Hawksley Workman Says Albums Are For 'Nerds'

Posted on Dec 2nd 2009 6:00PM by Lonny Knapp
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In a world where many fans obtain music without ever encountering a hard copy, the single is king. So do full-length albums still have a place in the digital age? Toronto-based singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman isn't so sure.

"For kids brought up on videogames and the on-demand entertainment of the Internet, the long-form record probably doesn't have much of a future," Workman tells Spinner. "Albums are becoming a curiosity for peripheral music nerds."

Music nerds like Hawskley, that is. Growing up with only a few snowy television channels and an ever-expanding record collection as entertainment options, he's never gotten over the thrill of dropping freshly pressed vinyl on a record player.
"Music plays the same role in my life that it did twenty years ago," he says. "It is still a conduit for ideas, textures and feelings and a sensual part of my daily experience."

Though he admits that he's wistful for the old days, he is savvy enough to realize that a musician must evolve to succeed in the industry.

"By getting overly sentimental, you risk being left behind," he says. "There are a lot of long faces in the music business. I'm just trying to remain buoyant amongst all the grief and sadness."

Workman -- who occasionally moonlights as a record producer for artists like Tegan and Sara, Serena Ryder and Hey Rosetta! -- will release two new albums next year via different distribution channels. While 'Meat' hits records stores on January 19, 2010, 'Milk' will be released digitally one track each month over a five-month period. The first track, 'We'll Make Time (Even When There Ain't No Time),' is already available on iTunes. Give it a listen here:

Stream:

Purchase:

Using non-traditional distribution for 'Milk' is Workman's response to a quickly evolving industry.

"Record companies have clearly missed the boat on this one, and getting kids to buy hunks of plastic is no longer a true option," he says. "There are a new set of rules and a whole new set of avenues to discover. It's up to artists to be creative and flexible in finding new ways to make revenues from music."