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Friday Morning Music Open Thread

I did it! I posted it in the morning!


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Hooray! Music!

So my listening these past two weeks has been all over the map.

First off, since I had a lot of work to do for a while there, I was listening to a lot of post-rock stuff because I find that it helps me focus for reasons I haven’t decided upon (lack of lyrics?). I wrote most of my term papers to GY!BE back at the last two-three years of high school, but I didn’t really put two and two together about it working for general studying purposes until recently. Lately it’s mostly been Mogwai with a little bit of Explosions in the Sky for taste, but I’m open to suggestions on that front because I don’t want to wear anything out.

But when I’m not studying, I’ve just been listening to the old standbys of crazy people music, so Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, early Residents, early Pere Ubu. It’s striking to me listening to something like “Small Was Fast” off New Picnic Time how much it seemed like Frank Black was ripping off David Thomas, not that I know for certain Thomas wasn’t ripping off someone else, but it doesn’t seem like it. Things you notice when you go back far enough.

I’ve also been rocking Lonesome Crowded West off and on throughout. Early Modest Mouse was so good.

Are you looking specifically for post-rock without any lyrics?

Red Sparowes are good. They’re a little harder (think Pelican), but use a lap steel guitar very well in their music. And I’ve recommended the Japanese band Mono in one of these threads before.

It's not specifically without lyrics.

I’m willing to look into either, but I feel like it messes up my focus slightly when we start getting into the spoken word bits in Mogwai on CODY and elsewhere. By contrast, Happy Songs for Happy People has been nearly perfect for my purposes.

Envy - Insomniac Doze

Amazing and powerful album, as long as you like post-rock and don’t mind harsh vocals.

Mono's good and I might try another Texas post-rock band, This Will Destroy You
.
I’ve recommended the Japanese band Mono in one of these threads before.

And I can’t thank you enough for doing so.

What

Residents albums are you listening to? Commercial is one of my favorite concept albums of all time, I love how the liner notes say something like, “If you think a song is too short, listen to it on repeat three times to get the full pop effect.” I usually listen to it in the other weird liner note suggestion, “Listen to this album on shuffle.”

Have you ever listened to the pre Pere Ubu band, Rocket From The Tombs? I love that Rocket From The Tombs was responsible for two awesome bands, Pere Ubu and The Dead Boys.

Residents:

I’ve been listening to Not Available and Eskimo mainly, but I think I’ll be putting on Meet the Residents fairly soon here.

As to Pere Ubu, no, I haven’t listened to Rocket From the Tombs. Not yet at least. I did find out recently that David Thomas and one of his buddies wrote Sonic Reducer though, which is kind of whoa.

Oh man

Eskimo is great, my Residents experience is mostly Commercial, Duckstab, and Demons Dance Alone.

Also I guess they were just on tour and I was completely unaware, totally would have made the drive to Philly to see them.

The whole Cleveland rock scene of the early and mid seventies was a really strange bunch.

The Rocket from the Tombs reunion album

with Richard Lloyd replacing Peter Laughner is great. I never knew that the Dead Boys song Caught With The Meat in Your Mouth completely stole the riff from the RFTT song Never Gonna Kill Myself Again. The Peter Laughner compilation album that was released is good, too. Ain’t It Fun is an amazing song, and it’s odd to think how Laughner was almost part of three great punk bands (Ubu, RFTT, Television).

I don't have much to add

Other than I also love early Pere Ubu. Dub Housing has one of my favourite lines from a positive review: “Much more accessible while still remaining really repulsive!” I’ve been reading a book on the early NY Punk scene, and it’s interesting to see how Thomas decided to start his band in Cleveland.

For similar stuff, I’d go with Wire’s Pink Flag. Television’s great, but they’re not as weird (who is, though), and they’re much more focused on guitars.

Televisions has long been a band I felt like I needed to hear more of.

I’ll take this as the impetus to go and actually do it.

Tom Waits also gets some interesting positive reviews for his vocals, and I think Trout Mask Replica, way back when, generated some interesting responses.

BRMC put on an amazing live show and their new album is pretty damn good
I heard the crowd there was pretty terrible.

Good to know they put on a good show regardless.

Was fine for me

But I was at the very front so didn’t see too much of it

If you're into Indy Country/Folk...

check out Or, the Whale’s cover of Britney’s Toxic http://www.myspace.com/orthewhale

It’s good in a good way, instead of good in a bad way.

I’ve been digging it this week.

This song has a fucking awesome beat:

8Ball & MJG – Relax and Take Notes. Plus Project Pat fucking rocks on this song.

The B.I.G. verse sampled is one of my favorites.

Link (Warning: Graphic)

I'm so proud of you for posting in the morning!!
Hey.

This is pretty much just for you since I don’t think anyone else listens to this type of music, but you might like these:

N-Dubz – Playing with Fire
N-Dubz – I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep
Chipmunk – Look For Me
Tinchy Stryder – Never Leave You

Also, if you haven't listened to Blackalicious before, check out this masterpiece:

Blackalicious – Cliff Hanger

Gift of Gab is on a song on the MLB 10: The Show soundtrack!
He's probably my favorite MC in the business.

Yes, even more than Del.

My English teacher (!) turned me onto Blackalicious in high school.

That was probably the beginning of me starting to look more underground for hip-hop.

I mentioned him on here before

but if you like Girl Talk and artists of the sort, a guy from my hometown recently released a mixtape and it is free on his website.

Also, a grocery store clerk recommended Madlib to me yesterday. Anyone know anything about him?

And I've been listening to a lot of

Bowerbirds lately. I picked up the album a couple months ago and never gave it a fair chance until a week ago. They make some quality folk.

I'm in that boat; I downloaded a Bowerbirds album from e-music over a year ago and still haven't given it a fair chance.

I should do that tonight.

Madlib’s one of the Stone’s Throw hip-hop producer/MCs- I might check out his collaboration with MF Doom ‘Madvillain’ from 2004.

Yeah the clerk told me to check out "Madvillain" and the MF Doom/Danger Mouse collaboration "Danger Doom"
marc w: internet grocery clerk.
My apartment is overflowing with Madlib albums.

The guy is insane, prolific and often genius. He’s on Stones Throw Records, an L.A. label. He does a lot of instrumental stuff, and every album is very different from the last. He’s always got some theme in his head. The Guardian just did a piece on him. (That photo kills me.)

If you’re interested in Madlib, listen to:

Madvillain (with MF Doom; crazy good)
Shades of Blue (him playing with old Blue Note Records classics)
Beat Konducta Vol. 1-2 (strictly beats)

A lot of people like his Quasimoto albums, too. I’m not a huge fan.

Taking a break from arguing WAR on Facebook...

I got annoyed when someone started suggesting that Bloomquist replace Hannahan because of his groin issue. On Facebook no less, I blame finals week on destroying my brain.

I’ve been listening to a lot of the latest 30 Seconds to Mars album lately, a lot less “gothy” than their last. In addition to the latest OK Go and the new Gorillaz.

Recently I have been listening to Ali in the Jungle by The Hours

which was mentioned in one of the OT FanPosts (god, camelcase).

Also more recently is the Led Zeppelin songs that haven’t been played to death, at least to me. (i.e. none of ZoSo or The Immigrant Song). Babe I’m Gonna Leave You is such a good song. (I know I’m being very revelatory here)

Also today I downloaded Brand New’s first album, which is the only one I didn’t have. It’s good. Sounds most like Deja Entendu of their other albums but I think there’s a reason I didn’t download it until now.

And that’s it for the old music news.

tacoma bands generally are better

the fucking eagles- midnight sour

other non tacoma stuff thats ok too

the new ruby suns
jim croce

What about The Shitty Beatles?
I AM NOT ALONE

The Fucking Eagles are pretty great – include members of Tacoma’s legendary Seaweed, who I listened to non-stop in high school.

What do you think of Colonies, another Tacoma band that’s gotten some press recently? Went to their cd release show and really enjoyed it. It’s not quite coming off on CD – it’s not bad, but it’s not what it could be. They’ll probably make a great album in a year or two.

don't know much of the colonies

but I know the mighty SEAWEED
and BOTCH,NICO CASE, THE SONICS, GIRL TROUBLE- all heavy hitters breed in T-TOWN! ( like TUI )

Tui ain't from T-town.

But yay Girl Trouble. I’d repost the link to the ‘My Hometown’ video, but I don’t want to get typecast.

And hey, if you like Botch, then try Tacoma’s own Helms Alee (thanks to ac for the tip).

woodenville?

helms alee may have the best drummer since dale krover- plus much better on the eyes

And she's in Lozen too (only not playing the drums).
Ok let's please try capitalising our words
Helms Alee are from Tacoma?
Ben's from Tacoma, Hozoji's from Tacoma, so, uh, I'm claiming them.

I guess Ben’s in Seattle now, but doesn’t Hozoji still live in Tacoma?

You can take the band out of Tacoma but .....

you cannot take the Tacoma out of the band

Noxious Fumes?

Haven't heard them...always heard OF them.
The Punkest

Only a cassette on K (1985)- many great shows!

He is in Seattle, his shop is up on Aurora.

One of these days I will have a lot of money and buy one of his amps.

Tui is from Woodinville.
Man

Do I ever love The Sonics, my favorite jam theirs has to be Strychnine

Strychnine, Keep a Knockin', Shot Down

My favorite of those three changes daily.

Nevermind was wrote in tacoma

and olympia
nirvanna is more of a tacoma/oly band than they ever were a seattle band

True! But is it relevant to a discussion of 'best Sonics songs?'
OK then

The witch

Those are

Three great songs, I don’t know what my musical tastes would be if I hadn’t been gifted with the two big Nuggets Box sets in my late teens.

Seriously, I feel like that’s a great gift to someone getting into music – especially if it’s that sort of garage rock sound.

It would be really awesome to see The Sonics live, what I wouldn’t give to hear a live rendition of Strychnine live.

You had your chance not that long ago!

A few of us went to that reunion show at the Paramount a little while back.

Oh man

How I wish I had been aware of that! Please tell me how amazing it was, I bet it was amazing.

Save for one lapse in judgment (generally referred to as "the Unpleasantness")

it was fantastic. And Girl Trouble was adorably out-of-place on such a massive stage.

and I hate you all
Hilarious, but bad music video of the week

Rollins Band – Liar

Henry Rollins has a very large neck indeed.

I'm so divided on Henry Rollins

Black Flag was one of the main soundtracks to my high school years, and I still don’t know how I avoided getting the tattoo. The Rollins Band is horrible. His spoken word stuff used to be irritating but as he’s “mellowed” it’s gotten a lot funnier. He’s a hard dude to categorize, and I like that, but I wish I liked more of his post-BF output.

He's been pretty all over the place
I now present my favorite song of the week!

Warning, metal with harsh vocals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-VgBku2KlU

Not a fan

since there isn’t any quad blasting.

I've been listening

To this band called The Soft Pack – they used to be called The Muslims, but changed their name due to ignorant comments, or something. Whatever, who cares about their name, they make some pretty good tunes, it’s hard not to hear the influence of Wire in their songs.

If you like Wire, The Modern Lovers, or Spoon – you might want to check this band out. I’d recommend the song Answer to Yourself, which I actually thought was Wire’s Ex-Lion Tamer at first.

Also anybody going to any interesting concerts coming up? I’m jealous of Seattle, Yeasayer is playing in April and that should be hip, too bad I’m across the country. I’m seeing, Midlake, Drive By Truckers and The Hold Steady in April and i can’t wait.

Oh no, I don't believe it

You say that you think you know the meaning of love
You say love is all we need
You say with your love you can change
All of the fools, all of the hate
I think you’re probably out to lunch

Oh no I don’t believe it
You say that you think you know the meaning of love
Do you really think it can be told?
You say that you really know
I think you should check it again
How can you say what you believe will be the key to a world of love?

All your love
Will it save me?
All your love
Will it save the world
From what we can’t understand?
Oh no I don’t believe it

And in your dreams you can see yourself
As a prophet
Saving the world the words from your lips
I just can’t believe you are such a fool

do you believe in love after love?
This Week's Top 5 - New Gorillaz!

top 5 songs of the week, alot of seattle hip hop

Some Kind of Nature – Gorillaz
Rhinestone Eyes – Gorillaz
The Town – Macklemore
Samurai Showdown – GZA
and as always, courtesy of 1993, Boyz in the Hood G Mix – Eazy E

Gotta get drunk before the day begins.
There's more old drunks than there are old doctors

So I guess I better have another round.

I'm kind of a throwback.

What I am listening to a lot of lately:

- Soft Machine (specifically The Soft Machine and Volume Two)
- Frank Zappa (Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Uncle Meat, The Lumpy/Money Project/Object)
- Husker Du (Zen Arcade)
- Echo & The Bunnymen.

Zen Arcade!

Chartered Trips!

I'm really feeling this at the moment.

It’s this group from England called the Engine EarZ. Here’s some clips from a studio session they did for BBC Radio1/1Xtra

Engine EarZ ft Jenna G – Kaliyuga This is such a beautiful track and Jenna G’s voice is spectacular.

Engine EarZ ft Nathan “Flutebox” Lee – Introspection If you’ve never heard of Nathan Lee. He’s does this flute beatboxing thing. It’s kinda badass.

Media Contender is giving away a few of their tracks on the frontpage if you want some from free swag.

Also here’s a dubstep mix my friend did for that site for free download.

P5 Recordings Beastmode-Unleashed

Film Scores

So I’m sort of a movie buff and love what a good instrumental track or two can do for a film. Although I know quite a few, there are always some out there I’ve never heard or noticed.

Here are my top 5:

Braveheart
Requiem for a dream
Jurassic Park
Back to the Future
Crash

There are so many others, though. Transformers, Big Fish, Man on Fire, Gladiator… what are your favorites?

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

and The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly are the only two that I’ve listened to by themselves. The one from the Orson Welles movie The Third Man is also good.

The Third Man made me appreciat zither.
Apollo 13

Star Trek: First Contact
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Amelie
Rudy

Love Rudy

and Apollo 13. Of course, LOTR is great. Not familiar with Amelie or Star Trek… can’t wait to check them out.

Film scores I like include:

Princess Mononoke, Clockwork Orange, Superfly, the Good the Bad and the Ugly, and the Third Man all feature excellent scores.

Princess Mononoke had a brilliant soundtrack.

I need to go find a copy of it.

Anything Youko Kanno does.
Yes yes yes.

If you haven’t heard it, go track down the Wolf’s Rain OST. Specifically for this track.

Also the theme from the second season of GitS is excellent.

I've been trying to find the Wolf's Rain OST :(

Can’t seem to get it though.

I DID find the Darker than Black OST a couple of weeks back though which is <3

I ordered it through Amazon several years ago.

Hated the show, loved the music.

I think the show, in terms of concept and setting, was interesting to me.

But it never made good on that potential, and had way too many throwaway episodes with an ending that petered out into nothing.

I just remembered another one!

Oldboy.

Classical music + senseless violence.

Its cliche but

Star Wars

A lot of repeat answers from me

Rudy
Apollo 13 (I should note that everything James Horner has written since Apollo 13 sounds exactly like Apollo 13)
Star Wars: A New Hope
The Shawhank Redemption

Whoops also Schindler's List
I can't believe I forgot Shawshank.

Amazing soundtrack.

Lost has the best TV soundtrack out there.

Michael Giacchino is definitely an up-and-comer.

Thought I'd share a few more

Friday night lights (which is really just an “Explosions in the Sky” album.
28 days later
Remember the Titans
Armageddon
The Village

I never really liked “The Rock” but some of my friends do.

Agreed on Friday Night Lights

Using the song New Noise to start the championship game was brilliant.

New Noise?

Someone used a Refused song in mainstream media? I am in awe.

Yeah, when I heard that in the theater I was taken aback from the awesomeness.
My list of favorite film scores

begins and ends with Damon Albarn and Michael Nyman’s collaboration for Ravenous.

Which Transformers

Are you talking about?

Seven Samurai’s score is fucking epic. Fight Club has a great Chemical Brothers soundtrack.

Comedy option of The Breakfast Club, actually the soundtrack was pretty good, it just reminds me of Futurama.

The first one

Steve Jablonsky, I believe. Its pretty big, maybe a bit dramatic, but I like it. "Arrival to Earth is a track I like a lot.

My listening lately has been almost entirely blues

Geeshie Wiley – Last Kind Words blues (this.. this is so good)
Leadbelly
Bobby Bland (Aint no love in the heart of the city was his!)

Also, Bob Wills. So much fun.

Love Bobby Bland!

His rendition of St James infirmary makes me want to cry. If you like him, check out Little Willie John, he died young (in Walla Walla SP!).

OK thanks for the tip

I love his sound

Underappreciated Elton John songs:

This Song Has No Title

High Flying Bird

Harmony

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

Madman Across the Water (Original Version)

Indian Sunset

Elton John most anything from 1975 and before is pretty brilliant.

I was sad to see he was such a diva on an HBO special years ago. Having a hissy fit over a dreadful single and it’s cool reception. :(

Hey, a Friday music thread

Perfect timing to plug my radio show on KZUU 90.7 in Pullman! 2-4 this afternoon. Listen in. New Frightened Rabbit, new Ruby Suns, new jj, new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, new Radio Dept.

http://kzuu.wsu.edu

Check me out, folks!!

That new Radio Dept. album is pretty good
Agreed.

I just discovered them recently, which is weird because I go nuts for Swedish indie pop and they somehow slipped through the cracks of my awareness.

I think their catalog is pretty up and down, so you probably won't like all of it, but yeah, they've made some good songs.
Love Frightened Rabbit.

Those guys are awesome.

Playing Nuemo's on May 16

Hoping to make it to Seattle for that one.

Recommend me artists similar to Aesop Rock

I haven’t found enough other stuff like him that I enjoy.

Anything on Def Jux

El-P, Cage, Cannibal Ox, Mr. Lif, etc.

Also Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Brother Ali. I assume by “similar to Aesop” you just mean “white dudes.”

El-P is spot on.

Atmosphere is pretty awesome.

El-P is a mad genius

Honestly can’t think of anyone like him. He is peerless.

Nah I don't care about skin color

I meant lyrical style, beats etc.

Slug is only 1/2 white.
Cannibal Ox
I just realized that evanr already mentioned Cannibal Ox.
So apparently I'm going to see The Magnetic Fields in <two hours?

My friend who was going to see it and offered me the extra ticket found someone else, but then other pair of friends who were going turned out to have an extra ticket as well.

Hooray for going to a show on short notice and having something to do Friday night.

YES YES YES!!!

I’m curious to know how they are live. They’re one of my favorite studio bands, but know next to nothing about their live show.

I've heard they're a bit different live

Partially because Merritt has this weird issue in one of his ears where he gets horrible feedback from certain kinds of sounds at certain volumes, and so he has to wear earplugs and play mostly acoustic sets.

While looking for El-P stuff on Youtube

I found this:

ELP

The first half sounds like something from a Final Fantasy game circa the PS1 era.

Bahahaha.

From the video description:

You know them well, Keith crazy at the keys, Carl with his awesome drums and the genius of Greg.
Video for Telephone came out last night.

Eh, I’m whelmed

So I'm not much into metal for the most part

But I stumbled across Black Cobra yesterday and was pretty impressed. Sorta Mastodon-ish, kinda like faster Melvins. Anybody got anything similar?

I'm having a wonderful day with Dine Alone Records

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dine_Alone_Records

This is Mosquito Bandito.

We played with him last night. No YouTube video could possibly do him justice. It’s just him, a bass drum, a hi-hat, a snare drum and a guitar. He has built this little contraption that is a kick pedal for his snare and hi-hat built into one, with a guitar amp built in. He’s from Portland, so if you’re down there (or up here) he’s around a lot.

Here is part one.
Here is part two.

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