Name your Top 5 bands of the 21st Century.

[Swish]

I was just thinking about the bands I really need to see while they're still cranking out records, and have been fortunate to see most of my favorites (The Decemberists, Wilco, The Waterboys, Echo and the Bunnymen, Los Lobos, Lucinda Williams, Luna, Pavement, Over the Rhine), and now I'll get to see Spoon as well next month

If I had to name my favorites of the last several years or more, it would have to include, in no particular order;

Wilco
The Decemberists
The Shins
Spoon
Andrew Bird

I suppose I could have listed p.j. harvey, but I think her best records were recorded in the 90s, not so for the others. While there are a lot of others I enjoy, I'd have to say this list is the top 5 without a doubt. I think.

Swish

[N. Abstentia]

Porcupine Tree
Modest Mouse
Opeth
Hurt
Alter Bridge
Los Lonely Boys

All amazing bands. If there were more bands like these, it would change my outlook on the current music scene :)

[Swish]

Porcupine Tree
Modest Mouse
Opeth
Hurt
Alter Bridge
Los Lonely Boys

All amazing bands. If there were more bands like these, it would change my outlook on the current music scene :)

Before you know it, Slosh will chime in with 7, Finch with 8, Davey with 9, Bobsticks with 10...total anarchy!

Swish

[Mr MidFi]

Spoon
Wilco
Built to Spill
Radiohead
Porky Tree

Honorable mentions:
New Pornos
Andrew Bird
My Morning Jacket
The Notwist

[ForeverAutumn]

OMG. That's just too hard! I'm going to really piss off Swish and give three lists of 5.

My non-prog, non-Canadian list would probably be the same as Swish Daddy's except I might replace Spoon with Ray Lamontagne. Although I would have to give Spoon honourable mention along with Josh Ritter.

Wilco
The Decemberists
The Shins
Ray Lamontagne
Andrew Bird


My prog list would include:

Threshold
Ritual
Riverside
Porcupine Tree
Dream Theater

And then there's the Canadian stuff which most of you have probably never heard (although, most Canadians have probably never heard this stuff either).

Luke Doucet
Rose Cousins
Three Days Grace
The Trews
Justin Rutledge

[kexodusc]

Top 5?

Hmmm....based solely on their output since Jan 1, 2000, in no particular order:

Opeth
Dream Theater
Porcupine Tree
Coheed & Cambria
Gov't Mule

FA, I saw the Trews last month at the ECMA's. Not bad. They were upstaged by a newer band called Age of Daze that's touring Canada right now. And Joel Plaskett who took most of the awards.

[Slosh]

Wilco
The Decemberists
The Shins
Spoon
Andrew Bird
I could live with this list. Err, on second thought I'd have to boot off The Shins for Grandaddy.

. . . . .And, and as much as I like Wilco I need me some Calexico on there too.

I'd really like to put Wayne Robbins & The Hellsayers up there too but some of us have been waiting 4 years now for another album. If it's half as good as their debut it will still be amazing (and based on what little I heard on My Space it should live up to expectations).

And I heard Jeff Mangum is supposed to be working on something. And maybe by 2020 we'll have another Wrens album.

Right, this could go on forever.

[ForeverAutumn]

Top 5?

Hmmm....based solely on their output since Jan 1, 2000, in no particular order:

Opeth
Dream Theater
Porcupine Tree
Coheed & Cambria
Gov't Mule

FA, I saw the Trews last month at the ECMA's. Not bad. They were upstaged by a newer band called Age of Daze that's touring Canada right now. And Joel Plaskett who took most of the awards.

Age of Daze huh? I'll have to check them out. Thanks. I like Joel Plaskett when he's upbeat. Songs like Nowhere With You and A Million Dollars are great. But I find much of his stuff boring.

[Troy]

Porcupine Tree
Estradasphere
Umphrey's McGee
Echolyn
The Van Allen Belt

[Brett A]

If I may list and individual (he's not a band per-se).
Will Oldaham
aka Palace
aka Bonnie Prince Billy
I like many of the other bands listed so far, but honestly can't think of four more I get excited about.

[N. Abstentia]

Yeah I had more than 5, I'm a rebel! And on top of that I'm gonna give honorable mention to Umphrey's McGee and Coheed & Cambria as was mentioned earlier.

I would have added Dream Theater also, but they were highly popular in the early 90's.

[ForeverAutumn]

I would have added Dream Theater also, but they were highly popular in the early 90's.

Perhaps, but they've turned out some of their best work in the 2000's IMO.

[nobody]

Hard call cause most of mine kinda cross the century line, but here's the first five that come to my head...although they would certainly chance on another day

<b>White Stripes
Boards of Canada
Kings of Leon</b> (even though I can't stand their third album; the first 2 are the kind of catchy rock records I'll listen to for years to come)
<b>Sigur Rós
Erykah Badu
ISAN</b> (Ok, so I went to 6, kill me now)

But, what do you do about stuff like, say <b>Outkast</b> who are going in this century, but who made my favorite albums last century? Heck, Baduzium came out last century too and I still tossed her in there, since most of her stuff has been in the 21st.

And, then there are bands like <b>The Raveonettes</b> who I like enough to buy everything they put out and listen to often, but for some reason never quite think of as in the upper echelon.

I know I'm forgetting someone, and the next tiem I see this thread I will realize I left my favorite band off or something.

[Slosh]

If I may list and individual (he's not a band per-se).
Will Oldham
aka Palace
aka Bonnie Prince Billy
Agree, along with a slew of other alt-country-ish bands such as Holopaw, Califone, Sixteen Horsepower/Woven Hand, Giant Sand, Tracker, Richmond Fountaine, The Black Heart Procession (okay, that's kind of a stretch.)

Oh, and I forgot to mention Pinback and Super Furry Animals in my last post. Five just ain't nearly enough.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Spoon
Wilco
Built to Spill
Radiohead
Porky Tree


Remove Porky Tree and add Modest Mouse and you have my list

[johnny p]

Yonder Mountain String Band
Tea Leaf Green
Umphrey's McGee
Medeski Martin and Wood
Steve Kimock


I like Widespread Panic, but they just aren't the same without Mikey......

[Davey]

I'd really like to put Wayne Robbins & The Hellsayers up there too but some of us have been waiting 4 years now for another album.

Yea, I hear ya. Actually have Fri off and that one is playing as I type. Queen Anne's Revenge just segued into Maria Drops Her Music Box Into the Sea, just fantastic. Can feel a Lonesome Sea kinda day coming on, probably fueled by some of those ESB Ales in the icebox. They just posted a somewhat encouraging update ... btw, really glad to hear they are mastering it again at Kitchen Mastering since the first one sounds just great, really get a chance to crank up the volume control. Kudos to all involved.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008
All You Need To Sleep Update

Hello, hello, hello.

They (the ghosts in my head) tell me that an update is needed. So, here it is: the second album, All You Need To Sleep, is almost entirely, completely done. We do remixes in early April, both here in the states and by our friends in London, and then it's off to mastering at The Kitchen in Chapel Hill, and then, and then . . . in June, we will finally, finally be done with it. We should apologize for taking so long to finish it. But this is "independent" music at its most sincere—completely self-funded and self-diagnosed by poor, full-time-job-working people with no trust funds, no rich friends (who will give us money), no budget other than what we can scrape together, and no ulterior motives other than making a great album that we can be proud of.

While in Europe last year we met some pretty amazing people, especially in The Netherlands and Belgium, who constantly reminded us, with their generous demeanor and sorrowful eyes, why we make music and why it is so important to us to play it. It was in Utrecht where it really hit me, that there really is "more to the picture than meets the eye."

But lapses happen. Bad, expensive-as-**** mixes happen. Months go by while we save up more money to remix. Girlfriends leave and cats get caught in the trees. Borders are crossed and tires go bald. Babies are born.

Thank you (whoever you are) for waiting, understanding, listening—and in honor of you, we promise to put up (in varying sound quality) more rare recordings to show the different shades of the Hellsayers: live performances, demos, outtakes, failed experiments--some for days, some for hours—you never know here. But if you're interested, you'll hear some weird ****.

Love,
Wayne

[Davey]

Kinda somber list, probably no surprise to the "regulars", but with a minimum of 3 records on my list of favorites since 2000 ...

Califone
Jason Molina / Songs:Ohia / Magnolia Electric Co
Sixteen Horsepower / Woven Hand / Lilium
Black Heart Procession
Andrew Bird or Caribou

And like Sloshy, the band I'd most like to hear a second record from: Wayne Robbins & the Hellsayers

And in the whatever happened to _______ category, I could sure use another record like that now, I'd list the self-titled The Glands ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7RfKt1a40o

But mostly the dark, southern gothic, americana sound, that's what plays most here, especially if it's got some of that junkyard percussion folky stuff going on, with the quirky and fragmented lyrics, then it migrates to the top and tends to stay awhile. Be fun to hear another from the Ugly Casanova bunch. Or those Three Mile Pilot(s).

[Brett A]

Jason Molina / Songs:Ohia / Magnolia Electric Co

I LOVED Jason Molina's output up to the Songs:Ohia- Magnolia Electric album, then he seemed to plateau. (I think). I haven't checked back w/him since What Comes After the Blues.
His first album and Didn't it Rain/Magnolia Electric are personal favorites in my collection.

[tony_abreu]

In no order.
Pink Floyd
Tool
Frank Zappa
Led zeppelin
Deep Purple

[tony_abreu]

ooooppps!!! 21st century
Coldplay
Radiohead
White Stripes

[Davey]

I LOVED Jason Molina's output up to the Songs:Ohia- Magnolia Electric album, then he seemed to plateau. (I think). I haven't checked back w/him since What Comes After the Blues.
His first album and Didn't it Rain/Magnolia Electric are personal favorites in my collection.

Was just listening to Black Ram today from the box, really nice. Right up there with Didn't it Rain/Magnolia Electric Co for me. But I'm kind of a pushover for this stuff. I love Nashville Moon too.

[3-LockBox]

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Echolyn
Modest Mouse
Dream Theater
Ritual

honorable mention: RPWL

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[tentoze]

Kinda somber list, probably no surprise to the "regulars", but with a minimum of 3 records on my list of favorites since 2000 ...

Califone
Jason Molina / Songs:Ohia / Magnolia Electric Co
Sixteen Horsepower / Woven Hand / Lilium
Black Heart Procession
Andrew Bird


I'd leave #2, 3 and 5, and replace 1 and 4 with Decemberists and Will Oldham (and his variants).

[Swish]

(Ok, so I went to 6, kill me now)

I don't like getting my hands bloody these days, so I've just proclaimed a Swish Jihad against you.

Swish

[bobsticks]

Great thread SwishDaddy...and challenging too if one adheres to the actual criteria of the thing...which i didn't do anyway...found it too difficult to eschew solo artists and evolving collectives. Hey, at least I left the labels out of it.

At the end of the day I resorted to a Davey-style counting of repeat offenders within my collection, but that's probably easier than to try an quantify how much enjoyment I got outta something in 2000...I can't remember all of yesterday. The results are a bit bizarre:

Califone
Diana Krall
Wilco
Jason Molina/Songs:Ohia/Magnolia Electric Company
Rammstein

Honrable mention to Andrew Bird, Alison Krause, and Martin Atkins

Of course, none of this diminished the fact that 80% of what i buy was produced before 1970...

[Jim Clark]

Man, too many with just one stellar release or just one release period (Notwist, Electric President, Postal Service, Killers, The Stills, The Dears, The Wrens, Lali Puna, the Faint) Then there's the ones been around for years still making it happen (johnny Cash (or was still making it happen), NIN, Greenday, and the newly minted Gary Numan) . My top five given some kind of minimum standards:

The National
Snow Patrol
Moonbabies
Interpol
and then probably something like Radio 4. Yep, that works for me about as well as anything else.

jc

[nobody]

I don't like getting my hands bloody these days, so I've just proclaimed a Swish Jihad against you.

Swish

I'm still waiting for that all Arabic punk band called Jihad....but, Jihad Swish has a nice ring to it too.

[MindGoneHaywire]

Most of what I came up with was based on one album, or maybe two...and what makes this thread both great & difficult at the same time is the number of acts in this decade who have one or two songs that I think are top-notch...but the albums just aren't there.

But I'll refrain from my rant about how the album is a poor unit for music, in the sense that so few can manage consistent recs...and how few ever really did. I do choose to focus on the individual tracks that I do like...and the very few great albums, whether now or 40 years ago.

For me in this decade the White Stripes are #1. Five solidly good recs, I don't think anyone else comes close even though I do think others have made an album here or there that's better than any WS rec. After them...couldn't do five. Sorry. Here's 10:

Green Day
Amy Winehouse
Libertines
New York Dolls
Rosalia de Souza
Madeleine Peyroux
The Hives
Bob Dylan
Ditty Bops
Little Killers

Honorable mention:

Beck, Bebel Gilberto, Little Willies, Neil Young, Les Hommes, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Wilco, Arctic Monkeys, Asylum Street Spankers, Ray LaMontagne, Jet, The Donnas, Easy Star All-Stars, Hot Club Of Cowtown, and Jane Monheit.

Yeah, there is no good music anymore, is there.

[Stone]

I'm still waiting for that all Arabic punk band called Jihad....but, Jihad Swish has a nice ring to it too.

I don't know of any band just called Jihad, but there is:

Jihad Jerry

and

Andrew Jackson Jihad

I haven't given really any thought to my top five, but it would probably include:

Ted Leo + Pharmacists
Blood Brothers
Andrew Bird

[Brett A]

Well, if we can carry bands over from the last century, the ones still making music that I get ga-ga over would have to include


Lambchop
The Mekons
Leonard Cohen
The Mekons
Did I mention the Mekons?

And i would really love to see Amy Winehouse live to make more music (even if she didn't make more music, I hope she stays alive.)

[Spancticles]

Red Sparowes, Mars Volta, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Stolen Babies, Diablo Swing Orchestra

[thereyet]

Top five of the 21st Century...


1. Modest Mouse

2. Radiohead

3. Bloc Party

4. Porcupine Tree (thanks Mr. MidFi)

5. Built to Spill

Nice thread Swish!

ty