Eavesdrop: a wealth of found sound

by Jacob Smigel

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Streaming + Download

I appreciate that media formats come and go, but I still strongly believe that "Eavesdrop" is an experience that cannot adequately be reproduced as a download. Like the antiquated media from which this collection is drawn, "Eavesdrop" is meant to be handled, flipped through, and felt-- in addition to listened to. For this reason it has historically only been available in its entirety as a physical release..... UNTIL NOW!! The entirety of "Eavesdrop" is now available for free. If you still want that physical experience, the CD version is still available.... largely because I was crazy enough to press 1100 copies when it was originally released. Stock is running very low however... That's a full 40 tracks (almost 80 minutes) of found sound madness for only $12(US) shipping included!!!

Purchasable with gift card
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
40 tracks of uncompromisingly strange found sound spread over ~80 minutes. Ink-stamped CD-R housed in a full-color 6-panel digi-pack. Also includes 28 page booklet, and three unique found scraps tucked inside as well. Includes download/streaming of the album as well via Bandcamp.

Includes unlimited streaming of Eavesdrop: a wealth of found sound via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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$10 USD or more

1.	Hamburger Hamlet 01:32	download
2.	Roadside Photo 01:36	download
3.	Lead Chorus (Nikki) 01:59	download
4.	Door-Ass Never Fails 01:49	download
5.	Trailer Couple 04:31	download
6.	Ronald Maroni 01:54	download
7.	Fight with Michael 02:26	download
8.	James Scott Ruggies 02:10	download
9.	The "Hee-Ahhh" 01:23	download
10.	Glory AND Honor 00:34	download
11.	You Know: Who, What, Where 00:08	download
12.	Terris Van Travis 02:51	download
13.	I Thought He Was Gonna Beat Me! 00:21	download
14.	Jingle Guy 01:31	download
15.	Fun Ladies 02:04	download
16.	Fuck'n Pepsi Now 00:41	download
17.	Albert Szent-Györgyi (Ph.D., Nobel Laureate 1937) 02:31	download
18.	Asian Karaoke 01:42	download
19.	Beta Video 01:29	download
20.	Charcoal Taste? 01:49	download
21.	Nasty Nancy 00:56	download
22.	French Horn Lesson 01:09	download
23.	Carol (1976) 06:12	download
24.	Mike, Quit Smoking!! 02:53	download
25.	Elvira (Square Dancing) 02:26	download
26.	American Medley (1946) 01:31	download
27.	Teresa (Tape for Bobby) 04:05	download
28.	Phil's Desperate Parents 01:12	download
29.	Marching Band Competition 02:20	download
30.	How Can Women Do It? 01:09	download
31.	Say Your Prayers!! 02:48	download
32.	Mom's Tape Letter (1982) 01:20	download
33.	Vet's Office/Singing Lover 00:59	download
34.	Rappers (Flow...) 02:34	download
35.	Book Report 01:20	download
36.	Reno Mother 03:46	download
37.	I'm at the Union 76 00:24	download
38.	Spencer Olsen 03:02	download
39.	Pro-Choice/How's Your Lawn? 00:10	download
40.	Mary and Howard's Tape Letter 04:10	download

about

“Eavesdrop: a wealth of found sound” is a collection of anonymous recordings found at thrift stores, yard sales, and in trash bins over a four year period. These largely-unaltered tracks come from audio or micro-cassettes, 8-Tracks and home-recorded records. Many of the clips are segments from audio diaries, tape-letters, the sound of road trips, fights, crying, family moments, telephone conversations/messages, or the amusements of children or the mentally handicapped. I play the role of curator, or preservationist, as a minimum of editing or manipulation was used, in order to present the listener with the most powerful recordings in their natural state. Some are funny, some are ridiculous, others make no sense. A few are so perfect I cant believe I actually found them.

"Eavesdrop" is also a scattered documentation of what I call "the golden age of personal recording (1965-1986),” and is ultimately about the wonder that is putting our experiences, feelings, and "lives" down on tape. The 40 tracks spread out over 80 minutes. In addition, the album version includes 28 pages of track notes with transcripts, background information, and additional resources. The album art is a full-color collage of found photos collected over a two year period, laid out on a 6-panel digi-pak, which houses an ink-stamped CD-R. Each album also comes stuffed with three unique found scraps tucked inside… in other words, an experience that I cannot adequately reproduce as a download.

credits

released July 1, 2006

This album was made possible with help from: Las Vegas thrift stores including (but not limited to): Opportunity Village (Main St.), New Vista Thrift Store, Alpha Thrift Store (where it all started), Salvation Army, Hank's Emporium, and the Nathan Adelson Hospice Thrift Store. Thank you also to: yard sales, the Pasadena City College Flea Market, Spencer Olson, the audio and found photo contributions of Nathan Fairbanks and Deanna Reynolds (respectively), and the mastering wizardry of Michael "Lazer" Lavin. Thank you also for the support of Beverly Brian, Balcony Lights (Music and Books), Not Not Fun Records, boingboing.net, Justin Waters of Sounds From The Pocket, Zia Records, Hollow Earth Radio, Wes Juhl, Davy Rothbart, and Found Magazine.

INSTAGRAM: @smigelmusic or @the_carol_tapes

More info (and weird zen): www.jacobsmigel.com
Management: management@jacobsmigel.com
Music: jacobsmigel.bandcamp.com

license

some rights reserved

about

Jacob Smigel Austin, Texas

When the house plants are doing well... I think that says more about me.

jacobsmigel.com

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