Discussions have cropped up frequently on Song, By Toad about the relative benefits of different degrees of recording values in music. Much of the gamut has been covered, from the extreme DIY Low-Fi sometimes known as ‘No-Fi’ to the over-polished FM-friendly MOR found at the other end of the spectrum, and typified by bands who, when mentioned on these pages, tend to find some of the more expressive adjectives inserted into their name. (See ‘Bon Fucking Jovi’ and the ‘Fucking Dave Fucking Matthews Fucking Band’)

I personally tend to find myself tarred with the brush of being a pop-bitch, meaning that I’m regarded as having safe and wholesome tastes in recording values that preclude anything but the most established of techniques. I actually think that’s a little unfair, but I do find myself questioning the value – or occasionally the point – in an artist presenting their work in a wilfully obtuse manner, and deliberately obscuring their finished products.

But it does remain an open question for me; I’m by no means resolved on the matter. I recognise the value in an artist challenging their audience and encouraging them to do a little work in order to gain greater and more lasting reward in the long term. I also understand the desire for a songwriter to get something down ‘on tape’ and out in the public realm as quickly as possible, and yet I still occasionally find myself exasperatedly thinking “Come on, you don’t have to book out Mountain Studios in Montreux, but you could stand a little fucking closer to the mic!”

Low-Fi artists are noted for basic recording methods

That thought, in turn, found me associating the challenges of No-Fi with other genres that have provided obstacles to vast swathes of the listening public. The question I’m struggling with is whether the notion of leaving tape-hiss, static and random mix levels in place on your final release is akin to – say – the pompous excesses of Prog-Rock, or the masturbatory noodling of Neo-Classical Metal.

If some Low-Fi artists use ambient noise and distortion to excess, are they just guilty of self-indulgent noodling too?

I don’t pretend to be an expert in any such genres – I wouldn’t presume to call myself an expert in any musical genre really – so I’m hesitating to criticise them too generally. However I do find myself wondering if that very unfamiliarity and alien air is the basis for my concerns. The argument has been presented to me, regarding Low-Fi and No-Fi, that if I were to spend enough time listening to these rough-edged recordings to develop a taste for them, I would soon be compelled to seek out ever rougher recordings to satisfy my appetite.

Such addictions sound dangerous to me. Nevertheless, it’s certainly true that most experiences that appear daunting to begin with, from spicy food to extreme sports, need practice and perseverance in order to obtain their full rewards.

Rick Wakeman of Yes relaxes at home

So is it therefore safe to say that dabbling in a little light Genesis or Yes on the weekends will soon see you rabidly hunting down the Henry Cow 40th Anniversary 10 CD box set? Or that appreciating that a particular instrumental passage required dexterity and practice from the performer will inevitably lead to irretrievable immersion in the works of Yngwie Malmsteen? I’m not sure. 

The other question I find myself contending with is whether or not it really matters. No-one would argue that any artist has the right to present their art to the world in whatever manner they see fit. However, does the artist, if they’re assuming the mantle of entertainer, have a responsibility to show enough respect to the audience to put a little effort into presentation? At what point does free artistic expression cross over into taking the piss?

As abhorrent as it may sound to purists, surely there should be a ring-fence around certain styles. If you’re going to write a jaunty, foot-tapping, upbeat little rock n’roll number, then that genre dictates certain recognised criteria to adhere to. Is it really appropriate to abandon the rhythm and play the song wilfully out of time? Will your audience thank you for it?

The trouble with that statement is, of course, that the counter-argument holds water too. The very nature of art is to challenge perceptions and push boundaries. As soon as you start ring-fencing and applying rules to someone’s means of artistic self-expression, you’re on a short and slippery slope to the realms of Simon Cowell and The X-Factor.

So, to conclude, the question frustratingly remains. If someone – anyone, even you – likes your work, does that make it okay, whatever it is? Or is the movement to abandon the aesthetic no more than an ever-reducing spiral that will eventually vanish up its own arse?

While you ponder, here’s a little light music.

Yngwie Malmsteen – Far Beyond The Sun

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Genesis – Watcher Of The Skies

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Navigator – Danger Dragon

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