I Need a "Just Good Music 101" Class of Some Kind...
For my birthday Jeff got me an iPod speaker dock. I had mentioned a few times how much I wanted one, as I like to listen to things when doing tedious cleaning tasks but find it annoying to deal with headphones while my hands are elbow deep in a sink of dishes. (Especially since all I have are those little white earbuds which never stay in my ears. I mean, ever! Are my ears somehow deficient? I never see anyone else struggling quite so much as I do.)
So the dock is great! I like it a lot! It is on right now!
But. It has also made me very aware, in the last couple of days, how tired I am of almost everything in my music library. It feels the way my wardrobe feels- haphazard and a bit ill fitting. And getting worn at the edges. A full third (or perhaps half) of my music has just migrated with me since I was eighteen, meaning there's quite a bit of early 2000's punk and pop punk that just doesn't do it for me anymore and a lot of things I thought I might like, once, but quickly grew weary of. And though there are a couple bands and albums I still genuinely like listening to, there is a reason I've spent more time listening to podcasts and buying episodes of Mad Men in iTunes than I have listening to music.
Also, as I just finished Jennifer Eagen's A Visit from the Goon Squad I've been thinking about how deeply uncool I am, when it comes to music. The sixteen year old me, who braved torrential downpours to hear my favorite bands (twice!), is understandably disappointed.
So, this is me asking for help! What music am I missing out on? What are you listening to over and over again, at the moment?
P.S. I'm open to most everything, though I don't tend to like country (outside of an odd love of the Dixie Chicks), jazzy things or really hard rock. A few bands I do like would be Arcade Fire, Sia, some Death Cab for Cutie, Mike Doughty, Regina Spektor.
P.P.S. Mom, if you read this, I am going to start listening to NPR's All Songs Considered, which I know is your advice!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 11:59AM | margosita | 11 Comments | Share Article tagged help me!, music in This Is Personal
Reader Comments (11)
One of my fairly recent favs is Willie Nile-- he has a classic rock, Springsteen kind of vibe. I will try to think of more.
Marvelous 3, Butch Walker, and OK Go are currently repeating on my iPod. Anything by M3 and Butch (though mostly "Sycamore Meadows") and especially OK Go's latest "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky".
I went through the same phase recently… Here is some of the music I’ve been adding lately:
Vampire Weekend
Jack Johnson
Anni Rossi
LCD Soundsystem
The Rapture
Eagles of Death Metal
Phoenix
Arctic Monkeys
Cloud Cult
Cold War Kids
Florence + the Machine
Neutral Milk Hotel
Dead Weather
And I suppose I’ll stop there :) Hopefully you find something you enjoy…
Oh... and a lot of Cloud Cult...
Over the past couple of years, I've spent some time collecting early 90s rock. Oasis, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, early Red Hot Chili Peppers, Collective Soul, Counting Crows, the Verve, Nirvana, Metallica, stuff that was cool when I was too young to be cool. My test is that if it's still played on the radio on occasion, it's way cool and I need to know what it is. And the good news is that these CDs are pretty easy to get from most city libraries so I just check out and rip them.
Given your list of current faves, I'll suggest Andrew Bird, Ingrid Michaelson, Airborne Toxic Event, the Kooks, Sam Roberts, the Postal Service, the Ting Tings, and I'd check out Pearl Jam's recent single "Breathe"
THANKS, all! So many good suggestions! I appreciate it.
I very recently went through the same phase of being bored with everything in my collection. These bands are currently getting me through it!
Check out the recent albums from:
Dirty Projectors
tUne-YaRdS
Grizzly Bear
The National
The Black Keys
Animal Collective
Local Natives
and if you're really feeling adventurous, How to Dress Well.
I need these lists as well! I'd second "The Ting Tings" and OK GO. My husband seems to have a lot of the same tastes that you list and he also has a lot of Junior Senior to name the first one that comes to mind :)
I'm definitely bookmarking this as I lack new music too!
Oldish but good ones for me include your mention of Regina Spektor, but also Brad Yoder (guy with a guitar), Feist, Cat Power, Imogen Heap can be fun, Iron and Wine, and Kings of Convenience. Hope this helps!
I know you posted this a couple days back and perhaps I'm late on the commenting boat, but I swear I've had it starred in my google reader just waiting for me to not be a flipping work for once so I can actually catch up on my blog chatter.
I have SO SO many recommendations. HOWEVER, Instead of me listing them out here, email me your address and I'll make you a mix CD. Who doesn't love getting mail? Jerks, that's who.
I missed this one. Yes, "All Songs Considered" is good. For a broader variety of world music, also listen to "Late Junction" streaming on the BBC. The British broadcasters love Scandinavian jazz and play a lot of traditional American folk - because to them, that's world music! It's where I discovered Antony and the Johnsons, before Antony was popular here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tp52
Bring your Ipod at Christmas, and I'll add a diverse playlist. And soul! You'll need to learn about soul. We just hear Aaron Neville's christmas show at the Dakota.. Listen to "Tell it Like It Is;" and do a slow dance with Jeff.
http://www.aaronneville.com/ "Ain't no Sunshine" is the second song on his site. At the show his falsetto brought chills down your spine.
And African music! Papa Wemba, here's a favorite song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9aHjw_Q1xc&feature=related (And read the comments. I would like it at my funeral too.)
I remember the Dixie Chicks phase, when you and your friends sang along to all the words to "Earl," much to the horror of another suburban mom. Didn't you girls understand what you were singing about? I thought it was great, and also became tearful every time I thought of the girlfriend flying home to help her friend get rid of Earl.
Love, Mom