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People Like Us Abridged Too Far (2004) 1. Nothing 2. The Doody Waltz 3. I've Got You 4. Gesundheit! 5. Who Cares 6. Ja Ich 7. Dolly Pardon 8. Ach Du 9. Listen To The 10. Tiny Labyrinth of Distraction 11. Cattle Call 12. Abridged Too Far 13. Bier Bier Bier Downtown 14. Sedimental Journey 15. Swinglargo 16. Close To You 17. Retreat To Fade 18. Happy Wonderer 19. Downtown Once More 20. DO or DIY 21. Nobody Does Download Printable Album Artwork: Booklet Booklet Middle CD Label Inlay Following last year's posting of their full 14 year discography for free download at www.ubu.com, People Like Us is going one step further in releasing a new album exclusively online. Given the poor state of music/media distribution for non-major label music, PLU are favouring circulation of one's work as the ultimate goal, in the belief that gift culture ultimately reaps as much, if not more rewards by reaching more people. "We strongly believe in the power of profit through free distribution. Often people have never heard of an artist because they aren't being distributed through as many channels as they should be, due to the very poor state of music/media distribution for non-major label music coupled with ignorance of the way that avant garde art forms infiltrate mainstream culture. Also many prints of a work are allowed to go out of circulation or are deleted for no reason other than cost effectiveness by a label/publisher. This makes perfect sense financially, but no sense whatsoever that a year's work by an artist should also disappear for such reasons. So get all of this while you can, and we completely endorse getting one's work out there, no matter what. If you don't share, your profit is limited." "Abridged Too Far" is a collection of audio work first conceived through experimentation through or on radio. Given that this was the initial point of inspiration, it feels most appropriate to release this on the internet which has similar 'on the air' qualities. The experience found from internet broadcasting and sharing is very different to that of the world of retail - the effect is immediate and far fetching, plus the feedback can be immense. It is a good feeling to know the work is far more likely to reach it's intended audience since it transcends physical borders. On Abridged Too Far, People Like Us continues its pastiche of impressions of popular music from Europe and America from the 1920s thru to 1990s. Bennettšs work is an examination of the affect of hearing well known tunes and lyrics in fragments, then putting those elements to play-- resonating, intermingling and recombining with the listeners own associations and shards of memories. But this music, countering the pathos of straight tear-sucking nostalgia never settles in a place for its listener to cozily reflect times past. Rather, the deft recontextualization and juxtaposition of individual elements creates an alchemical space of sublime and satirical transformation. This work is justified only because it is transformative; that it reflects something that may never have even been what it was perceived to be. People Like Us weaves a revealing nether-narrative to accompany popular culturešs monolithic straight telling of its own history. The reality of which is columned by the sinister underpinnings of rapacious consumer culture and empty marketing. This is not background music. It is engaging, inclusive and reflective. Not only a conduit of dialogic criticism for Ms. Bennett, People Like Us is also personal and personable to a stranger given our shared experience and running commentary of the Western World. Do not buy this album! UbuWeb Sound | UbuWeb PennSound | GreyLodge | Artmob | EPC | WFMU