discussion How do you connect with albums?

[vinicius]

I feel like in the age of streaming, with multiple releases of songs and albums in general happening almost simultaneously, I've had a hard time connecting with albums. As soon as I listen to an album, even though I like the project as a whole or most of the songs, it's very difficult for me to listen to it again, except when it's by an artist I already like.

 

So I'd like to ask: What's the best way to listen to an album in the right way and connect with the material, without falling into oblivion or the anxiety of listening to all the stuff that's being released constantly?

[RideOrDie]

start with listening to good music

 

[dumbsparce]

Why force yourself to like anything, especially music?!? It's supposed to be an instant, spontaneous connection. Who cares if your fave released a turd and a half? Just pick the songs you like or move on. It's really not that serious.

[vinicius]

1 minute ago, RideOrDie said:

start with listening to good music

 

Well, Lana is one of my favorite artists. Does that mean I don't listen to good music, then?

 

[Smarticle]

i shove the whole album up my ass

 

[RideOrDie]

Just now, vinicius said:

Well, Lana is one of my favorite artists. Does that mean I don't listen to good music, then?

 

well, you gagged me! 

[Laura Palmer]

If something clicks it clicks 

[tost1]

I buy all the vinyl versions and stream the album on loop on every streaming platform

 

You can try out my method May 3rd when Radical Optimism comes out and let me know how it went.

[The7thStranger]

This is a big reason why I don't use streaming as my main source of music listening. It's a great way to find your entry point, but the best way for me to absorb a record is to listen to it physically on my hi-fi and hear the record it was meant to be played, preferably a few times. Alternatively, I love driving a long stretch and listening to a new album.

 

But the thing that I try to remember is that music may not hit the same way in one situation that it will in another. There have been songs I've sworn up and down that I hated, and then one day, they just clicked.

[Pheromosa]

usb to my butt

[Capris Groove]

For me lately, SPEAKERS not headphones. Doesn't matter how amazing the headphones are.

 

That's me anyway.

[Lachlan]

Going for a walk. Listening to records on vinyl.

Edited April 14 by Lachlan

[bad guy]

Old albums connect to me more than new. Songwriting was generally way better and more real pre-2010s. So many new albums are full of clichés or full of filler. I'll connect to newer individual songs but it's rare for me to enjoy newer mainstream albums unless it's from artists I already like. I don't mean to sound pretentious I just hate how cheap the music industry's become.

 

But anyway a song/album should just naturally connect to you. Can't force that.

[PrettyHurts]

If you don't want to play it again it probably ain't that good 

 

I played the full albums SOS and Raven soooo much last year because they're amazing albums 

[Virgos Groove]

What I tend to do is, after listening in full first, if I like it, I'll listen to some tracks in shuffle to see which stick out more and which work better in the context of the album.

 

Another way to make an album "stick" is by taking your time to really listen to it. Going for a walk is a great way to do so. I still remember when I first listened to Jamie xx's In Colour or Un Verano Sin Ti since I associate them with a specific day/city.

 

Also, reading up on interpretations or explanations can help understand the details or context surrounding an album. Pitchfork Sunday reviews are always a great read if you're listening to an old record.

[vinicius]

1 hour ago, The7thStranger said:

This is a big reason why I don't use streaming as my main source of music listening. It's a great way to find your entry point, but the best way for me to absorb a record is to listen to it physically on my hi-fi and hear the record it was meant to be played, preferably a few times. Alternatively, I love driving a long stretch and listening to a new album.

 

But the thing that I try to remember is that music may not hit the same way in one situation that it will in another. There have been songs I've sworn up and down that I hated, and then one day, they just clicked.

 

1 hour ago, Lachlan said:

Going for a walk. Listening to records on vinyl.

 

32 minutes ago, Virgos Groove said:

What I tend to do is, after listening in full first, if I like it, I'll listen to some tracks in shuffle to see which stick out more and which work better in the context of the album.

 

Another way to make an album "stick" is by taking your time to really listen to it. Going for a walk is a great way to do so. I still remember when I first listened to Jamie xx's In Colour or Un Verano Sin Ti since I associate them with a specific day/city.

 

Also, reading up on interpretations or explanations can help understand the details or context surrounding an album. Pitchfork Sunday reviews are always a great read if you're listening to an old record.

Thanks for the tips, guys. We'll do all of that.

[Dante Silva]

It's ingrained in me to listen to albums all the way through, with no skips and in the intended song sequence (never on shuffle).

 

I will have albums on around the house and I don't ever feel I know them properly until I've heard them three times.

 

At times I like to go for long walks and there are some artists I particularly enjoy on these walks.

 

Sometimes I consciously disconnect from the world so I can concentrate on the music without distractions.

[Batsy Armada]

I'm an album listener through and through; I bounce from genre to genre, artist to artist and album to album. I'm the type that will sit at home with my headphones on and just start listening to an album, from start to finish. I just simply love music. It usually just starts, though, with listening to music I'm in the mood for; I think that's the primary thing, generally speaking.

[LadyDiana]

7 hours ago, The7thStranger said:

This is a big reason why I don't use streaming as my main source of music listening. It's a great way to find your entry point, but the best way for me to absorb a record is to listen to it physically on my hi-fi and hear the record it was meant to be played, preferably a few times. Alternatively, I love driving a long stretch and listening to a new album.

 

But the thing that I try to remember is that music may not hit the same way in one situation that it will in another. There have been songs I've sworn up and down that I hated, and then one day, they just clicked.

This is me too. I like to consume physically, have booklet in my hands, take time to really listen to it, read the lyrics. Don't try to follow every release that gets out right away, cuz it's just damn too much. Find few artists you are excited adout, follow them. For example I'm ok with Beyonce, but I still didn't listen to cowboy carter in full. I like what I've heard so far, but right now it's not the right time for me. I'll prob stan it in a few months or so . You decide when and where

[Pillz]

I buy one of each of the 100 versions of the album (because it's not a true work of art without), buy the merch, and crucify on Twitter and ATRL any and everyone who has even the most minor of critiques regarding the album or the artist. I also have no ability to think critically.

[makeawish]

I think you definitely need to listen to something more than once before you know if it's trash of not, but also there has to be some sort of connection the first time. That said, sometimes every song just clicks straight away and you know it's great.

 

Often i'll just really enjoy the first few songs and then get bored and i tend to come back to those because it can just be a lot to listen to so much new stuff in one go. A lot of the time those records turn out to be good, esp if it's a long ass album.

 

There are definitely albums when there's been maybe one or two singles that i loved but the album didn't click early on, but i kept coming back cos i thought i might be missing something. Sometimes this is right, sometimes not but i've found a lot of great records like this.

 

Buying CDs or vinyl is a good way of keeping on with something when yr sure it's good, or maybe buying a cheap thrift store CD if you want to give something a go. Streaming is great for trying things but it's also great for listening to something half a dozen times and never thinking about it again.

 

Ofc if you listen to maybe a song or two, decide that it's straight trash and never listen to it again, that's also a good outcome sometimes because then you can be a hater and that's the most satisfying thing of all lol

 

 

Edited April 15 by makeawish
typo

[Tudors]

Via Bluetooth

[vinicius]

4 hours ago, makeawish said:

I think you definitely need to listen to something more than once before you know if it's trash of not, but also there has to be some sort of connection the first time. That said, sometimes every song just clicks straight away and you know it's great.

 

Often i'll just really enjoy the first few songs and then get bored and i tend to come back to those because it can just be a lot to listen to so much new stuff in one go. A lot of the time those records turn out to be good, esp if it's a long ass album.

 

There are definitely albums when there's been maybe one or two singles that i loved but the album didn't click early on, but i kept coming back cos i thought i might be missing something. Sometimes this is right, sometimes not but i've found a lot of great records like this.

You've just described me. That's exactly what I do.

[Alldeezy]

it gives you goosebumps first listen and if they are eye candy it's a bonus

I became an Allday & The Ready Set stan first listen because of how quickly it hooked me TRS lyrics I related too and Allday's music has a really great vibe and every track sounds different too,

 

if an album is filled with the same song pretty much with different lyrics .. it can get boring.