I recently ran out of books and lectures on tape, and I'm feeling much Rock-er than normal, so I've dug into my albeit small collection of non-classical, non-broadway cds.
Dang it, I don't like most of them. I like some of all of them, and few I like most of, but I was so dissapointed. I just got the Norah Jones cd, and I could only take about three songs before I had to switch. I like her, I like her voice, I like the music, I just can't stand to listen to the whole album at a time.
It's usually like that.
Now, I'm not an avant garde music collector. I don't have the money for the cds, and I'm opposed to file sharing, so that leaves me up a creek. I will, however, buy a cd when it seems worth it, which averages out to four times a year.
The two albums that I own that I love - that I don't notice when it switches back to the first song and I don't care, cuz I'm still enjoying it - are U2's Beautiful Day and Counting Crows, um, yellow album with the scribbles. I suspect some of my fondness for Counting Crows comes from lingering affection for a long-ago-sweetheart, but that wouldn't still last if I didn't love it.
What do you like? The whole album - not skipping a single song, can listen to over and over. I'm looking for suggestions. Can you give me one?
To show how sincere and how seriously unhip I am, I've been hearing good things about something called Radiohead?
[ October 16, 2003, 11:55 AM: Message edited by: katharina ]
Posted by Danzig (Member # 4704) on :
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
Iced Earth - Horror Show
Glenn Danzig - Black Aria Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Why? Why do you like those? With what you know of my taste, would I like them?
How long have you had them? How often do you listen? You know - if you could take just one to a desert island...? Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
Linkin Park--Reanimation Weezer--Blue or Green albums Good Charlotte--Young and the Hopeless
I don't know if this is your kinda rock, though. Linkin Park is relatively hard-core compared to Weezer, and Good Charlotte can be pretty Pop-y.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
REM-Automatic for the People The Matrix Reloaded Soundtrack
Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :
No Doubt--any album The Ataris--So Long, Astoria Blur--Blur Less Than Jake--Anthem
Posted by Rhaegar The Fool (Member # 5811) on :
Cold- Year of The Spider Evanescence- Going Under Ramones- Toughest Hits Audioslave- Newest Cd (Cant Think of The Name Right Now And I Am Away From Home)
That is if you like things a little harder. Those are some of the best bands I know.
-Rhaegar The Fool
Posted by Saruman (Member # 2275) on :
Usually, if I like a CD enough to buy it, I don't skip songs on it. If I feel like listening to a particular CD, then I usually feel like listening to the whole thing. Do you have any more U2? You might enjoy some Coldplay, Guster, Travis, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Dave Matthews Band . . . hmm. I really don't know enough about your tastes to make good recommendations.
I've only heard a couple songs from Radiohead's first album, Pablo Honey, but I have their next four albums (still don't have the newest one). I'd go with The Bends and OK Computer first. Kid A and Amnesiac are very experimental and electronicky.
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
U2 - Unforgettable Fire U2 - Achtung Baby Coldplay - Parachutes Cardigans - Gran Tourismo Sarah Brightman - Eden Madonna - Ray of Light Chrono Cross Soundtrack Evanescence - Fallen Metallica - the black album Radiohead - OK Computer Blur had good stuff too (though I've never listened to the albums separately) - Blur, 13, Beetlebum
[ October 16, 2003, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: ludosti ]
Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
Hmmm. I just finished saving all my CDs to the new computer so that I could make mixes for myself precisely because I usually do end up skipping. That’s also why I usually buy best of CDs. Of course, there are some albums that I do listen to over and over without skipping. They’re mostly folk and country, but there are some rock albums that I adore.
The Doors Greatest Hits The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-1971 (disc 1) Violent Femmes: Add It Up Queen: Classic Queen
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Thank you for the suggestions.
However, I buy four cds a year. What makes them special. Do you love them? Are they your favorites? Are you suggesting them because you think I would?
Please? I can get a list anywhere. What Hatrack is good at is opinions. Do you have opinions on those albums?
Added: Yay Mrs. M and Patrick! That's just what I was looking for.
Dave Matthews Band is a possibility. Same for the Doors collection. Hmm...
[ October 16, 2003, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]
Posted by Danzig (Member # 4704) on :
Well, I think you would like Songs for the Deaf, and very possibly Black Aria. Horror Show, maybe not so much. I have a lot of albums, but all three of those are ones I listen to without usually skipping songs. (And to give you a hint of how picky I am, I regularly skip songs on CDs whose tracklists I put together myself!)
QOTSA is the most "poppy" but not overly so. SftD is a concept album- it is simulating a long car journey while listening to the radio. I like QOTSA better than U2 or Counting Crows, but while their sound is distinct from either of those groups I think if you like them you will like QOTSA. This is probably the album I listen to the most.
Black Aria is an orchestral arrangement by Glenn Danzig. No lyrics that I can recall. The first six songs (out of nine) are a retelling of Paradise Lost. The entire album is very dark, but I like it a lot.
Horror Show, honestly I doubt you will like it. It is a heavy metal album, with nine of ten songs dealing with popular horror tales. If you like heavy metal (or even hard rock) then I would definitely recommend it, but otherwise probably not.
Posted by Saruman (Member # 2275) on :
If you like U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind, you might like The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and The Unforgettable Fire. You might also like Coldplay and Travis. If you like Counting Crows, you might like Toad the Wet Sprocket, Guster, and Dave Matthews. That's why I listed what I did.
(By the way, this is not Patrick. )
[ October 16, 2003, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: Saruman ]
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
I would highly recommend you get Sarah Brightman's Eden. Though I am not totally familiar with your tastes in music, what little I do know seems to be totally consistant with this album. Some of the songs are basic classical (opera), which you seem to like. Others are more pop-y. They are all wonderful.
If you are at all interested in any of the albums I mentioned, I could arrange for you to pre-view them (so you could decide for yourself if you'd like them enough to buy them).
[ October 16, 2003, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: ludosti ]
Posted by Danzig (Member # 4704) on :
Oh yes, also there are at least two Kansas CDs that I would recommend. Leftoverture I usually listen to all the way through, although it has been a while since I have put it in. Point of Know Return is probably their best album, and easily worth your money. IMHO of course. Fairly complex rock and roll, although their other albums can be very uneven.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
quote:I would highly recommend to you get Sarah Brightman's Eden.
*grin* I have it.
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
Good. Everyone should have it!
Posted by Emperor Palpatine (Member # 3544) on :
Nickel Creek-This Side.
Trust me on this one.
I have a feeling you wouldn't like any of my other "no skip" cds, so I'll just list that one.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Somehow I dont think Kat would want to listen to my other suggestions of Marilyn Manson and 50 Cent. Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
That's ok. I doubt she'd want to listen to any Metallica either... Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
mack: *grin* I may surprise you. I like Eminem, and my brothers got me onto Metaliica, but I can't stand either for an entire album.
That's sort of the problem, isn't it? It needs to be good all the way through. It needs to have a combination of harmonious for enjoyment and unsettling for worth it. I like music (art) that makes me think, but that works on every level. That's hard to do. I'm not sure why U2 and Counting Crows does it, except U2 has vision and Counting Crows has me, somehow.
Added: It's funny. I mean, can you figure out a person's character by what they listen to? I dated someone once who was completely horrified at my refusal to see vast quantities of certain movies. Seemed to think it was a failing. *thinks* But then, that isn't the art form that I turn to for self-reflection. I mean, I'll read a far, far wider range of material than I'd ever listen or watch. Is that because being catholic in reading tastes is much, much cheaper for me than in music tastes, given the no-downloading stricture and $18 a CD reality?
[ October 16, 2003, 12:32 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Peter Brienholt and Big Parade-- Songs of the Great Divide; Deep Summer; Heartland; Noel
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Peter Breinholt - oh, I can't. Worst date of my life was to Peter Breinholt concert. The thought makes me want to hide under the bed.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Echo Echo - Carbon Leaf
I really really love this CD. Since I don't have an mp3 player or anything, this one is my travel CD. It's alternately upbeat and mellow, and none of the songs bore me, even after listening to it a gazillion times.
Posted by Emperor Palpatine (Member # 3544) on :
Nickel Creek-This Side. It's gorgeous.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Emp: Nickel Creek - it's gorgeous? You seem passionate about it. Same for Carrie's suggestion. That's promising. Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
I like Evanescence, but I can't listen to a CD all the way through. What comes across as haunting and evocative in her voice whenever I hear a song or two quickly becomes shrill and whiny after three or four songs in a row. Much better to break their songs up on a mix CD.
Posted by Emperor Palpatine (Member # 3544) on :
I love the cd for its vocal harmony, its lyrics and its musicianship. If I were to label it, I'd probably steal the term "new grass," what with its dominant mandolin, violin and percussive guitar.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
How in the world can you have a bad time at a Peter Brienholt concert?
Posted by Fitz (Member # 4803) on :
I have 19 Van Morrison albums, and I can listen straight through on all but a few, and with great enjoyment.
If I like an artist, I usually don't like them for just a couple of songs. Even if I don't like a track on first listen, I still give it a chance. I've found that many songs that I didn't really enjoy at first are now among my favorites.
Some other albums off the top of my head that I can listen to straight through:
Gordon , Barenaked Ladies Up To Here and Fully Completely , The Tragically Hip. Anything by Hayden, but especially his debut album, Everything I Long For , which is perhaps the most haunting music I've ever heard. Lonelyland , Bob Schneider. Unplugged In New York and Nevermind , Nirvana.
I also have a four disc set by Bob Marley called Songs Of Freedom , and other than the first disc, they're all fantastic. I think Bob Marley is one of the greatest singer/songwriter/poets of all time.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
*sigh* I shouldn't have gone. It was second date, and I didn't have a good time on the first one. My roommates convinced me that saying no would be premature and I should give him a second chance. This was when I was nineteen, before I knew that if you don't want to go because you don't like him, for the love of Pete, don't go!
I went anyway, and I was having as good a time as could be expected. We just didn't have anything in common, and passionate, dramatic, self-centered Katie didn't particularly want to be there. Put that on top of spending the night staying away from his hands, and it was a horrible date.
In my defense, the man worked in the family bookstore and hadn't read a book for fun in five years. At the time, I didn't know people like that existed.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Poor you.
Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :
My #1 no-skip CD: Hate by the Delgados. I just listened to it once all the way through before psoting this, in fact. (Well, I'm on the second last track, actually.) I think you would like it, kat, because I can't imagine anyone not liking it. I listen to Radiohead, Three Mile Pilot and Tom Waits and love it, while my sister listens to Counting Crows and Dashboard Confessional and she loves it, too. Even my mom likes it (though I can't say I've ever gotten her to listen to it all the way through)! It's simply beautiful music, but also the sort snobs like me can listen to without being embarassed. Posted by Ayelar (Member # 183) on :
The Bends, definitely. I could listen to it looped for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :
By the way, Hate is nothing like what you'd expect from the album title.
Oh, and another no-skip CD: Lost in Space by Aimee Mann. Beautiful and melancholy; once again, I've had trouble finding people who, having listened to it, don't like it. You can try it out beforehand on the official Aimee Mann website. Just click on "listen" and then the specific track and format.
Edit: You can also give the Delgados a try here, if you've got a player (the Aimee Mann samples, on the other hand, just need Flash). I'd recommend starting with "Woke From Dreaming".
[ October 16, 2003, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: ae ]
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
There's a reason I won't own a CD player without shuffle. Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Philip Glass - Music with Changing Parts
It's only one track so if you like it you wont have to skip around.
(It's not a single, it's a full abulm since that one track is over an hour).
Hobbes Posted by Caleb Varns (Member # 946) on :
Of course I'm ALWAYS going to recommend Dream Theater to anyone for the rest of my natural life, but in this situation specifically the recommendation is poignant.
Because Dream Theater has mastered the art of the concept album. Think Pink Floyd crossed with Mozart crossed with Heavy Metal crossed with a Nora Ephron script.
Metropolis Part 2 is one of my all-time favorites. Pure listening pleasure that doesn't stop until the cd is over (unless you put it on repeat).
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I think you and I have very similar tastes, Kat. Plus, this summer I worked three days a week at t little shop up in a resort town with two or three customers a day, so I very quickly learned which CDs of mine were listenable and repeatable. I quickly got sick of even my favorites, so the ones that persisted have some admirable quality I haven't quite pinpointed. They are:
Portals of Grace by Azam Ali - this is all medieval music with a little ambient production and is thoroughly listenable when you're feeling mellow. It's one of my favorites.
Albums that have a similar tone throughout are usually ones that are really artsy on the producer's part. This is the case with Madonna's Ray of Light album, which is a lot more William Orbit than Madonna. It's really great.
Dave Matthews Band, Busted Stuff, which is better for full-album listening than its poppy companion Everyday. It's the lack of constant tag-line lyric and riff bombardment, I think, that gives it staying power.
I don't know if you dig Latin music at all, but I really love Shakira's Donde Estan Los Ladrones and MTV Unplugged - which were both pre-America and thus flow better than Laundry Service.
And one of my all-time favorite repeatable albums - well actually, it's a time between Paul Simon's Graceland and his Rhythm of the Saints. The first is a little bouncier, the second a little more soothing. Even more soothing is his latest - You're the One.
And the other U2 suggestions are good.... their albums are a little artier, but if you like All That You Can't Leave Behind, chances are you'll like the sound of The Best of 1980-1990 a little more than Joshua Tree, which goes rugged and political and spikey after the first three songs. Achtung Baby is great, probably my personal favorite, but a lot more edgy and electronic and dark.
Another of my favorites is The Very Best of Sting and the Police. It's softer edged than Police albums and has the Sting solo classics like "Fields of Gold." Good stuff.
Hope these help!
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Oh, this is great stuff. I'm so excited! Thank you!
Annie, I suspect that somewhere in the philotes webbing our universe, we really are triplets.
Hobbes gets 28 cute points.
[ October 16, 2003, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
...I second just about everything Annie pointed out, and I wrote down the rest.
I also second Ray of Light by Madonna. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun that album is. It's her first dive into the techno sounds and I ended up really liking it.
What do you think of Erasure? Ever listened to any of it? If you do, albums that you can listen to absolutely without stopping ONE TIME are I say, I say, I say, Cowboy, Chorus, and their greatest hits collection Pop!. Oh, I have so much fun listening to those albums. My favorite is Chorus. It's a little darker...just slightly edgy, if you could ever call Erasure edgy.
If you enjoy the Police, U2 and those other indispensable 80s bands, then you have to pull out Tears Roll Down by Tears for Fears...and that other album by New Republic that I can't remember the name of.
I'm also a fan of the Corrs. They have a pop/Irish country thing going on that I just love. Their first album, which is the most Irish sounding of the 3 is called Forgiven, Not Forgotten. The 3rd album In Blue, is a little more poppy, but still tons of fun.
Oh, and I cannOT forget to mention Monster Ballads which is a crazy conglomeration of the hard rock ballads of the 80s and early 90s. I think it's a million times better than its counterpart Love bites.
For your particular taste, and if you want to spring for the same old stuff it seems you usually have, you MUST get the sountrack to Little Women by Thomas Newman (and any other soundtracks he's done while you're at it) and The Sondheim: Live at Carnegie Hall CD. They're both just out of this world.
You ought to just take this list to your library every week or so, check some out and then see which you'd like to buy. Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
And here's a winner:
My most recent amazon.fr international purchase, which my roommates usually dread ever since I got on my les Rita Mitsouko kick, is actually quite a hit with everyone I play it for.
It's called Essence Ordinaire, by the French Arabic group Zebda. (the arabic word for butter is zebda. The French word for butter is beurre, and a derogatory term for French Arabs is the word beur. I love that they took off on this.)
It's bouncy, it's kinda rappy, but has a lot of arabic instrumentation thrown in, and the lyrics are great and socially relevant.
Sorry I went off on this - I'm listening to "Tomber la chemise" right now and loving it.
You can buy the album here, or some days (depending on the exchange rate) it's cheaper here. I think shipping to the US is 7 Euros.
.... now back to your regularly scheduled music thread....
Posted by SirReal (Member # 5257) on :
Peter Gabriel's "Us" and "Passion" Cd's-Us is about relationships and is very deep and Passion, well, it's one of the most amazing world music cd's EVER dubtribe soundsystem's "Bryant Street"-House music with extra LOVE poured into it. Ry Cooder & Ali Farka Toure-"Talking Timbuktu" an amazing merging of Western guitar and African rhythms and instrumentation. Mickey Hart's-"At the Edge" rhythm based album, very cerebral
Just a few, maybe more to come
[ October 16, 2003, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: SirReal ]
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
And a to you too Kat.
Hobbes Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Some albums that you might enjoy based on your tastes are:
Jets To Brazil - Orange Rhyming Dictionary This is my favourite album by JTB, but you might also like Four Cornered Night and Perfecting Loneliness. Four Cornered Night is the most mellow of the 3. The singer/songwriter used to be in the punk band Jawbreaker (Who I also love, but don't think go with your tastes), but Jets to Brazil are not in anyway a punk band.
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots This album is incredible. It is not a concept album, but several of the tracks tell a story. The Flaming Lips are one of the most experimental bands I have ever heard. One of their other albums, Zaireeka, comes on 4 CDs that are meant to be played on 4 CD players at the same time. If I had to compare them to any other bands I would say they are in some ways comparable to Radiohead, but a comparison really doesn't do them justice. You can hear some songs at their web page
The Weakerthans - Left And Leaving This is an amazing album of sort of folk rock music. The Weakerthans are from Winnipeg Manitoba and the singer/songwriter is quite poetic.
Radiohead - The Bends This is, in my opinion, the best album Radiohead has put out. The other 3 I listed hear are a bit more obscure, so if you prefer something that is a little more well known and easier to find, I would definitely recommend this album.
Those are some you might enjoy just off the top of my head. I am at work right now so I can't just look at my CD collection, but there are many more albums that I listen to all the way through. If I think of any others that you might like I will add them.
EDIT:
One more I can think of is
The Tea Party - Tangents This is a collection of some of their best songs. They use a lot of different stringed instruments and have a definite middle eastern influence. The Tea Party is a great rock band and definitely worth looking into.
[ October 16, 2003, 02:38 PM: Message edited by: solo ]
Posted by Caleb Varns (Member # 946) on :
Also I would suggest any soundtrack from Cowboy Bebop... the performing group is called The Seatbelts.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
How did I forget? The soundtrack to Highlander, or A Kind of Magic by Queen is absolutely the most fantastic and fun album!! Queen is always fun.
Posted by Robespierre (Member # 5779) on :
Claude Debussy: Any Collection
Miles Davis: Bitch's Brew (both CD's)
The Orb: Orbus Terrarum
Autechre: Incunambula
Posted by SirReal (Member # 5257) on :
Nice call with The Orb, my favorite is "The Aubrey Sessions" it's remixes of Adventures beyond the Ultraworld. STELLAR
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Steve Riech only has amazon links for his, sorry I don't have an official description of that stuff.
[EDIT: I just found out, the Terry Riley In C link is to mp3.com which you have to register for. Here's another sound clip you don't have to register to hear. Sorry about that. ]
Hobbes
[ October 16, 2003, 03:02 PM: Message edited by: Hobbes ]
Posted by Lime (Member # 1707) on :
I'm gonna go across the spectrum here - hopefully you'll find something you like.
Crash and Before These Crowded Streets by Dave Matthews Band
Some Devil by Dave Matthews (solo)
Thirteen Step by A Perfect Circle
Clumsy, Happiness, Spiritual Machines, Live - all by Our Lady Peace
Fallen by Evanesence
Chrono Cross Soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda
Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins
Play by Moby
Audioslave by Audioslave
Posted by StigLarson (Member # 5579) on :
The Beatles "White Album", because it makes a nice change from listening to turnips whispering about you in the long grass.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I second Narnia's suggestion of the Corrs. They're great.
My next CD purchase is going to be Daniel Bedingfield's Gotta Get Thru This. I really like the title track, If You're Not the One makes me tear up every time, and I like several other tracks as well -- all the ones I've heard so far.
But my I-can-listen-to-this-over-and-over CD is The Best of Dan Fogelberg. I bought it even though I have the cassette from years ago, which has most of the same songs.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
If forgot the other Never-Pushed-the-Skip-Button album: Don McClean's American Pie.
That's my desert island album. I owned it in one iteration or another since I was 11, and I still love it.
This is great, great stuff. Yay for Hatrack! Now I have to pick one. *thinks*
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
Well, when I saw the thread title I had a huge list of albums to name, but since you are going more for recommendations I will be more judicious in my picking from those albums. But, keep in mind that most of my musical choices are along the lines of progressive rock/metal.
First I have to second Caleb Varn's inlcusion of Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory-Metropolis Part 2. From beautiful accoustic guitar and crystal clear tenor vocals to middle eastern sounds to thunderous metal to incredibly intricate and technical playing. It is really just a fantastic album with an interesting story tying it all together.
Moving Pictures by Rush is, in my opinion, the single greatest rock album ever recorded. Yes, it is that good. Rush never ceases to amaze and ever album of theirs is a triumph, but this is just one of those occasions in which everything came together perfectly. Simply a masterpiece, and one of the most important rock albums ever if you ask me (and I suppose you sort of did).
Disconnected by Fates Warning is the one album that very possibly could give Moving Pictures a run for its money. More of an edge than some of their previous works, Fates Warning just simply tore things wide open with this album. Sort of a concept album dealing with the demise of relationships, I get chills every time I hear Jim Matheos' guitar start the album off. Great lyrics, superb musicianship (anyone who likes rock/metal really, really owes it to themselves to explore Mark Zonder's drumming) and perfect production all come together to also elevate this album to the level of masterpiece.
The last one I will suggest (and I am really, really reigning myself in here) is one for when you are feeling adventerous. Opeth simply amazes me, and any one of their albums could be recommended, but I absolutely cannot get enough of Blackwater Park. Be warned, there is some pretty heavy stuff on this one, but there is a wonderful balance of bone crushing metal combined with haunting acoustic guitar, near demonic growls with beautiful and soothing vocals. This one is a metal album that has it all. Of course, if you aren't into the heavy stuff then Opeth's latest release, Damnation is the ticket. Nearly all acoustic, no growls, and simply haunting, beautiful music. Another great choice.
There are some for the more adventerous days.
Edit: Typos
[ October 16, 2003, 04:02 PM: Message edited by: Jexxster ]
Posted by John Van Pelt (Member # 5767) on :
This thread rocks. No pun intended.
Thank you! for introducing me here to the Delgados. What a world we live in - a mere notion - a contintent away - phosphorescing on my CRT - moments later I am listening to a track on headphones....
Lots of other suggestions I'm eager to check out.
Most recently, in my player:
- Springsteen The Rising, which gains importance over time, to me, rather than lessening, even though its proximate inspiration was 9/11. Springsteen at his most lyrical; haunting without being maudlin; an authentic artist's response to the local (not global) phenomenon.
- Van Morrison Astral Weeks (thanks to my 14-yr-old daughter, Emma) - not his latest, but soulful and just varied enough to listen through (once only ).
- Warren Zevon The Wind - I can't yet vouch for this as a listen-all-the-way-through-without-skipping (LATWTWS) album, since I just got it, but I had forgotten Zevon's bluesy/ballad influences. It's nice.
- My all-time favorite LATWTWS album: Jeff Buckley Grace - a vocalist with a magical falsetto. Like Zevon, he died too young.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Wow, remind me to write every one of these down.
Psst... pick Carbon Leaf Posted by Rhaegar The Fool (Member # 5811) on :
Fallen is a great cd. So is audioslave, this is exactly like the one I posted before.
-Rhaegar The Fool
Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :
Funny...I was talking about this very same subject last night with a friend.
It started as a "guilty pleasures" chat, which brought up Hootie & the Blowfish: Fairweather Johnson. I'm almost positive that Darius Rucker's voice has trance-inducing qualities.
Then we went on to name some not-so-guilty pleasures, like Cake: Prolonging the Magic(just a fun, fun album), Dark Side of the Moon(duh), and O.A.R: Any Time Now(Upbeat, uplifting, folk roots reggae rock).
And the new Johnny Cash album is a no-skipper, too. Unless you despise country.
I have the attention span of a fruit fly on crack, so for me to listen to an entire album says something about said album.
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
Evanescence Avril Lavigne Vanessa Carlton Smash Mouth Barenaked Ladies-stunt
Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
American Pie is a great album, Kat! It is, in fact, why I started playing the guitar. Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Simon and Garfunkel was what induced me to buy my guitar...I'm still working on that whole "playing" thing. Posted by jexx (Member # 3450) on :
Waiting for My Rocket to Come by Jason Mraz surprised me because I never skip a song, not one! I am a confirmed song-skipper, so that surprised me. Also, I listen to it over and over and over (surely there is a program for cd addicts!). Every song is different, but not jarringly so, so you are not bored. I find Dave Matthews' "Everyday" very boring (even though I will listen to it for background noise) because every song has the same feel.
Besides, Jason Mraz has a cocky lil' guy thing going. He's a little braggy, and his lyrics are funny, and his voice has a comfortable range to it. The music doesn't overwhelm his voice, or vice versa. It'll never be what music snobs will speak of in ten years as "greatest album ever", but I will still be listening to it then.
I listen to the Smallville soundtrack without skipping. It's mostly pop/rock. The coolest thing is that the tempo goes from fast to slow though the entire cd. So the songs at the beginning are faster than the later ones. It has songs by Phantom Planet, Weezer, Lifehouse, Five for Fighting, and Eva Cassidy. It has a good mix, kinda like the 'best of' albums.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Neil Young: "Harvest Moon"
Bruce Springsteen: "Greetings from Asbury Park"
Donna the Buffalo: All cds, studio or live
Jennie Stearns: "Sing Desire," "Mourning Dove Songs"
Crow Greenspun "Never Be It's Own"
Jerry Jeff Walker: "Red, White, and Blue"
Hapa
Jim Lauderdale: "Wait til Spring"
Kat, if you give me your address on my email, I will send you some music.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
You play guitar, Narnia?!?
We are gonna have so much fun...
You're probably way better than me, though.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Annie, send me your address, too, if you want.
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
Ah, just cued up Pain of Salvation's epic The Perfect Element Part 1. Another true progressive metal masterpiece. Not really that heavy, with an awful lot of variation in the songs. And there is just so much emotion that comes seeping through the speakers. Both soothing and energizing in turns. I occasionally listen to just a couple songs on it, but it works so much better if you listen from start to finish.
And I can't talk about concept albums without mentioning Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime. IMO this is the concept album by which all can be measured. Very accessible songs when taken alone (Eyes of a Stranger, I Don't Believe in Love, Breaking the Silence) and still a very coherent story when listened to from start to finish.
Okay, I will stop with the rock/metal, probably more than you wanted.
Posted by Emperor Palpatine (Member # 3544) on :
Kat, get the Nickel Creek cd.
Annie, Narnia, BtL, and anyone else, I also enjoy playing guitar. To a high extent.
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
U2 - Joshua Tree U2 - Unforgettable Fire Beatles - Abbey Road Doors - Morrison Hotel Gordon Lightfoot - Summertime Dream Gordon Lightfoot - Gord's Gold Journey - Trial By Fire Gary Moore - Wild Frontier
I can't describe why I can listen to these albums/tapes/CDs all the way through. I just love and appreciate them, for various reasons.
I've listened to "Morrison Hotel" so many times (I've owned it on vinyl, cassette, and CD - in one form or another ever since it was released when I was in junior high) that when I hear a song from it on the radio, I automatically start hearing the music for the next track in my head when it ends. This can be a little disorienting when another song comes on instead. Posted by Ryan Hart (Member # 5513) on :
Nickel Creek and A Perfect Circle, both CD's are on my top ten right now.
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
oh kat i am such a jerk, i promised you a mix cd like two years ago! *pounds head into desk*
okay, here are a few (some already mentioned) that i really think you'll like. you strike me as the song-driven type.
rush of blood to the head by coldplay. beautifuly vocals, very rich, very sweet without being saccharine.
the bends and ok computer by radiohead. everytime i listen to radiohead i go "hot damn! i love this band!" thom yorke's voice tugs at my heart. their music is...intelligent, but emotional as well. a blue chrome robot with a small pink neon heart, blinking in the night.
poses by rufus wainwright. nice lyrics, popera voice. piano. he is the young man that did the cover of "across the universe" on the i am sam soundtrack. i bet his hair smells of peaches and cinnamon.
the i am sam soundtrack is really good, too! various artists cover beatles songs.
they usually play a nice variety of decent music on smallville, so i second that nomination. it might clue you in to some artists that you hadn't heard without having to buy twenty albums.
the first a perfect circle almum. la mer de noms? it's like tool, but on prom night. (lavender dress, switchblade corsage!)
jimi hendrix, the experience. classic and innovative. jimi wasn't comfortable with his voice, but i sure am. how can you not rock out to this album?
weezer, same as suggested. play by moby is super happy fun. puts the dance back in your pants.
i do not suggest steve reich. i love steve reich, but he's not someone i would pop into the stereo and blast all day, every day. his music is beautiful, but it's not what i would classify as "road trip" material.
i suggest hanging out for a day in planet music, tower, wherever. listen to artists you've heard snippets about or review albums that simply grab your eye without actually having to buy anything unless you really like it.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Thirteen Step - A Perfect Circle
Why? Well, APC shares a singer with Tool – namely, Maynard James Keenan. He is capable of both some of the most guttural screams in rock and some of its most melodic and haunting vocal lines. To generalize, Tool is all about the former while APC is all about the latter. Thirteen Step also features multiple uses of the word "precious," which I always enjoy. ...and there are some marvellous lines ("'Clever' got me this far, then 'tricky' got me in"). The album actually contains a fairly wide variety of styles and textures, from the nu-metal D-flat tuned Pet to the melted-jazz tone of The Nurse Who Loved Me. I also thoroughly enjoyed their first album, Mer de Noms, but I think I like this one more (though I must admit, my favourite APC song is still Orestes from the first record). Thirteen Step has found a semi-permanent home in my CD player of late. I rarely leave home without it.
David Usher - Morning Orbit
David Usher used to sing for the Canadian rock band Moist, who now appear to be defunct since their dummer can't play anymore (due to a back injury). Morning Orbit was his second solo album and contains some solid light rock efforts. I've always been partial to his singing voice; in some respects it's similar to Maynard Keenan's when the latter is singing with APC and not Tool. Very strong in the upper register. There's an awesome cover of Fast Car on the record, and the second single, Black Black Heart, is a real stand-out track.
Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor - Yngwie Malmsteen
I happen to think that Yngwie is the most talented guitarist ever to walk this earth. Too bad he's a bit of a dick, but you can't have it all. Concerto Suite was composed and arranged by Malmsteen, and the orchestra doesn't so much take a back seat to the guitar as just defer to it. The melodies jump from instrument to instrument, but always wind their way back to the guitar. What I like so much about this record is that there's fire in it. Oomph. It's very baroque, but there are hints of flamenco in the mellower sections. Really just remarkable.
_______________________________________________
Other standouts:
Tool – Lateralus
I plug this CD all the time. It's 79 minutes of hard, hard rock. Danny Carey is the best drummer in the history of the universe, and he really shows it here. Maynard shows off his range and his lung capacity with a 24-second scream midway through the opening track. The album closes with a suite of three songs that mesh together on one 20-minute opus of melody. This one's on my all-time Top Five.
The Music (self-titled)
This is the best debut album I've heard since Pearl Jam's Ten. It's utterly groovalicious. The one problem is that it blends together a bit at the tail end, but nonetheless every single song is excellent.
Wide Mouth Mason (self-titled)
WMM are a Canadian band from out west. This was their first (and IMO best) effort. They play very bluesy rock, and wow do they ever do it well. They have a groove a mile wide.
_______________________________________________
If I had to choose just one of these records to suggest to you, though, it would probably be Thirteen Step.
Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
Okay, I'll start with the obvious one. The best full single non-skipping album of all time is Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. I'm sure no one has mentioned it so far because it's so obvious. But if you don't have it already, get it. There's not a foul note on the album.
Rock
Someone mentioned Rush. I think 2112 is a better album than Moving Pictures, and I say that as someone who has owned all of their albums since the late '80s, and knows them inside and out. But it's all personal preference, so take my opinion for what it's worth.
I don't even know how to classify Chris Isaak. I'd call him country-rock, but the music that most people currently think of as country is an insult to the genre, and the title would therefore be misleading. Anyway, on the pop end of the scale, Forever Blue is an amazing album without a weak track. However, I prefer Baja Sessions. It's a great set of accoustic classics that will make you feel like you're on a beach in Mexico. Wonderful mood music.
Remain In Light by Talking Heads is one of the greatest experimental fusions of pop and 20th century classical you'll ever hear. You'll love it start to finish.
Rockin' the Suburbs by Ben Folds is probably the best new album I've heard in years. It's dynamic, theatrical, varied in tone, and incredibly intelligent.
Cosmo's Factory is my personal favorite Creedence album. Some of the best southern/ bayou rock ever recorded. And it came from California. Irony, anyone?
Superfly by Curtis Mayfield. If you're into funk/soul and you don't have this album, it's the one. You won't know how you lived without it.
Dire Straits self title album. It's not as hit-filled as Brothers In Arms, but it's much better. Any Dire Straits album is a winner, but this is the must-have.
Apostrophe by Frank Zappa. Not only is this one of the smartest albums, musically, ever to come from the rock genre, but it's also perhaps the funniest. You'll never be more impressed and entertained at the same time. Such a genius with such a sense of humor about his talent is a rare combination. You can't miss this.
Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull. You'd think you'd get bored by a 45-minute rock album with one track, but you won't. Not only is the gimmick interesting, but it's pulled off so incredibly well that you won't believe it. Not to mention the hard-rock flute solos. It's a one-of-a-kind album.
Led Zeppelin IV. This is a no-brainer. I won't even explain it.
A Picture of Nectar by Phish. These guys can be a little bombastic and pretentious, but this album actually lived up to the hype. If you've ever heard a Phish song that you liked, you'll love every track on this album.
Stronger Than Pride by Sade. Okay, all of her albums are great (except maybe Lovers' Rock). I had a hard time picking one to recommend. I almost copped out and just suggested the Greatest Hits, which might not be a bad idea if you just have to get one. But she's one of those people that has too many good songs to fit on one Greatest Hits album. And if you had to choose one album to start a collection with, this one has some of her funkiest grooves, and would be an excellent choice.
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder. He's a genius, and I think this album has the highest concentration of classics.
Ghost in the Machine by The Police. Again, not as hit-packed as Synchronicity, but a more varied selection of world-music based rock. Stewart Copeland lays down some of the best drums you'll ever hear on a rock album, and it's just about the best composing that any of them will ever do in their lives. Not a bad track on the album.
These aren't necessarily my favorite albums. But they're the albums that I can't imagine anyone wanting to skip a track on. I was going to continue with my picks in other genres (sountracks, jazz, classical, new age, techno, etc.), but this post is long enough, and I think you're just fishing for rock albums anyway. Good luck, and choose wisely.
Posted by fiazko (Member # 5812) on :
wow. you mean you can skip over songs you don't like? just kidding. it could be that i'm just too easily amused, but i rarely skip over songs on any cd i listen to, and i have definitely bought cds based on a single song. after skimming through this thread, i see that my tastes are way out there compared to everyone else's, although i have actually heard of a few of the mentioned artists. anyway, my suggestions (even though i can't figure out what your tastes are):
Alicia Keys--Songs in A minor Fiona Apple--When the Pawn
as for why i like them, first of all, i like stuff i can sing along with, and also, both of these albums are amazing musically.
Posted by MattB (Member # 1116) on :
Ryan Adams, "Gold."
A lot like Counting Crows - the same sort of raw, unproduced, acoustic feel that their best stuff on August and Everything After and Recovering the Satellites has (don't much care for their more recent stuff, but those two, by the way, are great albums - others I can go right through on). It plays like he's sitting on a stool in the corner of a coffee shop.
Also U2, The Joshua Tree.
And if you're feeling lucky, Metallica's S&M is a "best of" compilation done live with the San Francisco Symphony. It works surprisingly well.
Also, Speed quite rightly emphasizes the importance of Dire Straits.
Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :
John Van Pelt:
quote:Thank you! for introducing me here to the Delgados. What a world we live in - a mere notion - a contintent away - phosphorescing on my CRT - moments later I am listening to a track on headphones....
My work here is done. Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Okay, my list of the "no clunkers, clinkers or dinkers" albums:
Van Morrison's Veedon Fleece Beauty at 33 rpms (or many many more rpms in CD form).
Rush's Signals Everything you went through as a youth in suburbia. One of a handful of masterpiece albums this band has made. They truly deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Paul Kelly and the Messengers: Under the Sun Probably the greatest Australian singer/songwriter of all time. Wondrous, the album touches lives and shows the chords that wind us all together.
Peter Mulvey: Rapture Fabulous song-writing and the most intricate acoustic guitar work you'll find anywhere. This guy is one of the greatest undiscovereds.
Bare Naked Ladies: Gordon Their first and best album. Hilarious and touching, it was a piece of sarcastic magic.
U2: The Joshua Tree Never has there been a more perfectly crafted album. Wow. 100 years from now, this will be what music history teachers will play for their students.
Lastly, just about anything by Yes will get played straight through on my CD player.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
rivka: I have never met another human being who even knew who Dan Fogelberg was.
And while I don't particularly care for his music NOW, he was one of my favorites way back when. . .
Posted by Lime (Member # 1707) on :
Twinky, I couldn't agree with you more about APC - I wasn't sure that they would be more than just a 1 album band, but Thirteen Step has disabused me of that!
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Don McClean's American Pie
GAAAA! For me, the title song is more of a "dive for the stereo and rip out the CD, or alternatively poke out my ears with knitting needles" type song. Consequently I've never heard any of this other stuff. Given that, you may want to take my suggestions with a grain of salt, but here goes:
I'll second whoever said "Rush of Blood to the Head". I don't care so much for the first song, but the rest of that album is absolutely fantastic, in a haunting sort of way.
If you like Talking Heads, I'd highly recommend their live album, "Stop Making Sense". Every song on it is performed extremely well, and there is an energy to this album that none of their studio recordings even begin to approach.
The two They Might Be Giants albums that I find myself putting in most frequently are "Flood" and "John Henry". I like all of their albums (well, up to John Henry, anyway; I'm sadly unaquainted with anything they've done since 1994), but these two are to me among their most consistently musically interesting, catchy, and fun. "Lincoln" and "Apollo 18" tie for 3rd place.
I love the Beatles. If you do too, I'm sure you already know all you need to about which albums of theirs you like. The only Beatles songs I skip are Revolution 9 (because come on!), Yellow Submarine, and Octapus's Garden.
I never skip any of the songs on George Harrison's swan song album "Brainwashed". There are bits of it that sound a little bit ELOish, but for the most part George's genius burns bright throughout the album. On "All Things Must Pass" I only skip the "Johnny's Birthday" song (I don't remember the actual title there), which isn't bad for an album that size. "George Harrison" and "33&1/3" are pretty solid also.
As long as we're on former Beatles, I can say that I never skip through anything on either "McCartney" or "Ram". If you like Paul, these are definitely his best albums (although certainly not his only good ones).
Do you like Luna? If so, I'd highly recommend their 1994 album "Bewitched". I haven't heard all of their stuff, but of the albums I've heard, "Bewitched" has captivated my attention more than any other. It's a haunting and somewhat depressing album, but it's one of those that draws my attention so completely that when it's on I tend to stop whatever else I'm doing and just listen to it.
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
quote:I have never met another human being who even knew who Dan Fogelberg was.
I know who Dan Fogelberg is. "Twin Sons of Different Mothers" is a good album. Also, his song, "Leader of the Band" always makes me cry. Always. This was rather inconvenient when I worked in a store where the satellite music system they subscribed to played it fairly often.
I don't listen to Fogelberg often these days, but I still like his music.
Posted by John Van Pelt (Member # 5767) on :
I like Dan Fogelberg, too, but in characteristically schizy fashion, I can also laugh uproariously at Denis Leary when he riffs that Fogelberg was responsible for turning us into wusses (or some word like that) in the 70's.....
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Let me see if I can rank the Radiohead albums according to my own tastes:
1. The Bends: If only for Fake Plastic Trees, but this album has so many other good songs. 2. OK Computer: Paranoid Android was the first song I ever heard by Radiohead (I was serving a mission when Creep came out). Needless to say, I fell in love with the band immediately. I must confess that I often skip Fitter Happier. 3. Hail to the Thief: Maybe because it's still so new. But it's just full of great stuff, and it's so varied. 4. Kid A: I still have a hard time with some of the sounds on this one, but the album as a whole gels so well. 5. Amnesiac: I love a few of the songs, like Pyramid Song and I Might Be Wrong, but this one's too experimental and doesn't have the masterpiece feel of Kid A. 6. Pablo Honey: Lots of energy, but Radiohead just hadn't hit their stride yet.
I think my absolute favorite Radiohead song is one of their b-sides, Cuttooth. Other b-side favorites are Talk Show Host, India Rubber, Lift, and Banana Co.
Pink Floyd made a few albums that you absolutely listen to the whole way through. Animals is some of the best music ever made. I love that little album. Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon are unbelievable. The 70s was a good decade for Floyd.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Ah, so I'm the only Dan Fogelberg fan here still living in the past?
*puts on Fogelberg CD* Posted by odouls268 (Member # 2145) on :
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon The Wall
Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor
Limp Bizkit Significant Other
Dru Hill Year of the Dru
SR-71 Now you see inside
Posted by Rhaegar The Fool (Member # 5811) on :
Any and all evanescence.
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
ahahahaa, so much talk about a perfect circle made me go and dream about maynard last night. not that i'm complaining or anything Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
quote:Jeff Buckley Grace - a vocalist with a magical falsetto. Like Zevon, he died too young.
Yes.
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
I have never had the urge to skip during any album. Run, screaming into the night with my hands covering my ears, but not sissy skipping around like a little girl.
I mean--never, and I've listened to "Skipperella and Music to Skip To", by Skip Skipperson and the Skipperettes.
Not a single skipping incident.
Oh, wait, you meant skipping over a song, not prancing around like a show horse in heat.
Um,
Uh,
Nevermind.
Posted by JonnyNotSoBravo (Member # 5715) on :
I've been looking up some of these albums at the library, but I can't find Carbon Leaf by Echo Echo and my library has a huuuuuuuge collection!
I second all the Rush noms. Just don't try to get into Vapor Trails as your first album. It might turn you off.
I have the SR-71 album (which was shockingly good - I was expecting super poppy, and it's only mid way poppy). I also have The Rising by the Boss, which was pretty good.
I second the DMB noms as well. thank gawd he gave up being a bartender! second the Counting Crows. second Coldplay. Thx for mentioning Moby, I'm getting him from the library now....
Blue Sky Mining, by Midnight Oil is pretty good.
One, by the Beatles (all their number one hits).
greatest hits of a lot of people...Elton John, Lionel Richie, the Boss, Journey (must have for every classic rock fan), Foreigner...
there's a great album by a group called samiam, I'm looking it up now...You are freaking me out, it's called. It is awesome fast driving music!
No Angel by Dido will be good in about 10 years when we all forget how much it was overplayed...
Women of the World: Celtic Music is a pretty good album for some not like the rest of the stuff music...
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Hobbes, you forgot 'Songs from Liquid Days'. Vocals by various performers. Music by Philip Glass. Really good.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Actually Storm, I own Liquid Days but it is one of my least favorite Glass CDs (that I own that is, but I own aroung 50 Glass). Besides which, there's a lot of other Glass music I like more, but I wouldn't necessarily normally listen to the album all the way thorugh (Koyaanisqatsi being my favorite CD, but I hardley ever listen to Tracks 1,2,3 and 8 for instance).
Hobbes Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
I only own SFLD and The Photographer, but Glass is one of those composers that I've wanted to own more of.
That said, it's hard to tell people you like Phillip Glass because a lot of people look down their noses at him.
_|_ to them. Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
*looks down nose at Storm*
not for musical taste, just because I look cuter that way.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
I can smell your brains. Mmmmm.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I don't much carre for most of The Photographer except for Act III. And act three kicks unholy butt! I love Act III!
If you liked Liquid Days I highly suggest the CIVIL warS (yes, with that capitlization). Especially Scence B, it's just fabulous.
Slow Motion Daydream by Everclear. Just a really HEAVY album. Solos are really tight and melodic, never the masturbatory twiddling of many other bands...
Out of the Vein by Third Eye Blind. Pretty rockin', but more artsy than most. Awesome lyrics, awesome singing, awesome guitars.
That Audioslave album people have been talking about(what is the name? Argh!) Chris Cornel (I *think* that's his name) has an incredible voice.
South by Heather Nova. A rootsy, country-pop thing with haunting vocals and slowly grooving melodies.
Grace by Jeff Buckley. Weird guitars, weird vocals, weird lyrics, AWESOME album.
...erm, I'm not sure if our musical tastes really match, but ya never know...
*looks for thesaurus to replace "awesome" with better adjectives*
[ October 17, 2003, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: Zotto! ]
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
Gladiator Sdtrk (love it!) Fellowship of the Ring Sdtrk (really good!) The Two Towers Sdtrk (better that FotR, Rohan theme is awesome!) Faire Celts (this is extremely cool)
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
[tangent] Audioslave is a wonderful combo band - the great singer from Soundgarden + the great band from Rage Against the Machine = 1 really great band [/tangent]
The Braveheart Soundtrack and Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack are wonderful and can go on repeat for hours with me.
[ October 17, 2003, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: ludosti ]
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
I like the Braveheart Sdtrk, too. I've been wanting The Godfather Sdtrk. I hope I'll get it soon. Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I study to the LOtR soundtrack a lot. My writing gets really intense during the orc-fighting scenes.
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
Hehe! The thing I don't like about Gladiator is the volume. It goes anywhere from being barely audible to being really loud. But that does add to making it more intense.
Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
Hi, people. I would like to add my two cents to the subject.
I think my best non-skipping album is "The Mask and the Mirror", from Loreena Mckennitt, a Canadian singer. She plays the harp, and has a voice like an angel. Her music has strong celtic influences, but it ranges from pure medieval to middle-eastern and oriental. Sometimes she uses eletrical guitars and other modern resources. Her other albuns are also amazing. If you like "The Mask and the Mirror", Try the newest one, "Book of Secrets", or the earlier ones "The Visit", "Parallel Dreams" and "Elemental". It is not waitroom easy-listening music (like Enya). I find it much, much more powerful.
Without her music I would never concentrate myself enough to finish my Literature PHD.
Here is the lyrics of (imho) the best music of "The Mask and the Mirror". Enjoy and let me know if you liked it:
THE BONNY SWANS (7:18) Music by Loreena McKennitt. Words traditional, arranged and adapted by Loreena McKennitt
A farmer there lived in the north country a hey ho bonny o And he had daughters one, two, three The swans swim so bonny o These daughters they walked by the river's brim a hey ho bonny o The eldest pushed the youngest in The swans swim so bonny o
Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand with a hey ho a bonny o And I will give you house and land the swans swim so bonny o I'll give you neither hand nor glove with a hey ho a bonny o Unless you give me your own true love the swans swim so bonny o
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam with a hey ho and a bonny o Until she came to a miller's dam the swans swim so bonny o
The miller's daughter, dressed in red with a hey ho and a bonny o She went for some water to make some bread the swans swim so bonny o
Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan with a hey ho and a bonny o It's very like a gentle woman the swans swim so bonny o They placed her on the bank to dry with a hey ho and a bonny o There came a harper passing by the swans swim so bonny o
He made harp pins of her fingers fair with a hey ho and a bonny o He made harp strings of her golden hair the swans swim so bonny o He made a harp of her breast bone with a hey ho and a bonny o And straight it began to play alone the swans swim so bonny o
He brought it to her father's hall with a hey ho and a bonny o And there was the court, assembled all the swans swim so bonny o He laid the harp upon a stone with a hey ho and a bonny o And straight it began to play lone the swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my father the King with a hey ho and a bonny o And yonder sits my mother the Queen the swans swim so bonny o And there does sit my brother Hugh with a hey ho and a bonny o And by him William, sweet and true the swans swim so bonny o And there does sit my false sister, Anne with a hey ho and a bonny o Who drowned me for the sake of a man the swans swim so bonny o
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Just so you know, you might want to delete some of those lyrics. I don't know what the copy right is on that, but if it is copyrighted OSC and company could be sued for violation.
If this isn't under copyright, I'm sorry. If it is, don't sweat it, this has happened before, but getting rid of all but a few sections would probably be good...
Hobbes Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
Lyrics: Traditional
I think it answers your question ;-)
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
OK, sorry to bring it up. Just wasn't sure what "arranged and adapted" counted for. Didn't mean to jump all over you about it, just a little worried.
*Offers hand-shake*
Hobbes Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
No problem, Hobbes. I understand your concern. Loreena writes the lyrics for most of her songs, although she likes to use traditional ones (one or two per album). I choose a traditional one, just to be on the safer side.
Anyway, if anyone is curious about her, her work or other lyrics, just go to www.quinlanroad.com.
Well...time to go back to "The Land of Mordor, where shadows lie" (That would be Copacabana, where I live, hehehe) Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :
Another good, no-skip album: Rain Dogs by Tom Waits. It takes some getting used to, but it has this incredibly rich sound, perfect accompaniment for Waits's—pardon the cliche—gravelly voice. This is my favourite album of his; it's the first one where he really started doing something fresh and new. Sadly I lack the musical vocabulary to describe the album further. It's a bit jazzy, but also a bit. . . not.
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
ah, my best friend and i listened to Alice by tom waits in the dark while driving up highway 5 back to norcal. it was wonderful!
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
Adding a couple more.
Both Terria and Ocean Machine: Biomech by Devin Townsend (the second was originally by the "band" Ocean Machine, but is now referred to as above with the artist being Devin Townsend) are fantastic albums to listen to from start to finish.
I have had a heck of a time describing the sound of these two albums. While Physicist is much more straight forward speed/thrash sort of sound (with an incredibly effective infusion of "pop" sensibility-yeah, sounds weird but it works amazingly well) these two are not like that at all. While there are some faster songs, and some heavy songs, the overall sound is very "atmospheric" (that is the only word I have come up with). I call it ambient metal. There are slower songs, songs with slower parts, some very catchy tunes, but still some extremely tight musicianship and some long, meandering songs. Very interesting stuff. I would recommend Biomech first. A really breathtaking and captivating album. (I sort of think of it as some of the feel of Pink Floyd, but with a lot more kick).
Oh, and funny also. "Earth Day" has some great lyrics (Eat Your Beets (Recycle, recycle) Don't Eat Your Beets (recycle, recycle)).
Edit: UBB stupidity
[ October 18, 2003, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: Jexxster ]
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 619) on :
My recommendations (although everyone may have thought of them all ready) are:
Rumors Fleetwood Mac Who's Next The Who Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd
And, from someone else who remembers Dan Fogelberg (although may not remember how to spell it):
Year of the Cat and Time Passages Al Stewart
Al's music is lite rock like Dan's, but with Peter White's classical guitar and Al's lyrics, which are some of the most intellictual lyrics of modern music (IMO).
Anyway, views from an old-school nerd. Posted by Danzig (Member # 4704) on :
Of A Revolution
Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
I love Year of the Cat. I just got it about 6 months ago, but it's one of my favorites. I haven't been able to find any other Al Stewart around though.
When listing the album's assets, you forgot to mention that it was produced by Alan Parsons.
Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :
Hey! Another O.A.R. fan! I mentioned Any Time Now on the last page, but I wasn't thrilled with their new album, aside from "Revisited".
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
)![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
How in the world can you have a bad time at a Peter Brienholt concert?
![[Laugh]](graemlins/laugh.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Kiss]](graemlins/kiss.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
Here's another sound clip you don't have to register to hear. ![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Evil Laugh]](graemlins/evillaugh.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)