Over and Over

How is it I hadn't tried EMusic up until now? I spent a couple of hours last night doing nothing but searching for and downloading music as part of my 14-day free trial, and now I've just about maxed-out my 50-song limit. I guess I thought there wouldn't be that many songs/artists that interested me, an impression I probably formed the last time I checked out their site a few years ago back when they were called GoodNoise.

What did I get? Dream Syndicate ("That's What You Always Say" - live), Lemonheads ("Mallo Cup"), Wipers ("Over the Edge"), the Graeme Downes album that I have but accidentally snapped the CD in half (oops), Cowboy & Spingirl ("Say Goodbye"), Swirlies ("Chris R."), Yummy Fur ("Roxy Girls"), a couple of They Might Be Giants songs, the Interpol song from that Brooklyn CD comp and, last but not least... the new, self-titled debut album by Consonant.

Consonant were how I ended up at EMusic actually, and now I'm listening to this album over and over and over again. Time for the James Burke/Connections portion of our program where I map the random paths over the course of a week or so that led to this discovery:

1. Hear about additional Mission of Burma shows on the west coast this month, flagellate self once more for missing east coast shows earlier this year.

2. MOB on the brain, I put "Academy Fight Song" on my latest iPod mix.

3. A friend mentions seeing Consonant perform recently -- band is led by ex-MOB bassist Clint Conley. Sez music is good but more power-poppy than Burma.

4. Think of time working at the record store about eight years ago when "Clint Conley, from Channel 5's Chronicle" calls the store to ask some questions for some news segment he's producing. Blank on the name only to have co-worker say, "You mean, Clint Conley from Mission of Burma is on the phone?"

5. Read this very positive review of the Consonant album on the Pitchfork site.

6. Do a double-take at reviewer's Busted Statues reference. Also The Noise namecheck. (Boston music cred established!)

7. Remember art teacher in high school mentioning that friends of her sons were in a local band called Busted Statues.

8. Recall Busted Statues song "Red Clouds" that was played on the local music show on WFNX quite a bit circa 1989.

9. Yes, that's the song that the reviewer says Consonant song "What a Body Could Do" is being cribbed from.

10. :: Google search ::

    a. Conley co-wrote "Red Clouds" -- okay, so just borrowing from self.

    b. Douglas did the Busted Statues/Consonant segue during his May 14th radio show. Of course. Slick. (Bonus points for playing The Go-Betweens' "Love Goes On!" during same show.)

11. :: checks record collection ::

12. I do not have the Busted Statues single, despite having seen it in just about every used record bin in the Boston area throughout the past decade plus. Guess I didn't care for the song too much at the time.

13. Think that perhaps I should try listening to some Consonant.

14. Go to label web site for sound samples. Find none.

15. Fire up Limewire in fruitless search for mp3s. (No surprise.)

16. Remember in distant corner of brain that EMusic site has indepdent-label mp3s, all-you-can-download for some flat monthly fee.

17. Go to EMusic, see 14-day free trial offer that allows up to 50 song downloads.

18. Search for "Consonant." Success!

19. Sign up for trial.

20. Download Consonant album, search for and download other music (see above).

21. Import new music into iTunes.

22. Transfer new music into iPod.

23. Sit on couch and listen to Consonant album four times in a row while working on new web site design. This is good.

24. Today, listen to Consonant album another four times while walking through Central Park. This is really good.

25. Note to self: stop by Other Music sometime this week to purchase CD.

26. Listen to Consonant album another couple of times while writing this entry.

Posted by nstop at July 07, 2002 07:36 PM