Posted on 07/31/2011 8:10:55 PM PDT by Revolting cat!
Every couple of years I would scour the Al Gore's most famous invention after climate for interesting music, sites like artistsdirect.com, garageband.com and others that don't exist anymore and where unsigned bands, or signed and little known artists uploaded their music, oftentimes quite good, occasionally brilliant. I'd listen to hundreds, thousands of cuts to find a few diamonds in the rough. I had a method, which probably missed a few rarities, but which served me well. I'd listen to a few seconds to decide, 5, 15, 30. Certain guitar chords alerted me to the worth of the rest of a recording. And I had my taste - hard rock was usually out, plaintive folk music as well, electronic sounds - foggetteaboutit. Americana, country, soul, blues yes. I was looking for authenticity. (Doesn't everyone?) I'd gather the diamonds and burn them onto CDs, which I'd take on trips to Europe where I'd hand them to my friends there, DJs and artists, all of them in awe of American pop music, and who I thought were too influenced by the limited range of the most popular artists played on commercial radio, as bad there as it is here. I liked to share my discoveries, and I had a reputation to maintain, oh, yes.
Then my life had changed, and I stopped listening, stopped searching. Until this year. Last month, actually. The Internet sites have changed, but the buried, largely unheard music is still to be found. I have found some amazing artists, whom I would like to present to you. Rock and roll, or whatever it is called these days, is not dead. There are people out there with the skills and the ideas, who may not sell many CDs or tracks on iTunes, but who all deserve our support, and speaking for myself, my enthusiasm. (Some or all of them may be familiar to some of you, especially if you live in their hometowns, but as a group, I suspect they are largely unknown.)
Here they are:
Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain
Lastly, the two incredibles. The future of music:
The links are just samples of the artists' music, not always their best recordings, but ones that are easily linkable. You can find more music of these artists through MySpace, YouTube, Google, the artists own sites, and so on. Enjoy!
The best thing in pure rock I’ve heard lately is Grace Potter. Not bad on the eyes either.
Music is so subjective!
I listened to Kill It Kid and it was amateurish to me after having listened to the greats of the past: Moody Blues, Beachboys, Dooby Brothers, The Eagles, etc.
No cut on your music, it just doesn't do it for me.
Love Fitz & The Tantrums! Check out The Steel Wheels for cool Americana/bluegrass.
LORDY!
That is the way to start the day!
Early Modern Jazz — you an FEEL them work through new ideas of the time — the rawness of what is now taken so for granted is like an exposed nerve (in a good way).
Thanks for this — another for my favorites YT collection!
Well, sure. You could have been listening to Mitch Miller and Ethel Merman in the 1950s.
“You’re so square, baby I don’t care!”
I’m crazy about F&TT. Will check out Steel Wheels, thanks.
Like, wow! And she's too short.
"I got beauty,
I got class,
I got style,
I got ass!"
Unless they try to play it too darn fast.
Back in the 70s when studio time was at a premium, you had better to have known what you were doing, extra takes cost $$$.
Moody Blues - ahhhhhh !
Can’t even remember the year I heard this music on my nephew’s car cassette player. Asked him who it was, and got hooked - - but I’m not a fanatic and know all their stuff.
Revert to Sinatra when I need a ‘fix.’
Also ‘GLAD,’ of Christian music.
Broadway tunes - - Patriotic marches.
Okay - I’m all over the map - like Mahler, too!!!
>>Unless they try to play it too darn fast<<
And lose the beauty of the melody...
Haven't heard that version before!
Here's a version from WWII by Charlie & His Orchestra, c. 1941:
Let's go bombing! Take me bombing!
Just like good ol' British airmen do.
Let us bomb the Frenchmen who were once our allies.
England fights for liberty, we make them realize, from the skies.
Let's go shelling where they're dwelling,
Shelling Nannette, Fifi and Lulu.
Let us go to it! Let's do it!
Let's sink their food ships, too.
Let's go bombing. It's becoming quite the thing to do.
Thia is how I am closing out tonight - a modern mellow jazz Coldplay cover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex9dDvXyVAs
Devin Townsend - Trainfire - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrxmrS9FIzc
Devin Townsend - W/Strapping Young Lad - Love? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeG-6bpeUkA
Same guy!
This one might make a come back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkcYKC8ANt8&NR=1
“I upped my income”
I heard the Salsa version of “Clocks”, I like it better than the original.
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