Album fan? Track fan? Or Both/ depends.

In doing my interactive playlist threads on new wave and Chamber rock, I feel the type of music influences how I listen. A lot of new wave is much more fun to listen as a playlist or shuffle of individual tracks. And that may be in part of how I was exposed to new wave, mainly through MTV. While chamber rock, as I learn about new to me artists, feels preferable to follow up by listening to full albums.

Technology is a factor. In my teens through my mid thirties, there was no random shuffle until the iPod.iPad. I would have some mix tapes and CDs but now I make digital playlists and can bring songs in and out. Most playlists that I make don't involve prog.

Edited by mathman0806 - June 17 2023 at 13:56

I've only listened to shuffle by mistake and turned it off as soon as I notice. New, yet unheard music I will rarely finish. Most of what I try out I won't connect with. I really do check out "everything" though, as everytihing interests me. From abstract Hip-Hop to South East Asian music of the 78rpm-era and Ghanian Highlife etc...Quite a few of those will be compilations or mixtapes anyway, so the full album is compiled by a curator, not the artist. I think I understand differnent kinds of music well enough to know when it's time to just let something new to me should get -or deserves a full first listening or not. I don't just skip through a Deep Listening album. But I might give up on some kind of prog album in less than five minutes (I would of course not pretend I really know the music - or review it).

I rarely listen to new releases other than on shuffle moad. Typically albums are now 55 minutes plus compared to the standard 40-45 minutes in the vinyl era. I occasionally though buy vinyl and then listen to a whole album properly. However i rely on streaming most of the time. I do have 'fomo' which is why shuffle is good for me!

Edited by richardh - June 16 2023 at 01:44

In the early 80s I saw the Great Fatsby, Leslie West of Mountain, playing at a keg party in a VFW Hall in River Rouge, Michigan. And if you were ever in River Rouge, Michigan, you would certainly say, as I did when he started playing in a corner of the hall (no stage), "What the f*ck is he doing here?"

JD wrote: Stadium concerts fell off my life plan long ago. So here's a question for you... What's the biggest name you've seen in the smallest venue, smallest audience?

If you consider him a big name, Allan Holdsworth. Maybe 70 people at Parody Hall, KC, on the I.O.U. Tour. Or National Health, Lawrence Opera House, the same amount of people. Both were incredible!

^ That'll probably be a Danish band or artist, because you don't usually get to hear big international names on small venues here.


Edited by The Anders - June 15 2023 at 17:08

^ I can enjoy jazz concerts too. I may also like more intimate concerts with smaller pop or rock artists, provided that the audience is relatively cultivated. But stadium concerts are a big no-no for me, and when I attended rock festivals many years ago, I couldn't care less about big names. I went to hear musicians who played on the smaller stages, many of whom I had never heard of before.

^ Well, that's basically what I meant. Still, to me, seeing and hearing the musicians play live adds something extra.

Depends on the song/track or album.

Edited by The Anders - June 15 2023 at 16:04