Every once in a while I happen to catch a tune from an old album that I favored "back in the day." Recently, I heard "Free For All" by Ted Nugent and had to pull the album out and replay it. As usual, many of these albums hold as well today as they did back when they were new. That's one of the great things about music (or TV, Film, Books, or any other art form), they tend to hold their value pretty well.

When I think about all of the attention paid to films of the past with a constant flow of often elaborate rework and packaging, I often wonder why our musical treasures often go under attended to. There are many, many classics that have been ignored or otherwise forgotten and yet (and there is NOTHING wrong with this. It is just a comparative use) films of all kinds get re-released, sometimes multiple times within a 10-year period and over all emerging technologies. As technology once again evolves for film display (3D TV), you can bet that many films given the Blu-ray restorations and remasters, will, once again, be refreshed to be consumed again by fans of the formats. And yet, music will not receive that same attention.

We went through a period of SACD and DVD-Audio, which were preceded by HDCD and even Quadraphonic remixes. these audio improvements went largely unnoticed by most other than audiophiles who respect the pristine work on those releases that made it under the door before the formats closed for mass releases.

What does it take to get a consuming audience to demand better attention to quality of their favorite songs rather than devalue the music that they profess to love? I really am perplexed about this. Many of the same people that will populate an iPod or hard-drive with low-quality MP3s demand that a Blu-ray film title be "perfect" in every way. So, what is the mindset here? Why have consumers accepted an inferior music quality and yet demand better smartphones, sharper film images, better sound emanating from speakers attached to TVs, more quality storylines and graphics on videogames? Doesn't something seem not right? It does to me.

And so my question is, and always has been, what is it going to take to change the mind of the consumer that will cause them to demand the same qualities from music that they demand from everything else? If you have an answer or just want to join in the rant with me, join in at Why is Music So Devalued? I'm very curious to hear your takes as to why music doesn't get the same love as everything else does.

Well, it's off to ComicCon in San Diego to hang with the guys of The Digital Bits. I'll check back in with you on Monday. We'll see what we have conjured up by then.

I want to alert TAP readers to the fact that I have finally put together a FaceBook fan page that you can access and join by clicking on the badge below.  What this offers is the exact same thing as my Twitter feeds provide and that is first buzz on upcoming releases and free offered downloads, many announcements  that beat our main post, sometimes by days.  We also provide a Google BUZZ page that expands on most of the Twitter/FB feeds. On Buzz, you can even hear the music stream if a stream is offered.  There are still things that I'm working on in the FB page, like calender notes as well as links to great sites like The Second Disc.  I invite you to join us at our FB page and bookmark it.  Visit it daily and you'll be rewarded with much news and info.  Of course, you'll still want to come to the main MusicTAP page for our noisy commentaries.  Remember, with our Twitter feeds, you can elect to receive the news bursts as text on your mobile phone keeping you effortlessly up to date with stuff.  Lots of choices.  Find one, or two, that fits.

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By now, everyone is aware that Atlantic is preparing a 20th Anniversary set for Pantera's Cowboys From Hell. The sets will be receiving a loving 3CD Deluxe set with Disc One sporting the original album, Disc Two with Live performances, and Disc Three with a collection of demos, whilst the 2CD Expanded set offers both the remastered original with a disc of Live performances. Both sets arrive on September 14. There is no news of an LP version but it wouldn't surprise me to see it appear at some point down the road. Read more from the always excellent The Second Disc.

Nonesuch Records plan the release of the 180g vinyl LP version of Familial (CD releasing on August 31) by Philip Selway, also on August 31. The LP will come with a poster.

Reprise Records will release the S/T major label debut of American Bang with both CD and vinyl LP issues on August 31.

American Bang is a page out of '70s arena Rock that should make a lot of you happy. The musicians are excellent and should have you reminiscing in no time, remembering those great years. Follow the exploratory links:

Website

MySpace

Facebook

Last FM

Universal Republic will release vinyl LP and CD for Anberlin for their new album called Dark Is The Way. Light Is A Place. whch are expected out on the same street date, September 7.

Sanctuary Records continue their August 3 DD blitz with a Bill Wyman collection called Jump Jive and Wail - The Very Best of Bill Wyman's Bootleg Kings.

For your knowledge, Legacy and Columbia has released into the Digital realm (DD) Gypsy Cowboy (1972) by New Riders of the Purple Sage on July 20.