Most of the time, I’m musically adventurous. I spend a lot of time stepping outside of artists I know and consuming a large amount of new releases in the hopes of finding new favorites.
One of the things that has seemed to ebb with my depression returning in 2018 (though it feels like it may be on the way out), though, is this adventurousness.
What’s your “finding new music” plan? Radio? Here? Elsewhere? I tend to line up somewhat neatly with Pitchfork, and use their Best New Music section as a jumping-off point. And yes, I use this place as well.
This week's music discovery: Locust Fudge, an early-90's alternative group from Germany, half of which was Dirk Dresselhaus, the man who would later record as Schneider TM. Their first two albums would have fit nicely between the Beck and Sonic Youth albums released at the time (1993 and 1995). Their third album was released last month. I've mostly listened to "Relativity Check" as the title sounds close to the Schneider TM hit "Reality Check", and as Schneider TM recorded it solo a few years back for a soundtrack. For more cred, I'll mention that J. Mascis plays guitar on the first track! I totally would have been into this band when those first two albums came out if they had been on a DGC records compilation or similar.
This really didn't take, when I tried in the spring, but what the heck, I'm trying again. Sarah Shook is back at the Turf Club this Sunday and even though it's a school night, I would highly recommend you try her out (Corn I'm talking directly to you). Bad ass country rocker, with a bunch of old dudes who are amazing musicians as her back up band. Hope to see you there.
I think we can all agree that summer is pretty much done no matter how you look at it. Now that it's over, what would you say was the Song Of The Summer™? Or, at least, what was your song/album/bird call of the summer?
Next Wednesday I am heading down to Memphis and Nashville to go on a week-long musical pilgrimage. Sun Studio, Stax Musuem, Beale Street, Graceland, Ryman Auditorium, blues and country bars. I'm really looking forward to it. If anyone has been in those two cities and has recommendations for food and bars, hit me up. I'm not looking for the touristy places, but places the locals like to go to. Definitely Memphis bbq and Nashville hot chicken will be on the list.
Have you ever gone on a musical pilgrimage? Doesn't have to be a week long sojourn. Perhaps you went to the Surf Ballroom when passing through Clear Lake. Or went to Paisley Park. Maybe you checked out the Let it Be house in SW Minneapolis or walked across the street on Abbey Road in London. What was it like?
Hello, gals and ghouls. We had the Holiday Mix last year, so this year why don't we do a Halloween Mix*? The rules for submitting should be pretty similar to the Holiday Mix.
Here are the guidelines:
Place up to TWO songs in a 'Spoiler' box. Unlike the Summer Mix, the first choice does not automatically get in.
As with other mixes though, popularity reigns, so multiple nominations with increase the likelihood of selection.
Obviously there are plenty of different versions of the same song out there. If you want a particular performance, please note which artist you'd prefer (links wouldn't hurt just in case). If no artist is nominated, it will add weight if someone else did pick a specific performance of the same song.
So, drop your lists, nominations, and any music news below!
*We kind of did this in the past, but it was even more half baked than usual. As promised, let's give it one more go.
This post brought to you by the fact that the last two times I've gotten in the car I've heard, respectively, "U Can't Touch This" and "Gangsta's Paradise".
Hip hop is one genre where I often find myself lost. I know what I like (and it tends to be mainstream). I don't really know what I don't like (because my exposure is somewhat limited). I know that there are songs I tend to get tired of, and some that I could listen to a lot. I know that I don't know a lot about the history or movements or artists. I know a little, but that's pretty cursory. Anyway, it's a topic I can't speak knowledgeably about, but I'm guessing there are plenty of people here who can.
With all the kiddos marching back to school, I thought maybe we could all take a bit to talk about our own personal music education. Who taught you to like what you like? Where did you take your first music appreciation steps? What quirks and habits do you have now because of what you were taught then? So on and so forth.
For me, my Mom was a big teacher. She had pretty good, but somewhat mainstream, taste in music. But with younger siblings coming along with some frequency, she tended to direct us to music that was more age appropriate for them, and we listened to a lot of Radio AAHS and Oldies. Honestly, I'm so glad that I've got the 50's and 60's familiarity that I have. I still really dig a lot of that. Also, my dad introduced me to some quality novelty stuff.
My uncle who is just a year older than me introduced me to 90's alternative music, and TMBG was definitely the band that stuck. Oh, and Weird Al. That was definitely fostered there too.
I hit college right as Napster became a thing, so I spent a lot of time checking out all sorts of stuff, but really hanging onto a lot of Oldies, but expanding that more into the 70's (and some 80's).
Not a whole lot changed for me until I caught Brian Oake's old Sunday night independent music show on a long drive. It was stuff I'd never heard before, and that opened a lot of doors for me. Anyway, that's my story. Nothing too exciting.
I'm guessing there are plenty of citizens with much better tales to tell.
And, for your Friday viewing pleasure, I offer the following Education related music video:
If you were introducing a favorite band to someone who hadn’t heard of them, what three albums would you suggest they listen to get a full accounting of the band? No greatest hits albums of course, but three albums that really define the artist so that that person than go on discover more. For Guided By Voices it’s really tough. I can think of five, but bringing it down to three is excruciating. I would of course include Bee Thousand, then Propeller. That last album would have to be between Alien Lanes, Mag Earwhig, and Do the Collapse. Probably with Do the Collapse winning out because Alien Lanes is too similar to Bee Thousand and Mag Earwhig may be a little to weird for first time listeners. Do the Collapse is a good introduction to the big rock sound.
Wilco is another tough one. Yankee Foxtrot Hotel and Sky Blue Sky are in there but what is #3? Being There?
Anyway, what three albums defines your favorite artists. Oh and drop ‘em if you got ‘em.
Was kicking around a topic for Friday Music Day, and this was one that came to mind: do you have any song (or songs) that you somehow against all odds have in your playlists that are not in a genre that you typically like?
I have a few that stand out on my phone's song list, but here's one that jumped out at me (since alphabetically the group appears at the top of the list):
16 Horsepower is described by Every Noise At Once as "gothic americana", and if you follow their link for gothic americana, there is not one name there that I have even heard of, let alone enjoy (although I enjoy the band name "Joe Buck Yourself").
