Liner Notes on New Releases

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Liner notes on archival material is one thing, many examples of good writing there, but what do you think about liner notes on a brand new record? This practice has fallen out of favor since the 70s but it was once pretty common -- any exmples that stand out for you? Were most of these just consumer-friendly press releases meant to give the record an additional push?

― Mark, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I've always loved the surreal notes Kramer wrote for Galaxie 500's On Fire, an interesting chunk of prose that served as a good intro to the band... "Come ride the fiery breeze of the Galaxie 500!"

― Mark, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

regarding the demise, part of it must be the switch to cds from lps. ..

― Aaron G!, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

True about CDs, though it seems new classical CDs always have lengthy liner notes. Ellery Eskelin always writes a lot in his CDs, going into detail about the thought process behind each track, and what the band was doing at the time. I love it.

― dleone, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Since CDs are longer, the authors could read their liner notes (enhanced CD) so we lazy fucks don't have to read that tiny print.

Although it's rare that anyone ever has anything interesting to write in liner notes.

― Dave225, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Erm, does the 69 Love Songs booklet count as liner notes...? If so, that's the way to go!

― Simon, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Also, when I'm talking about "New Releases" I mean the notes that went with the LP when it was first released (Blood on the Tracks, C. Crowe's notes in Frampton Comes Alive!, etc.)

― Mark, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I would love to be able to write these.

― Josh, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Liner notes are hilarious. I love writng them and i even got to do it for a Frustrations polycarbonate release way back in The Grunge Years.

― Andrew, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I've always liked the notes on Steely Dan's first LP, including "spilling his seed on barren ground" in some context. And I have a Patti Smith bootleg with some smartass notes that I found funny at the time, something about her "...keeping exotic homosexuals" as pets.

― nickn, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean, if you are a musician reading this and want liner notes like you know where to write is all.

― Josh, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Warehouse songs and stories. Utterly wierd bolnocks on the sleeve about shaving and winter. And Adam and the Ants "Dirk wears White Socks". Great putdown!

― Lynskey, Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I disagree - the notes to "Warehouse" make perfect sense to me. It's about wanting to change but not being able to, and being tied to the past. Or maybe I only like them because of the life I've led and how the notes reflect upon it. Hmm. Yeah, shut up Rob.

― Rob M, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

?uestlove's liner notes on Roots albums are extensive, witty and informative. Phrenology out 28/9 October!

― JoB, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

st etienne still do, and generally choose decent writers too (Reynolds, Burchill, etc...)

Original jazz liner notes are fun to read - they seem to fall into the descriptive/historical camp or more interesting, slightly pretentios ones (good, if obvious example: Bitches Brew)

― Robin, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Thomas Pynchon's liner notes for Lotion's Nobody's Cool. Unfortunately, they're so good that you want the album itself to be much better than it is.

― Diego, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

The album is GREAT!

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

He just makes it sound WEIRDER than it is -- would have been better saved for the telephone album.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Charles Mingus had his shrink do the notes for the Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. They're great. "I don't know if I'm the best person for this, but I've been evaluating Mr Mingus for several years..."

― GCannon, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Sloan's fictious history on One Chord To Another is a riot.

― Mr Noodles, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Unfortunately, they're so good that you want the album itself to be much better than it is.

Spot on, Diego.

Which does Sterling like better, Lotion or Sugababes? And why? ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Lotion. Probably for inertial reasons as much as anything. And also because there's more room to find the new, if that makes sense -- especially on the telephone album there's overwhelming possibility while the Sugababes feel relatively focused and genre-hopping rather than fusing by comparison.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

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