the album, we hardly knew ye

Is the album dead? What's the point to making a full length record these days? What's the point in even having that discussion?

Well, to be honest we do think about that a fair amount here at gramercyArms.org/co.uk
We happen to love EPs. I remember loving all those later Jam EPs when it was clear that Weller was trying to make Foxton and Buckler get their soul on. There was an exciting tension to those records but also a sense that because they were EPs they could document a time in the band's history without being too precious about it or overthinking things.

Radiohead is officially over it apparently

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/aug/11/thom-yorke-radiohead

Maybe their decision will add a little grist to the mill to the death of the album, or whatever the cliche is. So sayeth Herr Yorke:

"None of us want to go into that creative hoo-ha of a long-play record again," he said. "Not straight off ... It worked with In Rainbows because we had a real fixed idea about where we were going. But we've all said that we can't possibly dive into that again. It'll kill us."

The problem isn't the format – "obviously, there's still something great about the album," Yorke said – but with the scale and consistency of vision that is required. "In Rainbows was a particular aesthetic and I can't bear the idea of doing that again. Not that it's not good, I just can't ... bear ... that."

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This is the bit that got left out of the interview:

Thom: Jonny, we had a fifteen-year ride, mate.
'Mean, who wants to be a fuck'n forty-five year old
rock'n'roller farting around in front of people less than
half their age?....
Jonny: So true, so true, yeah....
Thom: ...cranking out some kind of mediocre head-banging
bullshit, you know, that we've forgotten...
Jonny: It would b...it's beneath us...who wants to see that...
not me.
Thom: That's right...absolutely right. I mean, we could take
those projects that we thought, you know, we didn't have
time for....
Jonny: Oh, there's dozens, there's so many dozens of projects.
Thom: You know, we didn't have time for 'em because of Radiohead and
bring 'em back to life maybe.
Jonny: Do you remember what we were...do you remember the time?
Thom: At the Luton...at the Luton Palace...
Jonny: Yes.
Thom: We were talking about a rock musical based on the life of
Jack the Ripper...
Jonny: Yeah,'Saucy Jack.'
Thom: Right.'Saucy Jack.' Now's the time to do that.
Jonny: "Saucy Jack, you're a naughty one, Saucy Jack, you're a
haughty one, Saucy Jack."
Thom: Right...