Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Right Profile

Just a little more navel-gazing here as we get the site started up while I have a few people checking in (I think?). Here is my question: Where do you get your musical news/info/insights? Of course, the very premise of this blog is that one primary way is by sharing with friends. But, I also surmise that most of us check out some publication here or there, or read a blog, or are lucky enough to have a decent local paper that reviews music . . . in short, we have our particular sources.

So what are they? I am looking to build up the resources over there on the right-hand side of this blog, but I would like to be deliberate about that. I don’t want those lists to be nothing more than some long list of links that is so overwhelming that no one finds them helpful (remember, the idea here is to be a kind of friend’s clearinghouse of musical ideas).

For instance, David Byrne’s Journal which is the only one listed just now in that category (another h/t to College Roommate) is simply a really interesting blog on music and many other things. I know lots of artist have promo-sites, but I am looking for more than that. I am looking for sites that help inform the conversation and that you would think others would appreciate.

Similarly, I have added some mainstream music pubs, but there are a whole mess of them out there—what do you consult?

Finally, I am looking for music specific sites. There are lots of folks who post occasionally on music, but the goal is quality, not quantity. So for instance I have added Jazz & Blues Music Reviews (who, by the way beat me to weighing in on Vijay Iyer's new album) to the list of other bloggers writing about music because of that blog's focus on, well, jazz and blues.

So tell me where you go, and if there should be a whole new category over there on the right side, let me know that as well.

9 comments:

CPS said...

Thanks Tim--we aspire!

Anonymous said...

Nice job with the design, Craig. You all have probably heard of the site, but Allmusic.com is a source I use a lot for biographies, discographies, and reviews/ratings of groups and albums. I used to read Downbeat but have gone into accidental exposure mode for awhile.

I've been following Meldhau for a long time but haven't kept up with the last release or two. Kind of like what Bill Evans might be doing were he here today?

One disc I haven't been able to get out of my car player lately is the late great G.W. McLennan's "In Your Bright Ray"--he of the indie The Go-Betweens fame. A really well-crafted disc with lots of sunny, summer music.

C

CPS said...

Right--thanks for the jog on Allmusic--will add that tonight.

Good reminder on GWM as well--I used to have some (from you most likely!) and it was lost to the cassette age--ugh, I am old! But funny you should mention "sunny, summer" music because I was just thinking about my seasonal (and yet still random) approach to music. More on that tonight.

Glad you checked in man!

Lisa B. said...

I'm a subscriber to emusic, and I find it helpful--in classic Web 2.0 fashion--what they recommend to me, and what other people who are listening to this or that also listen to. I've found some good stuff that way. I was listening to Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings this morning, and M.I.A., both of whom I found that way, at least I think so.

Also, the very snarky Joshua Clover (poet, flaneur) comments frequently on music on his blog, jane dark's sugar high. If you google that, you'll find the blog. It might not be what you're looking for, but it's interesting nonetheless.

Every year I buy the end-of-the-year issues of Rolling Stone, Spin, Paste, etc., to get a look at what I haven't run into, then I make a long list of music I want to hear during the next year from that.

Also, actually, Paste's cds aren't bad for finding new stuff to hear. I load them onto my iTunes and when I'm listening randomly, I'll often hear something I want to hear more of.

CPS said...

Hey look a conversation--almost like being back in SLC!

Haven't read Paste--going to try to be embarrassingly honest here--but will check it out. Sounds a bit like CMJ which I used to have a subscription to.

auntie jo said...

I haven't sat down and taken a break to read anything in the past few months other than a recipe. So maybe out of shear exhaustion this blog brought tears to my eyes.
You were the first musical influance in my life all the way back to M78 and the beatles. I never really said thanks for that.
I'm reminising about all the mixed tapes that I have from you and how when I hear those songs they make me so happy.
Thank God for sirius in my life right now...it is the only way I hear and find out about new music and artists these days.
Love the blog and will keep tuning in whenever I get a chance
Love ya.

CPS said...

Wow, thanks Sis--dare anyone to try to top that! Of course, it is a two way street now as I will demonstrate soon I hope.

dr said...

The jazz discography project is invaluable.

CPS said...

Indeed--need to figure out where to put that as it doesn't fit neatly into my categories. Thanks DR.