Kat's Big Ginormous Amazingly Long Music Poll!

[katallison]

In which you, dear readers, get to advise me extensively and lift me from the crevasse of cultural ignoramushood. The Poll So Big, It Comes In Parts! And On Cutaway!



So, this part of the poll is: Imagine that you have been charged with enlightening someone who has lived in a cave since the mid-70s about the music of the past 30 years.

[Background: The living-in-a-cave part is not much of an exaggeration. I more or less stopped listening to popular music about the time vinyl went out, due to a combination of changing tastes and amazing lack of income. Most of my music collection of the late 70s through the late 90s grew out of a very primitive form of piracy, consisting of:
(1) Go to the library and check out LPs (almost exclusively classical or older jazz);
(2) Dupe them onto cassette tapes;
(3 Return LPs to library, listen to cassette tapes on crappy tape player.

When CDs came to the fore, I looked at them, thought, "Huh. Boy, *those* are pricey," contemplated my amazing lack of income, and passed them by. I also didn't have a car, so the input mode of driving around listening to random shit on the radio wasn't happening. And so, with one thing and another, I basically had no connection with any music that hit the airwaves between, say, 1975 and the present day.]

But now that I have the amazing resources of Our Glorious Intrawebs (in the form of a Rhapsody subscription--Rhapsody rocks!--as well as iTunes et al.), and even some actual income, I am taking on the project of actually trying to listen to current music (for a broad definition of "current") and figure out what I like. So your question is:

What five albums/artists (random number, feel free to contract or expand it) are essential for me to check out, representing music without which Jeezus Keerist, Kat, your life has been a barren wasteland spent in a cave!? (Note: this is just a reply-in-comments kind of poll, devoid of ticky-boxes, because the limitations of LJ's Poll Creator for text boxes frustrates me.)

Part II: So, When/Where/How Do You Listen to Music, Anyway?

[Background: OK, this will sound funny and pathetic to most of you, but one of the things that hinders my plunge back into the realm of music appreciation is that I've simply gotten out of the habit of having music on. Driving around in the car is about it, but I don't drive much, and the rest of my life is basically background-music-free. So really, I'm just curious about how everyone else manages to work this into their lives.]

[Poll #462147]

ETA: Thanks so much for all the great ideas so far!
And although, as noted in the comments, part of my intent was to not restrict your suggestions within the framework of my pre-existing preferences, still I realize a few directional markers might be helpful. So, just a short list of some of the (very few) CDs I have actually purchased and dug:
David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust
Dylan, Blood on the Tracks, Blonde on Blonde
Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville
Cowboy Junkies, Trinity Sessions
Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense
REM, Automatic for the People
Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
The Donnas, Spend the Night
Bonnie Raitt, Luck of the Draw
...to the extent that this provides any help whatsoever. *g*

Comments

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you! The Who and Dylan are old beloved faves of mine, so I totally trust that I shall enjoy all the rest of your recs, and am adding them to the list. Thanks again!

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much -- I'm putting them on the list, and look forward to listening!

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! It's great to get the perspective and recs of someone from a wholly different generation, and there are several names on here that have received multiple endorsements, so I really look forward to listening to them.

(And thanks for the Iceberg Radio link as well -- you know, being the geezer that I am, I keep forgetting that they actually have radio on the Internet these days. O brave new world!)

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Great list -- thanks so much! A few of these have been seconded by others, some are entirely new, all of them (except U2) are wholly unfamiliar to me, so I really look forward to exploring. Thanks again!

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much -- I shall indeed check these out! And thanks also for suggesting the VH-1 programming; it's something I wouldn't have thought of, but it would indeed constitute a good quick exposure to what's current. Thanks again!

[luminosity]

And there's a big part of me that wishes I hadn't followed the instructions to just suggest *five*... :) I've been listening to Tom Waits since the late 70's, and I still think that Bone Machine (around 1992, I think) is his best work ever.

I also love the blues--all types, but I didn't want to inundate you with suggestions about Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, et al. without knowing whether or not the blues appeals to you. However, I had to add in SVR because he redefined the blues in the 80's and is required listening. The man was amazing.

[farwing.livejournal.com]

Isn't Vincent Black Lightening amazing? If you ever get the chance to see Richard Thompson in concert, do it. His newest studio album (The Old Kit Bag) is quite good as well- that's the thing. He's been making music for, oh, 35 years, and keeps producing truly wonderful stuff.

I am always glad to recommend my favorite music. Hope you enjoy the artists unknown to you.

[popfantastic.livejournal.com]

Provided all works out in terms of my *making* it, I will bring you some stuff next weekend. Yay!

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I've just looked through other comments and I'm only now realizing that you're *serious* when you say you know no music since the early 1970s - You don't know Tori Amos?? Lyle Lovett?? Good lord. I'm going to have to make another post of all the artists I passed over, thinking "Well, she knows *this*, surely."

[katallison.livejournal.com]

*g* It is difficult to overstate the extent of my ignorance of modern music. My associations with Tori Amos are "Didn't someone do a really kick-ass Homicide vid to one of her songs? Or maybe that was somebody else, Alanis Morrisette or something, god, *I* don't know." My associations with Lyle Lovett are "funny-looking guy who seems really nice and used to be married to Julia Roberts." (I *do* see the covers of People magazine while standing in supermarket lines. *g*)

I mean, maybe if someone sat me down and played some of their songs, I'd go, "Oh, so *that's* by so-and-so, eh?" But really, my lack of knowledge is pretty stupefying.

Re: I have the same problem you have

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

Taking up knitting is a great idea, actually. I wonder if I could fit that in.

::considers::

::laughs hysterically::

Well, maybe not. Still, it's worth thinking of. In the days before Sacramento got cable, as a video-hungry teen I used to watch Friday Night Videos while playing endless games of solitaire. It's all about having something to do with your hands.

If you like Talking Heads already, you might check out some of their other albums. I particularly like the "True Stories" soundtrack, but their earlier work is crazy-fun, too.

[rhi]

Kat, kind lady, add me to the list of people willing to send you mix CDs or ::coughdubscough:: if you'll send me a snail mail address. God knows Sleeps With Coyotes and Alice In Stonyland constantly hook me on new artists; I really ought to pass the favor along. ;-> If you'd like anything, let me know at Rhiannon dot Shaw AT gmail dot com, okay? And thank *you* -- this has been a fascinating discussion to watch, and I've bookmarked it for the next time I spend money on music.

[giglet.livejournal.com]

I'm a hopeless folkie, so, grain of salt

June Tabor and the Oysterband, "Freedom and Rain" (or just June Tabor, or just the Oysterband)
The Waterboys, "This is the Sea"
The Clash, "London Calling" (okay, so it's not folk)
Violent Femmes, "Violent Femmes" (okay, so this isn't folk either)
Eliza Carthy -hmm. Can't think of which album to rec.
Great Big Sea -- ditto.
Emmylou Harris -- ditto.
They Might Be Giants, "Flood"
Soundtrack for "Brother Where Art Thou?"
REM -- but you knew that.
Warren Zevon, his last album

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

I'm so blonde...

I have a bit of music uploaded, and you can find it here. I'm actually planning on putting more up for people in the near future, so if you want anything I listed? Let me know and I'll hook you up. *G*

I was trying to avoid doubling -- looks like I didn't do very well at it, but -- so I actually have quite a bit what other people have recommended. I forgot to mention Metric. Everyone should give Metric a chance, because they have great lyrics, and if you kind of like them the first time, you'll like them more and more every time you listen to them.

I'm trying to remember what I saw recommended multiple times that I have. I know for for that in MP3 format I have Arrogant Worms, Arcade Fire, a bit of Belle and Sebastian, Bloc Party, Cat Empire, Dashboard and Death Cab, Doves, Franz Ferdinand, Go Sailor, Green Day, Hives, Jack Johnson, Live, Magnet Lane, Magnetic Fields, Modest Mouse, Morrissey, Neutral Milk Hotel, some Pixies, Postal Service, Rilo Kiley, Sarah Harmer, Sarah Slean, Sleater Kinney, Snow Patrol, Spoon, Tegan and Sara, U2...

That list really isn't as scary as it looks. It's just that amongst my friends, I am the bringer of new music. They show me some mass-produced, mainstream album that they like and I show them a better alternative. *G*

Like I said, I'm planning on uploading some music for some people anyway, so if you'd like I could throw some up for you as well. It wouldn't be a problem.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

Hee! Sprat, you have good taste. *G*

Radiohead's an odd one for me. I enjoy them in small doses -- I find them to be a great addition while I'm making mixes, but for some reason I can't sit down and listen to one of their albums by itself.

Have you seen Donnie Darko? Gary Jules does a great cover of Mad World that originated in the movie. It's a very good song, but it just means so much more if you've seen the movie, which I also recommend highly.

[sprat.livejournal.com]

Hey thanks, cherryice! I liked your list a lot, too. (The Yeah Yeah Yeahs! KAREN O! :) )

Radiohead is really good at sucking you into the mood they're creating, I find--which can be muchish, since Thom Yorke's not exactly the most chipper guy in the world, you know? *g* But I like them for days when I'm already down. Lovely sulking music.

(And yes--Donnie Darko! I did see that, and liked it very much. Sparkle Motion! Hee.)

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

Five fave bands:

XTC
Cake
Violent Femmes
Garbage
Squirrel Nut Zippers (fun and jazzy)

I also like goofy song bands like The Arrogant Worms.

[alexfandra.livejournal.com]

Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head
Neil Finn: anything
Oysterband: Holy Bandits; Shouting End of Life
Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Trouble Is
Warren Zevon: The Wind

I don't listen to music a lot, and when I do, it's usually classical (or more precisely, baroque), as I tend to get song lyrics stuck in my head when I listen to rock/pop, which I find intensely irritating. However, the above are a few of my favorites for purposes of a) drowing out chatty coworkers, b) long drives, and/or c) the sudden inxeplicable urge to flail madly about the living room. Enjoy.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

Re: Radiohead -- See, I don't know if that's it. I can listen to the Whitlams over and over (and you should totally check them out, because they're brilliant; they're alt/Jazz/Rock, kind of). Anyone Can Play Guitar is my favourite RH track.

I think that when I start my job this summer, Donnie Darko is going to have to go onto my movie list. See, I know I have a hard time not buying good movies or tv shows on DVD, so I budgeted a bit of money. It's better than suddenly caving and splurging, right?

Anyway. Gary Jules. Mad World. Very moody track. ::Thumbs up::

[norah.livejournal.com]

Here are links to somewhere between one and two hundred songs in handy .zip files.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/makesmewannadie/133000.html

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

I do so love your taste in music. :)

(Which is to say that it looks a lot like mine. *G*)

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

postage shall be reimbursed

Bah nonsense.

Seriously, I am having so much fun with this - more than you may when you get the results, as I've essentially waded through my vinyl and my tapes and my CDs and my mp3s and am making a sort of retrospective of my life as a music fan, starting in about 1982, when I first started buying stuff. Don't worry, it's abridged (heavily!), but still. Am focusing a bit more on the British/European side of things as most of your flist is bound to be better with the US stuff, and I'm not really doing very much Swedish music... really. And leaving out REM. Go buy the CDs. *g* And also leaving out the classical and the pre-80s and the, erm. things. Otherwise you'd get a ton of madrigals and Django Reinhardt.

Can you tell I'm having fun with this? :)