The Shaggs- Philosophy of the World

There’s a certain part of the population that likes music purely because it is what the rest of us consider “bad” and the reason for that is pretty simple: they put in work to find something to appreciate.

I don’t fall into that category most times, but one thing this point of view has going for it is looking at art or an album as an experience to be contemplated, not something to elicit a kind of emotion or nostalgic feeling in the moment.

Like I say, I don’t usually consume music like this, but I have in the past and their are certain albums that can only be approached from this angle.

And this album, Philosophy of the World, must be approached from this angle. It sounds awful, but that’s just what makes it good.

Okay, “good” might be a slight exaggeration. It’s a good example of a genre, that being music that cannot be appreciated for its musical quality, since it has none to speak of. So then why will I recommend you listen to this entire album, beginning to end, at least once? Because it is an experience.

Let’s say you follow my suggestion, and you put on Philosophy of the World, with the intention of sitting through the whole thing. The first track “Philosophy of the World” will confuse you, maybe even disgust you on a gut level.

My advice is to stick with it, let the music’s strange sound absorb you. It’ll be hard. You’ll want to quit, but I promise you, you’ll get into the rhythm of the album, a rhythm and a groove you won’t hear anywhere else. After you’re done and the last notes of “We Have a Savior” fade away you might feel drained but that’s because you’ve just experienced music, and you can look back at that experience and ask questions like “Why was that so bad?” “Was it bad?” “Did I kind of like it?”

5/5 It must be listened to as an album and as an experience. Turn off the lights, light a candle, and get ready for a very strange ride.