posted
For years, I've prided myself on my tast in cool and eclectic music. I'm proud of my taste in classical music and the fact that I actually listen to it for fun instead of just buying it to adorn my collection. I deeply appreciate instrumental music of the movie soundtrack type, the symphony and chamber orchestra type etc. I listen to Enya, Loreena McKennitt and Yanni when I want to take deep breaths, and pull out my Daniela Mercury once in a while.
Lately, as my life starts to overwhelm me more and more, as I dread Mondays and put off my homework, as I bang my head against walls because of failing students and stay up too late, as I drive 45 minutes each way to school....I've started to ditch my scholarly music and dive back into my fluffy fun music.
I really don't have enough. My current favorites include:
Erasure-Cowboy Erasure-Chorus Indigo Girls-Retrospective The Corrs- Borrowed Heaven (I love this one, it's so peppy.) Daniela Mercury-Sol da Liberdade (really fun samba all in portuguese)
I have a lot of other favorite albums, but these are the only ones that I have the patience to listen to right now. It's so weird.
I just picked up "Rush of Blood to the Head" and I love his voice, I love the style...it's just not as "up" as I would like. It's still on my good albums list right now though.
I like really great percussion, a bit of techno, cool instrumentation, awesome bass lines and good vocals that I can sing along to. I'm not afraid of retro.
Help me Hatrack!! I need to get back into pop culture again!!
posted
My favorite poppy goodness is Shakira. Her Pies Dezcalsos and Donde Estan lof Ladrones albums are great, but I think you would especially enjoy The Remixes - in additino to being all techno-y, a lot of them are in Portuguese.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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How about old Russian pop music? Like Dmitri Hvorostovsky's Where are You my Brothers? And if you like opera, listen to anything by him. His voice is like nice dark chocolate, so delicious. Then you have HIM. You just can't go wrong with HIM. Their music is just beautiful, lovely vocals from Ville Valos and cool melodies. Then there is all manners of Tori Amos, there's Buck Tick, and Zero 7. You should go and listen to Home by Zero 7 and also Destiny. Soothing gorgeous music. And Bel Canto and Marvin Gaye and also Miles Davis (early) Ani Difranco Various Brazilian music Edith Piaf
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Ok. I really dig this Coldplay album. This is my second time through it and I always like an album better once I've listened to the whole thing and started over again.
posted
"Rush of Blood to the Head" is their second one. Their first one is... hmmm... not peppier.
Now that I think about it, I think I may have put all the Portuguese Shakira on that CD I sent you. So it might not be worth getting the album. But Pies Descalzos is my personal favorite - very peppy.
My other favorite peppy is the soundtrack to Monsoon Wedding. All kinds of Bollywood fun.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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Ok, ok...so, I never thought I'd see the name "Daniela Mercury" typed anywhere in Hatrack.
We call her kind of music "Axé-Music", here in Brazil. People like to dance to it at parties and Carnival. It's not my thing, but if you like such music, try finding something from Ivete Sangalo or Margareth Menezes.
Try finding a song called "Poeira", from Ivete Sangalo. It was a big hit over here, a while ago (although it's really really really not my thing).
posted
I want to see that movie! It has that lady with the pretty eyes in it and it will probaly have a lot of hindi songs in it and women will dance around in saris.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Narnia, this kind of song reminds much of Carnival (since Carnival starts this week, I can hear Axé, Samba, Frevo, etc. wherever I go), and I'm not a "Carnival guy". We have a saying here in Brazil:
"Quem não gosta de samba, bom sujeito não é. É ruim da cabeça ou doente do pé."
Translating:
"If you don't like samba, you can't be a nice guy. You have bad feet or you are sick on your head (crazy)".
My feet are fine, so...
I'm not a "normal" brazilian, I guess. I'd rather listen to Heavy Metal than to samba, Axé, Frevo or other "Carnival Rithms", although I like other kinds of Brazilian music.
But heed my advice. If you liked Daniela Mercury, you'll probably like the others I mentioned.
Posts: 1785 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I mostly listen to bluegrass, country, and folk, but I have some pop that I like.
Survivor by Destiny's Child Fallin' by Alicia Keys Kenny Rogers-Pharoahe Monch Dub Plate by Wyclef Jean Let's Get It Started by Black-Eyed Peas All the Things She Said by T.A.T.U.
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Hee hee... this is the song that I secretly enjoy. I had a cheap mp3 player that only had enough room for 2 songs, and I put Survivor and Where is the Love? and rode around on my bike jamming out.
posted
If you like "Rush of Blood To The Head" I would suggest the album "Sing for Absolution" by Muse. It is one that Twinky recommends quite frequently and I think that most Coldplay fans would like it. Also, to go with the eclectic them, how about some Canadian folk pop? Great Big Sea have several good albums and I think they released one sort of collection in the US only that collects some of the best songs from their first 2 major albums. I think the album is called Rant and Roar, yep, and you can check it out here .
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:I like really great percussion, a bit of techno, cool instrumentation, awesome bass lines and good vocals that I can sing along to. I'm not afraid of retro.
This just SCREAMS Everclear to me. I suggest So Much For the Afterglow - and not just because it happens to be the last CD I bought.
Posts: 2292 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Ok, Narnia, I never sent you the dang choral piece I promised, but I will send you some good driving music. It just might take me a while.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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Anyone who knows of Dream Theater should at least be able to spell their name correctly.
I'm not sure I would put Home in the realm of some of these other songs being referenced, but it certainly has a strong Indian influence to it. Then again, the song requires the context of the album and some thinking so I suppose it doesn't fit.
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I second Mrs. M's recommendation of t.A.T.u. I can only describe them as techno, although that certainly is not their entire sound. It's very easy to get lost in, but not in a way that's bad for driving.
If anyone's interested, I can send some of the songs I've ripped.
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If you take PC's suggestion and dig DT, you also have to try "Overture 1928". Best instrumental ever.
Posts: 2292 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Narnia, pick up "Sympathique" and "Hang On, Little Tomato" by Portland-based Pink Martini.
They're classy AND fun!
(|demosthenes|, The Shins are excellent (I think Chutes Too Narrow is their best album yet). Have you listened to The Arcade Fire, Pedro The Lion, Wilco, or Interpol?)
Posts: 1592 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a great album. I haven't listened to A Ghost Is Born yet, but I've heard a couple of the songs on the local college radio station, and it sounds decent.
The Arcade Fire is pretty good, and I guess The Shins are alright too, but I couldn't really get into either of their albums that I have.
I got Absolution based on Twinky's recommendation in a previous thread, and it's definitely a great album. I even went so far as getting most of their other stuff, but haven't had a chance to listen to it much as of yet.
Two great cd's I'd recommend are Up To Here and Fully Completely, by The Tragically Hip, one of Canada's greatest bands.
And as always I have to recommend two great solo artists. Hayden, a dylanesque folk singer from Canada, and Bob Schneider, a former punk rocker who turned into a really fantastic solo artist.
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quote:Narnia, pick up "Sympathique" and "Hang On, Little Tomato" by Portland-based Pink Martini.
I entirely second that motion!
My pick-me-up music is Carbon Leaf. Their third and fourth studio CDs are their best two overall, but it's all good. The music is not entirely "peppy," but much of it is upbeat, if not entirely happy. They started out as "Irish-influenced bluegrass," and morphed from there. They're also amazing live. I'm listening to their fourth CD right now, in fact.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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demosthenes, I was going to recommend Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins as well. Great listening music.
I haven't decided if I like Muse yet. Their stuff is so heavily layered. I don't like all the arpeggios that they stick in. However, it keeps the blood pumping.
I still think Pink Floyd's Animals is some of the best listening music there is.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Try Paris Combo. I'm pretty sure you can order one of their CD on amazon. Look on [URL=http://www.fnac.com/Shelf/article.asp?PRID=769481&OrderInSession=0&Mn=3&Mu=-13&SID=19e7cb71-54e8-dafb-4f0c-214d6389886e&TTL=020220051730&Origin=LEMONDE_POP&Ra=-28&To=0&Nu=1&UI D=0c915047b-3f1d-5396-b427-8ff9cb823141&Fr=0]this page[/URL] , this is my favourite album from them and if you click on the little notes just before the tracks titles, you can listen to extracts, to know if you could like it or not EDIT : I don't know why the URL thingy doesn't work, but if you cut and paste the adress it works too
[ February 01, 2005, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: Anna ]
Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001
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When I want pop, I just listen to the local top 40 station. I know it is not the best music ever, but it is appropriate for some occasions. Most of the other time I just listen to classical. There is a great public radio station through IU that either has my beloved NPR or some good classical. Right now one of my favorite CDs is one I bought for my dad for christmas. It is a collection by the julliard string quartet. A little bit of Bach, Beethoven, and Haydn. Amazing stuff.
Posts: 1015 | Registered: Aug 2004
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These are great suggestions, most of which I haven't heard/thought of, and that's perfect!!
I've been listening to "Rush of Blood" today and it is a little too broody for me. I still really like the style and his voice, so I'll have to check out what you guys have suggested.
posted
Oh, Anna's suggestion for Paris Combo was great - you'd really like them. They're contemporary, but a bit like a 40's swing band too.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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And you might get a kick out of this - a quirky celebrity album for kids. It's not Raffi, and it's thoroughly enjoyable. The best is Cake doing "Mahna Mahna" from the Muppets. My little siblings always want to listen to it and it's been stuck in my head for 3 months.
They also like the Hot Chocolate song from The Polar Express, but that's pretty much the only redeeming part of the album unless you like Josh Groban.
edit: Ooh - look at this bit from the review! I think you've got to get it now.
quote:An all-star cast has joined forces to produce a wonderful CD and, if that weren't exciting enough, a portion of the proceeds will help restore music education in the U.S. public school system through the VHI Save the Music Foundation.
Paris Combo - Mmm, I think I'm going to get one of those. And I need to learn how to speak French.
The Shins- s'good stuff.
Muse - Wow. Wow. Yeah, I think I'm buying this album (absolution)
Dream Theater - Mmm. that brings me back to when my brother would play Queensryche while we were doing housework on Saturday mornings. I like their sound, and their lead guitarist.
T.a.t.u. - Yeah. I have always loved the sound that Erasure gets and this is similar, but with female vocals. I love it.
Carbon leaf - I've decided that I'm in love with a good bass line. I like this band.
Great Big Sea - I love it. A lot.
Other's I've been reminded of -
Graceland by Paul Simon. (I recently picked up a Ladysmith Black Mambazo album done with the English chamber orchestra...so much fun!!)
Any other Barenaked Ladies that I don't have. (And that's a lot.)
Old Genesis, Peter Gabriel(solo) and older Toto. I'm such a geek.
I'm still listening, thanks for the suggestions you guys. They're good. I've decided I can pretty much trust hatrack's music advice, and that's nice.
Oh, and how does one go about getting their hands on twinky's album? (I'm so out of the loop.)
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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You can download Twinky's album here . If you email him, he might send you a CDR of it (he sent it to a bunch of us when he first finished it).
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Whoa, who recommended Muse? *checks* solo!!! It was you! And twinky, in an indirect sort of way. I picked up Absolution today and I'm loving it.
It's so odd, I must be going through a personality transformation. It's totally not me, but I'm loving it anyway. This is a band of great musicians. Their composing, singing, instrumentation...everything. It's fascinating and really fun. Good stuff, great driving music.
PC, we downloaded some more Dream Theater today. They're fun too, my brother is digging some of their stuff.
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