Current Favorites?

[nobody]

Anybody wanna take a stab at listing let's say a top five of favorite bands or performers you would consider current? I don't wanna make things difficult or anything, so I'll make the guidelines only that they must have released a recored within the last 2 years and their first record should be from the 90s at the earliest. I'll list five in no order...

The White Stripes
Erykah Badu
Massive Attack
Beck
Handsome Family

Just a starting point. I'm sure there are active artists I just haven't heard enough of or that have pretty smallish outputs that would otherwise make the list. Some of my favorite recent records are from people that I've only heard the one record from and would have to hear them put something more out before I'd add them. I should I could probably pretty easily expand the list to a top ten or more even of folks with decent output, but I wanted to make it limiting so I'm not even gonna mention 'em.

Who else wants to make a list?

[Troy]

Well, my list is considerably different from yours . . . but what else is new, right?

Porcupine Tree
Grandaddy
Calexico (they get progressively better with each release)
Ben Folds (especially his solo stuff)
Yazbek

There are many others.

[nobody]

I do like Grandaddy. If I wouldn't have limited myself to five, I may have used them, although I think I should hear more beyond Sunday before I really praise them.

[Stone]

Anybody wanna take a stab at listing let's say a top five of favorite bands or performers you would consider current??

I assume they still have to be performing (thus, no Dismemberment Plan or Elliott Smith) and off the top of my head:

The Shins
Clinic
Destroyer
Sleater-Kinney
Built To Spill

[DariusNYC]

Five off the top of my head:

The Strokes
Outkast
Jay-Z
Radiohead
The White Stripes

Honorable mention goes to Grandaddy for being a sentimental fave, as I love seeing them live.

[tentoze]

Anybody wanna take a stab at listing let's say a top five of favorite bands or performers you would consider current? I don't wanna make things difficult or anything, so I'll make the guidelines only that they must have released a recored within the last 2 years and their first record should be from the 90s at the earliest. I'll list five in no order...

The White Stripes
Erykah Badu
Massive Attack
Beck
Handsome Family

Just a starting point. I'm sure there are active artists I just haven't heard enough of or that have pretty smallish outputs that would otherwise make the list. Some of my favorite recent records are from people that I've only heard the one record from and would have to hear them put something more out before I'd add them. I should I could probably pretty easily expand the list to a top ten or more even of folks with decent output, but I wanted to make it limiting so I'm not even gonna mention 'em.

Who else wants to make a list?
Right now, today, my list of five that more or less fit the litmus test looks like this, not in any order:

Handsome Family
John Vanderslice
Songs: Ohia
British Sea Power
Decemberists

[tugmcmartin]

I think my 5 would all be from the jam band scene.

Derek Trucks Band
moe.
Widespread Panic
Galactic
Robert Randolph and the Family Band

T-

[Davey]

Current artists that I'd probably buy any new release right now include
Califone
PJ Harvey
Modest Mouse
Wilco
Moonbabies

...and if I had five more picks, although most of these are now at the iffy point since I probably already have enough....
Laika
Built To Spill
Bjork
Cat Power
Portishead

...and another five new to me ones that I would very likely buy any new release but only have a one album history with so far...
Notwist
Broken Social Scene
Over The Rhine
British Sea Power
The Libertines

[DariusNYC]

One correction to my earlier list: Delete White Stripes from my list and add Wilco instead. Davey reminded me; I had forgotten about them for some reason. White Stripes is an Honorable mention but I don't 100% love Elephant.

[ForeverAutumn]

Good thread. Interesting how many people have listed British Sea Power. I have to check this one out some more. The one song that I've heard (was that Davey's comp?) I liked.

Anyway, my list is totally different.

The Trews
Three Days Grace (who totally rocked in concert last night!)
Porcupine Tree
Dream Theater
IZZ

Honourable mention to Jack Johnson whose CD, On and On, I'm really enjoying.

[Jefferson]

I'm sort of infatuated with these groups at present:

Strokes

The Vines

Interpol

British Seapower

......trail of dead

5 is kind of restrictive though cause I could easily add 20 more.

[paper warrior]

Only heard 1 cut but 1 deserving starving young artist:

One Man Army

[Slosh]

Super Furry Oxes
Modest Mastodon
Built To Spoon
The Death Cab Procession
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Pharmacists

[MindGoneHaywire]

My five:

Beck
Eminem
The Hives
White Stripes
David Johansen & The Harry Smiths


Then I have a few honorable mentions:

Bebel Gilberto, Electric Six, Green Day, Wilco, D4, the Strokes.

And since the artist must not have released anything prior to the 90s, this disqualifies a few noteworthy artists, one of whom (Nick Cave) certainly would've eked onto my list:

Nick Cave, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams

Edit: add Steve Earle to that, also.

[Mike]

In no particular order

The Strokes
Tosca
Beck
The Stills (thanks JC they came yesterday)
Joe Henry

If I had to pick one it might be Beck I don't think I've stopped playing Sea Change at least once a week since it came out.

Cheers
MIke

[nobody]

I just have to toss out one more since I've been really diggin their newest and let it slip my mind when I was making the list yesterday.

Air

Also wanna agree that Sea Change never gets far from me, likely one of my most played discs since I got it. And, I really should have included OutKast somewhere too.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Built to Spill
Luna
The White Stripes
Spoon
P.J. Harvey

[chrisnz]

Damn I must be getting old and cranky because I can't think of anybody with a free pass at the moment... music ain't what it used to be, blah blah.

Massive Attack did have one but then so did Tricky.

Prefuse 73 probably has had one but whether he's worth it... Cannibal Ox I'd definitely be interested in again, El P, RjD2 the whole Def Jux thing. I'd definitely be interested in Dalek's next production.

Jeff Mangum/NMH, now there's a guy worth supporting.

Mostly I guess I let you guys filter the airwaves ;-)

Chris.

PS Four Tet and Manitoba are worth another go round.

[audiobill]

Many suggestions above would be on this list, too.

Nevertheless, I thought I'd add a few that have not been mentioned, yet:

Gomez
The Flaming Lips
Yo La Tengo
Ani Difranco
Twilight Singers

Ani's latest is 'da bomb.

Cheers,
audiobill

[mad rhetorik]

Opeth
Porcupine Tree
Meshuggah
King Crimson
Fugazi

I hate being limited to five. Here's a few more:

The White Stripes
John Spencer Blues Xplosion
The Mars Volta
Cave In (kinda mixed on this one, though; <b>Antenna</b> wasn't too great)
Jerry Cantrell
Wilco
Modest Mouse
The Shins
Sigur Ros
Neil Young
My Morning Jacket
Mastodon
Queens Of The Stone Age (assuming they are still around)

[-Jar-]

Flaming Lips
Mercury Rev
Tool
Radiohead
Cave In (yes, ANTENNA was step back.. but I have faith)
Mojave 3 (haven't heard the new one yet though)

-jar

[Dusty Chalk]

Curve
Garbage
Beborn Beton
Project Pitchfork
The Crown
Porcupine Tree
Opeth
Alpinestars (might be of the "current infatuation" variety, since I only just discovered them)
Third Eye Foundation/Matt Elliot

I don't know, I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

PortisheadAlso, I don't think they quite qualify as current, anymore, since they broke up. I mean, yeah, that live thing they won't out with might have been laika 6 years ago...

[unleasHell]

Pineapple Tree
Korai Orom
Circle
Salvatore
Porcupine Tree

[Swish]

Super Furry Oxes
Modest Mastodon
Built To Spoon
The Death Cab Procession
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Pharmacists

The Flaming Wrens
Broken Social Distortion
The Twilight Mints

just to name a few.

Swish

[Slosh]

The Flaming Wrens
Broken Social Distortion
The Twilight Mints

just to name a few.

Swish

just one more:

A Perfect Tool

[Audio Girl]

I kinda feel like I'm out of touch since I've had limited listening these past 6 months or so but here's my five:

1. Beck
2. White Stripes
3. Fountain of Wayne
4. Wilco
5. Norah Jones

Mary

[codebutcher]

What's the thing with Wilco, White Stripes and Beck? How come everyone likes that? I guess I should check those out. My guess is that I'll hate'em.

[dld]

I kinda feel like I'm out of touch since I've had limited listening these past 6 months or so but here's my five:

1. Beck
2. White Stripes
3. Fountain of Wayne
4. Wilco
5. Norah Jones

Mary

Nice list Mary. have you heard the new Norah Jones and if so, whatcha think of it?

[MindGoneHaywire]

All are somewhat derivative, but many agree that their work is mostly very well done. Wilco was formed by a member of an early 90s alt-country band called Uncle Tupelo, who were influenced by guys such as Gram Parsons & similar artists. Wilco has a lot more of a Replacements influence, or at least they used to. A lot of people consider them to be the best band in America right now. Or...maybe they thought that when their last album came out, but that's something like 3 years ago already.

Others say the same about the White Stripes, who combine minimalist instrumentation (drums & guitar only, no bass) with a hybrid mixture of old blues & punk rock. The resulting mixture is reminiscent of Led Zeppelin at times, but much rawer & with more in the way of a punk attitude. Jack White is hardly the guitar hero that he's been made out to be, but he's certainly competent, and he does know how to play an authentic slide blues guitar. Some think his playing is downright unprofessional, but anyone who says that probably hasn't heard the records by the old blues guys, which are often just as sloppy. And some of his songs have a definite Ray Davies influence. That doesn't mean they're going to sound like either the Kinks or Led Zep, but there are certainly moments on their records that are evocative of those bands.

Beck's a little harder to pin down. He's done everything from funk to rap, country to blues, folk, and rock, some of which even has prog-like aspects. His last record is very folky & ballad-laden, similar to Mutations. Great production, not overdone, great songs. Of the two, though, I'd recommend Mutations first. Midnite Vultures has a suite of songs that amount to a Prince tribute; Odelay is a smorgasbord of different styles, from straight-ahead rock to a song that sounds like it would've fit comfortably on Sticky Fingers, a rap, and some sound collages. He employs a lot of stream-of-consciousness poetry & noisy beginnings & endings in his songs, so that's not for everybody. But he tops my list in terms of who's out there today. I do think he's the best.

[codebutcher]

Thanks for the clarifications. It seems way too mainstream for me. I mean... I'm into mainstream sometimes, but if it comes to that kind of music, generaly I like the good old stuff.

[-Jar-]

Thanks for the clarifications. It seems way too mainstream for me. I mean... I'm into mainstream sometimes, but if it comes to that kind of music, generaly I like the good old stuff.


Hows about you list some of your favorites? Some of us are into some pretty obscure stuff.

-jar

[Audio Girl]

Hi handsome DLD,

I sent you an email but wanted to post here in case others were curious about Norah Jones' latest release. Unfortunately, I have had to do "active" listening when playing her CD (working while listening) so I haven't had good quality time to devote to this listening effort. Despite that, I gotta tell ya I like this one. It's very different than her first effort, but it's a good different. If you are looking for jazz influences like her first release, fuggetaboutit. There are a couple of country-tinged songs -- one is a killer duet with Dolly Parton -- so I am impressed thus far. But, if you wanna know if the lyrics are memorable, I can't answer that question at this point. Despite such, I think it's a great buy if you can find it for $9.99 (Best Buy).

Best,
Mary

[dld]

Hey M, off yer list, I'd drop White Stripes (just cause I haven't heard enuf of them yet), and add Lucinda. BTW, listened to a Dolly Parton LP last night, The Great Pretender, and was blown away. Never, in a million years, did I think I would ever have anything favorable to say about someone who used to do a show with Porter Waggoner. But the soul she put into some of those pop/rock covers was palpable. I mean, it made an instant impression Think I may spin another LP of hers, the one that has her singing with Emmy Lou, and Ronstadt, Trio? I'll play Norah before the weekend is kaput also.

[Audio Girl]

Hey, DLD, I'd give up Wilco or Fountains of Wayne before White Stripes. I gotta tell ya, I just love "Elephant". That CD has helped me survive some challenging work days. Not because of uplifting lyrics but for the genius in the music. Give it a few more spins. I'm gonna search it out on vinyl and see if that is better than the CD sonics (though they are not bad at all).

I'll have to check out that Dolly Parton release. Thanks for the tip.

MH