Build a Better Music Collection
 

I got a Zune a couple of weeks ago and burned all my CD's and downloaded just about everything I can think of to my Zune....I still have 5.45 GB free and I want to fill it with even more music.

But, as it is, I'm out of ideas. So, here's your chance to help Cosmic build a better music collection.

I embrace the following genres: Alternative/College, Bluegrass, Classic Rock, Funk, Jam/Improvisational, Jazz, Psychedelic, and Singer/Songwriter.

Absolutely NO interest in Rap, Country, or Metal.

I do have an eclectic taste for music including interests in: The Clash, Pixies, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Tom Waits, The Grateful Dead, Cracker, Sufjan Stevens, Mazzy Star, Neil Young, etc.

So, I need some ideas for some great albums you suggest I download to my Zune. You will need to provide the following:

1. The name of the artist and the album.
2. Why you like it.
3. And why you think I would enjoy it.

Should I choose to download your suggestion, I will give you a rep and call your mom to let her know she raised a decent person in this world. OK, so maybe I won't give you rep.

Anyways....let the suggestions begin.

I recommend this to everyone...sometimes I feel like a salesman for them...

Porcupine Tree- Fear Of A Blank Planet, LightBulb Sun, In Absentia, Deadwing.

Fear Of A Blank Planet comes out Tuesday..but I may have a link for your PM's.

Pink Floyd is my favorite group. I see you like them..you will like Porcupine Tree. Especially Lightbulb Sun.

Other suggestions are:

Yes- Close To The Edge, Relayer

Ozark Mountain Daredevils-Greatest Hits

Blind Melon- No Rain

here is a link for some free grateful dead mp3's.
http://www.dead.net/view/tapers

The No Direction Home soundtrack has some great alternate and early takes on a number of classic Dylan songs, and some unreleased stuff too. I like the alternate version stuff the best. You might like it, it's two volumes.

The soundtrack to The Conversation is really good. It's very interesting, simple stuff. There is some elements of jazz, but it's mostly piano. There are two tracks that are annoying though, so skip those (they're loud and booming dark, for some horror scenes). Otherwise, great music.

Also, music from Ennio Morricone, including Once Upon a Time in the West/America and Good, Bad, Ugly.

And the music to A Beautiful Mind. Very mystical/operatic. I love it.

Weezer - "Weezer"

One of the classic rock albums from the 90s. A few classic songs, like "Buddy Holly," "The Sweater Song," and "Say It Ain't So."

The last track, "Only In Dreams," is one of the greatest songs ever.

____________

Angie Aparo - "The American"

I love it because it's eclectic without being boring. Faith Hill actually did a cover of his song, "Cry," and had a ton of success with it, even though Angie's version is way better. And before you stop reading, no, this is NOT a country album by any stretch of the imagination.

I think you'll like it because it's musically interesting, lyrically captivating and just a good, relaxing, up-tempo listen.

__________

BT - "Emotional Technology"

I love it because it's a brilliant album, probably the best of BT's career. BT was a pioneer in the electronic music genre (but don't worry, it's not a techno album -- just electronic). "Somnambulist," "Dark Heart Dawning," and "The Great Escape" are great tracks from the same guy that did the soundtrack for the newest "Gone in 60 Seconds" movie with Angelina Jolie and Nicholas Cage.

I think you'll like it because it's a kind of rock/electronic hybrid. Very cool stuff.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I see a darkness
Elliott Smith - XO and Either/Or
Matthew Good (Band) - Beautiful Midnight and The Audio of Being
Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All over Me

Tough to make recommendations without knowing what you already have, so I'll throw out some more obscure, lesser known, but still top-notch faves

Pulp
Joni Mitchell
Jazz at the Pawnshop
The Band
Weezer
Wilco
Alison Krauss and Union Station
Cake
Mudhoney
Tom Waits

just off the top of my head

Some Good old blues/rock. With better recording remastering techniques. This is what brought music where it is today.

I'm very happy with Kenny Wayne Shepherd new LP goes back to his roots.

10 days out.

any doubt ask Nzoner

What do you have already?

You want Bluegrass,
but you hate Country.
mmmmm...kay.

Marshall Crenshaw
"Field Day"
Just good R & R

1) The Jesus & Mary Chain's "Stoned and Dethroned"

2) I like it because I've been a huge fan of the JAMC since they started off as a band that layered a heavy dose of fuzz and feedback on top of beautiful melodies in the mid-80's. The fuzz and feedback are gone here, but the melodies remain and this is one of their strongest albums from start to finish, IMO. Here is an Amazon.com review that I endorse whole-heartedly:

BTW, Darklands, mentioned in the review, is another great, melodic album from these guys that I would describe as happy melodies (reminicent of a band like the Beach Boys) coupled with seriously dark and depressing lyrics.

3. You mentioned that you like Mazzy Star. Hope Sandoval sings a duet with her then-boyfriend William Reid on one of the songs on this album (the song is Sometimes Always, which was also mentioned in the Amazon review above). Beyond that, you'll like it for the same reasons I do, because it is a set of 17 cohesive songs that all earn their way onto the album and can be listened to again and again.

Edit: I realized that it's really Jim Reid, William's brother, who sings with Sandoval on this song.

Tom Waits - Closing Time (1973)

One of my favorites of his. A good assortment of his style.

Tom Waits has an amazing range of vocal abilities. His music is hard to clasify... sometimes blues... sometimes folk... sometimes drunken jazz....



Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the dinner (1975)

Very cool live album. Tom plays piano while storytelling and bullshitting.

I am the same way.

There is a HUGE difference. Mainly the vocals...there isnt that annoying "twang" in the Bluegrass singers.

1. The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass or Hollywood Town Hall
2. Listen to it on Amazon if you can...just good stuff
3. 'Cause you seem kinda smart and all :)

1. Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter or Day I Forgot
2. See Above
3. Same

BTW, I'm a n00b when it comes to Ipods or Zumes...can I download music or transfer music and then listen to it in my car? Or connect it to my receiver someway? Does it sound alright?

Thanks! :)

Not to mention that half the country out there these days is little more than rehashed pop shit that was rejected by Top 40 radio stations and kicked down to Nashville. I know that's a silly statement in some ways, but I seriously have a hard time distinguishing between the majority of "country" that's out there these days and the crap they play on pop stations.

Give me Willie, Waylon, Johnny, Townes, Prine, Emmylou, Dwight, Steve Earle or any of those, but don't subject me to Toby Keith or Keith Urban or any of that crap.

A Zune? LMAO

a zoom zoom?

I've been trying to answer this question and its crashed my browser twice...crap!

OK, here's what I would suggest. I only mentioned bluegrass/country because bluegrass is one of the pioneering elements in the development of country music. Here goes:

I embrace the following genres: Alternative/College:
Try OK Go, Gruppo Sportivo, Jules & the Polar Bears, Tonio K, Garland Jefferies, Fountains of Wayne.
Bluegrass:
Old School: Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Del McCourey Band
New School: Bela Fleck, Ricky Skaggs, Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss
Classic Rock: The Five Food Groups: Beatles, Stones, Who, Led Zep, Kinks.
Under Appreciated: Tommy Bolin, Les Dudek, J Geils Band, Queen, Manfred Mann,
Funk: James Brown, Grandmaster Flash, Bootsy Collins, The Time.
Jam/Improvisational: Not sure what this means, try Frank Zappa, The Tubes, Captain Beefheart, Oingo Boingo. They're all improvisational in their own ways.
Jazz: Old School: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Satchmo, Mel Torme, Dave Brubeck, Vince Guaraldi.
New School: Kurt Elling, Weather Report, The Crusaders, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Pat Metheney.
Psychedelic: Old Pink Floyd (before Dark Side of Moon) Steppenwolf, Stawberry Alarm Clock, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead (before Mars Hotel).
Singer/Songwriters:
Great Ones: Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, John Hiatt, Warren Zevon, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zant.
Not As Well Known: Nick Lowe, Paul Thorn, Houston Jones, Slaid Cleaves, Jonathan Coulton.

Absolutely NO interest in Rap
Aw, check out Doug E. Fresh or Tone Loc, or old Run DMC.
Country:
Yeah, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson or George Jones isn't worth your time...
or Metal.
OZZIE.....OZZIE!!! Montrose, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper....old school

I do have an eclectic taste for music including interests in: The Clash,
If you like the Clash, check out The Jam and Wreckless Eric.
Pixies:
Check out Frank Black's solo stuff.
Pink Floyd:
Check out King Crimson or Aphrodite's Child.
Miles Davis,
Check out Miles album "Kind of Blue."
Tom Waits,
My favorite albums are "Nighthawks at the Diner", "Closin' Time" and "Small Change." If you like Tom Waits, check out Ricki Lee Jones, the female Tom Waits.
The Grateful Dead,
Check out Phish and Blues Traveler
etc etc etc

I like Neil Young a lot too.

Anyways....let the suggestions begin.
Time to end, whew!

NO interest in rap.

Come on man. You've gotta love J5.

Others to check out in that vein:
Common, Talib Kweli, Black Star, Mos Def, the Roots. I could go on, but you should really check them out. Common's "Be" has made it into my rotation at least once a week for the last year.

Here's some basic suggestions that are only really scratching the surface:

The upcoming Wilco album is going to be pretty good. I've listened to an early leak of it that a friend had and it was definitely a different sound from their recent albums, and IMO, it sounds great. Different songs are evocative of the Beatles, The Band, Allman Brothers, and the Grateful Dead. I know that's a lot of name dropping, but you can hear those elements when you listen to it.

As for something old school, I would definitely recommend the Duane Allman solo anthology. It consists of a few Allman Brother songs, but mostly his collaborations with other musicians. Great stuff. My favorite is Mean Old World with Clapton. Of course, there's also Derek and the Dominos Live at the Filmore, and if you get the right version, you can also get the studio jams, which are mind blowing.

Bert Jansch's Black Swan was a great record released a year or two ago. He's been around for a long time. Check out the song Texas Cowboy Blues.

Also, if you dig Grateful Dead, make sure to get Dick's Picks volume 18. My favorite Dead concert of all time.

Hopefully you already have some of The Stooge s if you like early punk, but I thought I'd mention them just in case.

As for jazz, I agree with everything in gblowfish's post, and would only add Cab Calloway, Charles Mingus, and Grant Green.

I like the new Arcade Fire album, and would definitely recommend their earlier album Funeral.

The new Modest Mouse album is also pretty good, even if you don't like their earlier stuff.

EDIT: I forgot, I've got to add some love for Tropicalia music. Very influential stuff. I would recommend checking out Os Mutantes, Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, Gilberto Gil, etc.

If you have an Aux input on your car stereo, you can connect an iPod (and I presume a Zune) with a cable. You can also buy FM broadcast attachments to broadcast to your car stereo. It's decent quality, wire is better, but then I'm not a picky audiosnob when it comes to that sort of thing.

You seriously want me to name every album? I have nearly 3,000 songs right now. It'd take me a full day to name every album I have in my collection.

Weezer has now been added. Thanks for the suggestion.

Cosmic, I think you would dig Josh Rouse.

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Elliott Smith XO has now been added.

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Have you spent time with Nick Drake's work?

Don't get me wrong- I do like old school country, particularly Mr. Johnny Cash.

But, bluegrass is an entirely different world- upbeat, toe-tappin' fun music. If I ever find myself having a bad day- I know whistlin' and a listenin' to some bluegrass music will get me going in the right direction again.

Downloading Pink Moon right now....

:D

For sure, as time goes on I am starting to feel that Drake's body fo work should be considered with the all time greats.

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Damn, I totally forgot about embedding YouTube links.

Angie Aparo:

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Classic Rock--

Rory Gallagher. Hugely underappreciated blues guitarist from the early 70's, in the same genral style as SRV. Died about 25 years ago.

I can't get YouTube from here at work; just go there and do a search...

Z

This first video is kind of goofy(just shots from a tour)but the band is called Jadis and I really think you'd like them.They're more in the progressive genre but I have 2 of their projects and they're great to kick back to and turn up.

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

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Black Angels

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Watermelon Slim,one of the newer blues artists I've discovered

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Enigma

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Nah, I was just joking. :)

Thanks! May have to look into one of these newfangled devices.

I have a 30 gig version of the iPod (and an FM transmitter) that enables me to take a big portion of my music collection with me in my car. It's a lot better than lugging around a big pile of CDs.

If your car happens to have a cassette player...a cassette adapter works so much better than a FM transmitter.

Alice Donut - Mule

The songs Mother Of Christ and Roadkill are classics.

That first video was absolutely gorgeous. "Quiet Town"

I liked it so much, I downloaded his album Subtitulo.

Thanks. :thumb:

Wow...that was beautiful. I loved "When the Sun Comes Up" with Beth Orton. The "Texas Cowboy Blues" song is an anti-Bush song...nice. Liked it and downloaded it. Thanks. :thumb:

I just wanted to thank everyone- I'm quite impressed with the musical suggestions. I'm elated with some of my new discoveries here.

I've downloaded the following, thus far, thanks to your suggestions:

Black Angels - Passover
Bishop Allen - Charm School
Jesus & Mary Chain - Stoned and Dethroned
Bert Jansch - Black Swan
Josh Rouse - Subtitulo
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Elliott Smith - XO
Weezer - "Blue" album

You guys rock!

Album 1:
1. Bishop Allen "Charm School"
2. As a pitchfork reviewer said: it's like taking Modest Mouse and sticking them in a Chuck-E-Cheese ball pit for a week to record an album.
3. Undeniably delicious, catchy tunes that I think most anyone would like.

Album 2:
1. Big Smith: "Big Smith"
2. They're a bunch of boys from around here that I listened to constantly throughout college. This is bluegrass done hillbilly style.
3. You'll dig it because you like bluegrass.

Album 3:
1. Flaming Lips, "Soft Bulletin"
2. It's the Lips for god's sakes.
3. You probably have it. If not, get it. The greatness preceded Yoshimi.

Album 4:
1. Linton Kwesi Johnson: "Dread, Beat, and Blood."
2. Political reggae/dub that's unlike anything I'd ever heard before.
3. It's like taking Bob Marley and arming him with an AK-47 and the Communist Manifesto. Extremely interesting stuff, and definitely listenable too.

I'll add some more later after I take a look at my CD case.

They reminded me a bit of They Might Be Giants- one of my favorite college radio bands when I was younger.

I liked it, and downloaded it...thanks.

heh,I must be on ignore.

Here you go!!
<------------

You're not on ignore, my friend. I'm just looking for something different...sorry. :redface:

Oh...I really did like the Black Angels, BTW. I want to hear more.

Here's Madina Lake's album - The Disappearance of Adalia.

Enjoy. :)

No problem,as for the college/alternative though I'd really suggest checking out Black Rebel Motorcycle Club a little further.

See what you think of these

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Split Lip Rayfield - Should Have Seen It Coming (2004)

Split Lip Rayfield play a souped-up blend of bluegrass, old-time, and cow punk, and they flat tear it up. Their motto is speed and more speed, a goal that demands a measure of dexterity from this east Kansas trio on banjo, acoustic guitar, and "Stitchgiver" (a jimmy-rigged pickup gas tank with Weedwhacker string).

SLR, with their banjo, acoustic guitar, and stand-up bass attack have been wowing the folks around the Wichita and Lawrence area for years. This 3-piece acoustic outfit somehow manages to sound like an earthquake, with its lightning quick playing (but quality is NOT substituted for speed) and romps about cars, trucks, pinball, girls, and coffee."

--David Cantwell

their best album.. love it

Subtitulo is good..."1972" is great.

I reviewed an album by these guys for our college radio station when I was in grad school. They're definitely cool and remind me of the band Big Smith that I mentioned earlier in the thread. Big Smith are like the good old hillbillies that rn a still, but show up in church on Sunday. Split Lip is their hell-raising cousin that moved out of the mountains and into the trailer park.

Thanks for the mention- they are one wild band, that's for certain. Some friends of mine turned me on to them when they saw them play at the festival in Winfield, KS.

Nzoner-

The Black Angels album "Passover" is far out, man! Just like some reviewer said, "If Jim Morrison had ever gotten depressed and started a pyschedelic hard-rock/blues band, then the result might sound something like Black Angels"

Ironically, Morrison, in some cases was depressed and the Doors were in most cases, a psychedelic blues/rock band- but nonetheless, if the Doors were jamming today, they would probably sound like the Black Angels.

I've been giving "Passover" a whirl the past hour and really like it. Its now on my Zune! :thumb:

OK.... maybe you should be recommending music to me.... :)

I'll just grab a pen.....

I'll be happy to...what are some of your favorite musical styles?