Also, through listening to this playlist, I’ve downloaded 3 albums and a few songs through emusic today that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. See, record companies? Put your music on Spotify and I might still buy it (downloading through emusic counts as buying, doesn’t it?). Don’t put your music on Spotify and I probably won’t even hear it.

I love this.

A youtube-based homage of sorts to Terry Riley’s ‘In C‘.

The format is superb – multiple youtube movies as a multi-track mixer. And B flat is such a lovely maudlin scale.

Just don’t play it in the presence  of alligators.

I was thinking about doing a little musical thing using videos of the drawdio, various iphone apps and things, but foolishly I was going to edit them properly. This is so much more fun. So often someone does something brilliant online and you think: “I really wish I’d thought of that”, but it’s too late. It’s been done. Something like this is more like a platform that leaves plenty of scope to make other beautiful things in the same format…right?

(found via Crack Unit – and props to Iain for the youtube band idea)

I’ve just been listening to a friend’s last.fm playlist wirelessy through the iTouch plugged into the stereo while doing the washing up. It small pleasures like this that can make a weekend. And another reason why blip.fm feels like a toy (albeit a good one), while last.fm is a mission critical musical life-tool.

Have just been messing around with the last.fm beta and have to say that after a quick play it looks like a great leap forward.

Conceptually, last.fm is now based around The Library, which acts not only as a repository of everything you’ve played, but also of things you’d like to listen to or want to save for whatever reason. So now you can tag and save recommendations, which was something I was always wanting to do previously. Before now, I’d add last.fm artist profiles to my delicious. This is much tidier. Most importantly my profile seems to now have value beyond being a list of everything I’ve listened to.

The other thing I’ve noticed after a quick fiddle is the recommendations all seem more relevant. I don’t know if the algorithm has been changed, or if the layout of the page just makes it more accessible, but either way I’m going to be much more likely to check them out. Actually, I’ve just compared my two  sets of recommendations and they’re completely different – so yay for that!

I’m looking forward to using this a lot more.

you made me realise, originally uploaded by meltingman.

Truly outstanding. On sunday night, the mid-section of You Made Me Realise was apparently timed at 18 minutes of pure noise. Last night we thought it was longer. Over on last.fm, it was described as like having a jet engine in your face. For me, it felt like being inside an earthquake. I understand Kevin Shields has been remastering the old albums, rumour has it for the last 3 years. A modern-day Beethoven, more deaf than not, trying in vain to translate the noise he hears in his head.

Enjoying Bon Iver‘s For Emma, Forever Ago. Well, I think I am, but it has the curious quality of not existing except for when it’s actually being played. If I try to think of it at other times, there’s nothing there, nothing to recall – save for the that was Wisconsin, that was yesterday refrain of the last song, which bounces around inside your head for ages.

There’s no residue. It’s zero-emissions music. It means putting it on is a bit of an adventure, because you’re not quite sure what you’re going to get. There’s a sense of anticipation, but you don’t know of what, quite. And I like that. It’s good to have to listen to an album in order to enjoy it, if that makes any sense.

Goodbye Mischa and Martha, hello JS.

And last.fm. What to are you supposed to do with classical artists? I’ve just gone through iTunes changing the artists (which should be the performer, really…) to the composer, just for the sake of clarity.

But it feels dirty.

I only have three chairs in the house: one for the wife, one for me, and one for a guest. No more. One guest at a time – that’s my philosophy. You don’t want your house turning into a hippy commune.

His “explosive new autobiography” is being extracted in the Guardian.

Have three words ever looked better uncapitalised?

Tickets in the bag,  fan-fucking-tastic.

Sonic Youth play Daydream Nation at the Roundhouse. Absolutely phenomenal.