do you 
refuse to listen or just mentally tune it out?

  What happens if someone is terribly good at making musical recordings 
yet has no interest in graphic design or the framing of sensory 
experience (or non-sensory experience)? Perhaps a major goal in this 
case might be to woo a graphic designer, preferably the most natty one 
. How to accomplish this? Looking natty one's self is running the risk 
of appearing as competition or slightly emphasizing the wrong details 
or something already passé and therefore abhorrent to the intended 
quarry. Merely ordinary and utilitarian would probably get ignored. 
Speaking is overused and sometimes harsh to the ear: the reason for 
music production in polite society. The solution then seems to be to 
look rather chaotic and messy, giving the designer incentive to work, 
to straighten define; similar to the response a housecleaner might have 
to a trashed living room. In the summer months it might be a good idea 
to wear little clothing, be strong and healthy in a non-threatening 
way. This might make the designer more friendly and open, resulting in 
good design and good music yet probably not specifically related.

    Of course, most of us could imagine a huge , lavish glossy magazine 
with many photos and dense text with an evatone flexidisc near the back 
cover which has a few brief phrases of music for the reader's 
enjoyment. Unfortunately I don't think anyone makes flexidiscs in this 
individualistic secular era. It might be possible in the foreseeable 
future for magazine publishers to have a static , non-mechanical audio 
player inserted ; rather like  a disposable ipod. I know of magazines 
with c.d.s included; the main problem seems to be that they have really 
gummy adhesive which have a tendency to stick to disc and cause it to 
skip , often in really uncool places.

   I once heard an objection to a c.d. by John Hudak. They didn't know 
what they were listening to... I didn't offer any hints. Later the same 
person liked it and even played it for someone else who was very 
impressed.


  Of course, there are live shows. it's probably difficult to get 
booked unless the promoters , hosts are reasonably convinced that that 
they know what you are, how long you're going to be that way, that you 
won't leap through a wall , scream continuously for an hour or just 
fall asleep or forget.


  I have no objections to a nature recording packaged with impressive 
photos, extensive text notes , essays . It doesn't bother me if someone 
set up a microphone in the wind , captured something which they found 
inspiring then presented that to the public in a lavish cover. What 
comes to mind is the antithesis to that approach: a record by a group 
of musicians who are almost entirely consumed by the effort of making 
music in a carefully controlled environment and then having the 
resulting disc left out in the elements. Both approaches contain a 
certain irony. What doesn't seem ironic is a recording of natural 
elements left in its natural element; to be eroded, marred and buffeted 
by sand, wind, surf and decaying organic matter, or a carefully 
performed record to be presented in a carefully and deliberately 
artificial looking package.


  From what I have read of the work of Mr. Lopez, I get the idea that 
he is concerned with sound in its self having an effect on the 
audience, sometimes presenting concerts in darkened rooms , avoiding 
explanations or showmanship (though that could be an effective 
explanation and form of showmanship).I'm thinking that the idea of the 
packaging on this new release is to prepare the listener for the 
immersion in a different sound world. The music is the reason for the 
design, not the other way around.



 There are ways out of the dilemma of sound before visuals or visuals 
before sound. Some of them may actually work , so I'd rather not 
mention them.



                                                                       
cheers,

                                                                        
William

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: microsound-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
For additional commands, e-mail: microsound-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
website: http://www.microsound.org