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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | DanAbnrml9@aol.com |
| Subject | IPO CDs |
| Date | Wed, 4 Aug 2004 00:09:26 EDT |
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I'm in a postin' mood tonight, so I figure I'll offer up this thought that's
been in my head for awhile...
I've never attended an IPO show. For awhile, my excuse was that I lived in
Boston and they were far away in LA. Then they were in New York, but I was too
busy with school. Then they actually were in Boston, but I had to work. At
this rate, it seems unlikely that I'll ever make it to one.
But I always await the IPO compilation CD with baited breath. In almost any
given year, the IPO CD is basically guaranteed to be my favorite comp
(granted, the competition is fairly narrow) and serve as something of a buying guide
for the year to come. I've liked them all and loved a few, despite the fact
that all of them are somewhat uneven and have tracks that I never quite warm
to.
One of the main reasons, I think, is that I find that the IPO comp really
exploits the lost art of the "single", of trying to hook that listener in one
tight three minutes. With such a singles-based (and influenced) format as
power-pop, I see these IPO comps as the true challenge of a pop band; their
chance to be a part of something aproximating "radio". I know that a lot of bands
who play IPO don't put tracks on the CD, but--this is to all the musicians
out there reading this--I'd recommend taking a chance on it, because there are
people like me who really pay attention to the stuff.
And since so many of us are into making lists... what are people's favorite
IPO comps, and what are your favorite songs on the IPO comps? I'd probably
rank mine this way:
IPO 5
IPO 4
IPO 3
IPO 6
IPO 7*** (really it's too early to say on this one right now... it could
change)
IPO 1 (too little volume in comparison)
IPO 2 (too much faux-low fi)
I'd also be interested to know if the inclusion of the exclusive (and great,
imho) Fountains of Wayne cut "California Sex Lawyer" on IPO3 helped that one
sell better than the others. Bruce? I'd like to see more "headliners" at IPO
if only so that we can get exclusive/rare tracks from them to head off the
first disc of that year's IPO comp.
So... in closing, I want to thank David and Bruce for bringing us these
compilations, that I consistently enjoy and make me feel more a part of the
festival and the scene in general. It may take time for some of this to sink in (6
and 7 are still both revealing new songs to me) but I still love a good deal
of it because I feel it gives a consistent "center" to this sprawling and
occasionally difficult-to-navigate pop scene.
--Jason
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