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ChocolateLady 
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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 Posted - 12/22/2007 : 08:42:52
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Well, you can hardly get more eclectic than me when it comes to music. I've recently remembered I used to like Jim Croce, and now my son bought a collection of his songs. When it comes to non-classical music there is and was Crosby, Stills & Nash (with or without Young), Joni Mitchell (still amazing), Carole King, King Crimson, Joan Baez, The Moody Blues, Led Zeplin, Simon & Garfunkle (and I'm buying more Paul Simon albums), Steely Dan (and now Donald Fagen), Judy Collins, Janice Ian, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Carole Baker Sayer, Donovan, Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison, Harry Neilson, Rickie Lee Jones, Pat Metheny, Janis Ian, Renaissance, Laura Nyro, The Mamas & the Papas, Electric Light Orchestra, Chicago, Steve Goodman, Kenny Loggins (also with Messina), Elton John, The Beatles, Don Maclean, The Pretenders, Bette Midler, LeAnne Rimes, Dan Fogelberg (may he rest in peace), Alan Parsons Project, KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor and many more.
When it comes to classical, we usually don't buy things that aren't operas. Those are very heavy on the Mozart and Verdi with La Boheme, Fleidermaus and Carmen tossed in for good measure. I've also got both of the Leonard Bernstein "operas" on CD (West Side Story & Candide). Of course, that brings me over to musicals, which range from anything by Cole Porter through some (but not all) Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita in particular) and up to Avenue Q.
When it comes to classical music, I mostly listen to the one classical station we have here when I'm in the car. I do prefer listening to only instrumental music in the mornings on my way to work (I find it keeps my road rage in check), but move over to the more modern music stations on the way home. I'm not much into the older stuff like Medieval, there's very little from the Renaissance period I like, some from the Baroque era (Monteverdi and Vivaldi put me to sleep, but JS Bach has some lovely piano and choral stuff and Pergolesi's choral works are lovely), but the Classical era and Romantic eras have tons of great stuff. When it comes to 20th Century classical composers, there's lots of interesting stuff there.
I haven't even touched blues and jazz - I don't have much of that but I love to listen to it. And yes, I'll even listen to Country music, and some Rap, if it is actually music and not just talking to a beat. Not into House or Dance music, but I did like Disco when it was popular.
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Edited by - ChocolateLady on 12/22/2007 08:49:38 |
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Sean 
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 12/22/2007 : 11:02:16
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quote:
Originally posted by duh
I will give Sean's suggestions a listen. The worst that could happen is that I will bash my brains to bits against the walls.
 Actually, I'd avoid most (all) of the stuff I mentioned. Note the  at the bottom of the page.  But if you seriously want to 'test out' metal, then I could give you a more serious list, that's nothing like as extreme as the ones I listed, perhaps in the folk metal or symphonic/operatic metal genres. Death and black metal is not the place to start, it's where die-hard metalheads end up if they have a natural inclination towards extreme art.quote:
Which brings me to...lyrics. Sean, when you listen to your selections, do you understand the lyrics, or do you look up the words? Do the lyrics even matter?
If one listens to violent or obscene lyrics, do they have a depressing effect on the psyche? Will I develop an urge to take up illegal and antisocial hobbies? I guess I should consider those things; it took me a long time to develop my current somewhat stable state of mind and I'd hate to sacrifice it to Art.
On the whole, you won't understand a word of death metal, and will need to read lyrics. But the lyrics are usually totally irrelevant. The emphasis is on extremely fast, ultra-technical music with unconventional time signatures, lyrics would be a distraction. The writers of such music are musicians, and don't pretend to be poets or philosophers - which I find a welcome relief from the embarassing attempts by a lot of writers of pop music to be philosophical. Death metal lyrics focus on death, gore, decay, sickness and extreme violence. It's so extreme as to be completely meaningless and humourous. It's about as real as a zombie movie. I know of nobody who listens to death metal who thinks the lyrics and thematic matter are anything other than humour.
Black metal - that's a different story. Musically it tries to sound as dark and 'evil' as possible, and lyrically commonly focuses on misanthropy, the occult, and satanism; the objective is commonly to be as blasphemous as possible, offend anyone of a religous nature, and launch a vicious attack on religion in general. In the past some of those writing and playing this kind of music have been associated with burning churches. Sonically, it's what you might expect to hear if you woke up one morning to find the sun was gone, the earth was gone, everyone else was gone, and you were the only thing remaining in the universe and were staring into a black hole. I love this style of music, it's profoundly emotive. 
Funeral doom metal - I like to listen to it late at night, it's devigorating and deals with internal darkness (rather then external darkness like black metal). Lyrically, the focus is on misery and life's futility leading to inevitable death from total despair. It's therapeutic and soothing, melancholy and hauntingly beautiful. It reminds me of some of Beethoven's piano sonatas.
If you're serious about wanting to check out some 'metal' then it might be a good idea to start with something more approachable than the extreme end. If metallised folk music, metallised opera, metallised chamber-orchestral music sounds interesting then I'll give you some more serious pointers. |
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duh 
"catpurrs"
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Posted - 12/22/2007 : 18:42:19
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Well, you can hardly get more eclectic than me when it comes to music. I've recently remembered I used to like Jim Croce, and now my son bought a collection of his songs. When it comes to non-classical music there is and was Crosby, Stills & Nash (with or without Young), Joni Mitchell (still amazing), Carole King, King Crimson, Joan Baez, The Moody Blues, Led Zeplin, Simon & Garfunkle (and I'm buying more Paul Simon albums), Steely Dan (and now Donald Fagen), Judy Collins, Janice Ian, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Carole Baker Sayer, Donovan, Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison, Harry Neilson, Rickie Lee Jones, Pat Metheny, Janis Ian, Renaissance, Laura Nyro, The Mamas & the Papas, Electric Light Orchestra, Chicago, Steve Goodman, Kenny Loggins (also with Messina), Elton John, The Beatles, Don Maclean, The Pretenders, Bette Midler, LeAnne Rimes, Dan Fogelberg (may he rest in peace), Alan Parsons Project, KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor and many more.
When it comes to classical, we usually don't buy things that aren't operas. Those are very heavy on the Mozart and Verdi with La Boheme, Fleidermaus and Carmen tossed in for good measure. I've also got both of the Leonard Bernstein "operas" on CD (West Side Story & Candide). Of course, that brings me over to musicals, which range from anything by Cole Porter through some (but not all) Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita in particular) and up to Avenue Q.
When it comes to classical music, I mostly listen to the one classical station we have here when I'm in the car. I do prefer listening to only instrumental music in the mornings on my way to work (I find it keeps my road rage in check), but move over to the more modern music stations on the way home. I'm not much into the older stuff like Medieval, there's very little from the Renaissance period I like, some from the Baroque era (Monteverdi and Vivaldi put me to sleep, but JS Bach has some lovely piano and choral stuff and Pergolesi's choral works are lovely), but the Classical era and Romantic eras have tons of great stuff. When it comes to 20th Century classical composers, there's lots of interesting stuff there.
I haven't even touched blues and jazz - I don't have much of that but I love to listen to it. And yes, I'll even listen to Country music, and some Rap, if it is actually music and not just talking to a beat. Not into House or Dance music, but I did like Disco when it was popular.
What? No bagpipes? No monks chanting? |
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duh
"catpurrs"
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Posted - 12/22/2007 : 18:44:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
If you're serious about wanting to check out some 'metal' then it might be a good idea to start with something more approachable than the extreme end. If metallised folk music, metallised opera, metallised chamber-orchestral music sounds interesting then I'll give you some more serious pointers.
What kind of candy-assed musicians would play "approachable" metal?
But, yes, let us be serious. Gimme the fucking damn list already. See, I've already become affected.
EDIT: 
Here are the clown faces I forgot earlier.
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Edited by - duh on 12/22/2007 22:12:06 |
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damalc
"last watched: Sausage Party"
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Posted - 12/22/2007 : 22:40:51
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try Bettye Lavette and Sharon Jones for soul.
and Amy Winehouse, not sure much longer we'll have her  |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 12/23/2007 : 06:00:44
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quote:
Originally posted by duh
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Well, you can hardly get more eclectic than me when it comes to music. I've recently remembered I used to like Jim Croce, and now my son bought a collection of his songs. When it comes to non-classical music there is and was Crosby, Stills & Nash (with or without Young), Joni Mitchell (still amazing), Carole King, King Crimson, Joan Baez, The Moody Blues, Led Zeplin, Simon & Garfunkle (and I'm buying more Paul Simon albums), Steely Dan (and now Donald Fagen), Judy Collins, Janice Ian, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Carole Baker Sayer, Donovan, Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison, Harry Neilson, Rickie Lee Jones, Pat Metheny, Janis Ian, Renaissance, Laura Nyro, The Mamas & the Papas, Electric Light Orchestra, Chicago, Steve Goodman, Kenny Loggins (also with Messina), Elton John, The Beatles, Don Maclean, The Pretenders, Bette Midler, LeAnne Rimes, Dan Fogelberg (may he rest in peace), Alan Parsons Project, KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor and many more.
When it comes to classical, we usually don't buy things that aren't operas. Those are very heavy on the Mozart and Verdi with La Boheme, Fleidermaus and Carmen tossed in for good measure. I've also got both of the Leonard Bernstein "operas" on CD (West Side Story & Candide). Of course, that brings me over to musicals, which range from anything by Cole Porter through some (but not all) Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita in particular) and up to Avenue Q.
When it comes to classical music, I mostly listen to the one classical station we have here when I'm in the car. I do prefer listening to only instrumental music in the mornings on my way to work (I find it keeps my road rage in check), but move over to the more modern music stations on the way home. I'm not much into the older stuff like Medieval, there's very little from the Renaissance period I like, some from the Baroque era (Monteverdi and Vivaldi put me to sleep, but JS Bach has some lovely piano and choral stuff and Pergolesi's choral works are lovely), but the Classical era and Romantic eras have tons of great stuff. When it comes to 20th Century classical composers, there's lots of interesting stuff there.
I haven't even touched blues and jazz - I don't have much of that but I love to listen to it. And yes, I'll even listen to Country music, and some Rap, if it is actually music and not just talking to a beat. Not into House or Dance music, but I did like Disco when it was popular.
What? No bagpipes? No monks chanting?
Sorry, the bagpipes aren't usually my thing, but I would listen to a really good one if you found me a recording. And as for monks, I forgot to include that I do enjoy listing to a Gregorian Chant now and again - thanks for reminding me!
(Seriously. When I lived in the USA, the only classical music station in Chicago was WFMT (98.7FM) and they'd play lots of Gregorian Chants at just this time of the year. There's something very calming and relaxing about a nicely sung Greogorian Chant.)
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Edited by - ChocolateLady on 12/23/2007 06:04:44 |
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Wheelz
"FWFR%u2019ing like it%u2019s 1999"
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Posted - 12/27/2007 : 17:41:39
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
quote:
Originally posted by duh
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Well, you can hardly get more eclectic than me when it comes to music. I've recently remembered I used to like Jim Croce, and now my son bought a collection of his songs. When it comes to non-classical music there is and was Crosby, Stills & Nash (with or without Young), Joni Mitchell (still amazing), Carole King, King Crimson, Joan Baez, The Moody Blues, Led Zeplin, Simon & Garfunkle (and I'm buying more Paul Simon albums), Steely Dan (and now Donald Fagen), Judy Collins, Janice Ian, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Carole Baker Sayer, Donovan, Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison, Harry Neilson, Rickie Lee Jones, Pat Metheny, Janis Ian, Renaissance, Laura Nyro, The Mamas & the Papas, Electric Light Orchestra, Chicago, Steve Goodman, Kenny Loggins (also with Messina), Elton John, The Beatles, Don Maclean, The Pretenders, Bette Midler, LeAnne Rimes, Dan Fogelberg (may he rest in peace), Alan Parsons Project, KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor and many more.
What? No bagpipes? No monks chanting?
Sorry, the bagpipes aren't usually my thing, but I would listen to a really good one if you found me a recording.
Being of Scottish descent, I actually do have a couple of bagpipe tracks on my iPod, just because. I don't think I could really tell you the difference between good bagpiping and bad bagpiping, however...
As for having eclectic tastes, the day I posted here that I liked Regina Spektor, my shuffle play happened to serve up On the Radio on my way home -- which was immediately followed by C.W. McCall's Convoy. It made me wonder if that was the only time, ever, anywhere, that those two songs have been played back-to-back. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 12/28/2007 : 02:03:15
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quote:
Originally posted by duh
quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
If you're serious about wanting to check out some 'metal' then it might be a good idea to start with something more approachable than the extreme end. If metallised folk music, metallised opera, metallised chamber-orchestral music sounds interesting then I'll give you some more serious pointers.
What kind of candy-assed musicians would play "approachable" metal?
But, yes, let us be serious. Gimme the fucking damn list already. See, I've already become affected.
EDIT:
Here are the clown faces I forgot earlier.
OK, I'll come up with a few a few tips. Before I start, do you like (or have you ever liked) any of these?
Black Sabbath
Led Zeppelin
Metallica
Iron Maiden
AC/DC
Nirvana
Smashing Pumpkins
or any other bands playing 'metal' or heavy 'rock' / 'grunge' etc? If not then you might want to forget about metal. 
In the meantime, what do you think of this?
http://www.myspace.com/haggard2007
Start with the song at the top, "Of Might Divine". Haggard are fast becoming one of my favourite bands.  I'd call this 'neo-classical metal', and suitable for those who love classical music and heavy metal (others keep away). |
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duh
"catpurrs"
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Posted - 12/29/2007 : 05:55:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
Led Zeppelin
Metallica
Nirvana
or any other bands playing 'metal' or heavy 'rock' / 'grunge' etc? If not then you might want to forget about metal.
Yeah I find those three listenable although I am not exceptionally familiar with them.
quote:
In the meantime, what do you think of this?
http://www.myspace.com/haggard2007
Start with the song at the top, "Of Might Divine". Haggard are fast becoming one of my favourite bands. I'd call this 'neo-classical metal', and suitable for those who love classical music and heavy metal (others keep away).
AWESOME!!!
I'm going to send that link to my son, I think he would like it. As he got a cochlear implant a couple of years ago, music is a new discovery for him. For a long time, the only type of music he could 'decode' with his implant were midi tunes. He has adapted though and to my delight, I've recently noticed that he has been expanding what he listens to. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 12/29/2007 : 06:08:24
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Excellent! It sounds like you are definitely capable of metalheadification.
I'll give you more links / ideas when I have a moment. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 12/29/2007 : 09:47:24
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| So... what are you listening to now, Duh? |
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Koli 
"Striving lackadaisically for perfection."
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Posted - 12/29/2007 : 22:46:30
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While duh's thinking about her response to that one, let me make a suggestion. I had successfully avoided compilations for many years (apart from buying something called Punk Xplosion a couple of years ago out of nostalgia), but I received a good one for my birthday last month and would heartily recommend it if it's available in the USA. It's called 'NME Presents THE ESSENTIAL BANDS', and includes stuff by the Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, Kaiser Chiefs, The killers, Razorlight, Babyshambles (I really didn't think I'd like them but had to revise my opinion), Fratellis, Yeah Yeah Yeahs etc etc.
Or you could just get 'Back to Black' by the aforementioned Amy Winehouse. A messed up kid with far too many tattoos, but what a voice! The album's contemporary but with soul influences dating back decades.
PS - visited the Haggard site and listened to some of their music. I'm impressed - and wonder how I've missed them all these years. I shall be looking out for one of their CDs. |
Edited by - Koli on 12/29/2007 23:55:57 |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 12/30/2007 : 01:09:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Koli
PS - visited the Haggard site and listened to some of their music. I'm impressed - and wonder how I've missed them all these years. I shall be looking out for one of their CDs.
I've got hundreds of CDs that are similarly excellent, most of which I could safely say nobody here has ever heard of. Most of my favourite music has beeen created in the last 15 years, and a big chunk of it since 2000. It doesn't get rammed down people's throats in the way pop does, as it doesn't stick to the rules. E.g., tracks are too long, use of unconventional chords and time signatures, doesn't stick to the verse-chorus structure, controversial subject matter etc.
Experimental music seems a lot more common in Europe, the stuff rammed down people's throats in the Anglo-Western world is mostly very generic and ultra-conservative. Most of the music I've accumulated over the last few years is European, although I've been discovering some amazing stuff recently from Canada, USA, Israel and Australia. Almost nothing I buy is available at my local CD shops.
BTW, it's becoming more common for kids these days to listen to what their parents listened to 20 years ago. E.g., The Police, Stones, Led Zep, Deep Purple, Genesis etc. I see that as a sign that they're losing interest in the vacuous pop that marketers are telling them to buy and want music with some quality and emotional substance. So I'm hoping that the day when stuff like Haggard, Therion, Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room, Orphaned Land, Insomnium, Ensiferum and hundreds of other great bands (who are all writing excellent music right now) becomes well known and readily available is just around the corner.
At the moment I'm preparing another list of great stuff for duh to check out. Get ready. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 12/30/2007 : 02:16:21
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OK, here's a few more to check out.
Virgin Black - classical/gothic doom
http://www.myspace.com/virginblackofficial
Try the song "and I am suffering". I've got Sombre Romantic, it took me a while to get into it, but the three-album requiem mass sounds excellent, and I'll be getting all of it. Only Requiem - Mezzo Forte is out at the moment, the rest should be out soon. Requiem is a blend of classical, opera with tenor and soprano, and gothic doom metal, with some black doom.
Ahab
http://www.myspace.com/ahabdoom
Funeral doom. This stuff sucks the life out of the listener like a Catholic mass. Totally devigorating, and great for late at night to wind down with.
Shape of Despair
http://www.myspace.com/shapeofdespair
Widely regarded as the greatest merchants of funeral doom. Best albums would be Illusions Play and Angels of Distress. Late at night in the winter, this stuff is extremely emotive, dark and cold. It's magnificent.
Orphaned Land
http://www.orphaned-land.com/default.php?language=en
This Israeli band's album Mabool has to be one of the greatest bits of music ever written. It took them seven years to write. A blend of Middle Eastern folk music, Yemenite chants, piano jazz, accoustic guitar, and metal. It's music at it's absolute best, and it's giving me goosebumps just thinking about how great it is. It's awesomeness is beyond description. In fact everyone on the planet should go buy it now. Just do it.
Insomnium
http://www.myspace.com/insomniumband
My favourite melo-death band (guitar-based melodeath rather than synth-based). Try "The Day It All Came Down". Invigorating and melancholy at the same time. Since The Day It All Came Down is their best album.
Ensiferum
http://www.myspace.com/officialensiferum
Legendary folk metal band. Their first two albums are the best (self titled and Iron). I love their use of the kantele (Finnish zither).
Tyr
http://www.myspace.com/tyr1
Greatest folk metal band from the Faroe Islands! And one of the greatest anywhere.
I'll finish off (for now) with
Agalloch
http://www.myspace.com/agalloch
Ashes Against the Grain is their best. I supposed you'd call it progressive dark metal. Awesome stuff.
That'll do for now. I'm only starting to scratch the surface. Let me know if/when you want more. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 12/30/2007 : 07:20:47
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Oh, heavy stuff there. I guess you wouldn't care much for my son's friend Uriel's stuff - but if anyone here wants to take a listen, you can hear his stuff here http://www.myspace.com/urielmm and his album White Weed has just been released. It isn't my type of music either, but I can appreciate quality.
(Orphaned Land is reminiscent of a band from the 70-80s here called HaBrerah HaTivit [translation: the natural choice] but with a metal twist to it. Here's their link http://www.shlomobar.com/)
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Edited by - ChocolateLady on 12/30/2007 07:23:09 |
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Recommend Music for me to listen to?
