The New and Interesting Looking Music

[Kiki]

On Monday I went into Birmingham. One of the things I did when I went there was go to the record shop. Now because it is closing down they currently have 70% off everything. CDS, DVDS and Vinyls. You can even buy the shelves for £30 each. I hadn't brought a lot from this store in the past. A Dead Kennedys live DVD, two Subhumans albums and a few CD singles.

Anyway because of this offer I thought to myself "You know what? I should really buy a random CD from a group I had never heard before" and went browsing through the shelves.

Some things I thought while searching

. Leave the punk groups this time (got enough)
. Leave the metal groups too (not today)
. Are most of these acts not known for a reason?
. I would be so annoyed if it's one of those lo-fi pitchfork acts
. The cover/package must look enticing!

The last thought was the most important. I wanted to see ambition. Something awe inspiring. Something that I would want to look at on bus all the way home with a big smile wandering what this strange group could possibly sound like.

I must have been in there for over half an hour. Taking an album off the shelf, having a look at the front, the back, putting it back, repeat with 100+ other albums. Most of these albums were from 00s, the majority of which were from 2009. So a lot of albums from 2009 on the shelves.

Some artists really put some random stuff on their covers. Assuming they choose the cover for a reason, I began to think of wild ideas of how it would tie in with the music. Why would they choose that image? Why not make a bigger statement?

Eventually it got annoying, absolutely nothing seemed to strike my attention from the saturated photographs, kooky images, random buildings and soulless patterns. I left empty handed, went down the street, into HMV and brought "Rush In Rio" (3 disc live album) instead.

If the shops open next week I'm going to have to have an idea of what I'm buying, preferably in a notepad. Although that would take away some of the fun of finding an undiscovered gem. I might try again next Monday.

P.S. Probably loads of mistakes in this, didn't check thorough it

[SquishypuffDave]

It would seem artists don't put much thought into cover art these days, which is a shame, since I'm big on physical products as opposed to downloaded files. Any cover that's just a glossy photo of the artist makes me want to puke my pants. The only modern band I can think of with cover art that continually blows me away and ties in perfectly with their music - The Mars Volta.
Interesting sub-question: anyone ever made a fantastic 'blind buy', based on an album cover or title? (Perhaps that should be 'deaf buy') Mine would be Camel - Music Inspired by The Snow Goose. I thought the title and layout of the text was hilariously awkward - so much so that I bought it on novelty alone. Little did I know it would end up in my top 10.

[albummaster]

one of my best blind buys was The Beloved - Blissed Out; at the time, bought purely because I could relate very well to the title

[videoheadcleaner]

Interpol - Antics

Someone mentioned them in casual conversation but I didn't think too much of it. I was looking in the local music store and saw the cover, remembered that this other person briefly mentioned Interpol and bought it.