In-Flux this week: The Ruse, Minus The Bear, and Milkman.
Album of the week:
Though it could be argued that there have been many forgotten eras of music, there is one particular era that stands out to me as having been almost entirely lost to time—late 2000’s alt-rock. While names like P!nk, Fall Out Boy, Owl City, and Ke$ha were climbing mainstream top 40 lists, the alt-rock/pop-punk scene was going through an awkward phase that, seemingly, no one talks about anymore. In 2009 alone, we had AFI’s Crash Love, Boys Like Girls’ Love Drunk, and All Time Low’s Nothing Personal. When was the last time you heard anything from or about any of these groups? Again from 2009, do you remember Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ second studio release Lonely Road? Neither do I. There is a particularly generic and non-committal sound that was prominent throughout this era and genre, and this week’s album is no exception.
Released in 2008, the album of the week is Midnight in the City from The Ruse. While this is, at least in my opinion, a mediocre album, I feel like this is one that portrays the sound of this alt-rock era, while still being listenable today. That said, I do love the vibe and aesthetic they were going for with this release, and there are one or two tracks I would still consider putting on a playlist. Not every album can be great, and some albums should have been a single, but we’ll never fully appreciate amazing music without remembering the stumbles and missteps.
“What's in store, now that you have shut the door? Peek in through the open crack,
I can't keep from crawling back for more… Crawling back for more. Say its over, if it's over” —Beautiful Is Gone, The Ruse
Check out the band’s website, stream the album on YouTube, or get a physical copy on Discogs.
Live performance of the week:
While I wouldn’t necessarily include Minus The Bear in the above-mentioned awkward phase of alt-rock, their 2011 acoustic version of Pachuca Sunrise feels like a complimentary choice for this week’s live performance.
Minus The Bear - Pachuca Sunrise (Bing Lounge)
Photo credit: listenherereviews.com
Gear of the week:
The gear of the week is Milkman Sound’s ‘The Amp’. The Amp is a 50W Class D guitar amplifier utilizing a Class A tube preamp circuit, designed to fit inside of what is essentially a large pedal housing. The Amp features built-in treble and bass EQ, input volume (i.e. gain), master volume, and reverb and tremolo effects. This is an extremely unique product, in that it attempts to combine the best aspects of an amp modeler (portability, reliability, small footprint) with the best aspects of a traditional tube amp (analog tube tone and response, and live on-stage or in-room cabinets). The Amp also includes a headphone out with built-in cabinet simulation.
In-Perspective:
At what point does passion become workflow? Where does the threshold lie between art and product? Is it defined by the motivation of the creator? Are they creating what they want, or what they think others will like? While necessity is the mother of invention, the necessity of art is subjective… Or is it? As a species, humans have always valued art—whether for the purposes of storytelling, or surrounding ourselves with beauty. Does the human experience itself necessitate art? Is this the defining characteristic that fundamentally separates us from other creatures? Does the need for self expression become fulfilled for the creator, and again for the consumer? Perhaps this could be the ultimate intellectual argument for the need of art as a product. What if, through the dual satisfaction of expression, produced, consumable art holds more value to humanity as a whole than the perceived “purity” of creative expression in isolation?
Admittedly, this is not the conclusion I expected at the beginning of this thought exercise. However, it does support the notion that the purpose of life is to discover your gift, and the meaning of life is to share that gift with others.
That’s all for this installment of In-Flux. If you’d like to stay up-to-date with Stoops Worldwide, and have my posts delivered directly to your inbox, click the subscribe button below. If you’re already subscribed, thank you! As always, feel free to share this with a friend, if you feel so inclined.
Listen with intention. Create without compromise.
-Kurtis