The slow and steady funeral

music begins, marking the

commencement of the

funeral march.

The procession continues until,

suddenly, the music begins to skip;

over and over the same part of the song

repeats. Someone shouts “the needle is

stuck in a groove on the vinyl!” What a

nightmare.

In reality, vinyl is no longer the

most popular medium for listening to

music, but it’s not dead yet. Until the

1980s, vinyl was the primary medium for

listening to music that wasn’t live. After

that came 8-track and then cassettes.

Compact Discs (CDs) then took over

and eventually MP3s and IPods became

popular.

Indeed, the major issues

involved in the battle between modern

forms of listening and vinyl records are

the quality of sound, accessibility and

social interaction.

Carol Amberg, a teacher at Gou-

verneur High School and hippie from the

60s, loves her vinyl but acknowledges the

advantages to CDs and MP3s. Amberg

appreciates the sound quality in new

audio technology since there are minimal

“scratches or noise from overuse.”

My friends and I took a Van

Morrison record for a spin, prompting

a discussion of the advantages and

disadvantages of vinyl. Jeanne Verrilli, a

sophomore at SUNY New Paltz, believes

that vinyl is “more real because it sounds

like how it is live. We can hear the flaws.

It has more character.” Vinyl opens the

Vinyl Heard:dead or aliVe?

By Julia Amberg

Neil Young’s album After the Gold Rush

Minutemen’s album 3-Way Tie (For Last)

Vintage records are becoming a new trend, again. Many are reaching back, sometimes to their parents collections, to vinyl and craving the authenticity and warmth they resonate.

All

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listener to every gasp and even the shuffling of the feet of the

artist.

Some see this as an irritation. “It was an annoyance

even at the

time records

were in their

prime,” offers

Joey Hunter,

a freshman

at Cayuga

Community

College. “I like

to hear clarity in

music.” Whereas Verrilli prefers the realness

of vinyl over the perfection of CDs and MP3s,

Hunter loves his current modern sound

system.

Sound quality isn’t the only thing that has changed

in the transfer from vinyl to CDs and MP3s. Other physical

elements have been lost on modern music listeners as well.

Liz Clough, a sophomore at SUNY New Paltz majoring in

Anthropology, discusses her feelings about cover art while

examining the album sleeve to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and

Young’s album Déjà vu. “There is more room for art, which is

important.” Amberg adds, “Vinyl was not only auditory, but

also visual, tactile and olfactory. Most of my records from high

school and college I bought in used record stores, which had

their own aura and smell and feel.”

The feel of a record is not only in the psychical

elements, but also in the completeness of an album. Shuffle

on an Ipod, although

handy at a party, can

be a huge mistake.

The cohesive feel

of an album is

something of the

past. The order of

songs on an album is

something the artist

has to spend time

thinking about; it isn’t just random. “Even if you didn’t love all

of the songs on an album, you still knew them and understood

their place in the development of the artist,” said Amberg. John

Lefsky, owner of Jack’s Rhythms in New Paltz, states that this

cohesive element of records is starting to become popular again.

“People are starting to listen to full albums as an art form.”

“On a good day, and I always sell more on the weekends, I sell about 20 records a day.” —John Lefsky of Jack’s Rhythms

Van Morrison’s album Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl

Bob Dylan’s album Self PortraitPixies album Come on Pilgrim

The tradition of sharing vinyl and

gathering to listen to it dwindled when other, easier

mediums of listening to music, became popular.

“You really listen to it,” said Verrilli, “I’m watching

the record go ‘round whereas a CD is invisible.”

At the topic of social gathering, Amberg

grew heated. “The social aspect of sharing face to

face and ear to ear has gotten lost, which is sad. The

great pleasure in sharing vinyl was that you sat in

the same room and everyone listened to the same

thing at the same time and talked about it or sang

along…loudly.” Although these listening sessions

are less frequent, they still occur. “We planned to

listen to records. It brings people together,” said

Verrilli.

With the invention of Walkmans and then

MP3s, music became a personal mobile entity.

“Although I like listening to records with other

people a lot,” said Clough, “it isn’t convenient.”

Music is not just for active listening. It provides

background sound to activities such as doing

homework to going on a run. As Clough states,

“you work for the vinyl, not the other way around.”

Typically, when people share music

today they usually just send someone the MP3

which is usually listened to alone, chances are on

headphones. “Music is no longer in the air, but in

the ear,” Amberg said.

Lefsky, of Jack’s Rhythms, believes that

vinyl’s coffin is far from closed. “The last couple

of years have seen a resurgence in vinyl, there is

The store front of Jack’s Rhythms with doors wide open

Records never went out of style at Jack’s Rhythms in downtown New Paltz

Remastered version of Neil Young’s self-titled album

Mason Proffit’salbum Last Night I Had The StrangestDream

Top 10 Selling Albums on Vinyl

IN 2009:1. Radiohead 45,700 2. The Beatles 38,800 3. Michael Jackson 30,4004. Metallica 30,2005. Wilco 29,6006. Bob Dylan 24,5007. Animal Collective 20,6008. Pearl Jam 19,9009. Bon Iver 17,10010. Iron & Wine 16,600

According to NYLVI: Your Place for Vinyl

even a day to recognize independently owned record stores, called Record Store Day,” which

took place on April 17 this year. This day celebrates vinyl today and those who listen to it.

Some artists, Weezer for example, release an album that is only available on this day from

record stores, said Lefsky. It sounds as though vinyl isn’t dead at all. “I get people in the store

anywhere from age 18 to people in their 50’s and 60’s. On a good day, and I always sell

more on the weekends, I sell about 20 records a day,” Lefsky reports.

This certainly is a resurrection of vinyl. As Lefsky predicts, recorded music will

once again become “warmer sounding and have multiple tones.”

So dust off that old record player in the attic or pick one up at a yard sale and

the next time you’re strolling around New Paltz, stop into one of the record stores and shop around. Buy something you

know you love, but buy it on vinyl and see if you can hear the levels that can be unlocked. You may discover a new love

for something old.

Rodger’s Book Barn•Hillsdale, NY

(518) 325-3610

Rhino records•New Paltz, NY

(845) 255-0230

Jack’s Rhythms•New Paltz, NY

(845) 255-1082

John doe Records•Hudson, NY

(518) 632-4273

According to laventure.net

Cat Stevens’ album Tea for the

Tillerman

Phil Ochs’ album Chords of Fame

Wu-Tang’s album 36

Chambers

Sufjan Stevens’ album Illinois