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(kansei-sensei/flickr)The Art of Liner Notes in the Age of Downloads
With downloading on the rise, more musicians are dropping liner notes from their albums. On today's show: what the loss of lyrics, credits, and informative articles means for fans. Also: As their latest album climbs the charts this summer, The Hold Steady are no longer just a bar band. But on "Stay Positive," they still make straightforward, fist-pumping rock and roll. They join us to share the results.
The End of Liner Notes
Back in the day, music lovers would buy a new CD, break open the packaging, and pour over the CD booklet before even pressing play. But with sales of downloads gaining on CDs, more artists are dropping the liner notes from their albums, relegating lyrics and shout-outs to mom and friends to their web sites instead. David Browne, author of a recent New York Times article on the subject, joins us to explain this lost art form.
Our blog: Noted liner-note writer John Schaefer on liner notes
Weigh in: Do you lament the decline of liner notes? Or are you happy to sacrifice them for the convenience of digital formats?
CD Picks of the Week
Como Now – The Voices of Panola County, Mississippi (Daptone Records)
Como is a rural town that borders the Mississipi Delta and has a population of about one thousand people. Daptone Records is a small indie label based in Brooklyn which specializes in soul, funk, and Afrobeat. So once upon a time, and that was two summers ago, Daptone went to Como and placed a small ad in local papers inviting singers to come down to a local church. The result is the album Como Now, a traditional collection of cappella gospel from the voices of amateur musicians. It’s no American Idol, it’s soulful American singing. - Picked by Gisele Regatao
Conor Oberst, (self-titled) [Merge]
You might call our next CD pick of the week .. the “freewheeling Bright Eyes.” Conor Oberst has drawn plenty of Bob Dylan comparisons as a member of the group Bright Eyes, and on his first truly solo album in 13 years – Oberst is doing Dylan better than ever. Witty lyrics, a razor-sharp backing band, and that strangely compelling voice. It’s no wonder he’s measured alongside the dean of American songwriters. — Picked by Joel Meyer
Brooklyn Rider: Passport
Brooklyn Rider is an oddly-named string quartet that spun itself off Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Project. Along with Ma's classical training, the Riders share his love of music from other world traditions. They've actually released two albums at once. One is a collaboration with the Persian classical fiddler and composer Kayhan Kalhor, and the other is this appealling collection called Passport, a globetrotting mix of Armenian music, a Balkan Gypsy-inspired work, a Mexican work by the avant-rock band Café Tacuba, and some pieces by the Russian-American violist Ljova. -- John Schaefer
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady's fourth album, "Stay Positive," hit iTunes in June with an opening song that promised, "We're gonna build something this summer." We'll find out if songwriter/frontman Craig Finn and guitarist Tad Kubler accomplished what they set out to do, having starred in a recent sketch on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman."
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Find out what John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff have to say about recent segments on the show. Plus, watch videos from in-studio performances.
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In Studio: The Decemberists
The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.
Sound Off
Soundcheck
Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.
