NWR – The What Are We Listening To Thread

[sjw_11]

What a great NWR thread... and I think perfectly appropriate given the modern theory you can match music to wine as much as food ! Well certainly, music shapes your mood so it makes sense to me it could also shape what you drink...

There have been some fascinating choices from different forumites - some of which are entirely new to me and now I have a few weeks off between jobs I might actually have time to go through and listen to a few- I am sure I will find some amazing gems.

As for me, to start with Gav's original posting:

What do you like/love?

I would say I am a very open minded music lover. For example, my iTunes has around 11,000 songs (yes I am one of the few people who still like to buy music - albeit subject to Apple's digital rights - rather than relying on streaming. Streaming play lists are great, until the day Spotify disappears because it has been superseded by Music Stream Co #17 and your playlist disappears).

Yesterday a grizzled geezer down the local was shocked I could identify the Donovan song which came on, but last Friday I went to an underground rave. So there you go.

My generally preferred genres in terms of those I listen to the most would be:
Old school 60s-90s and/or classic song writing: Beatles, Rolling Stones, Joan Armatrading, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Joel (Only the good die young is my current Karaoke top choice!), Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Crowded House, David Bowie, Dire Straits, Donovan, the Go-Betweens, Howling' Wolf, Neil Young, Paul Kelly, Custard, Pink Floyd.

90s / early 00s rock/punk-lite- Greenday, Blink 182, Frenzal Rhomb, Nirvana, early Grinspoon (more heavy rock but anyway), Millencolin, NoFX.

90s/00s/10s "Indie"/Alternative pop/rock- Arctic Monkeys, Mumford and Sons, Augie March, Ball Park Music, Violent Soho, The Eels (Daisies of the Galaxy is easily one of my top 10 albums of all time), End of Fashion, Faker, George, Jebediah, You am I, The Grates, The White Stripes, The Killers, Kisschasy, The Living End, Machine Gun Fellatio, Magic Dirt, Mika, Muse, PJ Harvey (stories from the city, stories from the sea is one of the finest ever albums). The Strokes. Vampire Weekend. The Wombats.

Singers with Pianos/instruments- The Whitlams, Darren Hanlon. Probably my all-time favourite two and most listened to overall. Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five (not everything he did, but some of his stuff is definitely among my all-time favourites). Jack's Mannequin.

For the dance floor- Michael Jackson, Avicii (RIP), Basement Jaxx, lots of specific songs from assorted artists where I probably would never buy their whole album.

Hip-hop/reggae/rap and related- Bluejuice, Chronnix, Drapht, Sean Paul, Bliss n Eso, Illy, Chance Waters (Maybe Tomorrow is a brilliant track and his cover of Little Lion Man for Like a Version), Everlast, Hilltop Hoods, The Herd. Chance the Rapper - I cannot find the album to buy but one of his was on BA recently and it is just tremendous).

Random ones that don't fit elsewhere- The Avalanches (1st album, undecided on the recent 2nd one). And my guilty pleasure- Fall Out Boy. Shhh I know, leave me alone. Also, the Triple J like a version compilations, especially 1, 2, 6, 9. Cake. Jeff Buckley. Tori Amos- some stupendous stuff.

I would also say I have a category for artists that I "respect" or kind of like and have some favourite songs but don't always do it for me- AC/DC, Nick Cave (but No More Shall we Part is an album I will never tire of), Bob Dylan, alt-J, Coldplay (I liked them before they were cool), Kings of Leon (likewise), Dresden Dolls/Amanda Palmer, Eskimo Joe...

What is your newest discovery?

Smith Street Band- sure, he can't sing, but More Scared of You Than You are of Me is a terrific album.

Stromae - the song Alors on Danse- cracking video (not new, but new to me)

Lately, I've been introduced to a lot more techno type music, which is probably a bit obscure, some of which I am liking more than I expected.


Do you have favourites?

I have constantly rotating self claimed lists of my top 10, 50, 1000 songs / albums...

Here is a selection of 10 favourites:

1. Rodriguez - Sugar Man
2. Alex the Astronaut - Not Worth Hiding
3. Sticky Fingers - Gold Snafu
4. Smith Street Band - Death to the Lads
5. Darren Hanlon - Title Fight: Heart v Mind
6. Leonard Cohen - Bird on a Wire
7. Tim Freedman - Peter Brown
8. End of Fashion - Quicksand (D. Bowie cover, Like a Version 1)
9. Thirsty Merc - I Wish Somebody Would Build a Bridge (So I Could Get Over Myself)
10. Fleet Foxes - Tiger Mountain Peasant Song


Do you have a Desert Island Disc?

I would have a desert island compilation.
I have long debated a "Party Top 100" that could play on loop as I assume my desert island comes with unlimited booze and BBQ... Suffice to say, the debate has never been resolved!

[sjw_11]

But I am rediscovering brian eno and wierd textured ambient stuff

I keep meaning to listen to his music for airports

My dad played me Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy when I was a kid and it remains singularly the weirdest album I own but still a favourite for reasons I can never fully understand... (not part of his ambient work, of course)

[phillisc]

Oh Gavin...this thread is going bonkers....when posting earlier I forgot album choice number 6
Roxy Music... Avalon.

How did l overlook that one!!!!
Cheers
Craig

[rooman]

But I am rediscovering brian eno and wierd textured ambient stuff

I keep meaning to listen to his music for airports

My dad played me Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy when I was a kid and it remains singularly the weirdest album I own but still a favourite for reasons I can never fully understand... (not part of his ambient work, of course)

I dug this out a couple of weeks ago and played it for the kids. Sadly not well received. Since they love Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense, i remain hopeful they may come to appreciate Eno one day.

[michel]

But I am rediscovering brian eno and wierd textured ambient stuff

I keep meaning to listen to his music for airports

My dad played me Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy when I was a kid and it remains singularly the weirdest album I own but still a favourite for reasons I can never fully understand... (not part of his ambient work, of course)

Yes Taking Tiger is still wierd but vaguely reassuring
Eno has lots of more recent works
The Em:t cds are more wierd again...

[michel]

But I am rediscovering brian eno and wierd textured ambient stuff

I keep meaning to listen to his music for airports

My dad played me Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy when I was a kid and it remains singularly the weirdest album I own but still a favourite for reasons I can never fully understand... (not part of his ambient work, of course)

I dug this out a couple of weeks ago and played it for the kids. Sadly not well received. Since they love Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense, i remain hopeful they may come to appreciate Eno one day.

My daughter is in Grade 12 listening to New Order just like I did
Now that is interesting and she loves The Charlatans

[Chuck]

Talking about Pink Floyd. Whenever there's is a vote on the Top 100 Albums of all time Dark Side of the Moon generally comes out number 1.

Carl

[Scotty vino]

Speaking of Pink Floyd I really embraced 'the final cut' back in the 90's.
Roger Waters anti war album. Didn't really have any hits but I quite liked it and still throw it on every now and again.

If it hasn't been mentioned Sex Pistols, 'Never Mind the Bollocks..' is still a big favourite.
I love Steve Jones guitar playing on this one. So raw yet really bang on the hammer. I learned years later watching
a doco on the making of the album that he played the bass on the album too which is why it's so locked in.
The producer/engineer said he'd worked with a lot of prog rock guitarists who were amazing in their techincal ability
but he thought Steve Jones was one of the best players he'd worked with,
and he didn't know an E major from an A minor chord.!
Completely self taught, playing by ear school of rock style.

[Barney]

We saw Eilen Jewel last week at the Leadbelly in Newtown. First lady of the Minor Keys and new Queen of Alt Country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beN3Isqxgyk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbPrKHn59M0

Saw her in Castlemaine the other week at the Theatre Royal, great venue and gig...The Teskey Bro's are paying there on Thursday but left my run late and is all sold out , may have to sit in the bar and enjoy as background noise...

Ah there is hope still for my fellow forumites - music from the 21st century. Eilen would have been superb somewhere like the Theatre Royal. I tried to get a friend of mine who plays in a Zydeco band to get there from Kyneton but the tickets sold out - not dissimilar music styles. We have seen her three times now over the past 2-3 years, once supporting Lucinda Williams (awesome female artist) and once with Jason Isbell ex Drive By Truckers. Have you managed to see any of Jason Isbell's shows? Jason, Eilen and Justin Townes Earle (son of Steve Earle) are all part of a new renascence of Alt Country/Americana music. The other big act of this genre is Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats who we have played all weekend on the new TV which comes with Youtube

No to Jason Isbell, my better half is a fan with me not so much, she leads the way with the softer side of alt country whereas my taste leans more towards the more alt-alt side, Hank Williams III and Holly Golightly are long time favorites although there is a fair bit of cross over as well between us.

Have been listening to JT Earle and we saw Steve himself a few years ago at the Deni Folk Festival which I'm afraid is now no more, Will check out Nathan Rateliff...is always good to get recommendations from people with obvious good taste

[phillisc]

In its first run on the Billboard top one hundred it managed a lazy 700 plus weeks (14 years) and then in the top two hundred stretched it out a further four years. According to Billboards site 8000 copies of DSOTM are sold a week! Suspect that the 5 versions released on vinyl a few years back might have boosted sales.

Scotty, did not mind the final cut...its the rage against the machine that Waters still trades on...did not get to the 2018 show earlier in the year, but know plenty who did and thought it sensational.
Not Now John...and F*ck all that was the only hit and one of the first tracks on commercial radio played with expletives...tame by JJJ standards these days.

Cheers
Craig

[rooman]

Ah there is hope still for my fellow forumites - music from the 21st century. Eilen would have been superb somewhere like the Theatre Royal. I tried to get a friend of mine who plays in a Zydeco band to get there from Kyneton but the tickets sold out - not dissimilar music styles. We have seen her three times now over the past 2-3 years, once supporting Lucinda Williams (awesome female artist) and once with Jason Isbell ex Drive By Truckers. Have you managed to see any of Jason Isbell's shows? Jason, Eilen and Justin Townes Earle (son of Steve Earle) are all part of a new renascence of Alt Country/Americana music. The other big act of this genre is Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats who we have played all weekend on the new TV which comes with Youtube

No to Jason Isbell, my better half is a fan with me not so much, she leads the way with the softer side of alt country whereas my taste leans more towards the more alt-alt side, Hank Williams III and Holly Golightly are long time favorites although there is a fair bit of cross over as well between us.

Have been listening to JT Earle and we saw Steve himself a few years ago at the Deni Folk Festival which I'm afraid is now no more, Will check out Nathan Rateliff...is always good to get recommendations from people with obvious good taste

Got the Holly Golightly but not HW III. Just watched him on youtube and he reminds me of an old Joe Ely and the Clash album.

If Jason Isbell seems a tad soft its because his last two albums have got very mellow. Go back to his Live in Alabama album or his earlier Drive By Truckers albums. For Nathaniel check out his Never Get Old Clip.

Mark

[rooman]

Workout music at the gym tonight was Rory Gallagher's Irish Tour '74.Though somewhat forgotten nowadays, probably one of the best live Blues Rock albums. Another album I rediscovered recently after a 30 year break when my son started playing blues guitar, top tracks -Walk on Hot Coals and Million Miles Away.

Rory also played on the Muddy Waters London Sessions in '72 along with Steve Winwood from Traffic on piano and organ and Mitch Mitchell from Jimi Hendrix Experience. For blues nuts this and the Howling Wolf London Sessions which had Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman are absolute classics.

[Barney]

Ah there is hope still for my fellow forumites - music from the 21st century. Eilen would have been superb somewhere like the Theatre Royal. I tried to get a friend of mine who plays in a Zydeco band to get there from Kyneton but the tickets sold out - not dissimilar music styles. We have seen her three times now over the past 2-3 years, once supporting Lucinda Williams (awesome female artist) and once with Jason Isbell ex Drive By Truckers. Have you managed to see any of Jason Isbell's shows? Jason, Eilen and Justin Townes Earle (son of Steve Earle) are all part of a new renascence of Alt Country/Americana music. The other big act of this genre is Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats who we have played all weekend on the new TV which comes with Youtube

No to Jason Isbell, my better half is a fan with me not so much, she leads the way with the softer side of alt country whereas my taste leans more towards the more alt-alt side, Hank Williams III and Holly Golightly are long time favorites although there is a fair bit of cross over as well between us.

Have been listening to JT Earle and we saw Steve himself a few years ago at the Deni Folk Festival which I'm afraid is now no more, Will check out Nathan Rateliff...is always good to get recommendations from people with obvious good taste

Got the Holly Golightly but not HW III. Just watched him on youtube and he reminds me of an old Joe Ely and the Clash album.

If Jason Isbell seems a tad soft its because his last two albums have got very mellow. Go back to his Live in Alabama album or his earlier Drive By Truckers albums. For Nathaniel check out his Never Get Old Clip.

Mark

Will have a look over the weekend cheers...

[Craig(NZ)]

I guess I have some unusual taste when it comes to music but as with my taste in wine it is superb

Genres I enjoy the most are Progressive Rock and Indie

On the Progressive front I love Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, Marillion, Dream Theatre, Sigur Ros

On the Indie front so many. But recently Flora Cash, Talos, SYML, Bon Iver, Lo Moon, Maldito, Mountains of the Moon, Milo Greene, G Voz

[rooman]

I guess I have some unusual taste when it comes to music but as with my taste in wine it is superb

Genres I enjoy the most are Progressive Rock and Indie

On the Progressive front I love Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, Marillion, Dream Theatre, Sigur Ros

On the Indie front so many. But recently Flora Cash, Talos, SYML, Bon Iver, Lo Moon, Maldito, Mountains of the Moon, Milo Greene, G Voz

New line up to explore. The live videos watched of Pineapple Thief remind me of Foo Fighters and live seems to be more their strength. I'm guessing you have them in the Indie basket. Also listened to the Porcupine Tree and Marillion - but can't see me adding them to record collection - more Brit prog rock.

Flora Cash was good and for more crazy music from the people of the north - Kaleo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCi0RHLrauU

[paulf]

Genres I enjoy the most are Progressive Rock and Indie

On the Progressive front I love Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, Marillion, Dream Theatre, Sigur Ros

I'm totally with you on Porcupine Tree. I love Fear of a Blank Planet and Deadwing is great too. A King Crimson Guitarist was a guest for a track on each of them (Fripp on Fear of a blank planet and Belew on Deadwing) so thats a good start. I really need to have a listen to Steven Wilson's solo stuff.

Speaking of King Crimson, I was quite surprised when I walked into my local fruit and Veg shop a couple of weeks ago to find them playing "Court of the Crimson King" for all the shoppers.

Never really got into Dream Theatre for some reason. Marillion I know of, but I haven't given them a good airing. Same with Sigur Ros.
Pineapple Thief are new to me so I guess I have some homework to do there.

I have a bit of a thing for vocal harmonies in general, but I like them in strange places such in more aggressive music.
The Prog rock topic made me think of Kings X but I'd add the Posies, Galactic Cowboys, Fishbone to that list.

Can you have a prog rock Conversation without Rush too?

So much music, so little time!

[felixp21]

Honourable mention to
Fleetwood Mac - Pious Bird of Good Omen

cheers, Malcolm

And now you have mentioned this wee masterpiece, it is another album I should dig out and listen to again. It's filed with Traffic (Low Heel Spark and Live at the Canteen), Cream and Derek and the Dominos - sort of same genre.

Mark

Low Spark .... what a great album

low spark of the high-heeled boys.... love the album cover, so cool!!!!

[Craig(NZ)]

Genres I enjoy the most are Progressive Rock and Indie

On the Progressive front I love Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, Marillion, Dream Theatre, Sigur Ros

I'm totally with you on Porcupine Tree. I love Fear of a Blank Planet and Deadwing is great too. A King Crimson Guitarist was a guest for a track on each of them (Fripp on Fear of a blank planet and Belew on Deadwing) so thats a good start. I really need to have a listen to Steven Wilson's solo stuff.

Speaking of King Crimson, I was quite surprised when I walked into my local fruit and Veg shop a couple of weeks ago to find them playing "Court of the Crimson King" for all the shoppers.

Never really got into Dream Theatre for some reason. Marillion I know of, but I haven't given them a good airing. Same with Sigur Ros.
Pineapple Thief are new to me so I guess I have some homework to do there.

I have a bit of a thing for vocal harmonies in general, but I like them in strange places such in more aggressive music.
The Prog rock topic made me think of Kings X but I'd add the Posies, Galactic Cowboys, Fishbone to that list.

Can you have a prog rock Conversation without Rush too?

So much music, so little time!

Horses for courses for me. Dream Theatre I hardly listen to at home but when trail running I listen to it a lot. It just fits the job at hand...usually getting to the top of a big steep hill.

Sigur Ros too I have to be in the mood for. Went to the concert in Auckland last year which was amazing. I also tripped around Iceland in 2016 so there is that link for me too

Rush I have listened to a bit, but maybe it's a bit old school prog for me

[phillisc]

Bit late to the party... as they have toured 5 times previously but Florence and the Machine coming to Australia in Jan. '18.
Love the voice and the vibe. After dinner and a few bevvies wandering down and sitting among the trees in Botanic Park sounds like a good evening.
Cheers
Craig

[rooman]

Bit late to the party... as they have toured 5 times previously but Florence and the Machine coming to Australia in Jan. '18.
Love the voice and the vibe. After dinner and a few bevvies wandering down and sitting among the trees in Botanic Park sounds like a good evening.
Cheers
Craig

Can i please borrow your time machine after you are finished with it. I always wanted to go back in time to see a Led Zeppelin concert in the early 70s when they were in their prime.

Mark

[phillisc]

RP and the SSS in April allowed me a ticket to do exactly that Mark...for about 4 numbers anyway.

Regretting now that I did not get in fast enough to see Roger Waters.
Think I am about done with romancing about the past...not too many old acts that would have me reaching for the credit card now...although another U2 tour might do it.
Had a mate call up to ask if I was going to go and see Bon Jovi...thought he said anchovy...but alas no interest in the lads from New Jersey I'm afraid.

Cheers craig

[kaos]

What do you like/love?
Mostly Sixties/Seventies and Baroque

What is your newest discovery?
Arcade Fire

Do you have favourites?
Bach, Dylan, Pavement, Corelli, The Who, Lucinda Williams, Moby Grape, etc, etc

Do you have a Desert Island Disc?
Any of Exile on Main St, Blood on the Tracks, or Mass in B Minor (Gardiner, 85 version)

[michel]

What do you like/love?
Mostly Sixties/Seventies and Baroque

What is your newest discovery?
Arcade Fire

Do you have favourites?
Bach, Dylan, Pavement, Corelli, The Who, Lucinda Williams, Moby Grape, etc, etc

Do you have a Desert Island Disc?
Any of Exile on Main St, Blood on the Tracks, or Mass in B Minor (Gardiner, 85 version)

I am partial to Slanted and Enchanted
By Pavement
I never saw them live unfortunately

[kaos]

Michel - I was lucky enough to catch them in 95 at the Reading Festival. They were a lot of fun.