Fastball has a new album out today, so I'm writing about it before I ever hear it. I have a problem with new albums from bands that I love. I never like them at first. I don't know why, but my first day with an album is always a disappointment. Fastball has been this way for me, so have Spoon, Rufus Wainwright, and the Strokes. Almost always, I go on to love the album, but it takes awhile. So, I'm experimenting this time, and getting all my negative feelings out beforehand. Now we'll see what happens when I listen.
I'm also looking to buy the new Franz Ferdinand album. I'm still not so sold on their previous one, but I've discovered another interesting facet that colors my view of an album (like cover artwork): release date. There is something to be said about being contemporary. Maybe it comes from studying music of the sixties and wondering what it was like to hear this music in context. But I happen to enjoy an album differently (not necessarily more or less) when I know that other people are also hearing it for the first time.
It's a surprising revelation, actually, how much more goes into my view of music than just music. My opinion of the artist (or in some cases, only the limited view of the artist's image) shapes my opinion of their songs. I guess it's like blindfolded taste-tests; the tongue has a different taste for things without the eyes telling it what to expect.
