Listening Time

[ScrambledGregs]

Don't you think we ought-a have a master thread for discussing the musics we are currently consuming?? S..sure we do!!

Please come back.
Note that these don't have to be new albums. Just talk about whatever you're enjoying at the moment, offer a description or critique...whatever you feel like.

My current listenings:

Beck- Modern Guilt: I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. It can best be described as 60s rock meeting modern day hip hop production and looping/sampling goodness. This is probably Beck's best album since Midnite Vultures in my opinion.

PJ Harvey- Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea: I often feel male guilt for neglecting female artists, but PJ Harvey is the kind of artist you can set your watch to. I haven't heard a bad album from her yet, and this piece from 2000 is her self described "melodic/pop" album, though from her usual skewed musical vision. Come for the duet with Radiohead's Thom Yorke, stay for the...well, everything else. 'The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore' is one of the best songs she's ever written, and it almost makes me want to grant her the title of the female Nick Cave. Yeah, I know they dated, shut up.

Comets on Fire- Avatar: Surprise, they went even further away from spastic noise-rock and more toward late 60s/early 70s classic rock/power trio this time out!! Funny story: when I bought their Blue Cathedral album, a female record store employee with crazy huge green punk hair told me she loved the band and asked if this one was as noisy as their early stuff (of which I had Field Recording From The Sun). I told her that no, apparently it was a little more reserved and classic rock-y. She looked genuinely sad about it. It was the first time a girl liked music that was more crazy and/or noisy than me.

Belle & Sebastian- Tigermilk: I don't know if this album will ever shake its reputation as the band's hard-to-find debut. I kind of feel like it's been overrated as a result of its former scarcity, but now that it's easy to find I hope more people realize that the band has gotten better since. If You're Feeling Sinister is still probably their best 'classic' twee-pop album, but you'd be remiss if you didn't give their newer, more overtly power-pop albums a try, especially Dear Catastrophe Waitress and The Life Pursuit.

Guided By Voices- Live From Austin, TX: A double disc affair that condenses their performance on Austin City Limits before their break-up at the end of 2004. Or something like that; I'm none too clear on the particulars. Still, this may make you a believer in ex-school teacher Bob Pollard's band, a ridiculous prolific man inside and out of Guided By Voices. He really is (or maybe was; I don't follow his new stuff) the kind of artist who writes and throws out more good songs in a day than most bands release in their lifetime, and the band's scattershot, album hopping, booze soaked, banter filled live sets are the stuff of legend. Please go buy their The Electrifying Conclusion DVD, which is the full 4-hourish last concert they ever played, and a testament to a man who made a career out of being a drunk genius who turned a 4-track/lofi loving indie rock band into an arena rock, beer fueled, swaggering force to be reckoned with by sheer force of will.

[Dizzy]

I don't think so. We have several threads devoted music, recently one devoted to classical. I am currently listening the sounds of screaming children.

[KCar]

Apparat - Walls: I've been seriously digging this Icelandic band lately. It's pretty trippy electronic stuff that fans of Radiohead can certainly get behind, and the single-strength track, "Hailing from the Edge," is definitely MTFT.

[Sarcasmorator]

Aw, I thought this was going to be a mix-exchange revival. Oh well.

Been listening to a lot of Flight of the Conchords, Spoon and and since I just saw "The Dark Knight" a bit of the "Batman Begins" soundtrack as well until I can pick up the new movie's score.

[pence]

Seeing as I consume more music than video games, I wholly endorse this thread. Oh, and the thread dedicated to new music where I posted some release dates and stuff has fallen off the first page.

But holy crap what am I listening to get to the point pence!!

Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
Scuzzy punk kids who have food fights and stay out late every night drinking. Lead singer gets two songs about ditching her boyfriend, more about dissing her peer group in general, and her male bandmates shout things like UNLEASH THE BEAST! and SUCKS TO BE THE JANITOR! Catchy as hell, too.

DJ Yoda - Fabriclive 39
It's a mix cd, a bit of a mashup even; the Violent Femmes, old school hip-hop, grime, drum and bass, calypso. Like Girl Talk if he'd relax and let the songs do the work, or DJ Shadow in a world of hypersaturated colorful party people.

Mos Def - Black on Both Sides
I can't really make an informed judgement because I just heard it for the first time, but I'm still buzzing from the first listen. So it merits special mention. Standout moment: hardcore blastbeats, Elvis, and Bad Brains in the same song.

[nunix]

Apparently the new Sigur Ros album is out, so I need to pick that up here sometime this week and then probably listen to that nonstop.

[Secret Punch]

I have been trying to get into hip-hop more because the blinding whiteness of my usual tastes got boring. As such I am pretty deep into Saul Williams' back-catalogue (it's awesome, you pretty much need Amethyst Rock Star) and I have tried some other things but they haven't tended to work out as well. The Nicolay/Kay collaboration Time:Line is only interesting as long as you can pretty much ignore the rhymes and focus on the production, for instance, and I am extremely disappointed by Tribe.

Also I just got the new Bodies of Water album. No verdict yet as I haven't actually gotten to listen through it. But you see what I mean? So fucking white.

[nunix]

UPDATE: Yes the new album is great. I read something about Gobbledigook being poppy and "betraying the sound" or whatever, but I freakin' love that song, empowers me to want to go out and DO things.

EDIT: Also I'm back to listening to Newsom's "Ys" regularly again. You! Yes, you. You were going to make a trite comment about her singing voice. Please come over here so I can gut you like the stupid flesh-blob you are. Everyone else who either had nothing to say, which is fine, or who wanted to also express appreciation, you may now do so!

[Secret Punch]

Joanna Newsom is the best and fuck anyone who makes fun of her voice right in the ass.

I have this big long rant about how much it infuriates me that people turned me off on Milk-Eyed Mender for years by dismissing it as "cute" when in fact a lot of it is really caustic and cutting and cruel. They were all like, "A girl with a harp, LOL, let's not pay attention to anything she says."

[standing8]

This past week I've been listening to a few albums.

The Bake Sale by The Cool Kids: All of the Hip Hop I really get into nowadays is from Chicago. Oh and VA too. When is NY Hip Hop gonna wake up and kick the Souths ass? It's like the Mid West is the new East Coast and The South is the new West Coast.

Purple Rain by Prince: I don't like a couple songs on this but I'm merely nitpicking. Just the two, everything else, absolutely classic. I wish "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Soft and Wet" were on this in place of "Computer Blue" and "Darling Nikki". Still an amazing album.

Game by Perfume: My friend spent about $200 on J-Pop on Yesasia and bought this. $200 for like six albums. I love the packaging of Japanese audio CD's but they just cost too much. Even singles are more than whole albums here. Perfume is very bubbly techno, I like it.....alot.

Veni, Vidi, Vicious by The Hives: Love this album. Why did you guys go and have to work with Timbo? Just take it back to VVV.

[taidan]

I never feel cool enough in these threads.

I mean shit, the only thing I can write in these is that I listened to OK Computer for the first time ever last month, which isn't a joke.

[Phat]

"Introducing" by Foxy Shazam which is holy wow just watch.

TEN MINUTES LATER OPINION: This is not very good.

[mr_bungle700]

Originally Posted by Secret Punch

Joanna Newsom is the best and fuck anyone who makes fun of her voice right in the ass.

And Ys is a masterpiece.

I discovered Clammbon - and by extension, Ikuko Harada - today! I'm excited.

[Mightyblue]

Hirano Aya - MonSTAR: It's J-Pop yeah, but not your bog-standard-all-synthwork J-Pop either. While there's a number of her past singles on the CD,there's also a number of original songs that cover a gamut of musical influences, mostly involving some form of guitar work. It's definitely on the better side of the genre though, even if I could probably live without hearing Hare Hare Yukai again.

[Pooch]

Hey! Only one of these records features music recorded after 1980! I'm so current!

Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove
Great funk rock record, or greatest funk rock record? Songs like "One Nation Under a Groove" and "Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!" make even this uncoordinated white boy want to get up and groove.

The Who - Live at Leeds
Rock Band's Who pack got me listening to this again. I still don't care for the meandering jams at the end of the record, but it's still the best live album to come out of the '60s (even if it was released in 1970). Even the lesser-known tracks like "Heaven and Hell" will rock you out of your seat.

Shoko Suzuki - love, painful love
A concept record about the dark side of love (hence, the title). Suzuki tackles a number of styles here, including loud guitar rock, gentle folk, harpsichord-driven '60s pop, and blazing synth rock, and it all works. What makes this record even more amazing to me is that she wrote, performed, and produced everything by herself (the record's obi proclaims it the first entirely self-performed record by a major female artist in Japan).

Simon & Garfunkel - Best of...
I have all of their records as well, but this compilation has appealed to me a lot lately for some reason. Maybe it's because, aside from Bookends, most album filler on S&G albums isn't as good as the singles.

[Ethan]

I bought and listened to the new Melvins. It's... ehhhhhh. I'm going to see them in about a week, though, which is awesome.

[Mr_Nuts]

I've been on a big Rush kick for months now. I can't get enough.

I'm also a big fan of the Anonymous album by Tomahawk. It's all native-american themed music. Mike Patton fans should listen to this.

I've started listening to Thin Lizzy recently as well. Whiskey in the Jar is quality.

[blitzchamp]

I've been listening to the Final Fantasy V OSV by Nobuo Uematsu, "Fates in Haze" has become one of my favorite songs. The soundtrack is excellent just like every other album, and I'm still feeling out which songs I will want to listen to more consistently.

[KCar]

Originally Posted by Mr_Nuts

I've been on a big Rush kick for months now. I can't get enough.

I'm sorry - I think you were looking for the "Guilty Pleasures" thread. It's okay - we all make mistakes.

[mr_bungle700]

First you slight the obviously beautiful and desirable women who play Diablo II, and then you tarnish the name of Rush?

I believe this calls for a round of fisticuffs, sir!

[Matchstick]

Originally Posted by mr_bungle700

First you slight the obviously beautiful and desirable women who play Diablo II, and then you tarnish the name of Rush?

I believe this calls for a round of fisticuffs, sir!

I'll proudly act as your second, sir.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Sarcasmorator

Aw, I thought this was going to be a mix-exchange revival. Oh well.

We should definitely bring that back.

[KCar]

Originally Posted by mr_bungle700

I believe this calls for a round of fisticuffs, sir!

Subdivisions? In our Talking Time?

Conform or be cast out!

Seriously though. I love to hate Rush. How could such talented musicians make such consistently bad decisions?

[Dizzy]

I like Rush. Working Man is my only favorite song from them though. I'd rate them on the same level of AC/DC and Boston. I can only tolerate that music for so long before I must listen to Hannah Montana.

[Secret Punch]

Destro: The new Melvins is awesome. Listen to those fucking drums!

Relatedly: Recently I've been really in the mood for albums where people just go insane on some drums. I'm particularly interested in African/Indian/Middle Eastern stuff but I'm open to any crazy awesome drum records. Suggestions?

[Dizzy]

Is this to your own taste, Punch?

[KCar]

Originally Posted by Secret Punch

Destro: The new Melvins is awesome. Listen to those fucking drums!

Relatedly: Recently I've been really in the mood for albums where people just go insane on some drums. I'm particularly interested in African/Indian/Middle Eastern stuff but I'm open to any crazy awesome drum records. Suggestions?

Hella. Get anything by Hella. Zach Hill is a MONSTER. He also drums on Marnie Stern's "In Advance of the Broken Arm." Hella can be a little tough to listen to, but Marnie's got a little more traditional musicality to carry you through.

Also: Don Caballero, especially "American Don." They're seriously groov-alicious math-rock (it can happen!). Check out "Fire Back About Your Baby's New Sex" if you doubt me. This is one of the best examples of what can happen when the drummer is the band leader.

[O..O~]

Someone explain the appeal of Joanna Newsom to me, please. I have talked to so many people who don't give me good reasons for liking her that I am convinced people they say they like her so they sound cool. "I like joanna newsom" me: "but her voice sounds like she is killing kittens" fan: "yeah it does but...I just like her". I don't get why she is so critically acclaimed. After reading so much about her being awesome throughout the years I finally listened to y's and I didn't get it. It made my ears scream for blood.

The new Sigur Ros- I don't think I like this....put me in the sounds too poppy and fast camp. Their songs on their earlier albums actually had distinct sounds, they sounded like their own band (even disregarding the crazy language). Now it sounds like this crazy language band doing covers of popular songs. Still looking foward to seeing them in september though

The Hold Steady- Stay Positive- The hold steady is one of those bands that took me 3 or 4 listens of one to really get. At first the lead singers voice just didn't work with me, the lyrics did but not the vocals. Somewhere between the 3rd and 4th listen I got it, and I love the band now. The new album is nothing too different from their earlier stuff, but it is still great catchy rock with lyrics that make you wish you were still in high school.

[KCar]

Originally Posted by O..O~

Someone explain the appeal of Joanna Newsom to me, please. I have talked to so many people who don't give me good reasons for liking her that I am convinced people they say they like her so they sound cool. "I like joanna newsom" me: "but her voice sounds like she is killing kittens" fan: "yeah it does but...I just like her". I don't get why she is so critically acclaimed. After reading so much about her being awesome throughout the years I finally listened to y's and I didn't get it. It made my ears scream for blood.

Keep trying. Are you a lyrics man? Nobody, but nobody, strings words together musically like she does. "The meteorite is the source of the light and the meteor's just what we see. And the mereorite is a stone thrown that's devoid of the fire that propelled it to thee." Use of "thee" not withstanding, that's just fucking outstanding.

Bear in mind - I hated the milk-eyed mender when I first heard it. However, on hearing Ys, I was able to go back and enjoy it. her voice really is maturing from release to release (have you heard the Ys Street Band EP?), and it sort of makes her earlier stuff make more sense. You've still got to have some stomach for twee, but I can't get enough of her.

tl:dr - acquired taste worth acquiring.

[nunix]

A) I don't care if you like her. Why should I convince you? It's either something that clicks with you, or not. And why the fuck do I need a "good reason"?

B) I DO like her voice. It's unique, it's not really "trained", it's heartfelt and simple.

C) I'm a harpist.

Also, please present yourself tomorrow for the promised gutting. I said I'd do it!

EDIT: Like KCar said, "Emily" is just fucking incredible. The whole thing. Favourites include the meteor set, the intro verse, and "Come on home now / all my bones are / dolorous with vines". How good are the lyrics?

The meadowlark and the chim-choo-ree and the sparrow
Set to the sky in a flying spree for the sport of the pharaoh

Horse racing is the sport of kings. Pharaohs are kings, the birds are up and racing through the sky. But that is 100x more poetry for that idea than you will hear anywhere else in modern music. It is the first two lines of the song. (Chimchooree's kinda goofy, even to me, but it's kinda fun and childlike, so I can dig it)