PRODUCT PLACEMENT - Self-Titled

Опубликовано: 15 Ноябрь 2024
на канале: Jimmy

5,348

203

Words haven't done me much good. I felt that all my efforts this past few years -- between writing and drawing alike -- have only demonstrated how the catharsis that comes with creative expression isn't... particularly cathartic at all. I still can't tell if creating makes me feel better or worse, or if it somehow... prevents me from feeling any better or worse to begin with. Like I'm only managing to obfuscate my feelings in an ocean of half-poetic prose, that fails to confront any real sense of vulnerability, as if I... don't really know what it means to "feel", in a creative sense. The thought used to worry me a lot, that I'm always "feeling" wrong. In a way, I guess I still think that way. I guess it's one of those "impostor complex" kind of things.

But... albums like these help provide some form of assurance, in a very specific way. This is Product Placement: a solo project from Rob Garcia, a musician in Philadelphia. I used to listen to this tape a lot back in late 2018/early 2019. Like, a LOT, a lot. There was a time in my life where I let this album play itself through four or five times on a daily basis, with many more listens during peak hours of isolation. It's... a very easy-going album, as evident by the project's acoustic, psychedelic-infused structuring, which made it all the more easier for my brain to gravitate to when I needed something to occupy the silence of my bedroom. But therein lies my point of contention: I once felt that those days were "bad" times. It's... a little funny to reflect on that. To realize that -- as I had already suspected -- I had no idea what it meant to properly "feel", because as it turns out, I had "felt" wrong the entire fucking time. Things weren't so bad, but nevertheless, I had willingly indulged in all those creative expressions that told myself otherwise.

Because of this, it's been a few months since I've listened to this album again. I guess it was just easier to not confront the sentiments I had inadvertently attached to these songs, as we usually do when we obsess over someone's music for a brief period in our lives. But nevertheless, I chose to revisit this album last week, and... was met with "feelings" that were nothing short of positive. All of apprehension and subconscious worry, swiftly cast aside by this warm, sugar-casted chorus of acoustic guitar chords, the comely country twang delicately unified with gritted psychedelic rock dynamics, the hollowed vocal resonances amplifying the album's strong summery effervescence. It all felt just as tender and soothing as I remembered, even with those pained personal sentiments attached. And in some way, I guess that goes to show the value of "feeling" and "feeling" intensely, even if it turns out that you "felt" the wrong the way the entire time. This level of music appreciation is emergent, momentary, ephemeral, and I suppose, "instinctive": but more importantly, it's for me and me only -- and I feel fucking great right now. It doesn't matter if I'm wrong. It's just nice to feel.

From one reel to another, Product Placement is an excellent display of expressive, colorful songwriting, fronted by a wonderful set of pipes that truly know how to sing. It feels nice to finally write about this thing. This talent is also displayed in one of Rob's other projects, Telepathic (https://telepathic.bandcamp.com/). I thought I'd upload one of their albums alongside this Product Placement thing, because that band is just as incredible: • TELEPATHIC - Self Checkout

TRACK LIST:
Suspended Copper - 0:00
Marmalade - 3:32
Asleep Again - 6:02
See Who You Are - 8:30
Set To Dril - 9:52
Waiting To Decide - 12:42
Watching A Fire - 14:35
On Guard - 20:32
Automatic Praise - 21:40
Dirty Faucet - 26:06

SUPPORT: https://product-placement.bandcamp.co...
DOWNLOAD: https://www.mediafire.com/file/iy23lh...