Museic
March 6, 2010 on 6:30 pm | In Music | 20 CommentsIncreasingly, I listen to music as a specific activity as opposed to simply putting it on in the background (which is what I’ve always done). It is good stuff, music. Either gives you the space you need to think or takes away the requirement to think at all. I have been a-hunting new music as a result of this, and have found the odd few bits. Turns out the free-on-iTunes ‘Rootless‘ (Marina and the Diamonds)* was pretty good and Fit New Neighbour (as opposed to Drunk New Neighbour or Sports Massage New Neighbour and her Hands of Pain) has a bit of a metal compulsion so I’ve been a-hearing some of that too. ‘Minerva‘ (Deftones) is a newer find for me and I’ve rediscovered all my old gothicky music which is a refreshing change from el bog-standard-beats that I hear on Radio 1 every morning on the way in to the hospital. Including that Tinie Temper song, which is fundamentally shit on a multitude of levels. And Rude boy. That is not good. I’ve also been told to chase up Metric and Miike Snow, which I am in the process of Spotifying with mixed results – the lady in Metric has a lovely voice but I’m not convinced there’s enough variety in each song to support it. Miike Snow I’m still going through.
Gripe: Fireflies, by Owl City. For a start, clearly a one-hit wonder and it’s got a good chorus, but the lyrics are so inane they make me want to rip the speakers out of my radio. Or re-tune it or turn it off or whatever. Either way, it was a song I really used to like until I actually listened to it.
Anyway. Meandering. Anyone got anything they want to recommend?
Musing on music.
*Actually, quite a lot of her album is good easy listening, although sadly her actual released song ‘Hollywood’ I don’t particularly like if only for it’s somewhat irritating ‘Shakira, oh wait it’s Catherine Zeta’ line.
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I’ve always listened to music, as well as just had it on in the background. It’s a really good way to unwind, I find.
In keeping with the title/spirit of the post, how about Muse? (had to be said :P)
Stuff I’m listening to at the moment: Daniel Lanois (the “Smile” album is great). Noah And The Whale. The Fruit Bats (The Ruminant Band = good album). The Asteroids Galaxy Tour also.
Also, listen to Florence + The Machine, and Codeine Velvet Club. All this is on Spotify btw :-)
Oh, and:
“a refreshing change from el bog-standard-beats that I hear on Radio 1 every morning”
Don’t listen to Radio 1 then? I mean, it’s been scientifically proven that R1 is really dire. True fact :-p
Comment by Dickie — March 6, 2010 #
I like the chatter. I own Florence’s ‘Lungs’ and pretty much everything Muse have ever released, B-sides included. Others I shall have to go and inspect…
Comment by Callan — March 7, 2010 #
Muse’s last album was pretty dire – my opinion of course but I’m right ;-)
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Shame you’ve not taken to Metric too much, I think that album requires a few listens to really get into or maybe I’m just sucked in by the velvet smoothness of her voice.
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What about some Imogen Heap or Laura Marling? Plus, Ellie Goulding’s songs aren’t bad. I was disinclined to listen to her because of the hype around her and the BBC critics choice or whatever it was but I heard one song of the radio and it made me explore. They’re just great pop songs. Pop is not a bad genre :-)
Friendly Fires – feel good musics.
Comment by teacherface — March 7, 2010 #
Oh, I highly recommend The Decemberists. The Hazards of Love album is a concept album and the story that runs through is great, nice and dramatic!
Comment by teacherface — March 7, 2010 #
lol I wouldn’t say the newest Muse album was “dire”, but it certainly wasn’t as good as their earlier stuff.
Comment by Dickie — March 7, 2010 #
Ok, ‘dire’ was a strong and wrong choice of word but it disappointed me hugely. MK Ultra is a good song, granted, but the others are just either a) boring or b) too OTT and annoying. They need more Origins of Symmetry or Showbiz-ness in there :-P
Comment by teacherface — March 7, 2010 #
Look up Pamplamoose on youtube – the singer has a gorgeous voice and their videos are really interesting (and obviously their songs are good too). Also check out Karine Polwart and Mumford and Sons. And get more into Bach. No-one is ever enough in love with Bach, however much in love one is with him.
Comment by Jenny — March 9, 2010 #
re. Bach – MASS IN B MINOR!!!
My personal discovery of the weekend has been The Young ‘Uns, a folk trio for Hartlepool. They’re not on Spotify, but ‘Rap ‘er t’Bank’ is on YouTube here. They were absolutely breathtaking live!
Then again, I do have a soft spot for both NE folk and male-voice harmony <3
Comment by Lucy — March 9, 2010 #
Oh you are so wrong about Owl City.
Comment by Claire — March 10, 2010 #
One of my housemates is currently addicted to Owl City – it’s all he’s played for a few days now. Sounded good on first listen, but now it’s starting to get bloody annoying, so I agree with Callan.
Comment by Dickie — March 10, 2010 #
Lucy – oh, they were good weren’t they! I’m assuming you saw them where Jenny and I saw them and we just utterly failed to spot you? How rubbish. Anyway, yes, excellent.
For my part, I recommend Megson, because they make me happy, and Show of Hands, because so do they, and frankly they’re the less scary end of beardy men with mandolins. Which can only be a good thing.
Comment by Fiona — March 10, 2010 #
Fi – yes. We were in the middle of the very front row, literally about 5m from the singers! (I say literally. I’m not great at judging distances, but you get the idea.)
Comment by Lucy — March 11, 2010 #
Went out last night and saw General Fiasco, who were pretty good although I wouldn’t say they were a new and original genre. The Melodramas (supporting) were pretty good and had some panache although lead singer might have had a little bit too much. Second listen today and I still agree with myself so might chase these guys down. Turns out small gigs are pretty damn awesome.
As for the rest, thankee all for recommendations. It’ll take me a while to work through them all though, be not surprised if there are no comments on them for a while!
Comment by Callan — March 12, 2010 #
I love show of hands! Also try: jon boden, spiers and boden (don’t forget my tendency to mix up ‘ie’ and ‘ei’ when you search for them), bellowhead, Eliza carthy, karine polwart (she’s like a folky amy mcdonald, for the uninitiated), Seth lakeman and definitely steve knightley. Please ignore lazy capitalisation. Xxx
Comment by Jenny — March 15, 2010 #
Oh yeh, I definitely second the Mumford and Sons recommendation!
Comment by Lucy — March 16, 2010 #
Spiers and Boden’s a bit hardcore, methinks. Jon Boden’s voice is… an acquired taste. I generally think if people aren’t into the folk so much they should steer clear for a bit cos it’s offputting. Jenny: Tunng? Trippy, but good. I’ll lend you some if you haven’t already. Mmm.
Comment by Fiona — March 16, 2010 #
Click on my On The Jukebox links. More often than not, they’re from aeons ago and not particulary original at that, but you never know, you might discover a new love for a old name?
Comment by Flix — March 18, 2010 #
Also, they’re usually related to the blogness, so if the words resonate with you, maybe the music will too. I’m not very good at recommending music as I generally feel there’s so much choice it’s very much down to personal preference and I don’t really know you well enough to tell what that could be…
Comment by Flix — March 18, 2010 #
I love Boden’s voice personally but I can see why it’s an acquired taste, perhaps.
What I’m really saying is YOU SHOULD BE MORE FOLK-ORIENTATED. In capitals. Yes.
And I don’t know any Tunng. I’m definitely curious though :).
There were definitely some great opportunities for innuendo in that which I wholly bypassed.
xxx
Comment by Jenny — March 20, 2010 #
Tunng have gotten boring with their latest album. Not that I enjoyed that too much beforehand…
Comment by teacherface — March 29, 2010 #