What are you listening to? What should we be listening to?

[bolddeceiver]

One of the really cool things about this web-enabled world is that the enormous variety of musical creativity in the world, which in previous decades would have been relegated to "local music scene" one place or another, is able to reach a similar niche audience, except now it can be an audience worldwide.  So as I wander through this world wide web, I like to ask the people I meet what small or lesser-known bands they're into.  Some of my favorite contemporary bands are "local" acts halfway across the country.  EP has already brought me Daikaiju; let's see what else all of us can share.

Here's my first two cents.  "Awesome" (the quotation marks are part of the band name) is an wild Seattle band performing what has come to be called "theatre rock."  They're smart, with clever lyrics and unexpected instrumentation.  As strange and eclectic as their songwriting topics are (from revolutionary fruit to women turning into fish to counting), the more you listen to them the more you sink into a paranoid fantasy that it's all part of one giant picture that you just can't see all of.  If you want to get a feel for their sound, they have a number of concert recordings available on their website.  They also have a new album coming out September 29th (if you live in the Seattle area, they're having an album release party at Chop Suey that should be amazing), and they've got a few tracks from the upcoming album on the embed player on their myspace[url].

So take a listen, and tell me what you're listening to!

[Alasdair5000]

Two of my recent favourites which are WAY the hell diametrically opposed:

Die Hard by Guyz Nite
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OTyw6cq86kY&mode=related&search= (The Video)
www.guyznite.com (It's a myspace page but you CAN download the song)

   My love for the Die Hard movies is a pure and holy thing.  I'm even a bit fond of Die Hard 2 and this is both glorious and really, really funny (And NSFW, natch).  After all, what's not to like about the line:

And we know what the basic gist is,
There ain't not Alan, and it's not Christmas,
We don't know, but we're pretty sure that
John Mclane kicks ass!


And then there's these guys:

http://www.esposthumus.com/

   Ever seen Cold Case?  If not, first off, if you can you should as it's actually really good.  Secondly, because 20 seconds of 'Nara' by these chaps is the theme tune.  Huge, sweeping faux cinematic classical music which at times is just horrid and at times is utterly, utterly beautiful.  If you've seen a movie trailer in the last five years, you've heard music by ES Posthumus.

[Rigger]

And then there's these guys:

http://www.esposthumus.com/

   Ever seen Cold Case?  If not, first off, if you can you should as it's actually really good.  Secondly, because 20 seconds of 'Nara' by these chaps is the theme tune.  Huge, sweeping faux cinematic classical music which at times is just horrid and at times is utterly, utterly beautiful.  If you've seen a movie trailer in the last five years, you've heard music by ES Posthumus.

My partner and I played many an hour of World of Warcraft to ES Posthumus. I still can't listen to them without thinking of the Barrens. Wonderful music.

[Alasdair5000]

It actually reminded me of the U2 spin-off project, Passengers, which was supposed to be music for a film that didn't exist.  This, to me, is very definitely that sort of thing, to the point that a military SF idea I've been working on is currently being scored, largely, to this.

   It's not going well, but the music's nice:)

[lowky]

Two of my recent favourites which are WAY the hell diametrically opposed:

Die Hard by Guyz Nite
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OTyw6cq86kY&mode=related&search= (The Video)
www.guyznite.com (It's a myspace page but you CAN download the song)

   My love for the Die Hard movies is a pure and holy thing.  I'm even a bit fond of Die Hard 2 and this is both glorious and really, really funny (And NSFW, natch).  After all, what's not to like about the line:

And we know what the basic gist is,
There ain't not Alan, and it's not Christmas,
We don't know, but we're pretty sure that
John Mclane kicks ass!

And so does that song!

And then there's these guys:

http://www.esposthumus.com/

   Ever seen Cold Case?  If not, first off, if you can you should as it's actually really good.  Secondly, because 20 seconds of 'Nara' by these chaps is the theme tune.  Huge, sweeping faux cinematic classical music which at times is just horrid and at times is utterly, utterly beautiful.  If you've seen a movie trailer in the last five years, you've heard music by ES Posthumus.

grr wouldn't work in FF for me.  I like it.  If you like that I would recommend Delirium which is a side project for the guys from Front Line Assembly.   

As for "local" music, I have to put in my vote for Anders Manga, whose Bloodletting on the Kiss is the music used for Pseudopod.  I am also a big fan of Rockabilly and The Twistin' Tarantulas (who for me are local but they do have a web presence) http://www.twistintarantulas.com/main.html are awesome.  How can you not love a band that covers Motorhead's Ace of Spades on stand up base.  I have also heard them do covers of Kiss, The Misfits, and The Ramones.  You haven't heard Detroit Rock City til you've heard it on a stand up base 

[sirana]

My current favourites are Josh Woodward and <a href="http://www.harveydanger.com/" > Harvey Danger [/url].
Josh Woodward is a kinda folky singer/songwriter. Harvey Danger is indie rock band.
Woodward has his complete music availlable for free download (6 albums and a lot of songs in the reject bin), Harvey Danger has made its latest album availlable for free. Check them out...

[sirana]

oh, and of course <a href="www.jonathancoulton.com">Jonathan Coulton [/url], but I think that goes without saying around here ;-)

[bolddeceiver]

My current favourites are Josh Woodward and <a href="http://www.harveydanger.com/" > Harvey Danger [/url].

Hey, if you're Seattle area, like so many of us Harvey Danger fans, you really need to come to the "Awesome" album release party, as Sean Nelson is going to be playing there.

[Listener]

There's this really great Canadian musician named Christian Caldeira that I found through the Wizard Rock scene.  He's got a very classic rock feel to him even though he writes a lot of contemporary songs.

http://www.myspace.com/christiancaldeira - Christian's site
http://www.myspace.com/oliverboydandtheremembralls - Wizard Rock project

[DKT]

If you like rock, I highly recommend Chamberlain, especially their "The Moon, My Saddle" album.  http://www.mp3.com/albums/331390/summary.html

This is a bit late, because they broke up some time ago, but their music is some of the best I've heard in a while and I've become obssessed with them lately.  They have some of the most beautifully written lyrics I've ever heard that's perfectly complimented by music and singer David Moore's world-weary, Springsteen-like vocals.  And their song, Stars in the Streetlight is one of the best rock and roll love songs I've ever heard. 

Listening to songs like Try for Thunder or Until the Day Burns Down, I've gotta think that this is one of those bands that deserved to make it. 

[swdragoon]

you should all be listining to
friendshatingfriends.net/blog

no but really you shold listen to decoder ring theator

[Russell Nash]

I should have posted this months ago, but I never got around to it.  There are two song a day podcasts from NPR stations.  The songs run the gambit of styles and sales levels.  I throw away over 90% of the files, but there is the occasional gem I never would have found any other way.

KEXP Song of the Day
KCRW Today's Top Tune

I also found two more when I looked up those links:

MPR The Current Song of the Day
KUT's Song of the Day

[Darwinist]

I should have posted this months ago, but I never got around to it.  There are two song a day podcasts from NPR stations.  The songs run the gambit of styles and sales levels.  I throw away over 90% of the files, but there is the occasional gem I never would have found any other way.

KEXP Song of the Day
KCRW Today's Top Tune

I also found two more when I looked up those links:

MPR The Current Song of the Day
KUT's Song of the Day

I was familiar with the second two.  I'll add the former two also.  Thanks.

I also get some good ideas for music from the music podcasts:
Sound Opinions (Chicago PR - hour long music show with two Chitown music critics)
Musicheads  (MPR - half hour music show with three The Current 89.3 DJ's.)

[Tango Alpha Delta]

oh, and of course <a href="www.jonathancoulton.com">Jonathan Coulton [/url], but I think that goes without saying around here ;-)

Definitely... I was moved to post a journal at Last.fm, and my friend Jon said his wife was angry at me for causing him to "waste two hours" dowloading "Thing a Week" tracks!

[Tango Alpha Delta]

But, since you asked...

*This link will show you what I've most recently played.

*For a broader picture: this is the bulk of the answer.  (If you don't like to follow links out to blogs, I'll sum up in a word:  Jazz.  But you're missing out on my Vonnegut quote. 

I've also been heavily playing music by two old friends, who finally decided that the only way to get me to quit bugging them about sending me their recordings would be to upload them.  My old college roommate/keyboard studio buddy (Emlyn Ellis Addison) and former Korean classmate (Dave, aka "One to Hold the Lightbulb") have posted stuff on Last.fm.  Emlyn's music is mostly electronic; my favorite track is probably Never, which is an funkily undulating nod to Enigma.    Dave's is a little more like piano based folk-soul; I have had several friends who checked out Cursin' the One I Love tell me that it got stuck in their crania.

[DDog]

Wizard Rock. My favorite is the Remus Lupins (Myspace link).

I also like Tilly and the Wall (Myspace link), which I think I found because some random girl from LJ had one of their songs on her Myspace and I liked it.

Sari Brown (Myspace link) played at my brother's school, liked her, and played me some of her music. So I added her, and she thought I was my brother.

Local groups (local to me, that is) I like are Odd Girl Out, Celia Kipp and the Last Ditch (Myspace link), The Degenerettes (Myspace link), Citizen Rahne, and Angelique Henle (Myspace link).

I usually pick up some good new people at IrishFest in Milwaukee, like Enter the Haggis and Quagmyre.

There's also the Athens Boys Choir, which is actually a one-man spoken word extravaganza, and Adhamh Roland.

I found Peter Gresser through the webcomic 5ideways.

A friend of mine linked me to some videos of The Divine Comedy on YouTube and I thought they were pretty cool.

Neil Cicierga is the brains behind the Potter Puppet Pals, but he also has some decent music projects.

[stePH]

The most amazing group I've ever heard is the now-defunct U Totem.  I'm also fond of its parent groups Motor Totemist Guild and 5uu's.

"Vagabonds Home" and "One Nail Draws Another" are my top favorites by this group (each is about fifteen minutes long so these videos split them into two parts).

Anybody who can find me more stuff like this will have my eternal gratitude.

[Talia]

A couple internet-broadcast radio stations I'd recommend:

minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/

Really excellent assortment of music, ranging from Twin Cities-based up-and-coming acts to underground hits to folk-rock legends, blues, jazz.. all kinds of stuff. I have a lengthy list of artists I swore to investigate further after hearing their stuff here.

http://radiomilwaukee.org/

Along similar lines. Lots of stuff I hadn't heard before.

I'm really enjoying what I've heard by <a href="http://www.salimnourallah.com/>salim nourallah[/url]. light folk-pop stuff, very pretty.

<a href="http://www.myspace.com/leominor/>Leo Minor[/url] is a fun, electronic/indie/pop act from Milwaukee. Catchy stuff, somewhat 80's-esque. Well worth a listen.

I also recently came across a Spanish performer named who does some REALLY lovely stuff, Dani Flaco. It's all in Spanish (as is his webpage), but its great enough I just don't care that I can't understand it. :p

[Darwinist]

A couple internet-broadcast radio stations I'd recommend:

minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/

Really excellent assortment of music, ranging from Twin Cities-based up-and-coming acts to underground hits to folk-rock legends, blues, jazz.. all kinds of stuff. I have a lengthy list of artists I swore to investigate further after hearing their stuff here.

The Current is the only Twin Cities music radio station worth listening to.  I can't understand how a market of this size can't have at least one commecial alternative radio station.   

[qwints]

I saw The Slacker's recently in Austin. They're Jamaican Rock and Rollers from New York.

Also Fishboy out of Dallas.

[Talia]

I just discovered these guys called Tally Hall, who are amazingly eclectic and highly listenable to. They're also responsible for a spate of really bizzare and occassionally genius absurdist comedy bits you can find searching youtube as well as a .. um.. a.. well, banana man.

[Tango Alpha Delta]

I just discovered these guys called Tally Hall, who are amazingly eclectic and highly listenable to. They're also responsible for a spate of really bizzare and occassionally genius absurdist comedy bits you can find searching youtube as well as a .. um.. a.. well, banana man.

just... wow. 

[Planish]

Oddly enough, the Daikaiju theme music on escapepod eps is one of those recent (in the past year) influences that have been steadily steering me towards Surf Guitar / Instro music, both vintage (early '60s) and more recent works.

Check out:
http://www.archive.org/details/SG101-2005_Mp3_Comp
http://www.archive.org/details/SG101_2006_MP3_Compilation
http://www.archive.org/details/SG1012007MP3

Such is my interest that I've bought a Stratocaster (can't afford a Jaguar) and intend to teach myself to play some of it, however badly.