Inspired by R. Murray Schaeffer’s The Tuning Of the World, Jed Speare set out to document the decline of the San Francisco cable car. Beginning with a third part field document of the familiar sounds of the cable car, first with the rumble and hum inside the cabin, then the sounds along the tracks, concluding with the rapture of bells as the conductor alerts passersby of the cable car's approach. He then interviews several passengers and conductors, shedding light on the previous sounds. He concludes by tying the three together in an impressive tape piece. Very much approaching Tony Schwartz territory until the concluding piece, which takes him several steps beyond any semblance of documentation.
Cable Car Soundscapes
Liner notes
