The rise of iTunes and the MP3 as the cheapest and easiest way to purchase music led to an increase in bonus material paired with physical CDs.
It might be expanded liner notes, including artwork or photos not otherwise available. A DVD of live performances of the album’s songs. A dorm room-ready wall poster. That sort of thing.
I have a select group of artists whom I feel guilty for not listening to more. People who make consistently good music that’s right up my alley yet somehow rarely make it into my regular rotation.
Ryan Adams is a perfect example.
He has released at least two albums (Gold and Heartbreaker) that I love start to finish — albums filled with powerful, beautiful songs. His collection of unreleased singles, Demolition, is similarly strong.
A month ago, I focused on Aimee Mann as part of my genome project, declaring her the most melancholy of all the melancholy artists I love.
A couple of weeks later, she surprised me by releasing her poppiest, most upbeat album since her Til Tuesday days, or at least since 1995’s alt-pop I’m With Stupid.
Charmer is heavy on synths and heavier on hooks, a real triumph of pop songwriting and a great next step for Mann, who might have been accused of treading water had she released another album in the vein of her last few.
Yesterday I wrote about the nostalgia for 90’s acts that contributed to a new release by The Wallflowers. No doubt many people will look at the reunion of Ben Folds Five in the same light.
The band put out three studio albums between 1995 and 1999 then broke up unexpectedly. Their output generated one medium-sized hit (‘Brick’) and a small but devoted legion of fans like myself who couldn’t believe something so great ended so quickly.
Riding a wave of nostalgia for 90s acts, The Wallflowers returned this month with their first album since 2005’s Rebel, Sweetheart.
The Wallflowers made a big splash with 1996’s Bringing Down the Horse. Hit singles ‘One Headlight’ and ‘6th Avenue Heartache’ were radio staples that sound as fresh today as they did 16 years ago. But their brand of earnest roots rock felt out of place as grunge gave way to hip-hop, dance and electronica.
