Help Chris Become A Better Person...

[chirs3 0]

So a while ago, I was planning to head down to Ye Locale Record Shoppe` to trade in some junk, and I got online and started pestering Tom. Asked him to name a completely random band I'd never heard of before. He named The Legendary Shack Shakers, so when I went down in the river to pray to the shop, I bought an album by the LSS, completely blind, to try out.

 

And I wubbed it.

 

And I've continued to do this, asking a bunch of people over AIM and other message boards, and it's mostly worked out very well. So now I bring it to you guys.

 

The rules:

 

1. I cannot have heard of this band or artist. At all. Ever.

2. If it's country, make damn sure it's nothing like I hear on the radio or on CMT. Icky stuff.

3. If it's rap, make damn sure it's nothing like I hear on the radio or on any TV station ever.

4. If it's metal, please just don't suggest anything where the singer screams his lungs out from the beginning of the song to the end.

 

Anything that does not violate those rules is fair game. So name away!

 

And for reference, here's what I've gotten so far:

 

Albums I Liked

 

The Legendary Shack-Shakers - Pandelirium (FLESHAR~!)

The Fratellis - Costello Music

Colin Hay - Are You Looking At Me? (I feel dirty about this one)

Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards

Neko Case - Canadian Amp

The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island (Akirasaurus!)

The Snake, The Cross, The Crown - Mander Salis

Pinback - Summer in Abaddon

 

Albums That I Did Not Entirely Care For Much, And Also Some I Fucking Hated

 

Slightly Stoopid - Closer to the Sun

Kings of Leon - Because of the Times

Pavement - Wowie Zowie!

Bear vs. Shark - Right Now, You Are In The Best of Hands

Gang Gang Dance - Retina Riddim

Story of the Year - In the Wake of Determination (sorry Sly - for whatever it's worth, this isn't one I absolutely hated, just didn't care much for )

 

So yeah, list all suggestimications here, and they shall go on The List.

Edited June 29, 2007 by chirs3

[Guest step up, ghetto blaster.]

I mean, there's something wrong with people that don't like Pavement. but, I will try to help where I can.

 

try Tapes 'N Tapes - The Loon and then report back.

 

also let me know how you feel about Girl Talk's Night Ripper.

 

and if you dig on Avery Island, then In the Aeroplane Over The Sea will probably melt your brain. which is a good thing.

[chirs3 0]

Someone - Akira, maybe? - thinks I just started out on the wrong Pavement album. To me it was about four "Hey, this is pretty good" songs, and 14 songs that all sounded so much alike that they just kinda blended together into musical mush. Very little stood out.

[Guest step up, ghetto blaster.]

I would give Slanted & Enchanted a try. if that doesn't work, it's probably not meant to be.

 

 

Tha Alkaholiks' 21 & Over is hot to death as well.

[the.weej 0]

Oh, man, you didn't like Pavement? That's unacceptable. I second the motion of retrying with Slanted and Enchanted, and further the point by stating if you do not find that album to be somewhere in the realm of awesome to totally awesome, you can't be on my Cool People List anymore. You don't want to be off of my Cool People List. That'd mean you're pretty uncool.

 

I'm so far out of the music scene it isn't even funny, but let me see what I can offer. If you haven't heard of Pavement, you probably haven't heard of the Afghan Whigs. Take one Congregation and call me in the morning. I am willing to be that you have heard of Echo & The Bunnymen, in fact they seem like the kind of thing you'd be kinda into, but I'll go out on a limb and call for some Ocean Rain as well. This is just because it's become one of my favourite albums over the course of a couple of years. Also, if symptoms worsen, I have another prescription for Grails' Black Tar Prophecies. It's kind of metal. It's kind of not. It's mostly instrumental, and Crowe is responsible for putting it on my hard drive. I've listened to it several times and I still can't figure the goddamn thing out, maybe you can help.

 

Also, if you're feeling adventurous, keep on the look out for Bongwater's Double Bummer. I have not actually heard this album, but... well, read allmusic.com's description and you'll understand why I've searched for four years. I have yet to unearth any tangible physical form of it, though; maybe you can do better.

 

-Z

Edited June 29, 2007 by realitycheck

[Guest step up, ghetto blaster.]

four years? I found that bitch in approximately fifteen seconds.

 

I'll forward it to you.

 

eventually.

[Guest WhollyChao]

Django Reinhardt.

 

It's surprising how many people don't know who he is. All of them should.

 

I sincerely hope that you've already been blessed by this man's music, but on the off-chance you haven't, please look him up.

 

Your mother will love you and your ear drums will thank you for the rest of your life.

 

 

[Coffin Surfer 0]

If you haven't heard of them:

 

Funky European wierdness:

Can-Ege Bamyasi

Area-Arbeit Macht Frei

 

Japanese Pop/Rock:

Do as Infinity-Break of Dawn

High and Mighty Color-Go Over

 

Randomness:

Pineforest Crunch-Panamarenko

Peeping Tom(Mike Patton of Faith No More fame)-Peeping Tom

Laura Nyro-New York Tanderberry

Cowboy Junkies-The Trinity Sessions

Cave In-Jupiter

Exploding Hearts-Guitar Romantic

Opeth-Damnation

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

http://www.myspace.com/annotationsofanautopsy

[Chuck Woolery 0]

have you heard of avril lavigne, chris?

 

on a serious note, if you haven't at least listened to timbaland's shock value you're doing yourself a disservice. i wish i could help you more but my taste in music is awful.

[Guest step up, ghetto blaster.]

oh man. Shock Value.

 

every time I hear a Timbaland solo album I think, well, maybe this time it'll sound awesome.

 

and it's never that time.

[Toxxic 0]

Rise Against - The Sufferer And The Witness. If that fails, try Siren Song Of The Counter Culture - I don't think it's got anywhere near as much punch and is my least favourite album of theirs, but it might be closer to your taste.

 

Bad Religion - avoid No Substance, The New America and Process Of Belief, but otherwise everyone's a winner. Recommendations would be 2004's The Empire Strikes First and wait until July 11th, then get New Maps Of Hell. I've heard it already, and it is the bomb.

 

Strung Out - Twisted By Design. If you don't like this album, there's something wrong with you. And it's possible that you're JJ Johnson.

 

 

If none of these appeal, go with Earth vs The Wildhearts by (surprise surprise) The Wildhearts, and if you don't like them I think it's fair to say nothing in my music collection can help you.

 

Unless you fancy Much Against Everyone's Advice by Soulwax.

 

[Toxxic 0]

Actually, something I just thought of - go to Audio Democracy (no, this isn't just a cheap plug) and look for Lenny Savage under 'Rock'. That girl's got some serious talent.

[Chuck Woolery 0]

oh man. Shock Value.

 

every time I hear a Timbaland solo album I think, well, maybe this time it'll sound awesome.

 

and it's never that time.

really, it's not even shock value on the whole, but that song with keri hilson and d.o.e. -- "way i are" -- that's giving me flashbacks to when i was fifteen-sixteen and the only song i ever wanted to hear was "yeah!" by usher, lil' jon, and ludacris. the rest of the album is pretty much hit-and-miss, but damn if i don't like "way i are" and think that the whole thing's worth at least one listen.

 

and there's been what, two solo timbaland albums in the last ten years? don't date yourself too bad, bro.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

I still can't believe you bought On Avery Island and not Aeroplane.

 

Anyway, Meat Puppets II. Great stuff.

[Sly 0]

Just the title being "Way I Are" makes me long for the taste of vomit in my mouth.

[chirs3 0]

I still can't believe you bought On Avery Island and not Aeroplane.

 

Anyway, Meat Puppets II. Great stuff.

 

I didn't have much choice - On Avery Island was all they had.

[Toxxic 0]

I'm with Sly on the wanton abuse of the English language.

[Chuck Woolery 0]

Just the title being "Way I Are" makes me long for the taste of vomit in my mouth.

i've got just the thing if you need something to get rid of that taste, .

[Sly 0]

Just the title being "Way I Are" makes me long for the taste of vomit in my mouth.

i've got just the thing if you need something to get rid of that taste, .

 

In A Nonsexual Way

 

[Hank Kingsley 0]

Oh, is this where all the retirees hang out?

 

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic (though you've probably heard of them since Neko Case is in the band)

Old 97's - Alive and Wired (a live album but a good intro to the band, since it's 30 songs for $10 on iTunes. Amazing deal)

 

How are all you guys, anyway.

[Hank Kingsley 0]

oh, and call it Double Jeopardy solidarity if you wanna, but Joe is right about "Way I Are." Fuckin' great song. When you hear top 40 songs nonstop at frat parties, you develop a sort of strange bond with them.

[chirs3 0]

Z wins this round - Echo and the Bunnymen top the list of albums I got yesterday.

 

Second goes to AkiraSilent, for "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea", although I'm not sure why my mind is supposed to be blown by this. It's good, but it doesn't strike me as being leaps and bounds better than "On Avery Island".

 

Third place goes to Toxx, for giving me the first Nu-metal band that doesn't instantly make my ears bleed, with Rise Against.

[Guest step up, ghetto blaster.]

I just noticed the Pinback; try Spoon's Gimme Fiction or Kill the Moonlight.

 

also I have been rocking the Cornelius lately. start with Point.

[the.weej 0]

Yes. I'm genuinely surprised you've never listened to Echo & the Bunnymen before, but I was positive you'd be all over Ocean Rain. It's one of those albums I get swallowed up in and lets the world disappear for a little while.

 

Supes: I'm surviving - it's been a busy couple of years. You're actually still on my AIM list, having endured as one of those "I don't really talk to this guy but keep him around for his amusing away messages" people.

 

-Z

[Toxxic 0]

Z wins this round - Echo and the Bunnymen top the list of albums I got yesterday.

 

Second goes to AkiraSilent, for "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea", although I'm not sure why my mind is supposed to be blown by this. It's good, but it doesn't strike me as being leaps and bounds better than "On Avery Island".

 

Third place goes to Toxx, for giving me the first Nu-metal band that doesn't instantly make my ears bleed, with Rise Against.

 

Raynor, Rise Against are hardcore punk. Probably more hardcore than punk, maybe. But they are definitely NOT nu-metal. Wash your mouth out, young man.

[chirs3 0]

I didn't even know there was a musical genre called hardcore.

[Toxxic 0]

It's where the whole straight-edge thing started, with Minor Threat. Evolved out of punk in the early 80s. I'm no expert but I'd say bands like Black Flag and Bad Brains, guys like that, were among the frontrunners.

 

But yeah - hardcore punk is probably by favourite musical genre, and that is probably my favourite album. Tied with New Maps of Hell.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Seconding Supes on the old 97's. just giving them a listen today. I like Satelite Rides.

[Sly 0]

Rise Against are fucking awesome, by the by.