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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)

[Spinless]

He got ut rigt evenitually guy.

[Praeserpium Machinarum]

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)

IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT TITLE IN DANISH IS TITEL AND SOMETIMES I GET IT WRONG BECAUSE THEY ARE SO FRIGHTFULLY SIMILAR

OKAY?

Also please try to stay at least vaguely on topic gents!

[Zomgerz]

I also have a problem with word association in band names, for example, it took me forever to work up the guts to listen to My Bloody Valentine because I'd always get them confused with My Chemical Romance. Another thing I have a problem with is going to a music store with the aim of buying something you haven't heard before but which sounds like it might be interesting, then you end up going straight to your favourite artist(s), scoffing at the store's meager selection of albums you already own, and ending up walking out with yet another shitty collection of b-sides/remixes/covers.

[The Hammered]

The problem I've had most of the time is that when I listen to an album for the first couple times, I don't enjoy it nearly as much as I do when I've had a few listens to get used to it. As a result, I often don't listen to an album very much for a long time, before I really give it a chance.

But what you mentioned in your post has been the case with me too.

[RallyMonkey]

Zomgers, not only is it frightfully similar to My Chemical Romance, but Bloody Valentine is also the name of a Good Charlotte song. That just worsens their name. (I am not sure if worsens is a word).

[Spinless]

Why do you know that?

[Keith Decent]

Why do you know that?

so do they pay you a salary to be a huge, cranky nutsack or is it strictly commission?

[RallyMonkey]

My teenage sister drove me everywhere, thus, it was up to her what was played in her car.

[Spinless]

KEITH, DON'T QUOTE THE POST ABOVE YOU.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to drown a cat.
It's a well known fact that I'm the single biggest asshole this forum has ever seen. Ask anybody.






(Okay, everything in that post was a complete lie)

[Johnny C]

I think the worst "first impression" habit I have is that, if a certain song is used to introduce me to a band or is the first time that I hear that band or artist on iTunes shuffle, that will be my favourite song on the album - for this first little while at least. "She's Hearing Voices" was my favourite on Silent Alarm, "Prom Night At Hater High" was (and is, for personal reasons) my favourite Long Winters track, "Bottle Rocket" was my favourite song by The Go! Team, and so on. I need to break that habit so I can actually listen to albums properly.

[jcknbl]

It took me a really long time to listen to the Butthole Surfers because of the name.

[Scytale]

I used to follow a similar practice, until I bought "A Fine Day to Exit" When it first came out.

It had a cool album title. Cool cover and was by a band with a very good reputation and back catalogue (Anathema). It's sound complety threw me, its not a bad album (In fact I quite enjoy it now) but it was completely not what I was expecting. Since then I don't really go and buy anything with a pre-concieved notion of what I expect the album to sound like.

[Praeserpium Machinarum]

Well of course there are exceptions, I bought Mr. Bungle - Disco Volante on a whim and I never listen to it. I can only vaguely remember what it sounds like.

Another example of my quirks is that I just bought a Bill Laswell record without actually having heard any straight Laswell. Basically I argued that the Trojan Dub Massive compilations were awesome and that one Praxis song was ditto so of course him on his own making a sort of spiritual album would be awesome. I think I am developing a fetish with buying albums by artists I have never heard anything by. There is certain rush to it, since it may be utter shit and it may be the best album ever.
Also I let Allmusic dictate what I listen to. Yes I know, it is quite sad.
But then again they are usual dead on.