For years, the story is on that CD’s are dead. The stalls in music stores are now (again) swarming with vinyl records, and even cassettes are seemingly crawling back. CDs are almost nowhere to be seen. But, haven’t we learned our lesson yet?
At one point, we thought that vinyl was dead, Buggles had a big hit with ‘Video Killed the Radio Star.’ But, with the resurgence of vinyl, doesn’t that hit seem a bit dated in more ways than one, no matter how charming it can still sound?
One of the piles hanging around is that of CD box sets, book-size editions, and similar. Going through it, I run into one of my absolute favorites - Scott Walker’s 5 CD set ’Scott Walker in 5 Easy Pieces.’ An absolutely great selection covering the late singer and his masterful voice and songwriting, and some cheesy, but extremely listenable covers.
Go to any Amazon and try to get a copy of it. You’ll probably have to fork out around $100 for a used copy or $200 for a new one. You might fare a bit better on Discogs if you have around $70 available. Used, of course.
So, punched by resurgent vinyl and unstoppable streaming, CDs are now in the collectors’ domain, but still hanging around, waiting for a return or at least being sought by avid collectors, lurking for yet another prized possession, as the Scott Walker set.
Good Morning TV - Insomniac
The tinkling keyboards and electric guitar that start this ditty sound exactly like an antidote to the real-life good morning TV, with all the news and reports that you are hit with when you turn on your TV anywhere between 6 and 11 a.m. This French band lead by Bérénice Deloire really knows the meaning of the word - delicate.
Sean Devine - Here For It All
If you have an idea what an artist from Montana should sound like, go no further than this one from Sean Devine. And like any quality Americana song it has all the elements it should have, a good melody, excellent vocals, and impeccable musicianship. Hopefully, the whole album of the same name is on the same level.
The Go! Team - A Bee Without Its Sting
The Go! Team have already something of a name for themselves coming up with some thinking person’s pop akin to Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura. Luckily this single continues that lofty tradition, adding a Detroit student choir to the catchy tune, but in the manner that blends into the song seamlessly.
Paige Beller - So Much Water
Cincinnati’s Paige Beller certainly doesn’t want to thread those ‘standard’ singer/songwriter waters. This one starts out as just a multi-tracked vocal experiment, but with just some added echo and a bass drum beat creates a very hypnotic effect that really works.
Forget Mej - Young Folks
There’s nothing wrong with doing a cover of a recent (or fairly recent) song. That is if you do it right, of course. Forget Mej go for Peter, Bjorn & John’s hit ‘Young Folks’ and actually give the ‘old’ favorite a new, a bit more danceable suit.
Jason Sharp - Everything Is Waiting For You
When you see that something is released on Montreal’s Constellation Records, you can be certain it is some exciting music, always on the edge ion at least one genre. No exception with Jason Sharp here. Sharp, essentially an electroacoustic composer and saxophonist turn a sound experiment into something that you can call avant-garde for the everyday listener.