ilm poll: "appropriate" work (retail) music

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criterion:

a. even. no major and/or dramatic changes in tempo, volume, or dynamics. i.e. no classical, no prog. most dance music is also out.

b. melodic and accessible: no hardcore rhythm workouts, no long passages of dissonance. ambient, in it's way, is also out. too quiet, too "etherial" to the point where it becomes noticable.

c. upbeat, but not -too- upbeat.

d. vocals are good, but again nothing too dramatic or screechy or yell-y.

e. no cussin, no dirty talk, no gun talk, no nothin.

this is a pretty -straight- retail environment, but it's clientelle -is- college kids aged 18-25. so we can get a little more funky than in yr local greeting card shoppe or grocery store. i know that there has to be music which fits this criterion without verging into virgin bland territory, easily listening shlock, whatever. so what is it?

― jess, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

help.

(i have to work 13 hour days for the next two weeks. without music i'm gonna lose my mind.)

― jess, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

zero 7 and any of the chilled compilations generally

― Alan Trewartha, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Royksopp's new (ace) record? It seems to pass the majority of your criteria Jess....

Other than that im listening to "Get Happy!!" at the mo. .... its the perfect Monday afternoon record IMO.

― dave C, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

country. i am perfectly serious, some hank williams for example

― anthony, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

anthony, i probably will get some country/folk. i'm trying to avoid the whole downtempo stoner-hop thang if possible. it might not be. foreign (i.e. non-western) music selections are also welcome, although not "too foreign" (god that sounds terrible, but i guess it's just a symptom of/testament to the blandness of american retail shopping.)

― jess, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In this part of the world, you might decide to play some country if you wanted an empty establishment...

;]

*grabs sandbags!*

― dave C, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

francoise hardy, like a greatest hits of her 60's stuff or something. pretty, and not as distracting as other vocal stuff unless you speak french. and people will think you're romantically inclined.

― fritz, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

How about Herbert's Bodily Functions.

― Mark, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Bats' _Thousands of Tiny Luminous Spheres_. Some good vintage reggae (how about Jacob Miller's _Who Say Jah No Dread_?). The 6ths' _Wasps' Nests_. Rhythm & Sound with Tikiman's _Showcase_. If it's not "too foreign," the _Ouelele_ compilation.

― Douglas, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

no major and/or dramatic changes in tempo, volume, or dynamics. i.e. no classical[...]

What is this fascist estblishment you work for????

― Dan Perry, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's called "college", Dan.

That DNTEL record (_Life is Full of Possibilities_). "Cool" Miles Davis. Tristeza's _Spine & Sensory_. Anything from Joe Pernice post- Scud Mountain Boys. Ida's _Will You Find Me_. Spoon's _Girls Can Tell_. _Aaliyah_.

Why the sudden change, though? Just last week, you were telling me about blasting Bubba Sparxx. Surely the clientele would be appreciative of that musical selection...?

― David Raposa, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

normally, i can hide behind my desk for most of the week, therefore playing music ("blasting" being a relative term since the stereo is right behind my head, and i dont wish to go deef) is a personal, private affair. during the first two hell weeks of rush i have to be running all over the store, all day. therefore i need music i can hear all over the dept. at pretty high volume. bubba = "i just shot a load on the same slut" = no way jose. i've been playing guided by voices all day, and it seems to be going over okay.

― jess, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bill Evans, "Polka Dots & Moonbeams" some Chet Baker Lloyd Cole?

― John Darnielle, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lambchop-Nixon. Super Furry Animals-Rings Around the World perhaps, not all of it maybe? But Lambchop, for sure. Royksopp seconded here.

― Ronan, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Give them quality -- Dusty In Memphis, PM Dawn, Deee-Lite, Pet Sounds.

― dan, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I work at a head shop and i like extreme music. Those things don't mix.. i usually leave a stack of cd's for months at a time at my work , weed out the ones that don't work on a retail level and the ones that do get to stay. Heres whats in the stack right now: Graham Central Station, Faith no More - Angel Dust, Meters - Anthology, Gang of 4 - Entertainment, Slayer - South of Heaven and some misc King Tubby dub.
Things that don't seem to work: any japanese "noisy" stuff like Boredoms or Ruins :( , 70's fusion, The Pogues. My co-workers hate my "Beepy fast stuff" ie: anything electronic. Phonecia is all i can pull off but they complain like mad when Sqpusher or any Mille Pleateau is on.

― chaki, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

More Bats-like ideas: Go-Betweens, Bike "Take In the Sun", David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights. Aussie and NZ bands really own the mid-tempo, peppy-but-not-too turf. Accent your changer's shuffle mix with the instrumental muzakian dynamics of Pell Mell "Interstate" or any Grassy Knoll. All titles have been extensively tested at polite after-work office parties.

― Curt, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lambchop is a great suggestion. Also the Departure Lounge. Prefab Sprout. Lloyd Cole.

― Dave225, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My friend (who has charge of the CD player in his retail environment) swears by the following:

Al Green
The Congos
Massive Attack

Good Luck!

― Bill E, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lambchop is a great suggestion, if you're selling nicotine patches and anti-smoking literature. Better yet, have a video of a tracheotomy with Lambchop as the soundtrack, people would give you $100 for a Nicorette.

― dave q, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Apples in Stereo (not Y2K).

― jel, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'd have mentioned it earlier but it seemed too obvious: Scott Walker's "Tilt" is always perfect in a retail environment.

― dan, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Whitehouse. GG Allin. The Mentors. Hawd Gankstuh Rappuhs MCs Wid Ghadtz. Lydia Lunch. Karen Finley. Flipper.

― Brian MacDonald, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Mysteries Of Life. Velvet Crush. Big Star. Chris Bell. The dBs. Garageland. The Bats. Pinback (oh wait, Rob sweetly cusses.. I forgot). Versus. Later XTC. Nothing Painted Blue.

― Brian MacDonald, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I would love to get GG Allin on hold music.

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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