James Posted May 13, 2009 Joy Division A friend gave me Closer for a birthday, but I couldn't get over Curtis' voice. Being part of the horrible mainstream, I like Love Will Tear Us Apart and little else of what I've heard. Sorry. I haven't been listening to much at all recently, other than Fortdax's remix of You Are Here by Nathan Fake (which I obviously only know of because it's Newswipe's theme tune) and watching jazz drumming videos on YouTube when my boss is out (particularly , who seemed to enjoy himself a great deal, which is nice, although apparently he was one of those difficult-to-get-on-with musicians).DISCLAIMER: I know nothing about jazz or music in general. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevsky Posted May 13, 2009 I haven't been listening to much at all recently, other than Fortdax's remix of You Are Here by Nathan Fake (which I obviously only know of because it's Newswipe's theme tune) I really liked Nathan Fake's album Drowning in a Sea of Love when that came out, but haven't listened to it for a while. So when Newswipe started I just had that uncomfortable semi-recognition whenever the credits rolled. Thankfully, that can be put to rest now! Good remix. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted May 13, 2009 It's a good remix indeed. When I heard it on Newswipe, I really liked that it's essentially the opposite of all news themes. Still energetic and a bit epic, but happy instead of filled with dread and drama. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Posted May 13, 2009 I don't know if I'd say it's completely the opposite; the portion used is somehow aesthetically fitting (I think it may be that the staccato bass and high-pitched melody both remind me of Morse code or something). But yes, it's certainly less doomy and macho than actual news music. I also think it has to be one of the most epic remixes I've heard ('epic' in the scale sense, not in the generic Internet vocabulary sense). But I'm not very well-versed in remixes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted May 14, 2009 Probably not of interest to (m)any, but the latest ProgressiveHouse.com mix (by Airillusion) is really something special in my opinion. I reckon Miffy might like it, as there's a Castlevania sample just over halfway through... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 5, 2009 Wowzerz - I like a lot of different types of music (Punk rock, oldschool hardcore, 60s soul, 70s funk, Delta Blues, Crescendo-core, Indie, 80s New Wave, underground-ish hip hop) but aside from mentions of Nick Cave and Einsturzende Neubauten, and the Hives, I don't have much overlap with anyone here. Lately I am listening to: Thee Oh Sees, Jay Reatard, GraveDiggaz, The Death Set, Ty Segall, Chad Vangaalen, Santogold, Gentleman Jesse and His Men, the Horrors, Fucked Up, Cloak/Dagger, Davila 666, Explosions In the Sky (who I always listen to, because they are the BEST!), Mogwai, Ladytron, Matson Jones, Black Heart Procession, Dan Sartain, the Marked Men and Sonic Chicken 4. The Ramones, the Rolling Stones, and the Stooges make mandatory appearances on a somewhat regular basis as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted June 6, 2009 Don't worry, we have quite a bit of overlap. I just don't speak up much in this thread. Honestly, I'm getting a bit tired of Santogold, but the stuff that they did with NASA on their (NASA's) album is amazing. That whole album is pretty much aces, and features the hip hop debuts of both David Byrne and Tom Waits, but as I've already mentioned it I'll shut up. Been on a hip hop kick lately myself. I've also recently picked up an album from earlier this year by Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones. If motown hip hop sounds interesting to you, you owe yourself a listen. It really is a fantastic CD. Went to a Peaches show earlier this month too, which was an awesome experience. A few times during the set I thought to myself "I think this is about what it would have felt like to see Blondie..." If all you know is her singles, this would sound like nonsense, but her latest album is a lot more rock-inclined, and it was those songs that made me think that. A week prior to that was a show by King Khan and the Shrines, with BBQ opening for them. If you've ever found yourself wanting a modern re-interpreting of Screamin' Jay Hawkins, King Khan is probably your best bet. Sometimes his albums sound like Screamin' Jay, other times it's like James Brown singing for the Stooges instead of Iggy. At all times, it's awesome. If you look for a CD, he has some under King Khan & The Shrines and some under King Khan & BBQ, so the fact that both backing groups were at the one show was incredible. I recommend the self titled King Khan & BBQ and The Supreme Genius of King Khan and His Shrines if you're looking for a place to start. He even covers the Circle Jerks on King Khan & BBQ, as you said you were a fan of hardcore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 6, 2009 The King Khan and BBQ Show records on Goner and In the Red are both super kickass, with the Goner one being my personal favorite - as it has both of them doing some of my favorite BBQ songs (like Waddlin' Around)... I'll look into that NASA stuff - not familiar with it, but it sounds cool. I can see the Santogold fatigue for sure - now that I hear some of those songs on car commercials, etc... What I've seen of the live show (on Youtube & on TV) doesn't do much for me - kinda cheesy actually. But that album is a pretty awesome mix of Missing Persons & Siouxsie (outright stole "Red Light" for "Superman"). Plus all the cool lo-fi production stuff & glitchy M.I.A. dub/dancehall shenanigans. Great pop hooks all over that thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Posted June 8, 2009 Mogwai They're probably my favourite band. That's some sort of overlap right there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 8, 2009 They're probably my favourite band. That's some sort of overlap right there. That's a big overlap actually. I listen to a lot of crescendo-core. If you're not familiar with Explosions in the Sky (although I suspect you already might be) - I think they're incredible and well worth your time. I was just listening to the new Mogwai yesterday. It's good, but I think Mr. Beast is an extremely tough act to follow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevsky Posted June 8, 2009 That's a big overlap actually. I listen to a lot of crescendo-core What a funny term! Never heard that before - Mogwai, Explosions, etc have mostly been referred to as 'post-rock' in my experience, not that that is a good genre term at all. I've been listening to a lot of varied stuff recently, mostly because I got around to downloading Spotify - and I've had loads of fun mining its depths. I used to cast my net wide, but minimal funds and a small hard drive meant I always had to be modest (well, in my view anyway). Spotify changes all that! So I've been trawling through the dark periods of otherwise great musicians' careers (like Neil Young in the 1980s), and getting to grips with some great stuff I'd never had the inclination to check out before. For example, today, I've been writing about a film called Homegrown: HipLife in Ghana - which is about West African hip hop crews that perform a fusion form of American-styled beats, with Afrobeat/Highlife samples and rapping in local languages. And I found a couple of compilations on Spotify - what a marvelous world we live in (in this specific case). Anyone else here on Spotify? If not, and it's available in your country, I think it's worth a try. I remember some of the Grand Thumbsters were chatting about it (and how it won't work in the long-term) last week, but I think I was too busy being launched into the air by Toblix-in-a-sportscar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 8, 2009 What a funny term! Never heard that before - Mogwai, Explosions, etc have mostly been referred to as 'post-rock' in my experience, not that that is a good genre term at all. It's mostly called "post-rock" everywhere, but I really hate that tag, as it's so vague. Crescendo-core seems to be gaining momentum - and while it kind of does the opposite, by oversimplifying things - I think it sounds pretty fucking cool. Spotify isn't available in North America, but we've got similar stuff like Rhapsody, last.fm, Pandora... Actually - on a techincal level, those are all quite different, but you catch my drift I'm sure... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevsky Posted June 8, 2009 It's mostly called "post-rock" everywhere, but I really hate that tag, as it's so vague. Crescendo-core seems to be gaining momentum - and while it kind of does the opposite, by oversimplifying things - I think it sounds pretty fucking cool. Fair enough. I admit it's catchy, but definitely over-simplifying, I think - at least post-rock meant nothing, so could be re-defined to mean anything. I don't think crescendoes are a defining feature, even if many of the bands did explore them (to simultaneously awesome/absurd levels - I'm thinking of Explosions in the Sky here, 'First Breath After Coma' especially, or Sigur Ros). Spotify isn't available in North America, but we've got similar stuff like Rhapsody, last.fm, Pandora... Actually - on a techincal level, those are all quite different, but you catch my drift I'm sure... I get you. What turned me onto Spotify is the really impressive library, which I've never really seen in last.fm, etc. Hopefully they'll crack the NA territories in the future. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 8, 2009 I get you. What turned me onto Spotify is the really impressive library, which I've never really seen in last.fm, etc. Hopefully they'll crack the NA territories in the future. Last.fm suits me because it seems to have a good amount of the modern punk rock & garagepunk stuff that I like - but as I can't get at Spotify, I have no basis for comparison. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 9, 2009 Hey miffy... Check out this crazy/awesome NASA video. If cartoon sex & violence is not cool where you work, then consider this NSFW: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/09/bb-video-a-volta-fro.html Holy shit this is great!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted June 9, 2009 That's really sweet. A good choice of song for it too. I'm going to have to check out some of the other videos that the project has come up with. And I'm a wage slave for a music store, so NSFW means nothing to me. When not listening to hip hop lately, my time has been occupied by Times New Viking's first album Dig Yourself. I'd only recommend it if you're down with EXTREMELY low-fi indie/punk, but it's a great album if you like that stuff. Highly recommended for those who like the Thermals, the Deadly Snakes, or the early work from Pavement (thinking specifically of Slanted & Enchanted here). Also, I was recently exposed to the work of Wayne Shorter, which given his musical pedigree I'm amazed I hadn't heard of before. Played tenor sax for Miles Davis, was a driving force behind a lot of Art Blakey's late 50's stuff, and his drummer was Elvin Jones, who I absolutely adore from his work with Coltrane. Picked up Juju and Night Dreamer, his first two solo albums, and they're fantastic. Shout out to all the jazz fans out there in Thumb-land. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHoatzin Posted June 10, 2009 Just wanted to add, for those not yet eager to believe the noob, that Explosions in the Sky are, as he says, rad. :tup: They take after a kind of brilliance of sound, lots of high-hat noisiness similar to Sigur Rós (I'm thinking of Takk for example). Am I the only one for whom the smileys are borked? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 10, 2009 When not listening to hip hop lately, my time has been occupied by Times New Viking's first album Dig Yourself. I'd only recommend it if you're down with EXTREMELY low-fi indie/punk, but it's a great album if you like that stuff. Highly recommended for those who like the Thermals, the Deadly Snakes, or the early work from Pavement (thinking specifically of Slanted & Enchanted here). TNV are good! I've seen them live a couple times. Speaking of painfully lofi, are you into Wavves at all? Hit or miss for me, but there's a couple gems on their new LP on Fat Possum. Also, I'm guessing you're familiar with Thee Oh Sees - do you like them? They're really fucking great - super catchy, lofi(ish) psych/garage with haunting male/female vocal harmonies. "The Masters Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In" will forever be in my all-time top 20 albums. Just wanted to add, for those not yet eager to believe the noob, that Explosions in the Sky are, as he says, rad. :tup: They take after a kind of brilliance of sound, lots of high-hat noisiness similar to Sigur Rós (I'm thinking of Takk for example). My wife and I are going to see Explosions in the Sky on the 4th of July, outdoors (just got the tickets today). How perfect is that shit??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted June 10, 2009 Haven't heard Wavves before, but I'll order that album into the store and give it a go. Thee Oh Sees are awesome, agreed. Privileges of working at a music store is that you can order whatever the hell you want in and can demo it in the back room all you want. Lots of new bands have emerged for me since starting there a little over a year ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Posted June 12, 2009 If you're not familiar with Explosions in the Sky (although I suspect you already might be) Yeah, I am. They're pretty good. I was really into GY!BE and associated projects for a while, and I saw Mono fairly recently, who were very good. I haven't been listening to a great deal of music on the whole recently. I'm still stuck on my horrendously old MP3 player, which is so large I don't really like to carry it in a trouser pocket, so during the summer it doesn't get much use. I'd upgrade, but no players seem to offer the feature set I want (not least because everyone seems to be moving towards proprietary software rather than taking the "treat it as a USB drive" route). Anyway, the most recent things I got into were Stars of the Lid and Dälek, so I'm often tempted to fall back on them, but I try to go through everything and re-discover things that are good. I really like a lot of what I've heard of christ.'s music and must one day get some more stuff like that (suggestions are welcome). And at work sometimes I listen to a load of YouTube videos of jazz drumming. So far I've learnt that Papa Jo Jones and Max Roach seem pretty good. Beyond that I'm woefully ignorant. I really ought to learn some stuff about some music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 12, 2009 So far I've learnt that Papa Jo Jones and Max Roach seem pretty good. Beyond that I'm woefully ignorant. I really ought to learn some stuff about some music. Max Roach was more than pretty good. He was the fucking MAN! That's a cool idea btw... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevsky Posted June 12, 2009 Max Roach is great. Can't argue with Buddy Rich either, because when he plays a theatre... J3zNANjJNio ...he *plays* the theatre! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboid Posted June 12, 2009 That Buddy Rich video is fantastic! Can't believe I've never seen that. And also, let's not forget this master of drumming showmanship: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZfVfyR5F1E&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZfVfyR5F1E&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) I really like a lot of what I've heard of christ.'s music and must one day get some more stuff like that (suggestions are welcome). I've not heard anything else quite like christ, you can kind of tell he's one half of Boards of Canada. These are some of my favorite and most similar though: Max De Wardener does some great stuff, particularly this track. Warm Math by EU is an excellent album; for electronic music, it's warm and relaxed with none of the harshness or coldness many artists have. Biosphere are ambient and more proggy than most, Translation is a good start if you can find it anywhere. It's hypnotic and meditative, similar to Cliff Martinez' Solaris soundtrack. I struggle with Jetone/Tim Hecker, because while he's brilliant, listening to a lot of it will make you fucking miserable. One of my friends described this as "the loneliest sound he's ever heard". Marumari are like a twee, laptop bothering antidote to that, as are the excellent múm. I've not started exploring his other stuff yet, but recently have really loved this John Tejada track too. Edited June 13, 2009 by Nachimir Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Posted June 13, 2009 Awesome and awesome. I'll look out for more Buddy Rich stuff. The main thing I like about Jo Jones is that he always looks so calm and like he's just kind of mucking about, even when he's doing stuff that's absolutely crazy to me. GrKShqNkcnI Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
