now what is that about? If I do not like a recording the first time out, I will most likely not listen to it again. However, I have read several posts here that call for listening three or four times to a record before one truly can appreciate it. With myriad of recordings available to us, do we really have the time, or want to take the time, to listen to something more than once in the hope of liking it or understanding it? The first time I heard Ten Years After, Al Green, MC5, Jimi Hendrix, I was hooked and I did not need to listen more to know that I loved what I was hearing. What say you?

One of the great thrills in music listening is putting on an album you couldn't get into, warm up to or let sink in before and suddenly it makes sense. I've heard plenty albums, either recently or long ago recorded, that I'm just wasn't ready for. Tastes change, mindsets get changed, an earworm of a different music style, genre or sound crawls in and suddenly you crave a groove that once irked you or you questioned why anyone liked it so much. Myself, I'm often in downbeat, sleepy, cranky, too peppy etc etc moods when first hearing an album so I gotta get mojo working and give the album it's due. Of course, there are definate crap albums that will never shine.

If you have your music digestion schedule down to such a fine art, it's probably difficult to get into an album you don't like. And we do have the time. That I think is part of the mindset. "Oh my gosh, must only listen to 2007 albums now! Listen to it and move on to next big thing!" Um, what's the rush? Music knows no years, just yer ears.

There's definitely something to be said for those songs that the first time they hit you you love them. Those are wonderful moments. Still, like crazed said, sometimes you just couldn't like at first all of a sudden makes sense, and it's like discovering something entirely new inside something old. It's fantastic.

I've found that usually the albums that take the most work to enjoy are the ones I like best. The best example I can think of is Liars' Drum's Not Dead, it took me months of listening to finally appreciate it, and now it's my favorite album this year.

That's not always the case, sometimes you just won't like an album and that's that. And sometimes you'll like it right away. It's just kind of a different experience.

Sometimes (usually subconsiously) you expect something to sound a certain way...If you heard someone say "album X is a masterpiece", you go out and grab it. Then you listen and your mind is telling you "THIS is not a masterpiece". If you never heard any hype, if you didn't expect anything...you might have heard the album differently. That's why I recommend listening again months down the road (after the initial disappointment), once the hype and expectations have dissappeared.

I'm not on drugs, I'm just tired.

Usually you can tell if an album is the kind of music that takes time to appreciate or whether you can tell whether you like it or not right away. Power-pop, for example, you can pretty much tell right away. The more abstract, unfamiliar, or complex the music, the more likely it is to pay off upon repeated listens.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
Usually you can tell if an album is the kind of music that takes time to appreciate or whether you can tell whether you like it or not right away. Power-pop, for example, you can pretty much tell right away. The more abstract, unfamiliar, or complex the music, the more likely it is to pay off upon repeated listens.

I think that's true, but that doesn't cover everything. For example, I was in a music store, and My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves was on a feature (first time I ever heard of them) with a write up that said (I swear on my life); "Pet Sounds era Beach Boys meets Wilco's Summerteeth.". Well, I couldn't buy it fast enough, I was so excited. When I put it on, it sounded more like Bar Room Exile on Main Street. I hated it. Listened to it 2 or 3 times all the way through and then placed it on the shelf.

6 months or so later, I randomly pop it in and "Wow!"...It's one of my favourites now. I expected one thing, with tons of hype and got something completely different and it put me off. When I put it in and forgot about those things it was great.

I agree with Il Mago. I don't necessarily think the complexity of the music plays a part, but a lot of times if something sounds different than I expected it to, I don't like it right away. That's why I try not to get too excited about upcoming releases. I think going into an album with certain expectations hinders your ability to enjoy it.

I think your emotional state plays a huge role in the way in which you appreciate an album, or not, the first time around. That's why I think it pays to give an album a few spins over time.

I try to give albums a "go" (even Ys, which is reaping rewards as I write ), which usually means 3 listens. However, if over time (usually years), I see that an album I disliked is receiving lavish praise, I'll try extra hard to see what all the fuss is about. Sometimes it works - Exile on Main Street and Grace; sometimes it doesn't - What's Goin' On

I'll vouch for having several albums that I initially couldn't stand. But what I've always wondered is, why if I dis-liked it so much did I continue playing it over and over? There has to be something that keeps drawing me to it over and over until one day it clicks. That moment is magic, however, and many of my all-time favorite, most special albums fall into this category.

Microphones - The Glow Pt 2
Sonic Youth - Sister
Broken Social Scene - S/T 2nd album (I loved You Forgot it in People from the first time I heard it)
Deerhoof - Runners Four (my first exposure to Deerhoof)
Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted

I'll agree that most of these fall into the category of sounding unlike something I'm expecting or used to hearing. In hindsight, none of these are really "difficult" albums and I'd recommend all of them wholeheartedly. And I'm sure after playing them for someone's virgin ears and seeing the confused look on their face, I'll wonder what the hell's wrong with them.

Sometimes it does take hearing an album in the right mindset for it to be appreciated. Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights was like that for me. I heard it a million times in the record store where I work and for nearly a year I just shrugged and went "boring...Joy Division ripoff." Then one day someone played it at work and it just clicked. No one went about proclaiming it as the greatest record ever or anything like that to make me hate it initially, I just thought it was boring. Same with Grizzly Bear. After a couple spins I found Yellow House much more enjoyable when I wasn't trying to compare it to Sung Tongs as so many comparisons to that particular Animal Collective record had been made to me that I couldn't hear it in its own light at first but only in the shadow of the album or albums with which it had been compared.

Here are a few other records it took me a while to get into:
Joanna Newsom - both records, but when Ys finally did it for me, I found The Milk-Eyed Mender much more enjoyable this time around

Sonic Youth - Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No Star generally regarded as one of the worst in their catalog. I owned this record and could not sell it or even give it away since 1994. It took me about 7 years but one day it just made more sense to me than all the other times I had listened to it. I don't think it gets nearly the credit it deserves. At least it's better than Rather Ripped in my opinion.

Deerhoof - The Runners Four The first time I heard this it sounded clinical and boring after hearing Milkman and Apple O but after a few spins I found it to be possibly even better than those records.

thank you for the responses. So, what it is that tells you to listen again? There must be something, some spark that touches you somehow.

quote:

Originally posted by rockthief:
thank you for the responses. So, what it is that tells you to listen again? There must be something, some spark that touches you somehow.

Usually what gets me coming back is other people talking about how fantastic something is. Usually if I think something is crappy after a few listens, I'll give up on it. However, if I come here everyday and read 4 or 5 posts about how awesome it is, I'm more likely to say, "hmm. Maybe I missed something," and give it another shot. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

I didn't really like Destroyer's Rubies when I first heard it earlier this year, and I went most of the year without listening to it, but after reading continuous praise, I decided to give it another chance this fall. Then it clicked. I loved it.

On the other hand, I could listen to Danielson's Ships a million times and it would have the same nails-on-chalkboard effect for me. I've tried, but I don't get it.

Generally, when I start listening to an album and don't find it to my liking there are two characteristics that can make me come back to it for a second chance.

1. Critical Acclaim-Not as important as I once felt it to be, but still can get me back to an album. If it looks like everybody with an opinion likes a particular release, and I don't find it interesting, I may come back to it to see what it is that sparked such wide enthusiasm.

2. Originality-for me, it is very important that music be very creative. Sometimes, the first listen is simply a preliminary listen to prepare myself for the style of music that is involved or to 'get used' to a particular sound. Generally, a unique sound warrants a secound listen for me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: St. Mike,

quote:

Originally posted by rockthief:
So, what it is that tells you to listen again? There must be something, some spark that touches you somehow.

Maybe I hear a song from the album somewhere- on a compilation, in a store, somewhere- and it makes me want to hear the rest of the album again, give it another chance.

There are albums that just need time to have passed and/or moods and likes to have changed to appreciate them better.

Listening to music isn't supposed to be brain or open heart surgery, but neither does that make it any less-important to the surgeon or the surgee (!!) I guess what I'm trying to say, and what everybody knows and has probably thought before, is that some people, who are humming music all day, or worse (in my opinion), actually listening to their favorite music, DON'T want to hear something new. Others have a hankerin' to hear one of their favorite artist's new music, but damn their eyes, ears, mouths, and hands, they threw them a curve.

"Why would I listen to that more than three times when I love this other, "better" shit which I've heard 1000 times?"

Then again, I'm a firm believer that some people aren't machines (unlike moi) , so they can have changes in mood, etc. Your mood obviously dictates what your "in the mood" for, whether it be music, movies, sex, food, etc.

I'm gonna shut up now because I sound just like the ancient pedant I am. Love the one/music/film/family/job/etc. you're with! If you can't, make things better for more people than less.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
I'm trying to say, and what everybody knows and has probably thought before, is that some people, who are humming music all day, or worse (in my opinion), actually listening to their favorite music, DON'T want to hear something new.

Ha, you reminded me of one of my good friends' super-annoying qualities. He only likes what is familiar to him. When we hang out, we play pool, cards, etc, I usually put on music.

I've managed to introduce him to a few songs over the years, but it is always such a struggle for me. For example, he LOVES Andrew Bird's "A Nervous Tic Motion"...so, naturally, I try and introduce him to more Andrew Bird and it's like pulling teeth "why can't we just listen to a Nervous Tic Motion?" and shit like that. Finally after me arguing back and forth, I get to put on more Andrew Bird, and now, Fake Palindromes is his new Awesome song. He never wants to take the time to get to know something when he already knows what he likes.

Oh well, this is also the guy who made a mixed cd for his car (with about 15 songs on it) and included California Stars 5 times.

It's frustrating being a person who craves the new hanging out with someone who likes things that are familiar. I try and say "well everything's new at some point"... but it doesn't work. Oh well, maybe I just need new friends.

quote:

Maybe I hear a song from the album somewhere- on a compilation, in a store, somewhere- and it makes me want to hear the rest of the album again, give it another chance.

There are albums that just need time to have passed and/or moods and likes to have changed to appreciate them better.

This is very true for me. For example, I had Liars listed as my #1 album of '06. It might not have been that except that I saw them live, and it motivated me to listen to Drum's Not Dead more then I probably would have. It pretty much rekindled my interest. Some albums just need some trigger or switch to go off to make you all of the sudden say "Oh, now I see what they were really trying to do, and I think it's great!"

I'll listen to an album a MINIMUM of 6 times, otherwise I don't feel I can come to any conclusion on it. Sometimes I'll refuse to listen to an album unless I know I have the time to give it that commitment! Most albums I'm enjoying a lot by then, and my enjoyment will peak over the course of the next few listens until I get bored of it. Maximum will be 12-14 listens mostly, except for the really outstanding ones i keep coming back to.
I rarely feel moved by an album on first listen. Like with people, you need to spend time with them to get to know them better. The ONLY 2006 album that instantly hit me was Subtle - For Hero:For Fool, and that's why I consider it the best of the year.

back in university I purchased Closer by Joy Division and wrote it off as senseless music.. forgetting that I ever bought the cd, it sat in my pile until about a month ago.. jesus christ, i couldn't believe how great this album was.. i listened to it for a week straight. it's very interesting to look back on your cd collection as your musical taste develops and pop in cd's that you didn't quite get or understand the first time around.. it also puts a different spin on bands that you once thought were gods (find it particularly hard to listen to classic rock now.. maybe radios fault)