What does the notion of "10 listens" mean to you? Do you use that milestone because you believe that's the average amount of times you need to absorb an album, or because it's sufficient to gain a basic understanding of an album?
Asked by
jakec
The 10 Listens philosophy comes from Jeff Laughlin, founding editor of 10 Listens. It’s kind of explained here. What it means, specifically, is fairly simple: Listen to an album ten times—in various contexts and states of mind—and then write about it.
I tend to form impressions1 of albums really quickly. The best way to ingratiate an album with me? Make the first song catchy, allusive, and/or propulsively chunky and you’ll probably sell me. I just, you know, don’t have a lot of hours in the day that I can spend focusing on music. Wish I did. Reviewing albums for 10 Listens is very pleasant, then, because it forces me to spend from 300 to 700 minutes listening to an album really soaking in it. Sure, I make a snap judgement about it, but after ten listens to nearly anything I start to kind of like it. At least I start to see where it’s coming from. For instance, the latest MGMT album. I reviewed that for 10 Listens, and while ultimately I didn’t like it that much, I totally dug what the band was doing and sympathized with their goals and methods. Listening to a good album ten times is a good way to see the chinks in its presentation. And listening to a mediocre album ten times is a great way to see how someone’s mind works.
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William Gass has a tremendous essay in Finding A Form on impressions and Ford Madox Ford, which I’m actually in the midst of presently. You know how there’s that jejune joke about a party in a mouth and everyone can come? Gass’ essays are like parties in your brain and he’s the only person invited, but he has such a grand, polyphonic, overwhelmingly pleasant presence on the page that you feel as if your head’s been invaded or conquered rather than made the host to one man. ↩
