2014 Music Recommendations? What ya got spinning?

[Davey]

Long time, site is obviously in need of some overdue remodeling and repair work

Anyway, some of the old gang have been hanging out at the Hoffman site, pretty good mix of new and old music topics nowadays, and lots of in-depth discussion at times. Very fast moving, so you can't know everybody like here, and probably very few will know you, but fun to meet and discuss whatever shakes your monkey bones. Still too much Beatles, but what ya gonna do?

Here's a recent post with an old name you probably recognize ... I only have a few albums from this year, need recommendations!! | Page 4 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

[Finch Platte]

Thanks for the Hoffman link. Looks like a lot of good reading there.

Spinning now: Flying Colors- Second Nature. Review- meh.

Shellac- Dude Incredible Review- unsure, need more time.

Alt J- Review- too much slow sh!t.

Coming soon: Primus- Primus And The Chocolate Factory.

[ForeverAutumn]

Spinning now: Flying Colors- Second Nature. Review- meh.

I've only spun this a couple of times, but I like it so far. I haven't heard the first album, so I don't know how it compares.

Last week the new Spoon arrived. Spoon always takes a while to grow on me and I end up loving it. So I'll wait a while before I chime in on it.

I also picked up the Vance Joy disk. I wasn't really sure what to expect since the only song I'd ever heard was Riptide. But it got great reviews so I took a chance on it and I'm totally digging it.

[Snowbunny]

It was nice to see a friendly face in a new crowd!

When it looked like they were hoping this forum would wither and die w/o any support, I did a google search for music forums and SH came up, and there were so many interesting thread topics, I decided to join.

I just skim over the stuff that doesn't interest me and post when the urge hits me. The sad part is that I am unlikely to venture out of my sandbox to explore other genres of music in the way I did on Rave Recs.

I originally considered changing my User Name but I wanted to be recognizable if any old friends showed up there. I was glad to see you did the same, since it was likely we'd show up in the same threads at some point. As happened on my first forum search. Go figure, eh?

But it's hard to stop the habit of checking in here after all these years. I mean look - ForeverAutumn just bought the new Spooon!

[Swish]

So there is still a pulse here? Hmmm. I'll have to check out that Hoffman site, although I just don't have the time (or interest?) to be on music sites as much as I had in the past.

The new Spoon is quite good if you can get past the terrible recording of the first track. I was concerned the entire CD was going to sound awful, unlike their past recordings, but it's just fine and the songs are pretty good. I'm also still enjoying the latest from War on Drugs called Lost in the Dream, Benji from Sun Kil Moon, and Beck's Morning Phase. On the alt country side I'm really digging Jason Isbell. Saw the Drive By Truckers without him and they sucked. Going to see him in Philly in February by the way.

Going to see Slowdive, who some of you may be familiar with (shoegazer) and Low is opening for them, so that should be a great show!

Heard Sleater Kinney are back together and making an appearance in Philly, so I may have to get to that show too. "All hands on the bad one...."

[Slosh]

I like Spoon - They Want My Soul a lot. A return to form. I have to 24-bit/96KHz version. Sounds good in spite of not much dynamic range (Spoon always records their albums pretty well, IMO).

Andrew Bird - Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of (The Handsome Family covers) is really sort of great

Augustines s/t you probably already have. If not you should

Beck - Morning Phase is decent

Broken Bells - After the Disco very meh

Gruff Rhys - American Interior I need to spin some more. I haven't given it much of a chance yet

The Notwist - Close to the Glass meh

Old 97s - Most Messed Up is one of their better efforts

Stephen Malkmus - Wig Out at Jag Bags not bad but I guess I'm a little burned out on Malkmus/Pavement-esque type stuff at the moment

Tweedy - Sukierae sounds like Wilco minus the rest of the band. What a surprise!

Zeus - Classic Zeus meh

[Slosh]

Andrew Bird - Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of... (Handsome Family covers) is really sort of great
Augustines - s/t You probably already have this but if you don't you should
Broken Bells - After The Disco meh
Gruff Rhys - American Interior I haven't listened to it very much yet
Stephen Malkmus - Wig Out at Jag Bags same as above
The Notwist - Close To The Glass not liking it
Old 97s - Most Messed Up liking it
Spoon - They Want My Soul Hell yes! I got the 24-bit/96KHz versions. Sounds good in spite of little dynamic range
Tweedy - Sukierae What a surprise. It sounds like a stripped down Wilco
Zeus - Classic Zeus meh
Beck - Morning Phase could be titled Sea Change II

[Slosh]

I'm trying to post but this site is broken. Testing...

[ForeverAutumn]

I feel like I just time travelled. Davey, Snowie, Swish and Slosh? Am I in 2005?

Snowie, why are you surprised that I bought the new Spoon? I've bought everything since Gimme Fiction. I even went to see them this summer.

My musical tastes runs through many genres.

[Snowbunny]

Just yanking your chain, FA.

You are the most open-minded listener I know, but you do have a softness for prog, and sometimes fans of that genre can be a little resistant when exposed to alternative styles of music.

Snowie

[Davey]

I feel like I just time travelled. Davey, Snowie, Swish and Slosh? Am I in 2005?

A few months ago I noticed a post on the SH site from someone with name cc--, which peaked my interest because one of our old buddies here used to go by the name cc. And it was in a Stones thread, and we used to talk about the Stones and Bowie and a lot of new stuff too since he had recently been in a band and had played at shows with a lot of the indie bands we used to talk about all the time. But we lost track over the years, and I couldn't really tell if it was him, and suspected not so didn't say anything. And there were some times we were in the same threads, and I liked his post and he liked mine (likes are used a lot over there). But then he added a soundcloud link to his recent music and band, and I listened and knew it was him since I have one of his old CDs and knew his voice, so responded to one of his posts as though it was still like 2005 and we had been talking all the time. And it was funny because at first he wasn't very responsive, and I thought maybe he was done with those old days and people at Rave Recs. But then he sent me a nice PM, at first he didn't recognize me as Davey since I was mostly dbi back then, but then it clicked and we exchanged some more PMs.

Anyway, fun to connect with old friends, or somehow stay in touch. This site is so limited nowadays, and I kinda gave up on it late last year, but really nice to see some new words from some of my old friends.

I've been listening some to Stian Westerhus & Pale Horses Maelstrom, and pretty amazing! I'm not familiar with his past work, apparently it can be quite experimental, but this seems pretty special right now. It does have some moments reminiscent of Radiohead's Kid A explorations, and Stian's voice can be a bit like Yorke's (and I guess the guy from Coldplay too), but this is more in the post-rock world... think maybe a mix of The Swans and Sigur Ros as popular touchstones. But you might have to add some King Crimson to the mix because Stian is quite an interesting guitar stylist and the music does have a proggish flair, though not overtly so. Anyway, highly recommended listen at this point. Love it so far. Nice review at Quietus, which is how I connected ... The Quietus | Reviews | Stian Westerhus & Pale Horses ... the digital download sounds pretty good for modern stuff, with DR9 overall, but mostly up around DR11 and definitely crankable. And I have read that the vinyl sounds nice too, and includes the CD, but I guess it's all sold out now, too bad.

[ForeverAutumn]

I'm trying to post but this site is broken. Testing...

The site is fucked and there's no one to fix it. You'll get an error message, but your post will take.

[Snowbunny]

I'm trying to post but this site is broken. Testing...

Hey Sloshie,

This kind of glitch is why we're checking the vacancy rate in other neighbourhoods.

You've probably figured out by now that after you hit Submit Reply you get a white page even though your post was posted.

And the only way to know if there's replies to a thread is to open it up.

Looks like a good list there. Thanks for reminding me that Andrew Bird has a new album, although I am taking a break from buying music.

I don't have my music on my phone and I am frustrated by the battery life of both it and my ipod.

I miss the days when I could listen to a new CD on repeat while out on a long walk and carry a couple of AA's in case of emergency.

I guess I'm probably just in a slump. But that new Spoon might get me out of it. And it looks like St. Vincent might just get me excited again.

Good to see you. If you decide to try on a different persona on another site, give us a wink and a nod so I know it's you.

[Snowbunny]

Swishie!

Yeah, these days it's just too easy to find out everything you need to know about music with a search. But it's still fun to talk about music sometimes.

I've noticed that SH site has a lot of topics where people reminisce about "the good old days" of music. You know the stuff - first album you bought, first time you saw a band, what decade of music was the best...

It seems like every possible topic has been explored at some point on that board, so people are always trying to find a "unique" topic.

Some are kind of fun, like Favourite Album Cover Art, and there are members from all over the world. But it moves quickly and threads have so many posts people just add on to the end of the thread, resulting in a lot of repetition.

I hope this place doesn't disappear completely though, cause it's nice to keep tabs on old friends.

Snowie

[Feanor]

For Classical music lovers ...

See Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2014

[dean_martin]

Glad I checked back in. It had been longer than I thought. I kind of lost my path to new releases when this board went down hill. Oh well, the only new release I've picked up since Spring (or maybe early Summer) is Wyatt Cenac's Brooklyn - an effin' comedy album (my first since high school)!!!!!!

Been listening to the following:

Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club - just smokin' rock and roll.
Vampyros Lesbos: Sexadelic Dance Party
Soundtrack to Camille 2000
Jazz from Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, John Coltrane, Horace Silver, and Art Blakey
Various Stereolab albums
Various old instrumentals
Lead Belly
DJ Shadow

I've been mining my collection for stuff I haven't listened to in a while.

[tentoze]

Umm, where was I...

NQ Arbuckle~ The Future Happens Anyway
Bobby Bare Jr's Young Criminals' Starvation League~ Undefeated
First Aid Kit~ Stay Gold
Simone Felice~ Strangers
St. Paul & The Broken Bones~ Half The City

Stuff like that.
Carry on.

[3LB]

I like Spoon - They Want My Soul a lot.

Andrew Bird - Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of (The Handsome Family covers) is really sort of great

Broken Bells - After the Disco meh

The Notwist - Close to the Glass meh

Zeus - Classic Zeus meh

I have the Spoon - like it but hey, its Spoon

I wasn't impressed with the Broken Bells last one, so I didnt pull the trigger on this, same with the Notwist.

I didn't know that Zeus had a new one out. Loved their first two...

Andrew Bird is someone I like in small doses. I'll prolly wind up getting it eventually

[3LB]

And it looks like St. Vincent might just get me excited again.

Snowy, did you ever check out the collaboration twixt St Vincent and David Byrne from a couple of years back called Love This Giant?

[3LB]

Oh, and I forgot....

The New Pornographers-Brill Bruisers is good but not great. Yeah, the songcraft is there, but not the great melodies that were on Challengers or Together.

[Slosh]

I picked up the new Lucinda Williams' a few weeks back but haven't spent much time with it.

I put all of my 2014 albums in a playlist and have been playing it on random and some of it is starting to seep in. I guess I just get bored listening to a whole album at once.

I've been in kind of a musical rut lately, I guess. I haven't found any new bands I really like and new albums from established bands usually don't measure up to their past albums.

[Davey]

I've been in kind of a musical rut lately, I guess. I haven't found any new bands I really like and new albums from established bands usually don't measure up to their past albums.

Wow, tentoze even stopped by! Last time I saw him was in response to a once-every-few-years post I made at Audio Karma about last years great Willard Grant Conspiracy record in an old thread that he was alerted on ...

Anyway, hey, looks like this board's software is working again, I can actually see that people have responded to a thread. Not that there are many out there to respond, but still an improvement

So, someone in that thread I linked above mentioned the debut record from John Schmersal (Enon and the great Brainiac) and Christian Beaulieu under the name Vertical Scratchers, Daughter of Everything. So I just hunted down a copy (yea, I know, not much of a hunt in the modern world) and listening now and this is pretty fun stuff. Still lots of Kinks sound around the edges, not quite as quirky and spastic as some of Enon's and Brainiac's best, but Beaulieu really has a good rhythmic sense on the drums, and the songs are over and moving on in 2 minutes or less! May be worth a listen, I mean, unless you like moping around in your rut ...

Vertical Scratchers: Daughter of Everything | PopMatters

[tentoze]

Wow, tentoze even stopped by! Last time I saw him was in response to a once-every-few-years post I made at Audio Karma about last years great Willard Grant Conspiracy record in an old thread that he was alerted on ...

And, btw, I bought that WGC, and wasn't as impressed with it as you were. The songs all sounded....unfinished, like demos left un-fleshed out. But hey, that's just me.

Anyway, if there's anyone who still gets knocked out by REAL 60's-era soul music, that St. Paul & The Broken Bones is your new drug. Those young boys from Birmingham will get your attention.

[Davey]

And, btw, I bought that WGC, and wasn't as impressed with it as you were. The songs all sounded....unfinished, like demos left un-fleshed out. But hey, that's just me.

I'd guess there's probably a lot more people that are like you than me, at least when it comes to music

But yea, I do really like it, you can tell it's very personal music for them, and I feel a pretty strong connection too. Kind of unconventional in song structure and instruments, but I don't have that unfinished feel. Very nice sounding recording too. Not surprising, we've diverged in the past on other records that tend toward the experimental side. Nothing wrong in that regard with either of us, we just like a lot of the same stuff, but not all the same stuff.

I made a post about it over on SH forums too, and it went down the same as just about all of my posts over there ...a pretty quick trip to the archives ... Willard Grant Conspiracy | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

[Slosh]

So, someone in that thread I linked above mentioned the debut record from John Schmersal (Enon and the great Brainiac) and Christian Beaulieu under the name Vertical Scratchers, Daughter of Everything. So I just hunted down a copy (yea, I know, not much of a hunt in the modern world) and listening now and this is pretty fun stuff. Still lots of Kinks sound around the edges, not quite as quirky and spastic as some of Enon's and Brainiac's best, but Beaulieu really has a good rhythmic sense on the drums, and the songs are over and moving on in 2 minutes or less! May be worth a listen, I mean, unless you like moping around in your rut ...

Vertical Scratchers: Daughter of Everything | PopMatters

Gave it a listen, not doing it for me. Songs just never go anywhere. Sounds to me like a lot of ideas for songs that never got fleshed out. High Society is still one of my most-listened-to albums so I had high hopes for this.