Favorite (nonLDS) Music

[Guest]

I woke up this morning with the blues surrounding my bed!

There is only one cure for the Blues.

I went to my phone and downloaded Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Blind Willie Johnson.

Of course, some of the best Blues I have ever heard is present on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album!

Edited August 16, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, DoctorLemon said:

I woke up this morning with the blues surrounding my bed!

There is only one cure for the Blues.

I went to my phone and downloaded Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Blind Willie Johnson.

Of course, some of the best Blues I have ever heard is present on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album!

I've been getting bored with alternative country and metal lately, so I have been listening to a lot of old blues, soul, and reggae music.  

I really enjoy Peter Tosh and Ini Kamoze.

Edited August 16, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[seashmore]

@DoctorLemon the Venn Diagram of our musical tastes would be very interesting. I don't listen to a lot of metal (usually), symphonic metal being the exception. (Nightwish was the very first band I paid to see in 2012 and was among the last crowd to see Annette Olzon sing with them.) I've never been a big fan of pop or bubble gum country. My tolerance has increased to about two songs in one hour. This seems odd, even to myself, because I enjoy regular pop (so long as it's clean), all other kinds of country, and genre swapping in songs (think Postmodern Jukebox). 

My one downfall is that I don't listen to anything consistently enough to be well versed in it. Before the internet, I referred to myself as a "station surfer" and actually wore the covering off the seek button in the one vehicle I've owned without a scan button. Nowadays, I go through phases. I'll spend six months listening to nothing except Canadian folk music, then a year ping ponging between progressive rock and pop, then eighteen months of nothing but country, three months only Christian music, six months of completely strange things others may not even consider music (Brooklyn Rundfunk Orchestrata, Celtic Tribute to Metallica, disco polka, etc.) so on and so forth. 

[Snigmorder]

 I'm absolutely obsessed with this at the moment, my favorite part starts at 9:30 to the end. (Turn down if you have headphones or earbuds) 

 

[Guest]

On 8/16/2017 at 9:30 PM, seashmore said:

@DoctorLemon the Venn Diagram of our musical tastes would be very interesting. I don't listen to a lot of metal (usually), symphonic metal being the exception. (Nightwish was the very first band I paid to see in 2012 and was among the last crowd to see Annette Olzon sing with them.) I've never been a big fan of pop or bubble gum country. My tolerance has increased to about two songs in one hour. This seems odd, even to myself, because I enjoy regular pop (so long as it's clean), all other kinds of country, and genre swapping in songs (think Postmodern Jukebox). 

My one downfall is that I don't listen to anything consistently enough to be well versed in it. Before the internet, I referred to myself as a "station surfer" and actually wore the covering off the seek button in the one vehicle I've owned without a scan button. Nowadays, I go through phases. I'll spend six months listening to nothing except Canadian folk music, then a year ping ponging between progressive rock and pop, then eighteen months of nothing but country, three months only Christian music, six months of completely strange things others may not even consider music (Brooklyn Rundfunk Orchestrata, Celtic Tribute to Metallica, disco polka, etc.) so on and so forth. 

Here is what I think of various genres:

Country - love it, but only if it is alternative country (none of this country pop stuff you hear on the radio).  Pretty much all country that came out before 1975 or so counts as alternative country.  The "Nashville Sound" ruined mainstream country music.

Blues - love it!  Especially the old stuff (e.g. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Blind Willie Johnson, Son House).  The flipside of alternative country.

Jazz - love edgier jazz music, e.g. Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Yusuf Lateef, Wayne Shorter, Hank Mobley).  None of this "smooth jazz" stuff.  Miles Davis' "Brew" album (yes, I am censoring the title) is the best jazz album ever released, in my opinion.

Reggae - I love older reggae music, including old ska.  My favorites include Ijahman, Peter Tosh, Toots & Maytals, Prince Buster, The Paragons, and some Bob Marley.  I also have a budding interest in old Calypso music (which sounds a lot like ska to me, but without the offbeats).

Soul - I like it if it is not too poppy.  I am a pretty big James Brown fan.

Metal - I like metal, but most of the metal I like is newer (year 2000 and later).  I think heavy metal is going through a renaissance of sorts.

Grunge - I am pretty fluent in grunge music, thanks to listening almost exclusively to grunge during my teenage years.  I definitely think Soundgarden and AIC are better than Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

New Wave - I love early new wave (Blondie, Elvis Costello, the Cars, Squeeze) and some of the later stuff (A-ha, The Cure).  I don't like how new wave became indistinguishable from pop in the mid-80s and lost a lot of its edginess.

50s rock - love it.  I love Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc.  I love how you can still hear the country, blues, and soul influences at this point.

60s rock - I like it if it is not too poppy.  I definitely am on the Rolling Stones side of Beatles vs. Rolling Stones.   

Arabic music - I generally like middle eastern music,  especially stuff coming out of Saudi Arabia and the gulf region.  There is an obnoxious pop influence that pervades some of it, though.  This includes various styles that are heavily influenced by Arabic music (e.g., Turkish, Greek, Ethiopian, and some Flamenco).

Indian music - I love bhangra.  Bollywood, not so much.

Punk - I don't like punk.  I find it to be boring.

Classical - I don't like most classical.  I find it to be boring, with some exceptions (e.g., Corelli).

Techno - I actively despise techno.  I tried liking it in the late 90s, and found it to be maddeningly repetitive and boring.  

Rap - I actively despise rap.  I think it is a bunch of commercial garbage with vulgar language added in.

Pop - I actively despise pop music, although I will admit pop has gotten marginally better in recent years than it was when I was a teenager.

Tejano - kind of new for me, but good tejano is actually pretty good!  Reminds me of San Antonio.

Bob Dylan - he is a genre unto himself, and the best musician who has ever lived.  (Yes, I said Bob Dylan is better than Mozart or Beethoven or any of those guys).

So there!  

 

 

Edited August 18, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[seashmore]

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

 

Country - love it, but only if it is alternative country (none of this country pop stuff you hear on the radio).  Pretty much all country that came out before 1975 or so counts as alternative country.  The "Nashville Sound" ruined mainstream country music.

I love a lot of country, including some of the kinds you don't. I don't like "soccer Mom country," though. Shania Twain, Rascal Flatts, Lonestar, and artists that sound like them.

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Blues - love it!  Especially the old stuff (e.g. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Blind Willie Johnson, Son House).  The flipside of alternative country.

Jazz - love edgier jazz music, e.g. Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Yusuf Lateef, Wayne Shorter, Hank Mobley).  None of this "smooth jazz" stuff.  Miles Davis' "Brew" album (yes, I am censoring the title) is the best jazz album ever released, in my opinion.

 

I'll be honest: blues and jazz blend together in my mind. I don't have a problem with either, but they generally aren't something I put on when I want some music. 

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Reggae - I love older reggae music, including old ska.  My favorites include Ijahman, Peter Tosh, Toots & Maytals, Prince Buster, The Paragons, and some Bob Marley.  I also have a budding interest in old Calypso music (which sounds a lot like ska to me, but without the offbeats).

These are genres I turn to when I want fun music, although they usually come as an afterthought.

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Metal - I like metal, but most of the metal I like is newer (year 2000 and later).  I think heavy metal is going through a renaissance of sorts.

 

Yes, and yes.

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Grunge - I am pretty fluent in grunge music, thanks to listening almost exclusively to grunge during my teenage years.  I definitely think Soundgarden and AIC are better than Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

If I were 5-10 years older, I probably would have delved into the genre. As it is, I'll stop a radio scan if I hear it.

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

New Wave - I love early new wave (Blondie, Elvis Costello, the Cars, Squeeze) and some of the later stuff (A-ha, The Cure).  I don't like how new wave became indistinguishable from pop in the mid-80s and lost a lot of its edginess.

The Cure! Blondie! The Cars! I'm good with 80s pop, so their similar sounds don't bother me.

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

50s rock - love it.  I love Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc.  I love how you can still hear the country, blues, and soul influences at this point.

This is my dad's music, and I love it! He loved doing Elvis Night when he DJ'd at a campground, and I have distinct memories of jamming out to Johnny B. Goode in the basement as a child (and seeing him live in college). When I was a kid, I hated Buddy Holly; as an adult, he definitely does not get enough air play. Well, the whole genre. And add Jerry Lee Lewis while we're at it.

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

60s rock - I like it if it is not too poppy.  I definitely am on the Rolling Stones side of Beatles vs. Rolling Stones.   

I prefer the 60s pop over its rock. 

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

bic music - I generally like middle eastern music,  especially stuff coming out of Saudi Arabia and the gulf region.  There is an obnoxious pop influence that pervades some of it, though.  This includes various styles that are heavily influenced by Arabic music (e.g., Turkish, Greek, Ethiopian, and some Flamenco).

Indian music - I love bhangra.  Bollywood, not so much.

Not genres I'm familiar with. 

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Punk - I don't like punk.  I find it to be boring

I'm a fan of pop punk. Good Charlotte, Blink 182, Sum 41, etc. What must have been a promo copy of MTVs 1999 or 2000 Sports Music Festival CD (I remember not paying for it and my neighbor having one) is what got me hooked. I've been dying to get a copy since 2003 (when all my CDs were stolen).

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Classical - I don't like most classical.  I find it to be boring, with some exceptions (e.g., Corelli).

I have to be in the mood for it. 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Techno - I actively despise techno.  I tried liking it in the late 90s, and found it to be maddeningly repetitive and boring.  

Rap - I actively despise rap.  I think it is a bunch of commercial garbage with vulgar language added in.

Same. That being said, there's a polka version of "Look at Me Now" by Chris Brown ft. Busta Rhymes that is a guilty pleasure.

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Pop - I actively despise pop music, although I will admit pop has gotten marginally better in recent years than it was when I was a teenager.

It is much better than it was after Britney and the boy band era. (Not that those were great, but sometimes you need a bit of brainless music to unwind and let loose.)

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Tejano - kind of new for me, but good tejano is actually pretty good!  Reminds me of San Antonio.

I didn't hear this until I moved into a more diverse musical market. I'm not sure if I'd like it better if I knew what they were saying or if ignorance is bliss, ya know?

 

17 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Bob Dylan - is a genre unto himself, and the best musician who has ever lived.  (Yes, I said Bob Dylan is better than Mozart or Beethoven or any of those guys).

I'm going to pretend that you said folk. Peter, Paul, and Mary was one of my first favorite bands. Utah Philips put together an album with Ani DiFranco that I discovered in high school and am beginning to think it ought to be required listening for today's society; it's somehow even more relevant today than it was 20 years ago.

Folk Rock - Great Big Sea is top notch. I highly recommend to people who like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers. I include Trout Fishing in America in this genre because they're like parent-friendly kids music.

Christian - it's good until it gets too preachy or worshippy. Casting Crowns is consistent with their quality.

Big Band/Swing - Mitch Miller, be still my heart! John Philips Sousa, be still my feet! 

Progressive Rock/Metal - this is stuff that is more meant to be listened to rather than simply heard. Fans get really defensive about sub genres and classifications, but my umbrella is pretty big. Nightwish, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Porcupine Tree, Spock's Beard, Pink Floyd.

Google Translate - I just created this genre label now for the YouTube playlist I started when I got sick of the songs on the radio at work. It's mashups and parodies to play in my head when I can't prevent substandard pop music entering my ears. Prime example: when "Shape of You" comes on the radio at work, I hear I Like Shapes

[SilentOne]

@seashmore I think I love the Google Translate genre. Thanks!

[Sunday21]

I defy you not to like this

 

[Guest]

Found (rediscovered) a punk band I actually really like: Social Distortion.

Why can't all punk sound more like Social Distortion?

 

Edited September 19, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[Guest Godless]

16 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Found (rediscovered) a punk band I actually really like: Social Distortion.

Why can't all punk sound more like Social Distortion?

 

They're really one-of-a-kind. I like all sorts of punk, but they're definitely one of the all-time greats. 

[Guest]

Any jazz fans out there?

I have been listening to Yusuf Lateef's "Eastern Sounds" album a lot lately.  One of the best albums I have heard in some time! 

I know Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" gets all the attention, but I think both Eastern Sounds and Miles Davis' own "Brew" are both actually a lot better.

I also find it interesting that everyone loves classical music, but jazz music gets much less attention.  Personally, I find jazz music to be a lot more interesting and innovative than stuffy classical music.

Edited September 21, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[seashmore]

On September 21, 2017 at 10:03 AM, DoctorLemon said:

 

I also find it interesting that everyone loves classical music, but jazz music gets much less attention.  Personally, I find jazz music to be a lot more interesting and innovative than stuffy classical music.

I prefer strings to horns, which is why I prefer classical to jazz.

That being said, I love Aubrey Logan. She's a jazz trombonist who really made her mark after PostModern Jukebox featured her on...something, I don't know what. 

[lonetree]

I plan on picking a different cd each day to play on my way home from work. Tonight it will be A-Ha's Hunting High And Low. The hits are good, but always look forward to Living A Boy's Adventure Tale the most.

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, lonetree said:

 Tonight it will be A-Ha's Hunting High And Low. 

I have that album but to me A-ha (along with many new wave artists with the notable exceptions of Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Nick Lowe, Indochine, Joe Jackson, the Cars, the Cure and Depeche Mode) is sadly the definition of "one-hit wonder".  Disco is the same way - great singles, terrible albums.

Edited September 23, 2017 by DoctorLemon

[lonetree]

On 9/23/2017 at 1:35 PM, DoctorLemon said:

I have that album but to me A-ha (along with many new wave artists with the notable exceptions of Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Nick Lowe, Indochine, Joe Jackson, the Cars, the Cure and Depeche Mode) is sadly the definition of "one-hit wonder".  Disco is the same way - great singles, terrible albums.

Thank you for the reply. I was inclined to agree with yr conclusion about A-Ha before I bought the cd(long after the 80s had ended), but found myself really liking the whole album.

Edited September 25, 2017 by lonetree