New (non-classical) Music Night & Day

[Rinaldo]

Funny, one of the reasons I started this thread was to escape all the prog rock that seems to be the #1 go-to genre among classical listeners. Talk about a plan backfiring! Anyway, to quote my favourite critic, speaking about Zappa's live act:

..the usual eccentric clichés, replete with meters and voicings and key changes that are as hard to play as they are easy to forget.

*drops mic*

I own the Swans album and like what I've heard of it so far, but I've yet to listen to it in its entirety.

I've seen them live last November and boy, what a show. The opening act was Pharmakon and she was spectacular as well. I don't listen to that much noise (James would probably disagree) but I've been hooked on this guttural, Throbbing Gristle-ish stuff for a few weeks. Here's the single (warning – autoplay) from her recent album, Bestial Burden.

[ibanezmonster]

Funny, one of the reasons I started this thread was to escape all the prog rock that seems to be the #1 go-to genre among classical listeners. Talk about a plan backfiring!

Of course, because prog is great. What a silly expectation. 

[chadfeldheimer]

Funny, one of the reasons I started this thread was to escape all the prog rock that seems to be the #1 go-to genre among classical listeners.

I think that's a good reason to start the thread. Personally I've always been a bit sceptical about prog rock, because much of it goes mostly for viruosity, multipart compositions, complex storylines in the lyrics etc. (all attributes that are rather associated with classical music) and forget's thereby what rock music is primarily about, to express the urge of the youth or simply to rock. That's what I always wanted, when I listened to rock music and classical music cannot offer this. Therefore comparing rock music to classical music is like comparing apples and oranges. For example I cannot think of a classical concert that could offer me the primal hypnotic energy of a Swans concert (nice pick btw). The other way around I cannot exspect refinement and subltlety of good classical music, when I listen to rock.

P.S.: Don't get me wrong, there are(were) great prog bands, but IMO only those that retain(ed) to rock.

[Rinaldo]

I think that's a good reason to start the thread. Personally I've always been a bit sceptical about prog rock, because much of it goes mostly for viruosity, multipart compositions, complex storylines in the lyrics etc. (all attributes that are rather associated with classical music) and forget's thereby what rock music is primarily about, to express the urge of the youth or simply to rock. That's what I always wanted, when I listened to rock music and classical music cannot offer this. Therefore comparing rock music to classical music is like comparing apples and oranges. For example I cannot think of a classical concert that could offer me the primal hypnotic energy of a Swans concert (nice pick btw). The other way around I cannot exspect refinement and subltlety of good classical music, when I listen to rock.

P.S.: Don't get me wrong, there are(were) great prog bands, but IMO only those that retain(ed) to rock.

Exactly my thoughts, thanks.

[North Star]

Perhaps you should change the title to 'New (non-prog) Music Night & Day', then.

[Purusha]

Change it to "new music that doesn't exceed this artificial low threshold for excellence i just arbitrarily attached to rock as a genre".

[Rinaldo]

Oh, please, any NEW prog rock that's out there is more than welcome. I'll probably hate it but that's not the point. Just leave your Zappa's at the door, thanks!

[ibanezmonster]

Change it to "new music that doesn't exceed this artificial low threshold for excellence i just arbitrarily attached to rock as a genre".

I'll admit, that was hilarious. 

What I love about prog is that it's one of the few genres of music (other than some jazz and metal) that is actually interesting enough to hold my attention. The last 20 or 30 years of classical music haven't been so great at all, IMO, so it's good to have this stuff. I've never understood the concept of wanting to listen to rock "just to rock" or even metal "just to headbang" or whatever. If music doesn't challenge me at all, I find it nearly impossible to respect or enjoy it.

Expect plenty of prog from me in this thread sometime soon. 

[NJ Joe]

Robert Christgau once wrote of Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, that he "is one of those people who attracts admirers by means of a principled arrogance that has no relation to his actual talents or accomplishments"; which is precisely my take on Robert Christgau.

Anyway, here's my second entry to this thread.  Hopefully 2013 isn't too old:


https://www.youtube.com/v/rBKjhgHGVZs

[Rinaldo]

I disagree with a lot of Christgau's reviews but I respect the man nonetheless. His Consumer Guide is a treasure trove of musical insight (AND arrogance, yes, although I find most of it well-argued).

Moving on! 2013's okay in my books As long as we'll stay in the current decade, we'll be fine!

Not a big fan of My Bloody Valentine but here's a Czech band called Manon Meurt, hailed as 'the next MBV' around these parts of the world. Nice kids, they eventually ended up supporting MBV on their recent Prague gig.

https://www.youtube.com/v/4Zr3i8kSIO0

[NJ Joe]

I disagree with a lot of Christgau's reviews but I respect the man nonetheless. His Consumer Guide is a treasure trove of musical insight (AND arrogance, yes, although I find most of it well-argued).

Moving on! 2013's okay in my books As long as we'll stay in the current decade, we'll be fine!

Not a big fan of My Bloody Valentine but here's a Czech band called Manon Meurt, hailed as 'the next MBV' around these parts of the world. Nice kids, they eventually ended up supporting MBV on their recent Prague gig.

https://www.youtube.com/v/4Zr3i8kSIO0

Took off very nicely there at around 4:30. Good finish.

[Sergeant Rock]

Exactly my thoughts, thanks.

Mine too.

Sarge, a Classical and Rock fan who dislikes most Prog

[Sergeant Rock]

Expect plenty of prog from me in this thread sometime soon. 

Now we finally know why you don't have a girlfriend 

AEFW

[North Star]

Now we finally know why you don't have a girlfriend 

AEFW

Hello, Acropora Eating Flat Worm.

[ibanezmonster]

Haken's discography

Aquarius
https://www.youtube.com/v/gKkycq9Suok

Visions
https://www.youtube.com/v/DO61NWKkyWQ

The Mountain
https://www.youtube.com/v/oIY4X8yi5Oo

Restoration
https://www.youtube.com/v/Qz-81CFjXOI

[Rinaldo]

Ha, I've checked a few bits and enjoyed them more than I'd feel comfortable admitting! Great sound. I can imagine having Haken as a secret guilty pleasure. But they sound too kitschy & predictable for my tastes.

My kind of metal is that which abandons clichés and pushes things forward, carving its own place in history. Enter Converge: twenty years after their formation, these guys keep outdoing their previous material. 2012's All We Love We Leave Behind is a masterpiece.

https://www.youtube.com/v/e6JcHaJBLyY

https://www.youtube.com/v/Qrq4d7UkwdY

https://www.youtube.com/v/fyJz_V9jnlM

I'm far from being a metalhead but when I saw them live three years ago, the music pulled me into the pit like a maelstrom.

[Rinaldo]

To offset the heaviness of my last post, here's one of the two performances that caught my attention on Letterman last year:

https://www.youtube.com/v/gbe94RDsKmk

Listening to the whole album right now and while Queen is a standout, the whole thing is pretty solid.

The other performance was, of course, this:

https://www.youtube.com/v/1Ee4bfu_t3c

[ibanezmonster]

Ha, I've checked a few bits and enjoyed them more than I'd feel comfortable admitting! Great sound. I can imagine having Haken as a secret guilty pleasure. But they sound too kitschy & predictable for my tastes.

I can understand the kitschy observation (though not the "predictable" observation). It took me quite a while (months, actually) to warm up to Aquarius and The Mountain because of this. Visions clicked immediately, though.

What I appreciate most out of them is not so much the corny sections, but the glorious, mysterious sections. If I had to give just one example for brevity, it would be the conclusion of The Mountain, starting at 59:30. Not much out there that can match that level of intense, transcendent emotion, other than perhaps Mahler.

My kind of metal is that which abandons clichés and pushes things forward, carving its own place in history. Enter Converge: twenty years after their formation, these guys keep outdoing their previous material. 2012's All We Love We Leave Behind is a masterpiece.

Glad you mentioned Converge. That was a band I had just about totally forgotten about, even after listening to and enjoying Jane Doe. Will have to get around to their stuff.

[Rinaldo]

Any thoughts on the new Blur album? I've always been more of a Pulp guy but Think Tank was a masterpiece and this one sounds fun.

https://www.youtube.com/v/UQQObIQ63T0

https://www.youtube.com/v/Sp1ks7PTzng

I really dig 'Lonesome Street':

https://www.youtube.com/v/3eR-SzHggms

[Rinaldo]

And if it's balls out rock 'n' roll you seek, these Bristolians have a new record out and it's the most kick-ass thing I've heard in ages.

https://www.youtube.com/v/pY7zqDemqZo

Plus their frontman looks like Zappa