What are you listening two?

[aimlessgun]

I've been listening to annoying renditions of Battle Hymn of the Republic for half an hour, attempting to find one that is grim and aggressive, but I don't think it exists. Every version is disgustingly upbeat, chill, or church musicy.

[Mr. X]

bumpity bump - no joys of new christmas music?

I haven't gotten new music for Christmas in several years. Thanks to the wonders of Emusic and Amazon MP3, I buy almost all of my music in digital form now. There were only two albums I bought physical copies of last year, both from friends' bands. The first was only available electronically through the iTunes store and the second is from a guy whose music I've been buying in physical form (CD, LP, and even a cassette or two) for close to 18 years.

Pretty sure the last music I got as a Christmas present was the anniversary box set of Born to Run, and according to Amazon that came out 5 years ago.

ETA: Of course, I used to ask for almost nothing but music and books for Christmas (and birthdays). Until I was 16, my family, especially my sister, used to get creative about how they wrapped cassettes so it wouldn't be totally obvious what my gift was. I spent many a Christmas afternoon and night listening to all my new albums.

Speaking of cassettes, I drove my parents' car back to Pennsylvania today while listening to mixtapes from 10 years ago. Good times!

[Mr. X]

I also picked up an album by The Hold Steady. The only album of theirs that I really know is Boys and Girls in America which I really like, so I'm excited to check out something more of theirs.

What did you get? Separation Sunday was where I started listening to them, and I still like that album a lot, though it is much, much more talky than later albums. Stay Positive never clicked with me until I spent a day driving around with that album blasting on the car stereo. Since then I've loved it. The most recent album still hasn't really grabbed me, though it's not bad. Not much of a fan of their first album.

[Mr. X]

I believe (but confirming this would also require effort) that this was their first album after Boys and Girls in America, and that they have one more since which is what you are referencing as their "most recent."

I'll save you the effort and confirm that yes, Stay Positive came between boys and girls in america and Heaven is Whenever.

[Mr. X]

Just to clarify, are you saying that Stay Positive was a bit of a grower for you?

Yes, though I usually think of growers as albums where nothing really struck you originally that eventually become albums you like from start to finish, while Stay Positive started out as an album with a handful of awesome songs that I later realized had other great songs nestled between those awesome songs.

[Muttering Bill]

Been listening to Kamelot lately, and wondering how the hell I've missed these guys for the past 15 years. Damned Europe - hoarding all the good shit! :angry:

[Xray the Enforcer]

If the reviews in the metal thread (and M-A) are anything to go by, avoid Kamelot's 2010 release. It made more than one person's "Dishonourable Mention" list. That said, I haven't heard it yet, so I cannot comment directly. (Also, while many prominent power metal bands are indeed European, Kamelot are based in Florida.)

[Muttering Bill]

If the reviews in the metal thread (and M-A) are anything to go by, avoid Kamelot's 2010 release. It made more than one person's "Dishonourable Mention" list. That said, I haven't heard it yet, so I cannot comment directly. (Also, while many prominent power metal bands are indeed European, Kamelot are based in Florida.)

I've also seen a few mentions that their latest album isn't so good. I've been listening mainly to The Black Halo. I've put on Ghost Opera a few times as well. It's good, but not as good. I am planning to work my way backward through their catalogue.

Florida, eh? Well, in that case - damned South! But I maintian my damning of Europe; for everything else that you're hoarding. :P

[Xray the Enforcer]

I've also seen a few mentions that their latest album isn't so good. I've been listening mainly to The Black Halo. I've put on Ghost Opera a few times as well. It's good, but not as good. I am planning to work my way backward through their catalogue.

Florida, eh? Well, in that case - damned South! But I maintian my damning of Europe; for everything else that you're hoarding. :P

:P

Definitely check out Epica and Karma. And if you'd like recs for other bands in the same vein as Kamelot, stop by the metal thread and just ask. I'm not that into power metal, so I'm not going to be of much use beyond the obvious recommendations (Rhapsody of Fire, Blind Guardian, Sonata Arctica, Edguy, etc), but some of the regulars in there know a fair bit about the subgenre.

edited to add "of Fire" to "Rhapsody" -- I keep forgetting that they had to change their name.

[Muttering Bill]

Ok, Xray. Maybe I'll have a peek. I never bothered with that thread much, since I'd always been more into Progressive Metal - just didn't seem like the kind that'd be discussed there. :dunno:

Tarja's What Lies Beneath and James LaBrie's Static Impulse arrived in the mail today. Now I can't wait to get home. And then take a long drive. I love my car stereo.

[awesome possum]

Mumford and Sons, Sigh No More. The whole album is great, but

and

are awesome songs.

[Durckad]

Ok, Xray. Maybe I'll have a peek. I never bothered with that thread much, since I'd always been more into Progressive Metal - just didn't seem like the kind that'd be discussed there. :dunno:

Tarja's What Lies Beneath and James LaBrie's Static Impulse arrived in the mail today. Now I can't wait to get home. And then take a long drive. I love my car stereo.

Ooh, Static Impulse is a top of 2010 for me. Great record, though a little one-note at times.

Blind Guardian's latest, At the Edge of Time is really, really good too. I've listened to their older stuff a bit, but it's never really gotten to me that I've been compelled to listen to them more, but I'm really digging their newest.

[Spring Bass]

I'm listening to a lot of Broadway music through Pandora. It's kind of catchy.

[haLobEnder]

On a somewhat calculated whim I bought Agalloch's Marrow of the Spirit. I'm not the biggest metal fan usually, but I'd heard enough positive praise for the album that I wanted to check it out. I like the album just fine --as far as metal albums go I think it's my favourte actually-- but something struck me as kind of funny: Seems on any metal album I listen to, I always end up enjoying the atmosphere-setting (usually non-metal) first track the most. Why can't metal bands make all their music like that? :P

[fitheach]

Got reminded of Roxy music's proggy 'For your Pleasure' a few months ago, listened to the album yesterday, along with Zappa's 'Hot Rats'.

Mr PT got blue ray for his 5.1 surround sound system, Porcupine Tree's 'Anaesthetise' DVD totally blew me away. Seen them live five times, this is as good as live. Seriously. :wub:

Ohhh :bowdown: , I've been a Roxy Music fanatic since I was 12!! Absolutely love the

LP (god, I couldn't get enough of Editions of You!), every song is a masterpiece.

Stranded (

) LP is another favorite.

Early Roxy Music is sublime,

is a GOD!!! Brian Ferry is pretty great too...

Coincidentally, I've been listening (obsessing over really) to the Brian Eno/David Byrne collaborations:

, Strange Overtones,

,

...

[Durckad]

On a somewhat calculated whim I bought Agalloch's Marrow of the Spirit. I'm not the biggest metal fan usually, but I'd heard enough positive praise for the album that I wanted to check it out. I like the album just fine --as far as metal albums go I think it's my favourte actually-- but something struck me as kind of funny: Seems on any metal album I listen to, I always end up enjoying the atmosphere-setting (usually non-metal) first track the most. Why can't metal bands make all their music like that? :P

I've been meaning to pick up Marrow of the Spirit for a while now, but I've just been.... lazy I guess.

Have you given any Opeth a try? I wouldn't really compare them to Agalloch much, but they do tend to utilize a lot of soft, acoustic, not-very-metal passages in their songs (along with clean singing) that is kind of 'unusual' for that kind of metal.

[Confalume]

I've just been on a musical odyssey. The Fall Festival in Marion Bay Tasmania. It was the first time I've been to a multi day festival and it was incredible. Got to see so many bands. A couple of the highlights included Klaxons, Interpol, Cold War Kids, The Living End, Cloud Control. They were just the ones that really stood out. And it wasn't just about seeing the bands, it was also the whole crew each getting one song at a time on the I-Pod back in camp/after the festival. It's hard cause I don't just have one song stuck in my head I've got about a dozen running around up there. Good times!!!

Have you given any Opeth a try? I wouldn't really compare them to Agalloch much, but they do tend to utilize a lot of soft, acoustic, not-very-metal passages in their songs (along with clean singing) that is kind of 'unusual' for that kind of metal.

I'm not a big metal fan, but one of the crew played the soft acousticish Opeth album and it was really cool!!!

[haLobEnder]

I've been meaning to pick up Marrow of the Spirit for a while now, but I've just been.... lazy I guess.

Have you given any Opeth a try? I wouldn't really compare them to Agalloch much, but they do tend to utilize a lot of soft, acoustic, not-very-metal passages in their songs (along with clean singing) that is kind of 'unusual' for that kind of metal.

Haven't listened to Opeth no, but now I think I'll check them out. I actually don't mind the vocals on Marrow of the Spirit even though I tend to prefer clean vocals. I think it's because of the production on the album --all the instrumentation is distinct and in focus instead of drowning into a wall of noise and distortion.

I find my taste in music flirts a lot with metal, but usually falls just outside the metal spectrum. I like bands like Boris, Isis, and Jesu but usually when they're at their most experimental and droney. Bands like Current 93, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and A Place to Bury Strangers are more familiar territory for me.

[Horza]

Tonight I listen to the Cramps, from beyond the grave...

...yard shift.

[fitheach]

Otis Redding and Attrition... I don't know if this makes any sense, but it's what I've been listening to. :dunno: