Ice, Ice, Baby

I saw this post and couldn't believe my eyes-ice records! They whole process starts with taking a mold of a real record, then making these delicate, incredible, working, frozen copies!

The actual sound? I think they have quite a bit more clicks and pops than what John and I tend to have in our collection, but, they are made out of ice.

I love this concept. It's the closest thing a recorded medium can come to a live performance. It's memorable, fleeting, and you absolutely have to live in the moment to appreciate it. You can't walk about the other rooms of the house while this is on. It is a ludicrous commodity, to be sure, but a fascinating statement that takes music out of the shopping mall, car radios, Muzak'd elevators, and MP3 players and places it directly in front of us.

I have an iPod now, but I rarely use it in transit. I see so many people wandering like lithe ghosts throughout their day. Disconnected from the sights and sounds around them on their morning commute or on the street at lunchtime. Perhaps as a musician, I can't relegate music to the background. I'm either listening completely or not at all. I have a hard time having that sort of accompaniment without getting sucked into the experience completely.

The icy records came at the right time; after the longest, fairest autumn in years, winter has arrived with its shatteringly cold winds. Snow finally stuck to the ground yesterday, a light dusting of white. I am remembering what it is to be truly bundled up to go outside. It's the perfect time of year for baking, twinkle lights, and big band music on the record player. Cheers! I hope you're all having a fabulous holiday season thus far.