I’ve asked the readers for their input on what music I should be listening to before, and it worked out pretty well. When I did this the first time, the people who offered up some music had about a 50% success rate, which ain’t bad, and I ended up liking some of the songs so much I bought the albums on which they appeared (Dessa and Metric are the two favorites of bands I “discovered” through this process). I was going to ask this Question at the beginning of the year, but I kept forgetting, but now I’m doing it! So: What music should I be listening to now?
Here’s how this works. Please recommend no more than five (5) songs. If you only have one or two songs on your mind, that’s cool, too, but I think five is a good upper limit. Eric could probably list 100 songs without even thinking about it, but that would be crazy. Songs, too, not albums – I don’t have that much time! You know my musical tastes fairly well by now, I think, but they don’t necessarily have to be tailored to my tastes – I try to be eclectic, so if you suggest a song in a genre I don’t often listen to, it still might work. They certainly don’t have to be new songs, either, although that’s certainly keen. I very rarely listen to the radio, and I don’t keep up with new music at all – if I’m lucky, bands I like still release music, but other than that, I’m very behind on current music – but I don’t have a problem with it like so many oldsters do. If you want to tell me about a song that was released a week ago or 60 years ago, I’m good. Recently I heard “No More ‘I Love You’s'” by Annie Lennox on A Murder at the End of the World and dug it, even though I’ve never been a big Annie Lennox fan (and the song is from 1995, but it’s new to me!). In the latest season of Fargo, David Ramirez’s “My Love Is a Hurricane” is playing in one of the episodes, and that’s a pretty keen tune (and it’s only a few years old, so it’s kind of new?). One of my friends is the world’s biggest Billy Joel fan, so of course I’ve heard his new song, because she sent me a link to the video. So I pick up some stuff here and there, but it’s kind of random.
Anyway, I hope to get some new music to listen to out of this, and maybe you will too. I will try to listen to all the songs you recommend over the next few weeks and have thoughts, maybe in my monthly review post. We shall see. Thanks for contributing!
Just 5? JUST 5? 🙂
I hope you’ll like them all. Some might be a bit on the heavier side
Leprous – Distant Bells
The Guilt Machine – Twisted Coil
And Also The Trees – Simple Tom and the ghost of Jenny Bailey
Blur – Tame
Depeche Mode – World in my eyes
How about a sampling of classic Portland (OR) rock?
1. Johnny & the Distractions – “Octane Twilight”
2. Seafood Mama (later called Quarterflash) – “Harden My Heart”
3. Hudson Brothers – “Coochie Coochie Coo”
4. Sequel – “Just a Summer Romance”
5. Crazy 8s – “Fine Tunin'”
Grant Hart – [It Was a] Most Disturbing Dream (from his final album The Argument, RIP sadly)
Mission of Burma – Fever Moon (ONoffON)
Ash Ra Tempel – Pikant (Friendship)
King Crimson – Red (Red, apparently 1 of Kurt Cobain’s fave albums)
IQ – Subterranea (Subterranea)
I wanted to give a range: from spiky post-punk, to spacey ‘Krautrock’/electronica, to prog. Enjoy (hopefully)!
The Beth’s – Master of A Dying Field
Noah Kahn – Northern Attitude
The Midnight – Vampires
Fugazi – Break
Nick Lutsko – Sometimes
Great choice of Fugazi, “Terrible”.
Was going to pick them but remembered Greg said previously he’d heard at least some of their stuff (correct, Mr G.?); and also it would’ve meant three post-punk items on my list and I wanted to cram other genres in.
Pete: Yes, I’ve heard some Fugazi. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to hear more! 😉
My favorite song in this latest season of Fargo was “Poor People’s Store” by Shinyribs.
The best album I’ve heard lately is Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s “Weathervanes.” And if you make me pick one song from that, I will go with “Save the World.” That’s the one that got me interested enough to watch their Austin City Limits and buy the album (on compact disc). But the album is basically wall-to-wall bangers.
Wanda Jackson-Hard Headed Woman
Blondie-Kung Fu Girls
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs-Matador
Killer Pu**y-Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage
Martha & the Muffins-Echo Beach
“The Hunt” by Sepultura from Chaos A.D. (1993)
https://youtu.be/1chRcNTiHSM
“Cry” by Marmozets from The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets (2014)
https://youtu.be/9nYlwbIDl00
“Sadboy” by Wolf Alice from Visions of a Life (2017)
https://youtu.be/6sRAzBWCnfM
“Ambassador to Ecstasy” by Partner from In Search of Lost Time (2017)
https://youtu.be/99l7EulsQ94
“On a Level” by Tove Styrke from Sway (2018)
https://youtu.be/Qu0p3CpQ8CE
“Funeral Singers” by Third Eye Blind from Our Bande Apart (2021)
https://youtu.be/TpaZYgOIl7U
Yeah, I know it was supposed to be five songs, but my ocd brain really wanted to start and finish with a cover, and I couldn’t decide which one of the middle ones to cut.
The Hunt is a great choice. I like the original by New Model Army way better.
Chaos A.D. has better songs and Refuse/Resist and Territory are my favorites.
I like those songs too. My idea was to recommend songs off of what I consider fun, easily listenable albums, so that someone can easily delve in deeper into the artist.
Greg doesn’t like easy listening. 😉
Don’t listen to Eric, Daniel! Who doesn’t love some nice easy listening to Sepultura!!!! 🙂
Caroline Polachek – spring is coming with a strawberry in the mouth