What Candybag's been listening to recently

[piñata]

Anima inspired me to do my own thread.

OLD BUT STILL GOOD
1) The Beatles. 'Nuff said, though if you are looking for track recommendations: "Yesterday", "Paperback Writer", "Magical Mystery Tour", "Across The Universe", "I Am The Walrus", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and my own personal favorite (my favorite song, actually), "Eleanor Rigby".
2) Pink Floyd. Again, should be self-explanatory, but just in case it isn't: "One of These Days", "Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two)", "Brain Damage", "Wearing The Inside Out" (obscure album track, but kicks ass), and if you wanna get weird check out either "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" or "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict".
3) Green Day. I've always listened to them, but have a whole new respect for them since the American Idiot album was released. It's a fucking masterpiece.
4) Evanescence. The only group to have two songs ("Imaginary" and "Lacrymosa") in my top ten favorite songs of all time. Plus their singer's fuckin' hot.
5) The Sneaker Pimps. Though they should have kept the female singer... with the male vocalist they just sound like Oasis doing techno, which is weird (though not necessarily bad). Song recommendations: The entire "Becoming X" album, "Kiro TV", and "M'aidez".
6) Oasis. Anima and I strongly agree on this, and I'm seriously considering singing "Champagne Supernova" next time I go to karaoke.
7) Emerson, Lake & Palmer. They'll get medieval on your ass, but it's in the musical sense so it's pretty awesome. I especially strongly recommend "Tarkus", which is the best 20-minute song EVER.
8) King Crimson. Featured Greg Lake (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer) on a couple of their albums, and have a similar if slightly more eclectic style. "21st Century Schizoid Man", "Formentera Lady", "Ladies of the Road", "I Talk To The Wind" and "In The Court Of The Crimson King" are all strongly recommended.
9) Led Zeppelin. No self-respecting Tolkien fan can get away with not listening to them. Song recommendations: "Ramble On" (for obvious reasons), "Stairway To Heaven", "Black Dog", "Whole Lotta Love", "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You".
10) The Smashing Pumpkins. I hear they suck live (haven't seen them live, though), but their studio stuff kicks all kinds of ass. Mostly the famous songs ("Disarm", "Today", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "1979") are the ones I'd recommend, but there's at least one obscure gem that never gets any airplay on each album.

NEW STUFF
1) Portishead. If you also liked The Sneaker Pimps better with a female singer, check this group out. I've only got 1 CD (Dummy), but pretty much every song on it is a gem.
2) Dashboard Confessional. I happen to like emo, so there's no stigma attached to listening to them. Plus they just plain kick ass. Again, I've only got one album (Dusk and Summer), but it's a masterpiece, and no I'm not exaggerating.
3) Swayzak. If you like electronica, check these guys out. Song recommendations: "I Dance Alone", "Make Up Your Mind", "Sob 1", "Smile And Receive", "Claktronic".
4) Prodigy. Discovered these guys late -- apparently the heyday of their career was in the late '90s -- but they're still good, if you like electronica with both hip-hop and gothic influences. I dislike a couple of their songs that are heavy on the rap, but for the most part they're great. Song recommendations: "Breathe", "Firestarter", "Naryan", "Fuel My Fire", "Smack My Bitch Up".
5) Ludo. I'm pretty sure they're emo, but they also seem to be very strongly into horror movies and have a better sense of humor than most emo bands. I think they only have the one CD (You're Awful, I Love You) out, but it's pretty awesome. Song recommendations: "Love Me Dead", "Drunken Lament", "Lake Pontchartrain", "The Horror of Our Love".
6) Balligomingo. This, to me, is what electronica is all about. I'm pretty sure they're considered ambient, and they've only released one CD because their follow-up is in development hell, but they will blow your fucking mind. Song recommendations: "Purify", "Lust", "Falling", "Wild Butterfly", "Lost".
7) Filter. Got into them way after they were famous, and now can't stop listening to them. "Hey Man Nice Shot" is probably their best song, though they've got a lot of other good ones (including "Take A Picture", though that was more of a pop song than their fans are used to and therefore rather controversial).
8) Garbage. I've always liked them, but just recently started buying their CDs. Song recommendations: "As Heaven Is Wide", "Sex Is Not The Enemy", "Bad Boyfriend", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Bleed Like Me", "Stupid Girl".
9) Enigma. Just recently discovered them. Song recommendations: "Silent Warrior", "The Principles of Lust" (if you can get the whole thing, if not just download "Sadeness"), "Return To Innocence" and especially "I Love You... I'll Kill You", which pulls off the feat of being both sexy and scary.

[Ape]

I've actually had King Crimson show up on my recommendation list on Last.FM, but I think it was only because I listened to alot of Megadeth that week.

[AnimaStone]

Feb 11, 2009 9:55:33 GMT -5 piñata said:

1) The Beatles. 'Nuff said, though if you are looking for track recommendations: "Yesterday", "Paperback Writer", "Magical Mystery Tour", "Across The Universe", "I Am The Walrus", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and my own personal favorite (my favorite song, actually), "Eleanor Rigby".

Ah, yes. I'm quite partial to "Paperback Writer", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", and "Get Back" myself, in addition to those.

5) The Sneaker Pimps. Though they should have kept the female singer... with the male vocalist they just sound like Oasis doing techno, which is weird (though not necessarily bad). Song recommendations: The entire "Becoming X" album, "Kiro TV", and "M'aidez".

OMG. I had totally forgotten about Sneaker Pimps, but now I remember them. Becoming X is seriously sweet--they should have kept her. She was their sound. I haven't heard any stuff post-female singer--I'll have to check it out.

6) Oasis. Anima and I strongly agree on this, and I'm seriously considering singing "Champagne Supernova" next time I go to karaoke.

Gods. Karaoke? Spare me. Champagne Supernova is quite a nice little ditty though, isn't it?

7) Emerson, Lake & Palmer. They'll get medieval on your ass, but it's in the musical sense so it's pretty awesome. I especially strongly recommend "Tarkus", which is the best 20-minute song EVER.

I suppose The Mars Volta are their inheritors? They have a few 15+ minute songs. I haven't listened to much EL&P, though, I'll have to when I've got a day to spare.

9) Led Zeppelin. No self-respecting Tolkien fan can get away with not listening to them. Song recommendations: "Ramble On" (for obvious reasons), "Stairway To Heaven", "Black Dog", "Whole Lotta Love", "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You".

Even though they did take a few liberties with Tolkien's plot. Still royalty of rock 'n' roll, any way you slice it.

10) The Smashing Pumpkins. I hear they suck live (haven't seen them live, though), but their studio stuff kicks all kinds of ass. Mostly the famous songs ("Disarm", "Today", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "1979") are the ones I'd recommend, but there's at least one obscure gem that never gets any airplay on each album.

I'm only really familiar with "1979". It's quite good. I've heard them on the radio a fair amount, but I couldn't tell you which song is which.

1) Portishead. If you also liked The Sneaker Pimps better with a female singer, check this group out. I've only got 1 CD (Dummy), but pretty much every song on it is a gem.

Portishead is a band I've heard of from about three different sources now, and they all say Portishead is good. I've definitely got to check them out.

3) Swayzak. If you like electronica, check these guys out. Song recommendations: "I Dance Alone", "Make Up Your Mind", "Sob 1", "Smile And Receive", "Claktronic".
5) Ludo. I'm pretty sure they're emo, but they also seem to be very strongly into horror movies and have a better sense of humor than most emo bands. I think they only have the one CD (You're Awful, I Love You) out, but it's pretty awesome. Song recommendations: "Love Me Dead", "Drunken Lament", "Lake Pontchartrain", "The Horror of Our Love".
6) Balligomingo. This, to me, is what electronica is all about. I'm pretty sure they're considered ambient, and they've only released one CD because their follow-up is in development hell, but they will blow your fucking mind. Song recommendations: "Purify", "Lust", "Falling", "Wild Butterfly", "Lost".
9) Enigma. Just recently discovered them. Song recommendations: "Silent Warrior", "The Principles of Lust" (if you can get the whole thing, if not just download "Sadeness"), "Return To Innocence" and especially "I Love You... I'll Kill You", which pulls off the feat of being both sexy and scary.

Never heard of these guys. I'll have to look into them as well.

4) Prodigy. Discovered these guys late -- apparently the heyday of their career was in the late '90s -- but they're still good, if you like electronica with both hip-hop and gothic influences. I dislike a couple of their songs that are heavy on the rap, but for the most part they're great. Song recommendations: "Breathe", "Firestarter", "Naryan", "Fuel My Fire", "Smack My Bitch Up".
7) Filter. Got into them way after they were famous, and now can't stop listening to them. "Hey Man Nice Shot" is probably their best song, though they've got a lot of other good ones (including "Take A Picture", though that was more of a pop song than their fans are used to and therefore rather controversial).
8) Garbage. I've always liked them, but just recently started buying their CDs. Song recommendations: "As Heaven Is Wide", "Sex Is Not The Enemy", "Bad Boyfriend", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Bleed Like Me", "Stupid Girl".

I have heard of these guys. Prodigy is the definition of mood music for me: I either want to hear them a lot, or I'll just skip indiscriminately. "Firestarter" is top notch.
I've heard some Filter, and the song that's stuck with me is "Take a Picture." "Hey Man, Nice Shot" is good as well, but I don't like it as much.
My first exposure to Garbage was the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack (which, by the way, contains one of Radiohead's most awesome songs, "Talk Show Host"), with that one song, I forget the title. It was good. Garbage falls into the same general category as Prodigy with me: I either really want to hear them, or I really don't.

[piñata]

Feb 13, 2009 0:16:31 GMT -5 AnimaStone said:

Ah, yes. I'm quite partial to "Paperback Writer", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", and "Get Back" myself, in addition to those.

I forgot all about "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"... I love that song.

OMG. I had totally forgotten about Sneaker Pimps, but now I remember them. Becoming X is seriously sweet--they should have kept her. She was their sound. I haven't heard any stuff post-female singer--I'll have to check it out.

You probably should. Their male singer, as stated before, sounds kind of like the Oasis vocalist (not exactly like him, though).

Gods. Karaoke? Spare me. Champagne Supernova is quite a nice little ditty though, isn't it?

That whole album pretty much kicks ass, but yeah... Champagne Supernova's one of the highlights. And about the karaoke... don't knock it till you've tried it. It's really fun to get up there and sing, especially when you knock it out of the park (as I did the last time I sang Oasis, "Wonderwall" to be exact).

I suppose The Mars Volta are their inheritors? They have a few 15+ minute songs. I haven't listened to much EL&P, though, I'll have to when I've got a day to spare.

Possibly... haven't heard any Mars Volta tunes. Are they a combination of rock music and classical music, too?

Even though they did take a few liberties with Tolkien's plot. Still royalty of rock 'n' roll, any way you slice it.

Yeah, they did. But not as many as Peter Jackson. There are still days when I want to assassinate him.

I'm only really familiar with "1979". It's quite good. I've heard them on the radio a fair amount, but I couldn't tell you which song is which.

There are some songs on the Siamese Dream album that sound quite similar to each other, but then they branched way out after that.

Portishead is a band I've heard of from about three different sources now, and they all say Portishead is good. I've definitely got to check them out.

Yeah, they kick some ass. Glad to hear that other people are recommending them.

Never heard of these guys. I'll have to look into them as well.

A word of warning: Swayzak is pretty hardcore techno. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it's only a good thing if you like techno.

I have heard of these guys. Prodigy is the definition of mood music for me: I either want to hear them a lot, or I'll just skip indiscriminately.

I know what you mean about mood music... there are people who fall under that category for me too. For example, I go through phases where I'm playing a lot of '80s stuff... The Cure, Depeche Mode, etc. Then I just... stop playing that music for a couple of months, until the mood strikes me again.

Also, I forgot to add Flogging Molly to my original list. I've been playing a lot of them lately (just recently discovered them, like a year ago).

Feb 11, 2009 13:40:11 GMT -5 Ape said:

I've actually had King Crimson show up on my recommendation list on Last.FM, but I think it was only because I listened to alot of Megadeth that week.

That's odd... they have absolutely nothing in common. Are you listening to anything with flutes and orchestral arrangements?

[Ape]

Feb 13, 2009 7:55:58 GMT -5 piñata said:

Feb 13, 2009 0:16:31 GMT -5 AnimaStone said:

That's odd... they have absolutely nothing in common. Are you listening to anything with flutes and orchestral arrangements?

Hmmm, maybe it wasn't Megadeth that caused it. If it's orchestral it could've been Arcturus that caused it.

[piñata]

That could be. The more I hear about Arcturus, the more interested I am... I'll have to try and find some of their stuff (and no, playing music off of last.fm doesn't work on my piece of shit internet connection... I'm stuck with CDs for now).

[Ape]

Good luck finding their CDs anywhere. I had to order mine online. Alot of the music I listen to won't be found in places like Best Buy or Wal-Mart, unless the store has a metal-only section (FYE does, but it's alot of shitty metalcore crap.) Last.FM says Arcturus has 73,000 fans though, so that's pretty good.

I think if there is one band that I seriously like that you would like too, it would most likely be Arcturus. I could honestly upload/send a song to you, The Chaos Path is 10MB, but I could sacrifice the quality a bit and lower the bitrate and shrink it down to about 6MB or so. On a good day I could download 6MB in an hour, so it's not SO huge. Also, I can't listen to music on last.FM either on my shitty connection, but I can listen to 30-second previews on CDuniverse. Try HERE, at first there are 2 icons beside each song, but if you wait a minute a little mini-player will load up. That works great, and you might be able to get an idea of what they sound like.

[piñata]

Thanks for the offer Ape, but I'd have to find out if my machine even supports the file type you're sending (I don't know whether I have MP3 software and have experienced problems with .wav files before, though midis seem to work okay, at least in MUGEN).

I'll check out that link and see if it works, though. Might at least give me an idea. And yeah, FYE's electronica selection's not very good either. But at least they've got a section devoted to it.