Has anyone noticed lately that there has been a lack of good music. I don't mean that pop stuff they play on the radio... I mean good quality music. I did recently pick up the new Yeah Yeah Yeah's cd and it was decent, but I was not overly impressed. I guess I cant really say there is a lack of good music, I'm sure there has to be some good music out there, I just do not know where to find it. People tell me to look on my space for bands, but i feel it has become so over run with bands that have no talent and feel that maybe they will make it big by being on myspace. It is hard to weed out those bands with the actually talented bands. I have also noticed that itunes often does not have a lot of the smaller indie bands. Often you can get some of the more obscure stuff by free downloading, but I feel that it is unfair to the underground bands to download their stuff illegally. They need the money from people buying their cd's. Where I live the cd stores only sell very mainstream music.
I need help finding god music and where I can get it from. Does anyone else feel that it is hard for bands with talent to become known due to illegal downloading and lack of variety on itunes and cd stores?
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I usually pick up Paste magazine and listen to their samples (free CD and DVD w/ every magazine), or read Devil in the Woods. Good indie bands, and if they sound interesting I'll download a song or two. If I like the song, then i'll buy the album.
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There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.
I agree, Paste is a great way to discover new music. They have more mellow music than hard rock. I also subscribe to Rolling Stone, but they focus on mainstream people. Only recently did I notice an article on Sufjan Stevens in there, whereas Paste included him in a sampler awhile back. Some suggestions: Surprisingly, I enjoy 30 Seconds to Mars lately. Have you tried out Mudhoney or Screaming Trees?
I agree with you, I don't even listen to the radio anymore. I pretty much stick with things that I already know. I get tired of it sometimes but when I do try to find new, good stuff, I end up hearing the same song 14297345793 times. I mean, everything sounds the same to me. When I go on myspace I hear 100 Panic! At The Discos and 1000 other bands with voices like girls. I don't know if you are into that stuff but I can't stand the voices on half of these singers today. Pretty much that only band that is still coming out with songs I like is Nonpoint. I hear a good song once in a while then I listen to the rest of that bands music and I don't like it. I don't know what to do anymore either! So yeah I'll be checking back here to see what ppl say...
Oh and Jack Johnson, hes great. Catchy music with great lyrics. Just my type :) Most ppl are like, "Jack Johnson, eew," but they havn't tried to listen to him. I mean, my brother is all about rock and I made him listen to Jack and he liked him because he talks about real issues.
Jack Johnson *sigh*
It's not htat Jack Johnson makes particularly bad or derivitive music...it's just that he makes some of the most boring music on the planet. His music reminds me of those New Age sleep aid CDs...they have sounds, but no real substance.
Now Elliott Smith...that man was a genius. Depressing as all hell, but a great songwriter, in my opinion the best American songwriter of the past 20 years, possibly the best since Brian Wilson in his heyday.
Check out Elliott Smith.
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There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.
Boring? I think that his music is so catchy. Not so much the music that comes out on the radio but on his cds, they really are catchy and fun to sing along with. Have you listened to his cds?
Have you ever heard of Vedera, formerlly known as Veda? They are a great indie band. Look for them on my space under the name Vedera. They are amazing.
There is this great local band called The War Against Sleep, not to be confused with the British band of the same name, these guys are from Texas. You can check them out on myspace under the screen name thewaragainstsleep :) If you live near Austin, they have a gig at the Red Eyed Fly on April 24 at 9pm.
Another great site to check out is www.dirtyradio.org. It's an internet only radio station that plays new indy rock, rap, electronica - whatever. I have found several new artists on the station that have great albums (Khonnor "Handwriting" - mellow but beautiful or M.I.A. "Arular" - hip hop from a Sri Lankan born, British raised chica that makes you wanna shake it and overthrow big brother simultaneously).
Other than that -- the oldies but goodies that I keep in rotation are:
Flaming Lips - all albums (still haven't heard the new album yet)
Portishead - "Dummy"
Outkast - "ATLeins" or "Aquemini" are my favs
Velvet Underground with Nico
The Arcade Fire - "Funeral"
Oh, and there are these albums coming out called "Back To Mine" -- It's a string of bands who pick songs they would play for you if you were hangin' with them at their house. Really interesting to see the music a certain band likes -- my fav of the moment is New Order's version, not what I expected.
If you want more -- I'm a bit of a music buff and into everything -- you can send me a private message to discuss further :)
P.S. - around August a regge version of Radiohead's "OK Computer" (great album in itself) is set to release -- funky!
Also, check out www.allmusic.com
This site has every possible minimally successful band (i.e. if they put out a record it is on this site). In addition, on the home page for any particular band is a list of members, side projects, influences, and simular artists. It's a great way to expand your collection while staying true to the types of music you enjoy.
Awesome! thanks everyone! I checked out both the suggested websites and they are great. I agree that Elliot Smith is amazing. I find him extremely talented. Is sad that such a talented man had to kill himself. I also agree that jack johnson is good but I find that sometimes his songs all sound the same. I like to listen to him once in a while but I cant listen to a whole cd of his at once.
did you check out Vedera on my space?
I really don't think your into the kind of music I like but maybe you should check these groups out just the same. Wolfmother (their a cross between Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin) and Death Cab for Cutie(its right up your alley I'd say)
I think I heard Wolfmother in an interview a few months ago. I am not too terribly into the hard rock but I dug their style.
I am curious to know what your kind of music is -- considering you suggested Wolfmother and Death Cab which aren't all that close in genre.
My only requirement -- it must groove me!
goin a bit old school, ehh? they were on a Metal show on VH1. they've been around for a while, as have black sabbath and led zepplin. still awesome though
This band just added me to their myspace- their name is modico. they are indies/alternative/rock and I think they are pretty good. Not necessarially what I always listen to, but good just the same.
If you're into Hip Hop, you should check out Kel Spencer (he's cowrote songs on Will Smith's last 3 albums and done theme songs for ESPN and more) at
http://www.myspace.com/kelspencer
http://www.cdbaby.com/kelspencer
http://www.cdbaby.com/kelspencer2
And my link is below just for the heck of it.
http://www.myspace.com/mfuq21
Seriously, to get really good music, you have to go back to like...the 70s, 80s. Music just isn't the same anymore..
Just all the good bands are gradually turning into sellouts.
Hopefully bands like Halifax and The Receiving Ends of Sirens don't turn out that way too...