Here are highlights from the March Listening Lounge.
Courtesy of Ellen (host and note-taker)
MARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
Events that are coming up that we discussed:
Jocelyn was back in town speaking at the Hirshhorn:
March 26, 4-5pm: “The Art of Audio: A How-To Guide for Listening” Thanks to everyone who attended (or encouraged a friend to attend)!
https://www.facebook.com/events/2365467720365835/
Errant Movement, one of the local groups that performed at 2018 Sound Scene, has a full-length show coming up at the Anacostia Arts Center.
April 6: Performances at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2665719576788231/
The night started with an Ice breaker: Favorite podcast that you are listening to right now
Rene had two podcasts that he mentioned:
1. Out of the Box with Paul Shugrue: Profiles of music artists and specific albums/songs
https://mediaplayer.whro.org/program/outofthebox
2. The Wolf Den: a podcast about the business of podcasts
https://www.earwolf.com/show/wolf-den/
Mina mentioned one called Cantata Profana, which features a vocal and instrumental chamber ensemble.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cp-podcast/id1215331662?mt=2
Ellen has been listening to a podcast called Nutrition Facts that is hosted by a doctor who is a character; each episode delves into a particular aspect of the latest research on nutritional science.
https://nutritionfacts.org/audio/
Ben has been listening to Heavyweight, a podcast about the moments in life when everything changed
https://www.gimletmedia.com/heavyweight
Bond shared his love for a comedy podcast called Your Favorite Band Sucks, in which two hosts take on any and every beloved and revered band and explain why they aren’t that special.
https://www.yfbspod.com/
Audio that we listened to:
Bond shared a clip from an episode of “Your Favorite Band Sucks” that took on the Beatles.
The podcast provoked a discussion about the charisma between the two hosts; the dynamic of two people who really get along and can keep the conversation engaging and light. They also had a contrarian take on all music, taking on every sacred cow; we discussed how contrarianism in podcasts can be a hook for some listeners and a turn off for others.
Rene shared the final version of a piece called “Boogie Shoes” that he co-produced with a friend he met at a CDS workshop. Rene did the editing while his friend had collected the audio from people living in Ashboro. Rene had shared an earlier draft of this piece at a previous DCLL meeting. It featured an interview with a mother whose son had died from a drug overdose. We discussed the challenges of editing audio that you didn’t record and how that influences the shaping of the story. We also discussed whether or not the story needed additional narration beyond the interview tape. And we discussed the use of silence throughout the piece and how Rene used music in a specific moment towards the end of the piece.
Mina shared a Kate Bush song that is called “Get Out of My House.” It prompted a discussion about the production and recording in locations other than music studios and how the rawness or scenic qualities of recorded sound in real locations can add to the sonic quality of a recording.
Ben shared some audio that he recorded based on the prompt from February’s DCLL meeting which was: “Pay tribute to your favorite musician or band.” It was a recording that he made on his iPhone at a house concert in New Orleans, featuring singer Aurora Nealand and pianist Tom McDermott who performed an arrangement of a Hank Williams song. We talked about the history of NOLA piano players, many of whom are dead though some are carrying on the tradition.
RECORDING CHALLENGE/PROMPT for April: Anything that happens in your day before you get to work — record your morning routine, your commute, anything before you are starting your job.
Looking forward to listening with you soon,
DCLL