Tried to play a 'forgotten' album at a party and it totally killed the vibe

I was at a friend's place in Cincinnati last weekend and put on 'The Soft Bulletin' by The Flaming Lips, thinking it was a cool deep cut from 1999. I mean, it's a great album, but after about two songs the whole room got quiet and someone just asked to put on some hip hop. Idk, maybe it's just me but I figured people would be into something different. It just felt like the moment was gone, you know? Has anyone else had a favorite forgotten album totally flop when you tried to share it?

2 comments

2 Comments

hunt.rowan5d ago

Yeah, you guys are learning the hard way that a party playlist is not a college radio show. The Soft Bulletin is a masterpiece, but it's also kind of a downer. You basically put on a psychedelic therapy session and wondered why people wanted to dance. It's like bringing a beautiful abstract painting to a group that just wants to look at a funny meme. Some art is for sharing, and some is for when you're alone staring at the ceiling.

parker_campbell5d ago

Oh man, that's the worst feeling. I had the exact same thing happen with "Loveless" by My Bloody Valentine. Put it on at a backyard hang, thinking the wall of sound would be a cool talking point or something. Total mistake. Within like five minutes my buddy just walked over to the speaker and said "what is this beautiful noise?" and switched it to a classic rock playlist. The vibe just deflated. Some albums are just for headphones, I guess.