Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

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mc
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Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by mc »

In light of everything recent, I was thinking about:

a) ways to post more myself
b) increase board discussion
c) get more music recommendations (selfish me!)
d) Simonkeeping's Sunn O))) thread

Resurrecting the compilation trade pool is a great idea, and this thought is a kind of compliment to that. We're all experts in our own little fields, and I guess we're all occasionally lost for inspiration when it comes to getting into an unfamiliar band/artist with a potentially massive discography. So, like the Mojo/Q/etc "Buyer's Guide" feature seen in many music mags, we do the same for our favourite bands.

Real example I've experienced in the past here: if someone (e.g. me!) asks "I've never heard any Carlton Melton but I'm keen and I like x, y, z", the knowledgeable and willing amongst us offers a brief guide on what albums to buy instantly given that person's tastes, the albums to approach next after enjoying the first bunch, and what to avoid until you're a saddo completist ;)

Of course, this happens to a greater or lesser extent in many threads around the forum, but I reckon a thread dedicated to a variety of in-depth cross-genre musical guides from forum members would a) be a great read, and b) be an invaluable music resource for us all. It could happen a couple of ways; curious people could ask for particular recommendations and see who responds with info, or individuals could give lists of bands/artists they're confident and willing to talk about in reasonable depth.

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So if people are interested, I'd love to know how to start buying:

Prince - I have Sign 'O The Times and enjoy it greatly, but don't know where else to go. I'm more into the jazz-funk side of things than R&B, if that helps...

Tangerine Dream - I love Krautrock, ambient music and drone, yet have never heard any TD :oops:

Funkadelic - I have 'Maggot Brain' and it's fucking incredible. Where next? :wink:

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Me, for a start I could provide reasonably decent and comprehensive knowledge of the following obsessions, if anyone is interested:

Animal Collective
Blur
Brian Eno
Can
Eels
Earth & related projects
Frank Zappa/Mothers Of Invention
Julian Cope & most related projects
King Crimson
Lou Reed (solo)
Pulp (I might be the biggest Pulp dork in the world...)
R.E.M.
Sunn O))) & most related projects (Simonkeeping, I'll reply as soon as I can!)

and probably others, if prodded hard enough ;)
Aquarian-Time
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by Aquarian-Time »

Tangerine Dream is an interesting one, I have Zeit (which is supposedly a must have) and another (cant recall which) and I found them fairly bland. It didn't seem to fit the Electro Krautrock type handle of the time (cluster/harmonia etc) it was more ambient and to my ears a bit dull.
So much so I have investigated no further..
olan
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by olan »

I have a bunch of Tangeine Dream LPs but am really not that bothered by them. The LP that receives most plays is Rubicon but the 3xCD collection The Virgin Years is where I would start as (i) it is pretty accessible and (ii) it can be bought for buttons or listened to on Spotify or TIDAL. Out of all the major Krautrock-era acts TD are the least interesting in many ways.

This is the real issue with buyers guides in the streaming age. You can listen to pretty much everything you can think of (except Spacemen 3 :roll: ) on Spotify. It also makes sharing compilations a doddle as you can simply bang up a Spotify playlist, although it does lack a personal touch.
angelsighs
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by angelsighs »

another thumbs down for Tangerine Dream from me. I had their album 'Phaedra' at one point which came recommended as a high point of their catalogue. to me it sounded like somebody burbling around on an old school synth for an hour, it didn't really sound that cosmic and in fact was a bit cheesy to my ears.

we did kind of do these 'buyers guides' before when we had the brief trend of starting a thread simply called 'Tell me about..' it was definitely a good way to get some info from the knowledgeable types here.
mc
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by mc »

Thanks all for the advice - proceed with caution regarding TD, then! I'm somewhat allergic to streaming (silly, really), and I've never been afraid of buying something without hearing it first, so I've taken olan's advice and gone for The Virgin Years 1974-1978 from Amazon. £9 for an mp3 download of 3CDs/4+ albums seems worth the risk. There's plenty of ridiculously minimalistic, meandering and vaguely amateurish ambience in my music collection already, so a little more won't do any harm :wink: I'll let you all know how I get on...
runcible
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by runcible »

Funkadelic. .. The self-titled & Free Your Mind & Your Ass Will Follow are along the lines of Maggot Brain in terms of rocking pretty hard. The latter is insanely tripped out too. Both are excellent.
angelsighs
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by angelsighs »

I'm also very keen to investigate Funkadelic more. I've got a best of which is great, but it gives me a clear indication that the first 3 albums are the ones to go for. very trippy. I love that messy production!
simonkeeping
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by simonkeeping »

Funkadelic are so good, A plus one from me on the self titled and 'free your mind and your ass will follow' - The opening track is astounding! Also worth checking are 'standing on the verge of getting it on'. Very good!

Would love to here more about your musical obsessions!
http://www.soundcloud.com/haarlemriots
angelsighs
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by angelsighs »

I'm pretty sure I could write up a serviceable buyers guide to these artists

Dirty Three
The Twilight Sad
Dungen
Electrelane
Doves
Six Organs of Admittance
Do Make Say Think
mc
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Re: Another "New Music" idea - Spz forum 'buyer's guides'...

Post by mc »

thanks for the Funkadelic recommendations, folks! Much fun to be had :)

I listened to most of Phaedra last night; not sure I can say anything profound about it yet, but it certainly didn't offend me :lol:
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