I, in principle hate Spotify. No truly logical reason for this, although I try to use the fact that they don't have anything by Tool, Slint, Rapeman, Metallica, Fugazi and a whole other bunch of meaty goodness on there as a reason. Mostly its about the idea of accessibility. I don't think music should be this easy, so disposable. There shouldn't be little effort. You should be made to sweat a bit for your rewards.
This isn't the point though. This is.
I was sitting, trying not to listen to Jakob Dylan this evening and got caught up instead in the little list of connecting artists on his page. After about half a dozen clicks through lots of American country acts I came across Tindersticks. A band who were at the centre of musical universe about 15 years ago who slowly faded as I piled more and more albums on the stack. I almost couldn't find the album I wanted in the massive list on Spotify (they got the cover wrong, which of course is unforgivable). Anyway, It took about 30 seconds of the opening track to remind me just how much I loved this record and all the maudlin mooning, black, black humour, and those strings. Christ those strings. I know some music reference book toting wide-o would be able to point out where they ripped it all off from but I love it anyway.
It took me straight back to seeing them at the Old Antheneum in Glasgow with a string section for the second time ever or on the second stage at Reading one year when they were so nervous and pissed, it took three goes to start the first song. I realised it didn't matter what the music was about for them as artists, whether it was heartbreak, addiction, hysteria, romance, botulism or just vanity that fuelled the making of that record. It was all about me.
This reminded me that the compulsion to make endless list detail best and worst isn't exactly about the music but more about where you were when you connected with it.
Of course I couldn't find a decent snippet to put here but found some wobbly footage of them doing 'Tiny Tears' at Glastonbury in 2009. The bloke sporadically singing along only adds to the whole live experience I think.
Anyways, here it is...
