It’s true. I have become a music schmuck. I often hear friends talk about bands and have no idea who they are talking about. It was not always this way. I used to be fairly educated in underground, up and coming, and local music. Back in my hay-day of playing music with fellow musicians I felt on top of my music knowledge game. It was exciting, motivating and even a little highbrow to hear an album and to “have been listening to that band” far before the masses. I loved it, I really did. But after playing in various bands for a while I decided to make major life changes. I didn’t see much of a future in music (career wise) and decided to get married and begin to have a family and work towards different goals. While I still love to play music from time to time I have become somewhat distant to the ever changing world that is the music scene. I do not at all regret my life choices, however I do miss the excitement I would feel when hearing a new band’s album for the first time and being unable to take it out of my CD player for weeks.
So this is where all of you come in. I need your help. I am starting a weekly blog post here on GRTM and would love your group participation. What I need are album suggestions. At the moment I am not interested in listening to a band with one or two great songs, I want great full albums that I can listen to all the way through. The way I see this happening is someone will post an album suggestion. Following people can either disagree and post another album option or simply give a “(album name) & +1″ if you agree with a previous suggested album. I realize that I may already be listening to some of the suggested albums so I will try to keep up on commenting on whether or not I am already familiar. The album that gets the most “+1′s” will be the album I choose for that week. I will then proceed to download that album and listen to it for one week straight with the promise of an open mind. The following week I will post my opinion and experiences with the suggested album and we will begin the process all over again for the next week.
I will do my best to listen to ALL suggested albums over time, however I can only promise the 1 album per week as of right now. Remember that this will hopefully be an on-going weekly thing so let’s try to not cram all of our favorite albums into the first week. No suggestion is off the table! So starting NOW let’s see…err… I mean hear, what you guys got. I can’t wait to have my eyes and ears opened again.
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8 Comments so Far
1 By Nate Gass on Jul 26, 2010 at 2:21 pm
This is an awesome idea! Did somebody call the “rock doctors”? Sorry, just a cheesy Sound Opinions joke.
I think with any recommendation it helps to know a little about your tastes before suggesting something. Everyone needs a starting point. Would you be willing to list a few of your all time favorite albums so there is some sort of basis for recommendations?
2 By Jay Jenison on Jul 26, 2010 at 2:38 pm
That is a great idea. Let’s see…
SOME top albums include:
Arcade Fire: Funeral & Neon Bible
Kings of Leon: Only by the night
Switchfoot: Hello Hurricane
Wilco: Any album
The Get Up Kids: Any album
Coldplay: Almost Any album
Saves the Day: Stay What You Are
Radiohead: Any album
Weezer: Blue album & Pinkerton
Norah Jones: Come away with me & Feels like home
Feist: The Reminder
Jimmy Eat World: Clarity
This is simply a few and hopefully this gives you an idea of the sound I enjoy. I tried listing a few that i am currently listening to, and that have influenced me in the past. That being said, I do not want to limit myself solely to these genres, the entire point of this expedition is to broaden my horizons. And again, if it is good enough to get the largest number of votes from all of you then it deserves a listen from me.
3 By Nate Gass on Jul 26, 2010 at 3:43 pm
It seems like a lot of us here at GRTM have been on a huge Mumford & Sons kick the past few weeks. I think you’d like it given that Arcade Fire and Wilco are both in your favorites. Their record was produced by the guy that did Neon Bible and it has an Americana sound like Wilco.
The record is called Sigh No More.
4 By Jay Jenison on Jul 27, 2010 at 7:53 am
I saw the single you posted as Song of the Week from them. Does anyone agree with this album suggestion or have insight as to why they like it? I’d love to hear opinions on it.
5 By Ryan Ebling on Jul 27, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I agree with that suggestion. It’s a varied and layered album, just as able to be soft and pastoral as it is large and driving, even in the same song. I think as an album it’s special because the songs’ skeletons came from the band, but the execution was due in large part to the producer. Any album with an essential and collaborative relationship between the producer and the artists feels special.
6 By Jay Jenison on Jul 27, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Excellent. This is shaping up to be the first album for Week #1. I think I will continue to take suggestions until tomorrow at which point I will start the listening. Thanks so far guys.
7 By Stephen Hull on Jul 27, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I’ll second Sigh No More.
8 By Jay Jenison on Jul 28, 2010 at 8:16 am
Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons is the official album of week one for me. I will be downloading it tonight and beginning my week long listen. Thanks for the suggestion! I will let you know how it all works out.
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