Recommend some music to me.

[dslartoo]

Haven't done one of these in a while..........

Recommend some music to me. Artists, albums, your top five, just a few you've been listening to, or whatever. Rock, metal, classical, new age, prog metal, pop, rap, blues, R&B, soundtrack -- whatever you want. Describe it and tell me why you like it. There's always room for more good music.

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[[The Oracle would like to know whether you believe in lucky numbers.]]

Comments

[kevinjdog.livejournal.com]

Darwin's Radio - Eyes of the World (since you're a GH fan I thought you might like this)
Anything by IQ, particularly Frequency and The Seventh House
Muse - The Resistance
Paul Gilbert - Silence Followed by a Deafening Roar
Big Big Train

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

I've lost track of Paul Gilbert since the Mr. Big days, so I'll definitely have to grab that one up. Darwin's Radio and IQ have been recommended to me before so I'll pick those up too. Muse and Big Big Train I'm not familiar with. What do they play?

cheers,
Phil

Muse = alt-prog?

[ahtrap.livejournal.com]

A more populist Radiohead, perhaps? They are certainly influenced by that band, very heavily early on, less so over the decade. They've got a healthy appreciation for one Mr Freddie Mercury, as well. They're essentially a prog band, but with solid commercial grounding. Overblown, ambitious arrangements, and they still get love from the mainstream press.

I've always liked their music, but had very limited tolerance for the singer's falsetto whininess (similar to what holds me back from being a Radiohead fan, frankly). Fortunately, on the new album, "The Uprising", that aspect of the vocals are toned down dramatically, and that leaves a really enjoyable album in its wake.

They've definitely influenced Dream Theater over the past few years, something like Prophets of War from the Systematic Chaos album is straight out of the Muse playbook.

[fairgoldberry.livejournal.com]

The Cat Empire - sort of a Cuban-Australian half-reggae half-dance thing going. It defies explanation but it's impossible not to be *happy* while you listen to it.

Mr. Lewis and the Funeral Five - local boys, kind of a snazzy dark swingy thing going. It's excellent "it's four am and I've been driving all night drinking coffee and chain-smoking" music, even though I don't smoke.

DaVinci's Notebook - Dirty barbershop quartet. No, seriously. Much like Cat Empire, it's impossible not to grin at "Enormous Penis".

If you're not listening to Firewater, you probably should be. "Get Off The Cross..." is an amazing album.

Love,
Rowan

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

I got into DaVinci's Notebook after seeing a Paul and Storm show a year or so ago and looking up their back catalog. I'm sad they're no longer around.

The other ones I'm not familiar with but they sound cool. Thanks for the recs!

cheers,
Phil

[shadowstitch.livejournal.com]

Bag Raiders. Everything they do makes me smile.

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is awesome. Anything with that much analog keyboards is going to be A-OK in my book. Thanks for this one.

cheers,
Phil

[shadowstitch.livejournal.com]

Also try "Tycho." He is a local SF guy. You can listen to some samples here. It's sort of a trance-ambient downbeat thing....

http://www.tychomusic.com/index-old.html

His tunes are perfect driving around music for me, because they are hard enough to keep me energized and alert, but calm and smooth enough to keep me from exploding into fits of road rage.

[ashtreza.livejournal.com]

This isn't new (and may not even be news to you) but I noticed that Steve Vai has released what he's calling "Naked" albums, which are old albums with the lead guitar track removed. I've listened to "Passion and Warfare" and some of them are interesting, but the overall effect bored me. Your milage may vary.

For new stuff...hrm. Arvo Part has some good stuff if you're in a classical mood. I'll have to get back to you with more later. These days I'm listening to a lot more Christmas music than should be allowed in October, but I'm trying to finish up a certain CD...

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

Don't know Arvo Part. Performer, conductor with an orchestra, or composer?

I didn't know about the "Naked" album idea but it doesn't particularly grab me. Interesting concept, but not one I'm keen to hear.

cheers,
Phil

[grunion.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if I've suggested it or not, but I can "George Foreman Guarantee" I'm the only one who will.

The Boat Drunks - most of the Wahini Man album

Alternatively, try and find Jimmy live @ Sag Harbor (no way it'll be a legit release, but what's the fun of hunting for music if there's no hunt?)

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

Time to go hunting! :)

cheers,
Phil

Have you heard "Fair to Midland"?

[ahtrap.livejournal.com]

Another prog/rock/lots of stuff amalgam, those guys are out of Texas, actually. Lyrics are completely stream of consciousness style, so you can make of them whatever you will.

www.myspace.com/fairtomidland if you want to hear samples.

Put it this way, I'm making a 3 hour trek to middle of nowhere Iowa to hear these guys play this weekend, so they definitely come highly recommended from me.

Re: Have you heard "Fair to Midland"?

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

Hm. Good stuff, to me. I like. Thanks!

cheers,
Phil

[joverath.livejournal.com]

If you enjoy the old stuff then "Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock" by Dion is pretty good.

Some ideas... softer

[verdragon.livejournal.com]

Bright Eyes -- I like their "I'm wide awake it's morning" CD
Alkaline Trio -- I like very much their "Good Mourning" CD

If you want to try something in a foreign language, I highly recommend:

Enanitos Verdes -- Amores Lejanos

I also listen to Linkin Park because it's ear candy. Their newer stuff is not as good as their earlier stuff, in my opinion.

Re: Some ideas... softer

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

I can enjoy opera even though I don't speak a word of Italian, or enjoy Mana or Shakira or Yerba Buena though my Spanish is mostly forgotten. I love Rammstein and Seeed but can't speak a word of German. Music is a universal language! :)

I'll try these out. Linkin Park I'm not so keen on. What are the others like?

cheers,
Phil

Re: Some ideas... softer

[verdragon.livejournal.com]

Bright Eyes - something like "folk rock" would be the closest description, I think.

Alkaline Trio -- is harder edge, "real" rock.

Enanitos Verdes -- classic, classic Rock en Español. So, you can compare it to maybe a U2? But with less political angles?