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Modern Rock - what do you like???


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I haven't done a list like this in ages, and for some reason this thread was formatted all screwy in my browser, so I couldn't really read all the responses. But here's a short list of early 90's and beyond rock that is really an essential part of my collection (this is very alphabetical, cause i was copying names from my mp3 folder):

Afghan Whigs - Especially "Gentlemen" and "1965"... the latter is absolutely essential listening.

Beck - Haven't kept up with his latest, but he rarely has an album that completely misses for me.

Coldplay - Yeah, it's embarrassing, I guess, but when you're in the mood for big arena rock you and your girlfriend could have sang along to together when you were 16, it doesn't get too much better than "Parachutes."

Dinosaur Jr./Sebadoh

Bjork - Pretty sure I won't be alone on this, but she is rarely short of genius.

Jane's Addiction - If we're keeping this to the XXX album, Nothing's Shocking and Ritual... most every Farrell related later project I can't dig. Deconstruction (despite the annoying name) was a fairly impressive spin off from Dave Navarro and Eric Avery.

Soul Coughing/Mike Doughty - In particular the first, "Ruby Vroom"... in my rock phase, one of the most refreshing breaths of air I can remember... totally unlike anything else I had in my collection.

Modest Mouse - Ignore the fact that you heard that one song everywhere last year... that album was highly original and really challenged the boundaries of pop song structure.

Radiohead - Fantastic. Really. Do believe the hype.

Stereolab - If "Dots and Loops" had been released on vinyl, I'm sure I would have worn out the grooves to this one.

Yo La Tengo - Ditto for "And then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out."

The Sea and Cake/Tortoise/Sam Prekop/etc. - All these Chicago groups are pretty awesome, though I've never been as crazy about them as I feel I should be, based on their jazz credentials. Prekop has put out two solo masterpieces though, kind of like modern bossa nova if it had been created by Chicago hipsters.

Fugazi/Minor Threat - One of the first rock bands I ever really got into (Fugazi)... could go on and on about them.

Guided By Voices - Some of the 45 second songs here are some of the purest, most succinct expressions of pop sensibility that I've ever heard.

Pixies - Of course.

Sonic Youth - Maybe a little too old, and they went through a blah period in the late 90's, but they seem to be back on track with "Murray Street" and "Sonic Nurse."

I'm sure there's more, but that seems pretty good for now.

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Great list Chucky.

Dots and Loops LP

Has anyone been checking out Saddle Creek over the past couple of years? Some great stuff to come out of there.

For what its worth, I think Josh Rouse deserves some credit as well. Sort of an under the radar songwriter/multi-instrumentalist that understands the craft of pop/rock. Nashville roots.

Also Sufjan Stevens? Wow. Seriously impressive scope of music.

And my brother recently turned me onto Blonde Redhead. Some good stuff there as well, especially if you prefer early Modest Mouse.

I'm a huge proponent of Prekop. Actually, seems that most of the Chicago rock of the past ten years has aspired to a higher standard. CALIFONE. I can't recommend these guys enough to rock fans. Start anywhere except for the Deceleration series. That is if you can even get your hands on the Deceleration series. Limited pressings of free improv to film which sounds much different than their proper albums. Thrill Jockey picked them up for the past two albums, but they can still be found through Perishable Records.

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  • 3 weeks later...

new Son Volt is out, on Legacy (which is odd; I always thought Legacy was an archival/reissue label, but this is a new release, recorded last fall). Rocks a little harder than the earlier version of Son Volt (all new band besides Jay Farrar) with much less of a country sound (very Neil Young-ish guitar sound :tup ). Pretty good. I had no idea that there was such a thing as a "Best Buy exclusive" edition- which is a DualDisc with a second DVD included, meaning there are two discs in the package, one a DualDisc and one a DVD-only with more live footage of the band at Tower Theater in Philly.

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I went back and re-bought Wild Love a year or two ago and found it to be the best record Bowie never made. Great stuff.

Haven't heard Low in years - The Curtain Hits the Cast was really good back in '96 or so, hopefully it still holds up. Speaking of which, just got a recording of solo acoustic guitar/banjo music from Duluth instrumentalist Paul Metzger, and it is produced by none other than Alan Sparhawk. Metzger alters and prepares his instruments, slowly building backwoods/North Country ragas with a somewhat subtle (but still 'there') head of steam. Great stuff.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I've been listening to a ton of My Morning Jacket, and enjoying every bit of it. Some of the songs they put out are stunning the their shear beauty. The new cd Z, is solid, creative rock. A great live concert is on their website, just click on the BONNAROO FESTIVAL, Manchester, TN, June 12th, 2004, and enjoy the bliss.

Edited by Matthew
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The New Pornographers "Twin Cinema" is a great album, on Matador. Other new bands I've gotten into recently: Scott Joy, The One Too Many, Fun Punk Five, The Cum Engines, Hazzard Hotrods, Hey John -Bees, Ax, Acid Ranch, Sucko, The Plague, The Bug-eyed Mums, Milko Waif, Bleep Bleep F*ck, Herkimer Mohawk, Cosmic Clown, Heavy River, 7 Feet of Sunshine, Devron Zones, Bore Co., Child of Joe, Wig Stomper, Throne, Billy Ray Human, Wim Dials, Ragged Enzymes, Terror of Living, Seraphim Barf, Karma Yeah, Yummy Ropes, Mutts UK, Timid Virus, The Pukes, Stumpy in the Ocean, U B Hitler, Red Faced Rats, Ben Zing, Dale Frescamo, Brainbow, The Bad Babies, Shoot'em, Christopher Lightship, Modular Dance Units, The Fake Orgasims, Silent Knife, The Needmores, The Banana Show, Manimal, The Inbrids, Gene Autry's Psychic, God's Little Lightning Bolt.

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  • 7 months later...

g76633sbej0.jpg

Any comments on this album from anyone?

It's growing on me. It's the first NIN nails I have ever bought. There's nothing outrageously new or different, but it seems pretty solid overall.

Ditto, on all counts (including the fact that this is my first NIN purchase too). Have had the disc for a couple months, and it's grown on me. Mrs. Rooster digs it too (as much or more than I do, actually).

Edited by Rooster_Ties
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The Mars Volta, ever since I accidentally stumbled into a concert of theirs. I didn't think I could get into music like that anymore, but the sheer power and dedication I saw sucked me into their weird universe.

"The Mars Volta" on Wikipedia

The Mars Volta does it for me for sure. I read a awful review at Something Awful which made me buy it. Ridiculous titles, absurdly long songs with instrumental interludes...you are speaking my language! Frances the Mute was my favorite non-jazz album that year. Saw them on tour - shitty venue, killing band. I would love to see them in a club or theatre venue. Its like Soft Machine and King Crimson with William Bouroughs writing lyrics and an LSD influenced Santana playing guitar. Jon Theodore is a monster drummer, too! :tup:party:

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trust me- im not fooled by most of the pop rubbish-

the earliest pop music i have is from the 20s on 78's- its pretty bad- some of the melodies COULD be good (if reworked by jim hall, etc)

30s, 40s- Bad

50s- really really bad (eg. 'how much is that doggie in the window')

now between early 1962 and cutting off right at april '67, we have the greatest years of pop music, im particualy talking about the beach boys and the ronnettes but really the beauty of it all was there were dozens of lesser known groups in the same style etc which might not of been able to have more than one hit single (ie. '1 hit wonder)- but neverteless after 67 psych came in and really destroyed pop music.

im talking about gross misue of the sitar that would piss even Gabor Szabo off. (he used the sitar on his more pop oriented lps but when he did it, it was amazing)

anyways pop music was SOooooooooooo bad thru the 70s, eg: SEVENTY THREE MEN SAILD ON, ON THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY, AND HERES WHAT THEY HAD 2 SAY: RIDE CAPT'N RIDE, UPON YOUR MYSETERY SHIP, ......etc

..or even worse, theres always-- BRANDY, YOUR A FINE- YOUR A FINE GIRL- that is the worst

but pop got really good again in 1980 and stayed good till exactly the summer of 1987 when everything when downhill again where it remained last month when goldfrapp released SUPERNATURE in north america.

----------------------------------------------------

THAT REMINDS ME, U KNOW WHAT A GOOD ALBUM IS THATS REALLY UNDERRATED- 'THE POWER STATION" THE DRUMMER FOR CHIC + 2 MEMBERS OF DURAN DURAN + ROBERT PALMER. IT IS REALLY REALLY REALLY GOOD.

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Hell's bells...you've just reminded me of some really dodgy schoolfriend's parties with that album cover... :D

Anyhow, this g65318rqzc4.jpg is the latest from a band who rarely fail to impress me; I missed a live gig (free one too!) by them not so long ago --- may catch them one day.

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