Pat’s Picks

You will probably recognize the brass introduction to Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This piece was originally composed for Solo Piano in 1874 and brilliantly arranged for Symphony Orchestra by Maurice Ravel in 1922. Full of imagery, Pictures at an Exhibition was inspired by 10 paintings by the artist Viktor Hartmann. Each painting is represented by a movement and there is a Promenade that comes back with variations.

Le Sacre du Printemps or The Rite of Spring just celebrated the 100th anniversary of its premiere on May 29th, 2013. Heard now as a one of the most influential pieces in recent western music, it initially caused an infamous riot at its first performance because of its avant-garde sound. Igor Stravinsky composed The Rite of Spring in two parts, the first, “The Adoration of the Earth”, and the second, “The Sacrifice”. If any piece of classical music could also be categorized as Metal, it would be this one.

These six movements of Glassworks take the us on an auditory journey like nothing we have experienced before. We start in the familiar realm of the solo piano and travel through a whirlwind of synthesizers, wind instruments, and strings. After experiencing many different colors and shapes, the journey ends in the same place that it started, leaving us unharmed and with a new perception of the sounds around us. Philip Glass released Glassworks in 1982 with the walkman in mind. Composed in a very repetitive style, this recording is all about getting lost in the tones of the instruments and the interaction between them.

Speaking of musical journeys…this is one of the best albums to get absolutely lost in. Bitches Brew (Disc 1, Disc 2) is full of both musical and studio innovations that are mimicked even today.

Find more:
Classical albums on Murfie | Jazz albums on Murfie
Mussorgsky | Stravinsky | Philip Glass | Miles Davis

Shopkeep of the Week

What were you up to on April 15th, 2011? Micah was joining Murfie on that day! (Woot!)

Shortly after that, he sent a kit of about 500 discs all the way from Mequon, WI…to Madison, WI! And he’s sold a bunch of them so far. We asked this hardcore Murfie guy a few questions about him and his collection.

Murfie: How did you originally learn about Murfie?
Micah: My first exposure to Murfie was completely random. I was waiting in reception, a bit early for a meeting with a client (I’m in marketing), and was paging through their Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Or perhaps it was their WSJ. Regardless, it was an interview with the founders during the first year of business I believe…pretty early on. It really caught my attention because I am a total tech nerd, always looking for ways to digitize my life. I’ve been into digital (web, mobile, etc.) visual design and interaction design for years, and their concept seemed really intriguing to me. It reminded me of my pre-marketing days when I worked at a music shop in CA, turning people on to rare finds and great deals in the used department. And hey, they were right in my backyard…Madison! I got home, went online, and requested a couple 500 count boxes, filling them up and shipping them out immediately. My shop was up and running in no time.

Murfie: When did you purchase your first CD? What was it?
Micah: My first CD ever, or Murfie? Can’t remember on Murfie, but I actually bought two CD’s as my first purchase. Jellyfish‘s Bellybutton album and Presto by Rush.

Murfie: How many CDs do you own (or did you own at peak)?
Micah: Probably over 1200 for a while.

Murfie: How tall are you?
Micah: 6 feet tall.

Murfie: Tell us about your musical tastes.
Micah: My tastes are pretty varied as I have musical loves from jazz to musicals, from classical to some classic rock gems, but what I mainly listen to falls into indie rock, 80’s wave, smart pop, and intelligent heavy rock.

Murfie: What can folks expect to find in your store (if different than the above)?
Micah:

• A ton of wave / brit-pop / shoegazer for sure. My favorite band ever is The Cure, with a great love for The Smiths / Morrissey, Siouxsie, Joy Division, Lush, My Bloody Valentine (the new one is excellent), Depeche Mode…and bands that they influenced like The Joy Formidable, Interpol, and Editors.
• Beautiful, emotive, smart pop like Jeff Buckley, Jonah Matranga, Aimee Mann, Duncan Sheik, Rufus Wainwright, Elbow, Doves, The Dears, Remy Zero, R.E.M., Bon Iver.
• Intelligent heavy music that packs a big punch like A Perfect Circle, Deftones, The Big Sleep, and Nine Inch Nails.
• A truckload of beloved “grunge” like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction, etc. Look for the hidden treasure I Mother Earth.
• Highly emotive music with explosive hooks like The Life and Times, Shiner, Death Cab for Cutie, Sunny Day Real Estate, Lift To Experience, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Shudder To Think, and Silversun Pickups, Band of Horses, Far.
• A bunch of my wife’s CD’s…so if it doesn’t fit in and is embarrassing, it’s hers!!!
• And, of course, the best bands ever…The Beatles and Radiohead.

Murfie: If you could meet any musician or band in person, who would it be and why?
Micah: It would have to be Robert Smith of The Cure. He and the band have meant so much to me over the years. I’d love to hear stories from the 34 years of history, find out what he’s listening to nowadays…heck, if I’m dreamin’ here I’d throw in a jam session and see if I can get in the band.

Murfie: What is your favorite album at the moment?
Micah: A few, actually. The Joy Formidable‘s Wolf’s Law, No One Loves You Like I Do by The Life and Times, The Goldberg Sisters (eponymous), and The National‘s Boxer, Alligator, and High Violet.

Murfie: What do you plan to do with the millions of dollars you’re making from your Murfie shop?
Micah: Fill out my music collection, buy music gear, record my next album, sell it on Murfie!

Murfie: Which Beatle was your favorite?
Micah: Gotta go with John. He came up with the amazing “bits” and Paul would make them cohesive and string them together, but man…John had the goods.

Check out Micah’s shop on Murfie!

Shopkeep of the Week is a weekly feature that focuses on our most interesting Murfie shopkeepers. These are music lovers like you who have sold hundreds of pre-loved CDs on Murfie and have hundreds more at the ready to please your ears! If you’d like your Murfie Shop to be featured, or if you’d like to nominate a shop to be featured, please e-mail us at info@murfie.com and let us know.

Shopkeep of the Week

It was June, 2011 when Kevin joined Murfie. Since then, he’s sent three kits with over 600 discs all the way from the Pacific shores of California to the Madison Isthmus.

Murfie: How did you originally learn about Murfie?
Kevin: I discovered Murfie while looking for a place to sell my CDs. I did a Google search, and voila! I now have a lot of music on MP3, and the storage and accessibility are no longer a problem.

M: When did you purchase your first CD? What was it?
K: I have no idea when I purchased my first CD. Suffice to say—a long time ago. I used to belong to some of those mail CD clubs, but the selection was pretty bad and I had trouble finding good CDs to meet the minimum membership requirement, so I quit.

M: How many CDs do you own (or did you own at your peak)?
K: I still have about 100 or so CDs (along with LPs, audio cassettes, and reel to reel tapes. Sorry, no 8 tracks!). At the height of my collection, I probably had at least 600-700 CDs.

M: How tall are you?
K: How tall am I? Taller than Billy Barty and shorter than Wilt Chamberlain.

M: Tell us about your musical tastes.
K: My musical tastes lean mostly towards blues and jazz, although I like some rock (usually more blues based), Neil Young, Dylan, classical (modern), opera, what I consider alternative (Songs Ohia, Cat Power, Portishead, etc.), and even some new age stuff. I don’t like rap or hip hop much, and my country tastes ends not far south of Lyle Lovett and Junior Brown.

M: What can folks expect to find in your store (if different than above)?
K: Folks can expect to find a lot of the stuff above in my store, as well as some of the traditional classical music on some of the BBC Music discs. I have a monthly subscription, but I don’t listen to them much unless it’s someone I’ve never heard of.

M: If you could meet any musician or band in person, who would it be and why?
K: The late Michael Bloomfield, my all-time guitar hero, whose playing still sends shivers down my back. Not likely.

M: What is your favorite album at the moment?
K: Favorite album at the moment is tough, but I keep playing Joe Bonamassa‘s version of “Sloe Gin” and “Reconsider Baby”. I listen to a lot of genres and I have three internet radios strewn about the house, playing the Croatian Jazz station and the 8-9 Pandora stations I’ve put together, which range from Archie Shepp-type jazz to Kronos.

M: What do you plan to do with the millions of dollars you’re making from your Murfie shop?
K: Millions of dollars? I must have missed something in the agreement. Please send the Brinks truck here immediately!

M: Which Beatle was your favorite?
K: Since I never cared much for The Beatles (always more of a Stones guy), I can’t say that I have a favorite. I realize this is a minority opinion that confounds many of my friends, but I never felt there was much feeling in their music. Same reason I dislike 50’s rock!

Check out Kevin’s shop on Murfie!

Shopkeep of the Week is a weekly feature that focuses on our most interesting Murfie shopkeepers. These are music lovers like you who have sold hundreds of pre-loved CDs on Murfie and have hundreds more at the ready to please your ears! If you’d like your Murfie Shop to be featured, or if you’d like to nominate a shop to be featured, please e-mail us at info@murfie.com and let us know.