Musical Opinions - add yours here :-)

[Gooner Neil]

Saw Morning Parade at La Scala on Monday. Boys from Harlow and not bad. Songs you'd expect to hear on one tree hill during a pensive moody actor looking out over the ocean scene. So mr webberg will dislike immensely. Warm up act were a Danish synths and guitar set up called Veto. They were brilliant but only if you go to art college so again mr webberg will be disapproving

[webberg]

A bit cheeky Mr Gooner?

It's not that I dislike bands who do the moody whale song like moaning and groaning, it's just that they think it's music that other people like.

There have been some great artists from art school. Probably Freddie Mercury is best known but I have a feeling that at least one of The Who, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Roxy Music, the list goes on.

I perhaps think that bands coming out of art schools and colleges need to do some time on the road and with audiences who are into music and not art in order to give them a bit of an edge.

After saying that, I heard "Lanterns on the Lake" in the week (on the radio) and they are from art college in Newcastle and worth a listen.

Next gig for me is Bryan Ferry at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in December - an early present for my wife.

[FlbrkMike]

We have tickets to see Steely Dan on Friday night. I've wanted to see Fagan/Becker for years and finally getting the chance. The band that they are touring with is supposedly fantastic. The venue is a hotel/casino that's about a 30 mile drive over mostly winding mountain roads, so we'll just stay at the hotel afterwards. Should be a geat start to the weekend.

[Paul Victory]

We have tickets to see Steely Dan on Friday night. I've wanted to see Fagan/Becker for years and finally getting the chance. The band that they are touring with is supposedly fantastic. The venue is a hotel/casino that's about a 30 mile drive over mostly winding mountain roads, so we'll just stay at the hotel afterwards. Should be a geat start to the weekend.

I really envy you Mike. Possibly the most underrated band ever (on this side of the Atlantic, anyway). Can't Buy A Thrill was one of the first albums I purchased and I bought it again recently on CD. Still one of my all time favourites.

In Ireland we have a TV program that does a review of new stories from past years. The name of the program is Reeling in the Years and you can guess what they use as theme music for the program.

Enjoy!

Paul V

[FlbrkMike]

I'm glad to see that they're appreciated, at least by some, on the other side of the pond. The show in my neighborhood is the final one of their American tour, after which they apparently take off almost immediately for Australia and New Zealand. I guess San Diego (or maybe Los Angeles) is a pretty convenient jumping off point for Oceania.

Countdown to Ecstasy, which came out during my first year in college, was the first of their albums that I bought and they've been one of my favorite bands ever since. Of course I bought Can't Buy a Thrill soon afterward. Aja, IMO, is one of the greatest albums ever recorded, for the songs and the brilliance of all the musicians that contributed. I still have all of those old vinyl albums, which I can't seem to bring myself to part with.

[Daffy]

I have been introduced to the music of Sophie Zelmani recently. Beautiful. It may not suit some, but give her a try, you too may be a convert! 'Oh Dear' is a good starting point, in my opinion.

[webberg]

There are suddenly a lot of very good female vocalists in all genre's.

The success of Adele needs no help from me.

Florence and the Machine have a good new album out.

Sleigh Bells also have some new music which is worth a listen.

Camile Jones is a softer genre and some interesting sounds



Outside of female artists, others I've enjoyed recently would be

Airborne Toxic Event
M83
Brave Yesterday

[Wolfmiester]

I had a very pleasent surprise and experience yesterday.
A work colleague announced she had two spare tickets to see the Kaiser Chiefs at the O2 academy in Birmingham.
For just £40, I though "why not"?
I don't have any of their music, but oviously know them and the prospect of a great band ar a small venue could not be missed.
I took my 14 year old daughter and we had a blast
We were amazed at how many "hits" thay had, we knew all the songs bar the obligatory few from the new album.
Down in the standing section just behind the "mosh".
Non stop energy and great rock tracks.
Wonderful.
The support- All The Young - were pretty good too.

[webberg]

All the Young are a great band.

Saw them in London a few weeks back and have their live album on my iPod.

Have to say that I would not go and see the Kaiser Chiefs though. A bit to mainstream manufactured pop trying to hide behind "gritty" northern roots. They do some anthemic stuff but I find that a little boring. Obviously they've been out of the scene for a while though and perhaps that's sharpended their minds a bit and it sounds like a great gig.

[mnicholls1500]

just had a read through this and thought id resurrect the thread at least temporarily to add some more to the mix!

on my iphone i generally have songs to get me going a bit more in the gym so for quicker or harder training i have:
chase & status
pendulum
linkin park
dj fresh
avenged sevenfold

and for steadier training il still have the above but also:

Netsky
mumford & sons
vaccines
courteeners
massive attack

i saw chase & status last year at wireless in hyde park and they were amazing, crowd was going absolutely mental (altho some were clearly mental beforehand..)!!

[webberg]

Some interesting choices there.

The Vaccines I really rate. I'm off to see them at Reading this year which will be the third time I've seen them.

Chase and Status - I've really tried but not for me.

I've never heard of netsky so I'll look them up.

Currently listening to Blood Red Shoes, Enter Shikari and The Black Keys.

I might even get on an erg later today as well.

[strider77]

daffyducky wrote:- I have been introduced to the music of Sophie Zelmani recently. Beautiful. It may not suit some, but give her a try, you too may be a convert! 'Oh Dear' is a good starting point, in my opinion.

Jane, thanks for introducing me to her-she also does a pretty good cover of Leonard Cohen's classic-Waiting for the miracle to come

[mnicholls1500]

nero is another one that i like a couple of tracks, but wont be to peoples tastes if their not fussed on c&s.
netsky is like a mellow pendulum....

[webberg]

A mellow Pendulum?

I tend to go for a more extreme Pendulum and regard that band really as one end of the line.

Have you tried Orbital and The Prodigy?

LCD Soundsystem is also similar(ish).

There's also a track from Daft Punk entitled Alive 1997 which is 45 minutes or so and which I listen to when I want to work out for that period of time. Might be worth a go.

[mnicholls1500]

love the prodigy, not to sure i know enough orbital, i really tend to go through cycles of what i like, chemical brothers were at wireless last year and were pretty cool, just some of their stuff seemed a bit repetitive and dare i say it.. boring?

havent heard of LCD soundsystem.. might look it up as my itunes needs a refresh!

[Wendy]

Nightwish. Both when they had Tarja as lead singer and with Anette Olsen. Also Sonata Arctica, Apocalyptica and Tarot. Getting very fond of Finnish metal bands.

Nightwish are going to be at Download. My son is going for the whole thing (does every year) and I am sea-green jealous.

I've loved them for years! Ever since Wishmaster days.

[Wendy]

Late at night - Dream Theatre, Satriani, G3. More for the daytime, Chickenfoot.

[webberg]

wendy, I suggest you try the Black Veil Brides

[billwright]

Boys Don't Cry by Rumer. Great for slow rate 18-21-23's.

Bill

[Wendy]

wendy, I suggest you try the Black Veil Brides

Great - very Avenged Sevenfold and I like them a lot! The vocalist is good, sort of reminds me of the guy in Black Stone Cherries. (And I love his voice!)

[webberg]

Wendy - Nightwish are at the Brixton Academy later this year

You might want to book a ticket?

[webberg]

In fact Nightwish are here for 4 dates, November 4th thru 7th at Manchester, London, Birmingham and Glasgow.

[Wendy]

I know! I am so very much wanting to go. My son saw them at Download this year and said they were brilliant (as were so many of the bands).

My husband is anything but a metalhead (think Bananarama ....). I hate rocking our boat but I so very much want to see Nightwish. I am working on strategies and cunning plots

[webberg]

Just book a ticket then..

"would you mind darling if I go to nasty London and see a band?
"No = great = will you take me"
"Yes = oh well I've bought the ticket so will you take me anyway?"

Simples.

[webberg]

Just back from Reading Festival with a few recommendations to hear or avoid.

Hits:
Kasabian (that will be music to Gooner's ears)
Two Door Cinema Club
The Joy Formidible
Blood Red Shoes
The Black Keys
Eagles of Death Metal

Misses
Florence + Machine (very self indulgent set)
Escape to new York (you should rather than listen)
Don Bronco (if you've never heard of them, lucky you)

In the middle:
Gaslight Anthem
Los Camposinos

Ones to watch out for:
Jake Bugg - sounds like he should be from Nashville and comes from Northampton
Grimes - dance/trance

Weather was pretty much as expected with Florence singing in the rain.

We missed Green Day doing their surprise gig. That was meant to go at 12 noon but the gates were closed at 11:30 and they started.

We also chose not to listen to Foo Fighters although I've seen the set since. Not really my cup of tea that one.

The Black Keys are a little odd. Great musicians and songs but lack a bit of personality.

I'll perhaps write some more later.