In their endorsement blurbs for Musical Intimacy, Nathaniel Sloan and Norma Coates inadvertently pinpoint the impetus for this book. Sloan describes musical intimacy as a “ubiquitous but elusive concept,” while Coates observes that musical intimacy “usually falls into the definitional category of ‘we know it when we experience it.’” Music journalists, bloggers, artists, and fan discourse often describe recordings and performances as “intimate,” and to the points raised by Sloan and Coates – we all have some sense of what that might mean. But it’s a term that we take for granted, and in writing this book, we wanted to help to clarify and concretize the concept of “musical intimacy.” What do we mean when we describe a recording as intimate? What artistic, aesthetic, and sonic qualities contribute to our perceptions of music as being “intimate?” Is intimacy in musical performance simply a matter of music being performed in small, intimate settings? Does such intimacy develop solely between audience members, or does it extend to the performer/spectator relationship? As we began to have more sustained discussions on the topic, these are the types of questions that we asked ourselves, and that we set out to answer in Musical Intimacy.

            Through detailed analysis of works by artists including Fiona Apple, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Billie Eilish, Devon Hendryx (JPEGMAFIA), Daniel Johnston, Prince, Sonny Rollins, Elliott Smith, Bruce Springsteen, and more, the book fleshes out how musical intimacy can be constructed, marketed, performed, and perceived, arriving at a working understanding of the phenomenon across various contexts.

Musical Intimacy: Construction, Connection, and Engagement is available now in digital and hardback editions. At the time of this writing, the cheapest online option is to order directly from the book’s publisher, Bloomsbury - click here to order. You can also read the book’s Introduction for free by clicking the cover to the left!