The Music Advice Thread (A shortcut)

BarryBreensBandage · April 16, 2013, 11:21:03 PM

I am starting this thread through sheer selfishness; I have reached the age where I can no more 'vet' 10 different bands from the same genre

and age, and decide who is the best - just haven't the time or patience.

So, requesting a dig out on this one - I have been a lifelong fan of Echo & The Bunnymen, and always thought of listening to The Jesus and Mary Chain, but never did.

Heard one of their songs (The Hardest Walk) on a compilation and really liked it.

So the request - recommend a Jesus and Mary Chain Album; not looking for their roots or their alternative stuff, but, as the hacks call it, their seminal album.

(Also interested in same for The Pixies - could never get into them at all, even though I was introduced to 'Trompe le Monde' in the early 90's - any recommendations welcome.)

Ta

AFS · April 16, 2013, 11:28:47 PM

Pixies: Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. Both classics.

BarryBreensBandage · April 16, 2013, 11:35:49 PM

Quote from: AFS on April 16, 2013, 11:28:47 PM
Pixies: Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. Both classics.

Good Man - thanks

Tony Baloney · April 17, 2013, 01:16:00 AM

I was working late in work tonight and was listening to music on my phone for a change and I realised I don't think I have a single song released in the last 10 years! Getting old.

leaveherinsir · April 17, 2013, 01:41:01 AM

Never a massive Jesus and Mary Chain fan but I do remember having an album Honeys Dead back in the early 90"s. I would recommend Sea Monsters by Wedding Present if that genre of music interests you. It's a classic! And a +1 on Dolittle from Pixies. There is a song on that album called Debaser. It would rank alongside Smells like teen spirit imo

Puckoon · April 17, 2013, 01:53:20 AM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on April 17, 2013, 01:16:00 AM
I was working late in work tonight for a change and was listening to music on my phone and I realised I don't think I have a single song released in the last 10 years! Getting old.

Good Man

Billys Boots · April 17, 2013, 08:40:59 AM

JAMC is Psychocandy - never reached those heights again.
Pixies is Surfer Rosa, though everything is brilliant.
Good call on Seamonsters - really, really good album, produced by Steve Albini who also did Surfer Rosa.

And Kurt Cobain is on the record as saying that 'Smells like Teen Spirit' was his attempt to write a Pixies song.

bennydorano · April 17, 2013, 09:52:46 AM

I took the lazy route with J&TMC years ago & bought their best of - 21 singles. Great buy. I would personally recommend The Ramones, all i have is a 'Best of' it's my most played album, love them.

leaveherinsir · April 17, 2013, 05:17:18 PM

Best of albums may at times get pilloried by music "snobs" but they probably are the best way to discover a band which is new to yourself. If you don't like the best of its hard to imagine scratching the b side from overplay!! Spotify is good if you have it in this digital age. It will generally give the 5 top tunes of any band to get you started

BarryBreensBandage · April 17, 2013, 05:21:11 PM

Thanks for the replies and tips - plenty to be listening to.

Syferus · April 17, 2013, 11:26:18 PM

Quote from: leaveherinsir on April 17, 2013, 05:17:18 PM
Best of albums may at times get pilloried by music "snobs" but they probably are the best way to discover a band which is new to yourself. If you don't like the best of its hard to imagine scratching the b side from overplay!! Spotify is good if you have it in this digital age. It will generally give the 5 top tunes of any band to get you started

For alot of artists i start out with a greatest hits to test the waters and if I really like it I'll move onto the albums later. The big thing is finding the best collection because most artists ahve a bunch of cheapo collections (mainly released by smaller labels) that don't give you the good stuff. I've found Sony BMG's The Essential range to be a very good source for good collections, though obviously it only services artists Sony BMG have the rights to.

BarryBreensBandage · July 24, 2013, 10:02:13 PM

From about 13 til 20, I was recommended music that I will listen to for the rest of my life. They were bands in the seventies and eighties, about 15/20 years before I started listening to them.

Question:

What album would you recommend to a teenager now for listening to from the last twenty five years?

Obvious Starter - Stone Roses/The Stone Roses

Anyone?

5 Sams · July 24, 2013, 10:11:50 PM

Screamadelica. Pills, Thrills and Bellyaches. I'll think of more in the morning.

Syferus · July 24, 2013, 10:22:13 PM

Daft Punk's Discovery, for one. Probably one of the most essential albums in terms of understanding popular music today, even if most imitators twisted it into a commercialised pulp with very little artistry.

Nirvana's Nevermind is another obvious one, even if it's an album that I'm still recovering from listening to endlessly during my teens. Even ig you don't think it's a great album (it is) it's influence and impact is huge. I actually like Peral Jam more as a band so I'd have to throw in an album like Ten as well.

Much the same applies to Tool's Lateralus, Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral, Jeff Buckley's Grace, The Flaming Lips' The Soft Bulletin and Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Californication. All great albums that had a big impact on music. Personally I'd throw in System of a Down's Toxicity because I think it's an incredible album that combines metal with something more meaningful than painfully obvious (and childish) attempted to be edgy by the likes of Metallica and Slayer (Metallica is still an amazing band, though). Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut album is an even more popular example of what Toxicity does so well.