Name a Band / Song We Should Know About

lostlobster wrote:
Hypatian wrote:

In the realm of bands that must be heard at least once: Van Canto.

(Cover of Wishmaster by Nightwish.)

Reedly deedly deedly deedly deedly deedly! DUM DUM DUM!

They can certainly sing, but it sounds (and looks) like only singers answered the drummer's classified ad.

I sometimes wonder if drug addicts don't feel love more strongly for their drugs than most people ever feel for other people in their lives.

Spiritualized, "Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space"

WipEout wrote:

They can certainly sing, but it sounds (and looks) like only singers answered the drummer's classified ad.

Apparently, all of the singers played guitar in their previous bands (although most of them were also lead singers).

dhaelis wrote:
spedman wrote:

Loving this thread.

Holy f*ck
"Red Lights" from the new album "Latin"

These guys are touring and put on a great show; for those who like smart, get-the-ladies-dancing, experimental, electro-gadgetry goodness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmrXk...

Just picked up the album from eMusic last night and I am LOVING their style and sound. Thanks for the great recommendation!

Excellent!

Blotto The Clown wrote:

The music is rather catchy and good, but the VIDEO makes it for me. So well done! It's a great combination of cheese factor and professionalism.

Yeah I think the video is what makes me like them that extra bit too... they don't take the video too seriously, plus it's not often where you get to see exactly what kind of instruments and what kind of sound their combination can result in.

Blotto The Clown wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYg6S...
Crystal Castes released a new album, not sure what I think yet. But I still really like their first one.

To Amazon! Don't worry, I'll report back with a more definitive say on it's quality.

Edit: As an aside, there should be a site that I can add all my favorite artists and it'll tell me when they're going to release something. Next I'll find out that CSS released a new album that knew nothing about.

Blotto The Clown wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYg6S...
Crystal Castes released a new album, not sure what I think yet. But I still really like their first one.

I wasn't that crazy about their first album, but I like "Celestica" quite a bit.

ClockworkHouse wrote:
Blotto The Clown wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYg6S...
Crystal Castes released a new album, not sure what I think yet. But I still really like their first one.

I wasn't that crazy about their first album, but I like "Celestica" quite a bit.

I linked that song for a reason, the one before and the one after are a bit more.... rough.
here they are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppEW1...
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXKng...

I still bought the album on release as I really like their style and the emotion they imbue into their work

Blotto The Clown wrote:

I linked that song for a reason, the one before and the one after are a bit more.... rough.

I'm a fan of noise and the like, I just found their first album to be overlong and unfocused. Of the two additional tracks you leaked, I liked the second one.

The thing that always gets me about Pomplamoose is how much *fun* they seem to be having in the videosongs. It's so infectious, and just makes me break out in a big grin and think "Yeah! Making music is awesome, and so fun!", and that totally carries over into when I listen to their songs without the video.

Hypatian wrote:

The thing that always gets me about Pomplamoose is how much *fun* they seem to be having in the videosongs. It's so infectious, and just makes me break out in a big grin and think "Yeah! Making music is awesome, and so fun!", and that totally carries over into when I listen to their songs without the video.

I'm pretty sure I've said it before in this thread, and someone in the "Post a website" thread led me to this, but Pompaloose feels to me (while they are catchy and enjoyable-- I do like them, don't get me wrong) like they saw Kutiman's Thru You and thought it was a good idea and they could work off that idea. Not that Kutiman was the first to cut video bits up and edit them into a song, but I guess he was my first real exposure to the whole video-cut-to-make-music video + Youtube combination, so I'll always be reminded of his site.

i've been on a Lucero kick lately. Somewhat local band.

ranalin wrote:

i've been on a Lucero kick lately. Somewhat local band.

that sounds like drag the river got hit with a social D stick

[/quote]

(which is to say, pretty awesome)

ah screw it, orgy of semi-related bands:

Armchair Martian (becomes Drag the River)

Bad Astronaut (Lagwagon side project. Sadly, no longer playing music)

oilypenguin wrote:

ah screw it, orgy of semi-related bands:

Armchair Martian (becomes Drag the River)

Bad Astronaut (Lagwagon side project. Sadly, no longer playing music)

Understandable, though-- with Derrick gone, I can see why. After his death, I met Joey Cape at a No Use For A Name show in San Francisco, and the Caper was visibly very depressed.

Both awesome bands, by the way. Greg's Estate is probably one of my favorite "not supposed to be punk" punk songs.

And since an orgy's not an orgy with just two participants, I give you The Lawrence Arms:

Blotto The Clown wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
Blotto The Clown wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYg6S...
Crystal Castes released a new album, not sure what I think yet. But I still really like their first one.

I wasn't that crazy about their first album, but I like "Celestica" quite a bit.

I linked that song for a reason, the one before and the one after are a bit more.... rough.
here they are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppEW1...
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXKng...

I still bought the album on release as I really like their style and the emotion they imbue into their work

I think the word you're looking for is challenging. When I first put the album on my first though was "Great, they found the noise channel", but after three more listens this is without a doubt a quality release from the duo.

First of all, Crystal Castles (II) is a far more serious album than Crystal Castles. Gone are the up-tempo, video-gamey beats. In fact, the first feels immature compared to the second. That's not a knock against either, the first was good but it already exists and there was no real need to revisit it. This is the type of musical maturation that I like to see: a now world-traveled band endeavors to utilize their newfound knowledge to push their music forward.

At first I was analyzing it too closely. I was hearing the influences--hints industrial, underground hip-hop, trance, house--but not the actual songs as a whole. Once I sat back and started to let the music happen I rediscovered what first attracted me to Crystal Castles. Their ability to take a bunch of disparate pieces and extract musicality is astonishing. The actual composition, arrangement and production are close to immaculate. I didn't realize it until about halfway through the first listen because like the smart kid in school who wants to be popular, they keep it hidden.

As a whole the album seems like a transmission from a dystopian near-future that was digitally garbled in the transmission process. Something entirely new, but steeped in our recent musical history. Compelling you through the turbulence to great, soaring payoffs.

WipEout wrote:
oilypenguin wrote:

ah screw it, orgy of semi-related bands:

Armchair Martian (becomes Drag the River)

Bad Astronaut (Lagwagon side project. Sadly, no longer playing music)

Understandable, though-- with Derrick gone, I can see why. After his death, I met Joey Cape at a No Use For A Name show in San Francisco, and the Caper was visibly very depressed.

Both awesome bands, by the way. Greg's Estate is probably one of my favorite "not supposed to be punk" punk songs.

And since an orgy's not an orgy with just two participants, I give you The Lawrence Arms:

Well met, sir. I haven't heard lawrence arms since I was kneehigh to a grasshopper and ordering Asian Man stuff that shipped from Mike Park's garage.

The Lawrence Arms are an amazing band. There was something about the sound of "Oh, Calcutta!" that was fantastic.

Hasn't one of them left now though? Boooooooo

I haven't heard about any of them leaving-- still the same 3 that started the band, from what I've seen. Each member has his own side project (or two or three) that he's working on, but everything I've seen points at the original roster.

IMO, one of the best Canadian bands ever.
The Weakerthans - The Reasons

And a video from their most recent album:

Captain_Arrrg wrote:
Blotto The Clown wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
Blotto The Clown wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYg6S...
Crystal Castes released a new album, not sure what I think yet. But I still really like their first one.

I wasn't that crazy about their first album, but I like "Celestica" quite a bit.

I linked that song for a reason, the one before and the one after are a bit more.... rough.
here they are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppEW1...
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXKng...

I still bought the album on release as I really like their style and the emotion they imbue into their work

I think the word you're looking for is challenging. When I first put the album on my first though was "Great, they found the noise channel", but after three more listens this is without a doubt a quality release from the duo.

First of all, Crystal Castles (II) is a far more serious album than Crystal Castles. Gone are the up-tempo, video-gamey beats. In fact, the first feels immature compared to the second. That's not a knock against either, the first was good but it already exists and there was no real need to revisit it. This is the type of musical maturation that I like to see: a now world-traveled band endeavors to utilize their newfound knowledge to push their music forward.

At first I was analyzing it too closely. I was hearing the influences--hints industrial, underground hip-hop, trance, house--but not the actual songs as a whole. Once I sat back and started to let the music happen I rediscovered what first attracted me to Crystal Castles. Their ability to take a bunch of disparate pieces and extract musicality is astonishing. The actual composition, arrangement and production are close to immaculate. I didn't realize it until about halfway through the first listen because like the smart kid in school who wants to be popular, they keep it hidden.

As a whole the album seems like a transmission from a dystopian near-future that was digitally garbled in the transmission process. Something entirely new, but steeped in our recent musical history. Compelling you through the turbulence to great, soaring payoffs.

It was very much a learning process for me too. I first heard this new album of theirs when I stumbled across a radio recording of Doe Deer... I put the sound quality/tone down to a bad recording and reeconding to digital. I was a bit surprised once I bought the album off itunes that that was how it was intended to be. So that song isolated didn't appeal to me, but the whole experience of the album has (like you said) really opened up. It all makes sense when just sit back and listen to it all and don't try to look for influences or similar genres.

All things considered I kinda miss the 8bit/video games aesthetic though, but I guess I have 6955 for that.

WipEout wrote:

IMO, one of the best Canadian bands ever.
The Weakerthans - The Reasons

And a video from their most recent album:

/hug

=)

I'm been into this band for far, FAR too long (the bassist from Propagandhi who wrote all the lame songs started his own band? sign me up!) given the small number of albums they have out over the last decade but they're absolutely fantastic. Website. Check them out and they're also surprisingly fun live.

Indie-cred incoming:

I once drove, with 2 other dudes, from Detroit to Chicago to see Slapstick's reunion show. So many people showed up that they had to play more than one show. We got into the second one. Of all the band's that spawned from Slapstick, Lawrence Arms is one of the only ones I never really got into.

I once saw 3 shows in 1 day. My buddy's band opened up for The Weakerthans at The Shelter in Detroit. As soon as The Weakerthans were done, it was over to The Magic Stick to see Deseparacidos. After that, it was over to the State Bar to see another friend's band, Heads Will Roll. Much beer was consumed.

Oh yeah, and I once saw The Weakerthans in someone's basement in East Lansing, Michigan.

Also,
to keep this post on topic, and not completely bragatory.

I'm lovin some Free Energy. Their debut album Stuck On Nothing is on sale for $5 at Amazon.mp3, right now.

Free Energy - Dream City

I rarely come in this thread, since I'm not supposed to listen to music at work, but I've decided that WipEout and I should be friends.

I've liked the Weakerthans for a long time, but never actually bought any of their discs. I should fix that.

wordsmythe wrote:

I rarely come in this thread, since I'm not supposed to listen to music at work, but I've decided that WipEout and I should be friends.

I was actually starting to think about planning a bit of a Chicago S&T now that I have something of a routine down. My apartment is still rather bare, though, what with the only furniture being a bed, a couch and my computer desk. And a folding chair. Comfy and party-ready!

I've liked the Weakerthans for a long time, but never actually bought any of their discs. I should fix that.

Yes, you should. I've owned Reconstruction Site since its release and it is still in regular rotation in my mixes. To be honest, it is the only Weakerthans album I own, though I've always meant to get more

WipEout wrote:

Yes, you should. I've owned Reconstruction Site since its release and it is still in regular rotation in my mixes. To be honest, it is the only Weakerthans album I own, though I've always meant to get more :oops:

Oh you really need to get Left and Leaving. It's still my favorite album. Fallow is also ridiculously good. In fact, I would say reconstruction site is my least favorite (not that it isn't amazing) =)

In other news, is anyone else super interested in what's going to be on the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack?

I'm pretty sure most people on the board will know both of these artists, but I really love this song and have been having to listen to it repeatedly in order to learn it, as I am performing it with a good friend of mine (who happens to have a fantastic voice) in less than a month. Beautiful writing.

Set Fire To The Third Bar by Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright.

Local band, BLKJKS, apparently have some reputation overseas, including being in Rolling Stone's 25 bands to watch. They almost never play here, but I managed to catch them a few months ago. Awesome, avantgarde rock music, and they are very jazzy and improvisational live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p39d...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oUI0...

They are playing at the Soccer World Cup concert on Thursday, along with Alicia Keys, Shakira, the Black Eyed Peas and a bunch of other radio friendly sh*t.

MrDeVil909 wrote:

Local band, BLKJKS, apparently have some reputation overseas, including being in Rolling Stone's 25 bands to watch. They almost never play here, but I managed to catch them a few months ago. Awesome, avantgarde rock music, and they are very jazzy and improvisational live.

They are playing at the Soccer World Cup concert on Thursday, along with Alicia Keys, Shakira, the Black Eyed Peas and a bunch of other radio friendly sh*t.

I just listened to their latest on KCRW. Good stuff.

www.8tracks.com

This website allows you to create mixes of 8 songs or more and post them for the community to listen to. I flirted with posting this in its own thread, but decided this would be more appropriate, as it could be a good way to discover new music.

Here's one I threw together, today.

June Mix

It appears that you can only skip a track twice per mix, which is a bummer, but if you make a good enough mix, I won't have to skip at all.