In need of some good music...

Hey guys I'm sitting here going nuts, I just moved (again) and it seems that most of my CD's are still packed away some where. Well I've lived the last year in a place where really the only purpose for the local radio station (the only one you could even get) was the farm report, now I'm where most of the stations only play "pop" crap. I NEED SOME GOOD MUSIC!!! The SNL post talking about Kid Rock reminded me of this, as I heard that song on the radio today and it was about the best thing I heard today

I know there are some music aficionados around here and I figured I would ask you all for some suggestions. I basically like everything except rap. Kinda in the mood for some music that actually has some soul to it, not the cookie cutter crap that is so common these days. Grew up listening to oldies (happens when part of your family was in the business in the 60's) and classical, ex girlfriend got me listening to country, listen to most rock of all eras. However sitting there trying to listen to AC/DC just doesn't work well when I'm trying to study great from driving though.

So what do you guys suggest? I don't care how old it is or what kind of music it is just so long it is good music with some soul.

I'm into country and classic rock, and um... alternative country-folk-rock kinda stuff? I'd recommend going to Pandora.com. Type in a song or artist you like, and it starts playing other songs and artists with similar musical qualities.

Doc Watson

The Kruger Brothers (banjo, guitar, and a bass... not quite bluegrass, it is very good)

Reckless Kelly

Steve Goodman

John Prine

The Blues Brothers

Booker T and the MG's

The Animals

Barenaked Ladies

Willie Nelson

Crosby Stills Nash and Young

Since you don't like rap I have pretty much nothin to suggest. But if you like classical, then you might like jazz. Since you mentioned studying, I got a good jazz one. I used to listen to it when I would study. Stuff with lyrics would distract me, but this normally helped me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA3xkwcSJQ4

Step 1) Set up a Pandora account: www.pandora.com Step 2) Teach it what you like. Step 3) Enjoy music you didn't know you liked or existed.

on a jazz note, look up Birdland by Weather Report. Very good. I think that there is a bluegrass version too that I relaly like

Second the Pandora suggestion. Pair it with an eMusic subscription and collect the good stuff at a fair price.

damn pandora rocks and thankfully i have a net connection again that can stream stuff. I need to get my surround sound system set back up to my computer so that I can get some better sound.

Thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming. Always can use new music to listen to. Think I'm going to have to go get my guitar from the old place and start playing that again as well.

Leela James for some soul R&B Chris Thile, Nickel Creek, Union station, and Cory Chisel for some newgrass Live Fleetwood Mac. Lindsay Buckingham is a friggin god. Rachel McCartney, Damien Rice, Ray LaMontagne and Gregory Hoskins for the sensitive side.

A couple years ago I started listening to bluegrass/newgrass because my wife liked it. Now I'm totally hooked. Had you asked me 5 years ago if I'd be into 'twang' I'd have laughed at you. It's just such pure, raw music. I don't much go for the old school, slow melody stuff. I like fast upbeat 'grass. Rhonda Vincent, Carrie Hassler, Michael Cleveland, Blue Highway and Cherryholmes are a few I actually own.

I also seek out new country talent, particularly female vocalists. One of my recent 'finds' is Candy Coburn. That she sings about a chick who digs cars doesn't hurt. Look for her video for "Rev It Up" on YouTube.

A great site to research artists is www.allmusic.com.

Here are some new Americana guys I like:

Ryan Adams

Holly Golightly - very chill, almost droning vocal delivery but soulful.

Punk isn't much for studying so I'll skip that.

Ambient can be fun to study to. It can also be good for other things that we won't mention here. Some bands:

Thievery Corporation

Air

Some new alternative bands have been getting my ear lately too.

The Hold Steady - think old Springsteen

Cold War Kids - a bit like the Pixies meet the Clash

hmmm for driving around in my wife's (mine has no music in it ) I'll listen to Johny Cash. This I normally dont get eny whining out of enybody.

Some new CDs I have been playing...

Aimee Mann - %*&^#! Smilers

Gillian Welch - All of her CDs

Fleet Foxes - Self Titled

All of these are very good, and not too loud and exciting so as to not be able to study. And they fit in with a mix of country and rock that you said you like. Though I have to say Fleet Foxes amazed me live. Didn't think the 4-part harmonies would hold up, but there it was.

Lately, I've listened to a lot of...

Vampire Weekend

Gang of Four

Flobots (Hip Hop... Not rap. Intelligent.)

Blink-182 (Old stuff. Yay.)

Death Cab for Cutie

The Postal Service

MGMT

B-52s (Their self-titled album still rocks ass.)

FatBoy Slim (Mainly Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars)

and Frank Sinatra.

Some of my favorite discs of the past year:

• Raveonettes: Lust Lust Lust -- If Nancy Sinatra fronted the Jesus & Mary Chain, it would sound a lot like the Raveonettes
• LadyTron: Velocifero -- Not sure about 'soulful', but to my ears it's electronic music done well. Tons of hooks, and not just an hour of bump-bump-bump
• BitterSweet -- Like Portishead, if portishead wanted to get nekkid and tickle you all night
• Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga -- These guys REALLY know how to write a catchy tune
• Blue October: Foiled -- just a really good, solid record. Didn't think I'd like it, but the more I listen, the better it sounds.
• New Pornographers: Challengers -- some sort of indie-rock "supergroup" with Neko Case and a bunch of other people I'm not hip enough to have ever heard of. Anything Neko Case does is worth listening to.
• Neko Case -- it doesn't matter what album. Go get you some Neko Case.
• The Replacements: Tim -- Yeah, I know it's not even close to this past year, but I just replaced my old vinyl copy, and have been struck all over again with what a killer record it is.

Also, I'll second Cold War Kids, and MAYBE MGMT, although I'm not convinced MGMT is going to hold up to repeated listening.

Tim Baxter wrote: BitterSweet -- Like Portishead, if portishead wanted to get nekkid and tickle you all night

Sounds like something I would enjoy....

Also, I'll second Cold War Kids, and MAYBE MGMT, although I'm not convinced MGMT is going to hold up to repeated listening.

They don't for very long, and their current album isn't one that I enjoy listening to from beginning to end. There's a lot of filler.

I'll second the Neko Case, although I'd say New Pornographers' best is Electric Version. If you like Neko Case, you'll enjoy the bands I listed above.

Another great poppy band with lots of hooks is The Magic Numbers. Their self-titled debut album is easy to sing along with. Actually it's almost impossible not to, after repeat listens.

A big plus 1 on Fleet foxes and along those same lines, check out Grizzly Bear, there 2006 album Yellow House is one of favorite albums of the last couple years.

Here is a fantastic radio station you can listen to online: http://kexp.org/

pandora.com, type in some band you like or some song, it'll start you off with that song or band, then start playing music that is similar. It was a great way for me to find some new bands and new types of music. It literally opened up a "pandora box" to music for me. I have always been influenced by what my big bro liked or what the crappy local radio played. Seriously check it out, no downloading anything so you don't have to worry about viruses and E36 M3.

DirtyBird222 wrote: pandora.com, type in some band you like or some song, it'll start you off with that song or band, then start playing music that is similar. It was a great way for me to find some new bands and new types of music. It literally opened up a "pandora box" to music for me. I have always been influenced by what my big bro liked or what the crappy local radio played. Seriously check it out, no downloading anything so you don't have to worry about viruses and E36 M3.

I thought they taught UCF kids to read? It's not like I didn't mention Pandora several posts up...

See folks, Pandora rocks!

+1 for Cold War Kids, just saw them in concert and it was awesome.

I also just went to a show in Chicago with Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry and some others, I recommend checking them out as well if you like folk.

Pandora! Have you noticed a pattern yet?

Of late, I've been on a big kick listening to Portishead and Tom Waits:

Portishead - this board turned me on to them. Holy gods I love their stuff. Just not their latest album

Tom Waits - Different People like different eras of his music. I love his work when he started to get really wierd. I love "Rain Dogs".

For background music, I really enjoy listening to tango music. Especially "nuevo" or "alternativa" tango, which is frequently mixed with elements of jazz, hip hop, and/or electronica. For that, check out:

Asto Piazzola, Osvaldo Pugliesi, and Gotan Project

I also recommend Cake and Tool

If you like rock and country, try some rockabilly like the Informants.

Portishead's latest is difficult, at best. I'm not ready to say it sucks, yet, but it's definitely a challenging listen. That's what they wanted to do, but I haven't decided if it's difficult and worth it, or if it's just a dissonant mess.

walls of jericho.. Candace rulez..

Ok so not studying music..

for studying I like Ska. 1st thru 3rd wave.

the toasters would be a good start.. or prince buster or the selecter or the specials or the slackers..

Portishead's live album (Live in NYC?) is really good. That is their only album that I have. Lately, i've been listening to a ton of Pat Matheny. Most of his stuff is hit or miss but he is really easy to listen to and works well as background music. He doesn't overplay the guitar as some out there do.