Modern Rock - what do you like???

[clifford_thornton]

Just got this one:

White Whale - WWI (Merge)

And I really like it. Not just because three of the dudes I've known for years, but because they create nuanced, uplifting music with hints of Desert Rock, T-Rex glam and dusky, vicarious storytelling (and some actually great piano playing).

Band members are culled from the ranks of Boys' Life, Butterglory, the Get Up Kids and the Higher Burning Fire. It didn't leave my car for four days after Saturday, when I got the disc and saw their gig, on their first tour together. A hip scene, indeed.

[Joe]

The Weird Weeds, from Austin, Texas, are my new favorite current band. Drumset/vocals and two guitars, one of which is played on the floor with a violin bow and chalk slide. It's not "free-folk" or any of that crap, but indie-pop with a churning psychedelic/free undertow. Excellent stuff!

Have you heard Nick Hennies or Sandy Ewan's solo material? Worth looking into; definitely more in the "free improv" vein. Tide's in.

http://puzzle.suchfun.net/nicholas_hennies/

http://www.surefiredistribution.com/cgi-bi...mp;location=usa

[Aggie87]

I know this band doesn't really fit the timeframe that applies to this thread (15 yrs old or younger), but if anyone's interested in R.E.M.'s 80's stuff, they have a new compilation of the IRS years, as well as an IRS years DVD that just came out. Best Buy has the 2-cd set (1 disc best of, 1 disc of rarities) for $14.99, and the DVD for $16.99 or thereabouts.

They are priced comparably at Amazon.com. However, if you put both of them in your cart at Amazon, and proceed to the checkout, it somehow gives you a discount of $24.98 on your purchase, and shipping is free too. So you get BOTH the 2-cd set plus the DVD for a total of $14.99 shipped to your door. Great deal for those who like this band's earlier output....

edit - so is r.e.m. considered modern rock or classic rock now?

update - I went to check my order status today, only to find that there was no order status. Amazon cancelled my order (and didn't tell me). I called their customer service, and spoke to a rep there, who explained it was a "pricing error" on Amazon's part, and at their discretion they cancelled my order.

I griped about them not honoring a price that was legitimately listed on their site, but couldn't get past the "our pricing error" argument. Apparently they don't have any supervisors available to speak with at this hour, either.

I also told her if it was actually a mistake (which I suspect), wouldn't it make better sense to suck it up and honor the offer anyway (and continue the goodwill with this customer) rather than lose any of my future business?

Oh well. Their loss. I very rarely purchase any new, regular-priced items from them anyway.

[clifford_thornton]

The Weird Weeds, from Austin, Texas, are my new favorite current band. Drumset/vocals and two guitars, one of which is played on the floor with a violin bow and chalk slide. It's not "free-folk" or any of that crap, but indie-pop with a churning psychedelic/free undertow. Excellent stuff!

Have you heard Nick Hennies or Sandy Ewan's solo material? Worth looking into; definitely more in the "free improv" vein. Tide's in.

http://puzzle.suchfun.net/nicholas_hennies/

http://www.surefiredistribution.com/cgi-bi...mp;location=usa

Yep, got the Solo Percussion disc and also the Spiderwebs on Jyrk (Ewen-Tom Carter duo). Not so into the comp material, even hers.

Edited September 15, 2006 by clifford_thornton

[Quincy]

edit - so is r.e.m. considered modern rock or classic rock now?

Classic rock? That's a frightening concept! Hey, though it could be for all I know, as what used to be classic rock is often called "oldies." In fact, I was at a bar near campus last week and there was a flyer for a "90s Night" coming up. NINETIES NIGHT?!?

re: Amazon

Oh well. Their loss. I very rarely purchase any new, regular-priced items from them anyway.

Same story with me, including my rarely shopping there. Only thing different is how I spell my first name. Probably wrong I'm guessing.

[ghost of miles]

Just heard the latest from Camera Obscura, a Scottish band that's been around for awhile (sort of sponsored by Belle & Sebastian, evidently). It's called LET'S GET OUT OF THIS COUNTRY, and it's the first new cd I've heard in awhile that made me go, "Hmmm, who's that?" Kind of a mix of Mazzy Star, B & S, Felt, the Smiths (w/a strong dash of Lloyd Cole, a guy I used to love & hadn't thought about in years)--but somehow uniquely compelling.

Edited October 2, 2006 by ghost of miles

[neveronfriday]

Been getting into these guys, Bohren & Der Club of Gore. Interesting band history. Don't know if they qualify. Weird stuff, dark, brooding ... somewhat unique. Other releases have been hits (Sunset Mission) and misses (Geisterfaust - currently they're apparently trying to slow their music down to a crawl), but if you need to lay off the downers, this music might help.

Edited October 2, 2006 by neveronfriday

[Aggie87]

Has anyone picked up or heard "Slow Music", a project with Robert Fripp, Peter Buck, and Bill Rieflin? I'm looking to get this disc, but it was only available during a tour they had earlier this year apparently. If anyone knows a source for this (cheaper than ebay - last one went for $57), I'm interested, thanks!

Slow Music Project

[BruceH]

Just lately I've gotten into Belle & Sebastian and Sloan. Of course, they're both kind of retro in a lot of ways, especially Sloan, and that's probably a good part of why I like them.

[ep1str0phy]

Has anyone picked up or heard "Slow Music", a project with Robert Fripp, Peter Buck, and Bill Rieflin? I'm looking to get this disc, but it was only available during a tour they had earlier this year apparently. If anyone knows a source for this (cheaper than ebay - last one went for $57), I'm interested, thanks!

Slow Music Project

Matt Chamberlain is on everything.

[Werf]

I picked up "Boys and Girls in America" by The Hold Steady on vinyl last week (nice package, quality platter). It's Indie Rock influenced by Springsteen ( a la vocals). So far I'm enjoying it. Also, picked up Beirut "Gulag Orkestra" which is Balkan rock pop from a New Mexican dude, lots of brass, piano, some guitar. The singer (who is essentially the band) has a Thom Yorke thing going on. I don't have it yet, but I've been hearing songs from The Broken West on-line. They have a record out on Merge that I'll pick up.

[BruceH]

Just picked up the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs box last week. A lot to digest, but some of it is pretty dang good.

[(BB)]

Just picked up the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs box last week. A lot to digest, but some of it is pretty dang good.

This set is one of those things that I want to like, but just can't get into. A lot of people with whom I share taste in music love this, hopefully some day I will "get it".

[BruceH]

Just picked up the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs box last week. A lot to digest, but some of it is pretty dang good.

This set is one of those things that I want to like, but just can't get into. A lot of people with whom I share taste in music love this, hopefully some day I will "get it".

Understandable. Certainly Stephin Merritt's voice (the guy who sings most often) can be damn off-putting, and the whole project is quite irony-drenched. But I'm liking more of the songs with each listening, at least so far, so we'll see.

[sal]

I picked up "Boys and Girls in America" by The Hold Steady on vinyl last week (nice package, quality platter). It's Indie Rock influenced by Springsteen ( a la vocals). So far I'm enjoying it.

An excellent album by an excellent band.

[sal]

Aside from the Hold Steady, I've been spinning the following lately:

The Shins - "Wincing the Night Away"

The Decemberists - "The Crane Wife"

Cold War Kids - "Robbers and Cowards"

TV on the Radio - "Return to Cookie Mountain"

Also, just picked up the new release by The Arcade Fire called "Neon Bible". Haven't listened to it yet, but if its half as good as "Funeral", I'll be very happy.

[md655321]

Neon Bible is about 84% as good, by my estimation, which means it is FANTASTIC.

The new Wilco and Andrew Bird are also very nice, although not yet released. Turning out to be a good year for music, and its barely March.

[clifford_thornton]

I picked up "Boys and Girls in America" by The Hold Steady on vinyl last week (nice package, quality platter). It's Indie Rock influenced by Springsteen ( a la vocals). So far I'm enjoying it.

An excellent album by an excellent band.

To that I say: LFTR PLLR

[.:.impossible]

I came across an instrumental group on emusic a few months back that has been sounding good lately... Brookhaven. Anyone familiar? Not bad ataw.

And a small plug... I am super excited about my brother's band's second release, due out late Spring. I'll be sure to bring it up here. I hope y'all will take a listen, maybe even buy a disc or two! ILAD 'National Flags' Recorded and mixed by John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) at SOMA December 19-23, 2006. It sounds fantastic!

[(BB)]

I came across an instrumental group on emusic a few months back that has been sounding good lately... Brookhaven. Anyone familiar? Not bad ataw.

And a small plug... I am super excited about my brother's band's second release, due out late Spring. I'll be sure to bring it up here. I hope y'all will take a listen, maybe even buy a disc or two! ILAD 'National Flags' Recorded and mixed by John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) at SOMA December 19-23, 2006. It sounds fantastic!

I've got a Brookhaven lp from 2001 ~ Everything that rises must rise. I haven't spun it in a while, although I remember thinking it was a little to "consciously experimental" for my taste. I'm heading out of town, but will throw it on when I get back and see how it smacks me now.

I also got a compilation from the Oakland? based labeled entitled ~ sons of winded armies | an expel records compilation, I will check that one out again when I have access to my TT.

[.:.impossible]

Here's the Brookhaven disc I have been checking here and there in the mix:

Brookhaven | Transitive Verses

Another band I recently discovered, and sort of latched onto because of the name is Seekonk. Anyone familiar with them? Seekonk was the name of the town just over the RI/MA border when we lived in Providence.

I came across an instrumental group on emusic a few months back that has been sounding good lately... Brookhaven. Anyone familiar? Not bad ataw.

And a small plug... I am super excited about my brother's band's second release, due out late Spring. I'll be sure to bring it up here. I hope y'all will take a listen, maybe even buy a disc or two! ILAD 'National Flags' Recorded and mixed by John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) at SOMA December 19-23, 2006. It sounds fantastic!

I've got a Brookhaven lp from 2001 ~ Everything that rises must rise. I haven't spun it in a while, although I remember thinking it was a little to "consciously experimental" for my taste. I'm heading out of town, but will throw it on when I get back and see how it smacks me now.

I also got a compilation from the Oakland? based labeled entitled ~ sons of winded armies | an expel records compilation, I will check that one out again when I have access to my TT.

[BruceH]

I came across an instrumental group on emusic a few months back that has been sounding good lately... Brookhaven. Anyone familiar? Not bad ataw.

Are they at all radioactive?

[BruceH]

Neon Bible is about 84% as good, by my estimation, which means it is FANTASTIC.

The new Wilco and Andrew Bird are also very nice, although not yet released. Turning out to be a good year for music, and its barely March.

Yeah, the new Fountains of Wayne isn't even out yet.

[J Larsen]

I have high hopes for the Panda Bear lp coming in a couple weeks.

[.:.impossible]

eh... I listened to the entire album this morning and was a little less than impressed. The tunes are good on a random mix (Squeezebox, ipod, whatever), but the album as a whole sounds goofy.

I came across an instrumental group on emusic a few months back that has been sounding good lately... Brookhaven. Anyone familiar? Not bad ataw.

And a small plug... I am super excited about my brother's band's second release, due out late Spring. I'll be sure to bring it up here. I hope y'all will take a listen, maybe even buy a disc or two! ILAD 'National Flags' Recorded and mixed by John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) at SOMA December 19-23, 2006. It sounds fantastic!

I've got a Brookhaven lp from 2001 ~ Everything that rises must rise. I haven't spun it in a while, although I remember thinking it was a little to "consciously experimental" for my taste. I'm heading out of town, but will throw it on when I get back and see how it smacks me now.

I also got a compilation from the Oakland? based labeled entitled ~ sons of winded armies | an expel records compilation, I will check that one out again when I have access to my TT.