[Editor’s note: If you’ve been paying attention to the intro and outro of the videos in our Water Tower Sessions series, you should be familiar with our latest artist essay contributor, Milwaukee, WI-based, DIY-minded singer-songwriter Brett Newski, who performs as NEWSKI. Recently he started a new band called Vanity Metrics, which he describes as “bedroom alternative.” In addition to singing, he plays all the instruments with occasional appearances by frequent collaborator Matt Spatola on bass. There are only two rules for the band: 1) all songs must be recorded to analog tape and 2) they must be recorded at someone’s house rather than a studio.
Below Newski talks about why imperfections are critical in today’s music.]
It’s actually easier to make perfect sounding albums than imperfect “human-sounding” ones. Tech has made it a cakewalk. Nearly anyone can do it. You can pipe in fake drums that sound real, add infinite layers of keyboards or guitars, and auto-tune the singers voice in minutes. The issue here is that perfect music can start to sound plastic.
To me, “flawed” or “damaged” music has a far greater currency, and there seems to be less of it available online.
Instead of using all the modern fancy processing, you simply record 1-2 takes onto a tape machine. You can then add layers to that take, but you’re limited to 4-8 tracks. You must choose wisely and efficiently.
In turn, the listener hears the room, the tape hiss, the extra breathes, the reality of what was happening at the time. The limitations are what makes it. It’s what we love about old Bob Dylan or Rolling Stones albums. Those are albums that hold up tremendously with time. They still sound “hip”.
With A.I. coming on strong, we might be the last “fully-human” people to walk the earth. It sounds absurd and sci-fi, but think about it…we’re on pace to be able to download skills, languages and infinite information directly to a “microchip” in our brain. Imperfections might be eliminated entirely.
It’s a critical time to make art. It is our obligation as musicians to capture this most human generation onto tape, before it’s gone forever.
Newski
PS: Hear the new Vanity Metrics EP recorded to analog tape. Get 15+ analog recordings by joining Patreon.
You can also find VM on Spotify and Instagram.
Brett Newski
Contributor
Brett is a singer-songwriter from Milwaukee, WI that performs as NEWSKI
