Thursday, November 25, 2010
Fear of sound or is silence golden?
Physical State: cold
Mental State: agitated
Music: The Boats - Sleepy Insect Music
Fashion sense: jeans, black long sleeve shirt.
Today I was sitting at the local Starbucks listening to the newest episode of the Spark podcast from CBC and the beginning part got me to thinking. Nora interviewed Julian Treasure in Surrey, England who has written a book called Sound Business about the nature of sounds and how they affect us emotionally, physiologically, etc. Check out this TED lecture. He is also part of a consulting firm Sound Agency that works with businesses and their sound environments to increase productivity and sales. The example that Nora cited was a sound environment project that his company Sound Agency had designed for the Glasgow International Airport that was to chill out travellers waiting for flights.
As I sat there and wrapped up my listening to the podcast I started trying to read a book while listening to some soft ambient music (The Boats as linked to above). Even with earbuds that were cranked I could also simultaneously hear: two hyperactive teenage girls high on sugary frapuccinos laughing and gabbing at extremely high levels, the invasive sounds of Christmas music blasting on the cafe sound system, the beeping noise of the brew alert signal behind the cash and a guy talking on his cell phone. This caused me a lot of stress (as cacophonous sounds often do). Throw some caffeine on top of it all and BOOM, a not so pleasant experience all told. Our avenues for quiet reflection and contemplation are becoming scarcer and scarcer. I find it hard now to read a book longer than 10 minutes or read emails with a television blaring in the next room. With tinnitus (that I have had for 4+ years) it sounds, in total silence, like there is a tv on in the room. I am convinced that I listened to a Guitar Wolf song (Jet Generation) one too many times and that put the tinnitus over the top although I can't prove it. The tinnitus makes it hard to concentrate (and at one time sleep). Do we truly get used to noise? With my ipod I crank up the volume of music I want to hear to calm me while it competes with sounds around me making it hard to focus. Its probably no coincidence that the noise cancellation headphones are the biggest sellers at the moment. We want to turn off the world and live in our own.
I seem to be, over the past few years, yearning more and more for quiet and peaceful environments when it comes to sound. This is reflected in the choices I make for music which lately seem to be more ambient in nature: non-vocal, non-abrasive and droney. Stars of The Lid being my ultimate go-to band. Its interesting that Treasure and his firm have been creating this "Music For Airports" (to coin a phrase from the Brian Eno album name from several years ago). It seems that silence (and calm sound environments) are a rarity these days around us. I find increasingly that when I am confronted with silence or a peaceful soundscape that I also get a feeling that I should be DOING something. I find that I am weirded out a bit by silence, yet I crave it constantly. Perhaps its because I have music on at all times that my ears are telling me they need a break.
Physical State: cold
Mental State: agitated
Music: The Boats - Sleepy Insect Music
Fashion sense: jeans, black long sleeve shirt.
Today I was sitting at the local Starbucks listening to the newest episode of the Spark podcast from CBC and the beginning part got me to thinking. Nora interviewed Julian Treasure in Surrey, England who has written a book called Sound Business about the nature of sounds and how they affect us emotionally, physiologically, etc. Check out this TED lecture. He is also part of a consulting firm Sound Agency that works with businesses and their sound environments to increase productivity and sales. The example that Nora cited was a sound environment project that his company Sound Agency had designed for the Glasgow International Airport that was to chill out travellers waiting for flights.
As I sat there and wrapped up my listening to the podcast I started trying to read a book while listening to some soft ambient music (The Boats as linked to above). Even with earbuds that were cranked I could also simultaneously hear: two hyperactive teenage girls high on sugary frapuccinos laughing and gabbing at extremely high levels, the invasive sounds of Christmas music blasting on the cafe sound system, the beeping noise of the brew alert signal behind the cash and a guy talking on his cell phone. This caused me a lot of stress (as cacophonous sounds often do). Throw some caffeine on top of it all and BOOM, a not so pleasant experience all told. Our avenues for quiet reflection and contemplation are becoming scarcer and scarcer. I find it hard now to read a book longer than 10 minutes or read emails with a television blaring in the next room. With tinnitus (that I have had for 4+ years) it sounds, in total silence, like there is a tv on in the room. I am convinced that I listened to a Guitar Wolf song (Jet Generation) one too many times and that put the tinnitus over the top although I can't prove it. The tinnitus makes it hard to concentrate (and at one time sleep). Do we truly get used to noise? With my ipod I crank up the volume of music I want to hear to calm me while it competes with sounds around me making it hard to focus. Its probably no coincidence that the noise cancellation headphones are the biggest sellers at the moment. We want to turn off the world and live in our own.
I seem to be, over the past few years, yearning more and more for quiet and peaceful environments when it comes to sound. This is reflected in the choices I make for music which lately seem to be more ambient in nature: non-vocal, non-abrasive and droney. Stars of The Lid being my ultimate go-to band. Its interesting that Treasure and his firm have been creating this "Music For Airports" (to coin a phrase from the Brian Eno album name from several years ago). It seems that silence (and calm sound environments) are a rarity these days around us. I find increasingly that when I am confronted with silence or a peaceful soundscape that I also get a feeling that I should be DOING something. I find that I am weirded out a bit by silence, yet I crave it constantly. Perhaps its because I have music on at all times that my ears are telling me they need a break.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
When brand loyality seems misplaced.
Physical State: creaky
Mental State: hazy
Music: Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Fashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.
This week there are two brand activities that I have to comment on. Actions that can change the way we feel about a company and our loyality to it.
Last week Joe Fresh, the fashion line of the Loblaws group, had this lovely statement on their blog for Remembrance Day:
"Dear Joe Fresh fans,
Yesterday was Remembrance Day – an important day which got me remembering this season’s take on military-inspired chic."
That's what its come down to? Once a day to remember the war dead and those serving now a day to remind you of military-inspired fashions. No words really. Just baffling. Just...wow!
And this week eMusic the once venerable indie music legal downloading service has announced that major indie labels Merge, Domino and the Beggars Group of labels (4AD, Matador, Young Turks, XL, Too Pure, etc) have left their service and we have two days (TWO DAYS) to download any of their stuff. I would estimate about 85% of what made eMusic were these three companies who saw it through some tough times. The story is that eMusic has sold their bread and butter labels down the river so that they can make way for Universal Music to be in their catalogue (Sony and Warner are already there). Again, no words. Good luck with that.
"We want to be up front with our loyal indie fans and provide advance notice that music from Merge and the Beggars Group family of labels will no longer be available on eMusic as of Nov. 18, 2010 pending further discussions. This is as heartbreaking to us as it is to you. Please know we have done everything we could to keep them from leaving. Forging deals with our label partners can be pretty complex. As many of you know, labels have come and gone over the years, and we hope to see these labels back soon."
I don't think trying to compete with iTunes is a great idea business-wise, Jobs will probably crush you. What's more they have not only lost their street cred because of greed and mismanagement, but also broken a very distinct and important distribution link for up and coming bands to get noticed. eMusic's service was a cool alternative to the big corps. Not cool.
This quote comes from Matador:
"This is unfortunate, but as eMusic has brought more major labels into the fold, they have changed the terms on which they deal with labels, some of which we have found impossible to accept, in our own interests, those of our artists, and ultimately those of their fans."
I will continue to support the artists on these labels who got shafted by buying legal downloads from their own websites and you should do the same. Money talks.
Physical State: creaky
Mental State: hazy
Music: Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Fashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.
This week there are two brand activities that I have to comment on. Actions that can change the way we feel about a company and our loyality to it.
Last week Joe Fresh, the fashion line of the Loblaws group, had this lovely statement on their blog for Remembrance Day:
"Dear Joe Fresh fans,
Yesterday was Remembrance Day – an important day which got me remembering this season’s take on military-inspired chic."
That's what its come down to? Once a day to remember the war dead and those serving now a day to remind you of military-inspired fashions. No words really. Just baffling. Just...wow!
And this week eMusic the once venerable indie music legal downloading service has announced that major indie labels Merge, Domino and the Beggars Group of labels (4AD, Matador, Young Turks, XL, Too Pure, etc) have left their service and we have two days (TWO DAYS) to download any of their stuff. I would estimate about 85% of what made eMusic were these three companies who saw it through some tough times. The story is that eMusic has sold their bread and butter labels down the river so that they can make way for Universal Music to be in their catalogue (Sony and Warner are already there). Again, no words. Good luck with that.
"We want to be up front with our loyal indie fans and provide advance notice that music from Merge and the Beggars Group family of labels will no longer be available on eMusic as of Nov. 18, 2010 pending further discussions. This is as heartbreaking to us as it is to you. Please know we have done everything we could to keep them from leaving. Forging deals with our label partners can be pretty complex. As many of you know, labels have come and gone over the years, and we hope to see these labels back soon."
I don't think trying to compete with iTunes is a great idea business-wise, Jobs will probably crush you. What's more they have not only lost their street cred because of greed and mismanagement, but also broken a very distinct and important distribution link for up and coming bands to get noticed. eMusic's service was a cool alternative to the big corps. Not cool.
This quote comes from Matador:
"This is unfortunate, but as eMusic has brought more major labels into the fold, they have changed the terms on which they deal with labels, some of which we have found impossible to accept, in our own interests, those of our artists, and ultimately those of their fans."
I will continue to support the artists on these labels who got shafted by buying legal downloads from their own websites and you should do the same. Money talks.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Grouper for a cold Tuesday.
Physical State: leaden
Mental State: snoozy
Music: Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
Fashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.
Can I just say that this lady's voice sounds like a dream. Beautiful stuff. That is all.
Physical State: leaden
Mental State: snoozy
Music: Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
Fashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.
Can I just say that this lady's voice sounds like a dream. Beautiful stuff. That is all.
