hey now, i just have a problem with the lists... especially since the title of this particular thread is '... talk about music,' i'd like to hear some of you talk about music. let me know what is so fantastic about your favorite bands, whether they're independent or big-label or medium-label or whatever.

letdown, i'll bite...

yeah, i'm pretty crazy about architecture in helsinki myself. i just started listening to them a couple of weeks ago, but it feels longer because i have been listening to the two albums so often. i think that, as of now, i like the first album a bit more than the second one. the first one had this amazing innocence/light-heartedness to it that, by the second album, seems to have turned to more typical cheekiness/sarcasm, though their music can hardly be described as typical in any sense. faves from 'in case we die' (these tend to change from day to day): 'it's 5!!' and 'do the whirlwind.' faves from 'fingers crossed': 'owls go' and 'kindling.'

strawbeary - i've recently started listening to bjork. i really like the couple of albums that i've listened to a bunch of times: gling glo and debut. it's so cool hearing jazz vocals sung in icelandic (is that what the language is called?)...

Those of you dissing bloc party are crazy.

mintcar, "PR Manufactured band" - I know what you're getting at. But that kind of description is best left for junk like Backstreet Boys, NYSNC, Ashlee Simpson, etc.

Bloc Party's sound existed before they were ever on a label. They're not even that big of a band. It is valid to dislike them for boring lyrics - I agree with that to some degree. But their rhythms are super, it's danceable music in some ways and there is some excellent interplay between bass, guitars and drums. It's probably the one album I've been listening to the most since it came out.

But PR manufactured in the sense I think of it doesn't apply to them. They nothing more than one of a handful of bands from England that get popular and get the chance to come to the US to play shows.

Oh, and what about their website is pretentious?

Glad you like The Cure, they are the best band of all time. Ever. Forever.

Manteno, I just pulled out Catherine Wheel "Ferment" the other day, hadn't listened to it in a few years. Black Metallic is just a friggin awesome song. I used to put it on repeat in studio and go deep into whatever I was doing.

But they are such a big wall of noise compared to the Smiths and Cure - they seem a funny third on your list!

I can always, always listen to Cake. The lyrics are hysterical but pointed, the tunes are snappy, I love the trumpet solos. Boppy songs about depressing thoughts. Also my 2-year old loooves them, he sings their cover of "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town" loudly all the time - not sure I should be introducing my toddler to songs about paralysis and shooting your lover, but oh well. He's got a good ear.

MF Doom! the most unique rapper /producer for the past 5 years, you got to love the metal mask.

Has anyone heard his albums? usually under the name of an Alter ego; Vicktor Vaughn, King Geedorah, Madvillian.

liberty bell,

Ferment is such a great album. Such a great sound overall, lush reverb, and yes, a huge wall of sound. I got into them in junior high, so probably around 1990-91, from a tape my sister gave me.

At a show my band played recently, someone in another band said to me "I bet you really like Catherine Wheel, don't you?"

Made my day! My guitar sound takes a bit of influence from them, and if anyone can tell that it's pretty cool.

rabbits: Isolee is extremely cool. (but vitalic is better).

Let me end the Bloc Party controversy here. They are cool. They rock. If you don't think so, you are neither cool, nor do you rock.

I haven't heard that vitalic record yet, but I'll dl a few tracks and check it out.

Download that shit, then buy the vinyl. That's my motto.

-andrew

try before you buy - perfectly reasonable

how about aqualung, and the perniece brothers, the devlins, josh joplin are pretty good.

from bp's website:
(their self-description -- )

"... between them they eventually concluded that their own attempts to imitate what had informed them could be construed as a worthy variation on the many forms that preceded. They do everything that's required to conform to the currently received ideas of what a band is: ostensibly to play instruments at the same time, but also have a title for the work created....

"Henceforth should follow a list of auteurs and musicians that figured in the formative minds of the four as they went about their work. But to do as much seems churlish in an already self-referential world. Suffice to say there would be no band without the efforts of guitar bands formed in British and American towns in the 70s, 80s and 90s, aswell as visionary writers and artists of various kinds whose work has informed the world and culture itself as it stands. The precise names are as good as any you can come up with, in fact probably much, much better."

what IS the reason for this blather? to seem like self-deprecating, postmodern band kids? a stab at humor? to be cute?

hey, i'm not hating ... just noticing something there

hey ... isolee is great. i am pretty much in love with a lot of the sounds coming out of munich, berlin, cologne. indicates such a great culture. among other things, makes me want to move to berlin!

True true. If you like bloc party check out the bands they are a hybridized version of:

Gang of Four, Television, The Fall, The Clash, Section 25, Wire, Sonic youth, etc.

Much more soul. Much less irony.

-andrew

P.S. I'm not a Bloc Party hater. They're a really fun band, but they sure as hell are not doing anything new.

Attn Isolee Fans: Pick up "Famous When Dead 3" on playhouse. Awesome comp with otherwise unavailable tunes. I think it came out last year, but Playhouse is pretty much ahead of the game on all fronts. I guess Kompakt is reissuing a bunch of stuff soon, so that will be awesome. Get some classics from the Cologne golden age.

-andrew

hey, anyone here like xiu xiu...

i love them

it seems to me that jamie stuart is writing beautiful songs, but he hates the world so much, that he distorts them with loud clangs, and purposefully atonal melodies...
its incredible... its the most honest thought
to write something beautiful, and destroy it...
not because you can...
but because its what he feels...


any other takes on his writing?

the other day i was the only person in the office. i spent that quality alone time trying to compose some a.m. static mixed with the only station that comes in. a spanish language tejano type station. i really enjoyed myself and i think it may be the next thing in the dj'ing arena.

"Wall of Vado"?

Springsteen: ghost of tom joad

that description from Bloc Party's website is a crackup!

hmm. i started out with minimalism based beats or compositions. along the way picked up a lot of downtempo + hi-fi inspired albums ala thievery corp. from there, hip hop became somewhat prevelant. and now, i am back on the minimalism kick, totally loving autechre's 26 mixes. i think i look for music that is somehow related to what i'd want to listen to in places i have been or designed. what i listen to and what i design feel right togethor, like pb + j . and sometimes, when i am really tired, my printer and stereo emit similar sounds, and i get totally fu*kin pumped.


Kammerflimmer Kollektief
four tet
steven reich
dj spooky
dj shadow
dj cam
aphex twin
autechre
funkstoerung
brian eno
mark farina
jobim
k+d
unkle + dj shadow

i want to talk about classical music...

was in the proms last night with BBC Philharmonic performing Shostakovich Violin Concerto... very moving, powerful and autobiographical piece of work.

Also the satirical elements of his work (in scherzo) also fascinates me.

i never go to far without a little big star.

bloc party sounds a lot like the bands of my youth. none of which ever made it. carry on my wayward sons.

You know what I heard at some random bar recently that I really dug, though would have not been likely to admit it back in the day? Erasure.

i'm glad to see the kings of convenience mentioned a couple of times on this thread. i really enjoyed their second album, riot on an empty street. my favorite track on their first album was "parallel lines" and their sophomore effort seems to pick up from there. i feel that their lyrics are great and i love those two songs where feist guest vocals, "know how" and "the build up"

i am also fond of the latest from röyksopp, "the understanding" i feel that the five tracks on the bonus cd might actually be better than the main album as they are certainly less commercially oriented, popular, radio friendly, etc., personal fave = "clean sweep"

and if anybody cares to check out hey-o-hansen, find sample here.

i recommend l'elephant cruel, magnetophone sides a and b, and hey rupp hansen upstate for starters. then check eis für den nordpol oder SALZ INS MEER (ruheraum seegrube, innsbruck) for a stroll throught something different.

i like 'remind me' by royksopp, but in the mix that they have for the video, not the album. (the video is ace, by the way)

if i listen to too much in one go, though, i start to imagine i'm in a dentist's waiting room...

har. listening to kings of con right now. parallel lines was def excellent. also, thanks again for the suggestions, really digging on clap your hands... plan to check them out seaside in august.

k of c. they're the new simon and garfarkal

the new simon and garfunkel? maybe. although erlend øye is quite tall, eirik glambek bøe isn't anywhere near as short as paul simon.

half the time we're gone but we don't know where.

so i just made a mix that goes from k of c's cayman islands to the ohio players "love rollercoaster" in six tunes. how he do that???

I still like the music mentioned in my other comments on similar posts over the last year, although a bit let down by the new Fourtet, Nortec and Hebaliser compared to their previous efforts. ...been trying to get this new Bonobo CD with a clear edge around it (EP) to even play in a friggin CD player! (The player can't figure out if its a blank or a mini CD). Latest from Erlend Oye, M83, Vitalic, Isolee, M Ward, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Dears, Death From Above 1979, Caribou (Manitoba), Prefuse, Arch. in Helsinki, Spoon, new White Stripes all good -- just not knock your socks off...LCD Soundsystem, Diplo, Pinback, Arcade Fire are quite good...haven'y heard it but afriend says new Autechre is amazing.

a little out of date, but Cinematic Orchestra is a mainstay in the playlist. always beautiful.

also a little band called 'No Luck Club'. Fun website.

just saw Xavier Rudd at a festival. amazing one man band somewhere between Ben Harper and Simon and Garfunkel.

The new perfuse 73 where he takes apart the books songs is dope. And if you don't know the books check that out too.

heterarchy, you got some clap your hand? thats great, theyre album is incredible... they have a song called "skin of my yellow country tears" and "In this home on ice" check both of those out for sure

Center Front Stage at Thievery Corp rocked my jive in DC last night.

the black keys tune "'thickfreakness" starts exactly the way montrose's " bad motor scooter" starts. vocals by sammy hagar

I guess I'll bite on the requests to talk about the music I've been listening to:

Tiger Army - the whole rockabilly/psychobilly scene isn't typically my deal, but I like this regardless. I think its because its simple, clean, rock and roll.

Eagles of Death Metal - straight forward rock, same reasons as Tiger Army.

Bear vs. Shark - they're what I wish HotWaterMusic still sounded like. Nice rough vocals with the post-hardcore sound.

Better Than A Thousand - when I feel like getting my xyouthxcrewx on....

Black Dahlia Murder - gives me my metal fix. great for doing CDs to.

Fear Before the March of Flames - I like the complexity that comes off as sloppy. says something about their skills and how they're using them. same thing goes for Blood Brothers, The Locust, and Spazz.

Minor Threat/Fugazi - I personally see the influence of these two bands everyday and can't think Ian MacKaye enough.

Handsome Boy Modeling School - Dan the Automator is amazing.

The Magnetic Fields - I'm a sucker for themed albums and 69 Love Songs is right up my alley.

Murder City Devils - one of the best live shows I've seen.

The Pogues - just can't go wrong here.

Let the flaming begin!

flame on pixel

I just scrolled the list quickly, and I didn't see anybody mention (SMOG). Its great! I'm not quite sure how to explain it except that Bill Callahan's voice and lyrics just resonate. Can't wait to see him again when he comes to Austin in September.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Think Talking Heads meets early REM meets Arcade Fire meets Modest Mouse meets 80's synth pop...

fun, fun, fun.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!- i would say there more Neutral milk hotel.
There playing a free show

any one a billy corgan fan?

Imogen Heap

electro-fuelled,
supremely beautiful album.
brings goosebumps...
& reminds of Björk’s charging Hyperballad.

design= and Sean,
you are both right i think... there is definetly some talking heads in the vocals for sure, which is where the arcade fire connection comes from... cause its no seceret win butler sings exactly like david byrne... but the way the guy from clap your hands fluctuates his voice, and tone so often, thats very reminiscient of jeff mangum... they are great though... all those bands mentioned... all equally superb

John Digweed - Global Gathering (Essential Mix)

heres a poll-

best radiohead album?

my vote goes kid a

Kid A reminds me of being hungover on a train from Bern to Basel early in the morning after staying up all night soing Sambuca shots. Great album.

Kid a hands down.

i worked for a small office down on West Broadway, and we collectively would rock out to Kid A almost everyday after lunch……..good times
Excellent Music to Design to……..

that’s a good poll question, best music to design to?
Kid A / Broken social scene’s--- You Forgot It in People