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  • The American Poetry Review

    HEADPHONE MASTERPIECES

    Jul 01, 2022 8 minutes
    JOHN MORRISON

    In a bizarre and unprecedented move, the “Intro” for Todd Rundgren’s breakout 1972 album, Something/Anything? is placed seven tracks and nearly twenty minutes into the album’s run time. In addition to its odd sequential place, this intro is unique because it conceptually breaks the fourth wall, with Rundgren directly addressing the listener and acting as host of an auditory game that challenges listeners to identify any sonic and technical flaws that may have shown up on the record.

    Before we go any further, I’d like to show you all a game I made up. This game is called “Sounds of the Studio,” and it can be played with any record, including this one.

    You can play it, uh, with … you can even play it with your favorite record—you may be surprised. Now if you have a pair of headphones you better get ’em out and get ’em cranked up ’cause they’re really gonna help you on this one.

    Now I’m sure you all recognize this. (hissing noise) This is called hiss. It comes on records that were mastered lousy or mono reprocessed for stereo or any number of things.

    (humming noise) This of course is hum. P’s popping— This is the sound of bad editing.

    And here’s what happens when the machine gains control

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