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The Curse of First Impression

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Praeserpium Machinarum:
I have an interesting theory that I am missing out on a lot of great music because they are filtered out by my inner music selector. This can be e.g. because of bandname, songtitle, albumtitle or and this is most important, coverart/general art direction and image in public. Let's take an example: anonymously named electronica artists like The Orb or Monolake just doesn't pique my interest. It may be great music but because of the names and in The Orb's case, cover art I am not persuaded to take it further.

There is examples of cases where one factor has compensated for the other. Gåte, a norwegian folk "fusion" band has appalling coverart and press photos. But because I first saw the name, it led me to listen to their music and eventually ending up with their discography sitting(or rather lying) on my shelf. I am wondering what would have happened if I had seen their coverart first.

Then there are the bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor whose F#A#(Infinity) is a perfect example of all these factors falling in place.
Good or at least interesting bandname. Check.
Interesting albumtitle. Check.
Interesting songtitles like The Dead Flag Blues. Check.
Arresting coverart. Check.  
Enigmatic public image. Check.

This is perhaps oversimplifying it but I am sure you get my drift. If the band seems interesting then most people would investigate to see if this is the case. Curiously, I can't think of any bands who I have found interesting(without hearing their music) who have proven me wrong by being horrible.

I suppose this is all natural, you can't listen to everything so you have to choose quite roughly what is worth your attention and what is not. I suppose it just sucks for those artists who are not good at handling anything not musicrelated, whether hiring bad art direction for example or thinking up a name that will insure less listeners because of connotations etc.

What are your thoughts on all this?

Hat:
I have a similar problem. When I'm out buying CDs, I am always on the lookout for bands I haven't heard of before, but unfortunatly, my subconcious has very specific things it looks for when I am browsing CD collections. The things that actually attract me to albums are inherently shallow. The only reason I own any My Morning Jacket albums is because I bought It Still Moves on the basis that it had a bear on the front cover. Its silly and absurd, and its not a good way to gauge the music at all, but seeing as I really don't trust most people to share similar tastes with me, its the only system I have for finding bands outside of my city anymore.

I shudder to think of how many albums I've passed over simply because the cover art wasn't any more than functional. I also have an annoying habit of dismissing bands for having names that I consider to be ripoffs of existing band names, even if the connection is some bizzare coincidence or something.

Mostly I'm just glad its easy to download music in entire albums over bittorrent, because that is the only way I have been able to buy CDs I actually enjoy anymore.

Otherwise I would probably just own nothing but Tool, Funkadelic and Mr Big albums, and I would be that guy who is a real jerk about liking all of those bands, because I have nothing else to listen to.

Spinless:
You two are funny.

Hat:
Oh tee hee hee

Kid Modernist:
YOU SPELLED TITLE WRONG THROUGHOUT AND I CAN'T GET OVER IT ENOUGH TO READ YOUR POST FULLY.

(WHICH FUNNILY REFLECTS THE TITLE OF THE THREAD BECAUSE I AM CURSED BY MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF YOUR POST)

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