Let's talk about music!

[crittergill]

What have y'all been listening to lately? I'll drop a few of my personal favorite albums that have been on my frequent rotation lately. I always tend to lean towards listening to full albums more than single songs for the most part.



The Mountain Goats - Jenny From Thebes (2023)

There's a new Mountain Goats album coming out next month so I've been revisiting the current most recent one, and I've been really vibing with it. They've been in a place I think is really interesting lately, genre-wise where they've been getting more produced and with more varied instrumentation. They've been getting a lot more... jazzy, I guess is the word I want? Ground Level is such a classic one of That Mountain Goats Song but it's got this meandering synth in the background that I just adore. Really looking forward to their new album.


Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak (2003)

It drives me up the damn wall how unknown Ted Leo still is, he's one of those guys that I think would be an absolute superstar if more people knew about him. There's always one album of his bouncing around my brain at any given time and it's currently this one. I'm always blown away by how expressive his playing is and I love the punk/folk blend that really comes through in so many of his songs, especially on this one. I'm a big fan of his lyrics too, and with the bite in his words you can really tell this one was written in the wake of 9/11. Definitely give Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead or The Crane Takes Flight a listen for that folk influence, or check out Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone or The High Party for some good old fashioned shredding.


Masayoshi Takanaka - On Guitar (1994)

Takanaka is just such a master of his instrument. There's such a perfect summer vibe to this album that makes me feel like I'm at the beach no matter what time of year I listen to it. I just adore the covers on this one... there's a cover of Earth Wind and Fire's That's The Way Of The World that makes me feel like I'm floating every time I hear it. My local jazz station plays this in the mornings fairly often, and every time I hear it on my morning commute it just makes the rest of my day so much better.

I'm effortposting my ass off here, I could talk for hours about this. What about y'all? Anything that's been really sticking out for you? Are you more of an full album listener or single songs/constructed playlists?

[lynnedrum]

Oh helllll yeah, I am really behind on my Masayoshi Takanaka (i have only listened to Seychelles, Brasilian Skies, and like 3/4ths of Rainbow Goblins on a roadtrip one time (i rly gotta finish that thing)), so I SUPER appreciate the rec on where to go next!!!! the first time i heard Takanaka was in a very punkish used bookstore in downtown Olympia, I remember having such a clutched-pearls feeling about hearing a sick japanese fusion guitar solo I'd never heard before. but it's been a journey of old woman acceptance to come to terms with The YouTube Algorithm post Plastic Love's blowup making people aware of japanese fusion/city pop to the level I'd wish they were at a decade ago.

I am EXTREMELY more behind on Mountain Goats. That's a band I've always heard one-off songs from and loved, and had always got recommendations for, but never got around to. I've been told that saying "Yeah I've heard and really enjoyed the one about the divorce" truly doesn't come close to narrowing it down. "Old College Try" is a banger. That might be the one I know by name.

Anyway I feel like over the past 3 years I've been getting myself more and more into Talking Heads, at least with their older stuff. Recently (as mentioned in the movie thread) I rewatched True Stories, and has made me remember how much I love the video for Wild Wild Life from that album:



A couple nights ago after some drinks and a couple movies, I got a little in my bag again about SUPERCAR, which I think I can confidently still say is my favorite band. It's impossible to represent them with a single song, as they went on such an arc between distortion fuzzy guitar shoegaze shit to full synth drum machine twinkly guitar dreampop, but this song is still one I think about on sundays when I feel a little bummed out, but warmly so.



also post 9/11 folkpunk sounds sick as hell lmfao. i'll have to give it a look!!!

[crittergill]

Oh helllll yeah, I am really behind on my Masayoshi Takanaka (i have only listened to Seychelles, Brasilian Skies, and like 3/4ths of Rainbow Goblins on a roadtrip one time (i rly gotta finish that thing)), so I SUPER appreciate the rec on where to go next!!!! the first time i heard Takanaka was in a very punkish used bookstore in downtown Olympia, I remember having such a clutched-pearls feeling about hearing a sick japanese fusion guitar solo I'd never heard before. but it's been a journey of old woman acceptance to come to terms with The YouTube Algorithm post Plastic Love's blowup making people aware of japanese fusion/city pop to the level I'd wish they were at a decade ago.

God yes. I can't be too hipster-y and "i liked it before it was cool" about Japanese jazz getting trendy because it's just so damn good. Big fan of Casiopea too. I remember one time hanging out with you in person and you got in my car and instantly noticed that i had Domino Line on the speaker

I am EXTREMELY more behind on Mountain Goats. That's a band I've always heard one-off songs from and loved, and had always got recommendations for, but never got around to. I've been told that saying "Yeah I've heard and really enjoyed the one about the divorce" truly doesn't come close to narrowing it down. "Old College Try" is a banger. That might be the one I know by name.

You gotta gotta gotta gottaaaaaaaaa listen to Beat The Champ. Perfect album imo. Concept album about professional wrestling. So much heart in it

Anyway I feel like over the past 3 years I've been getting myself more and more into Talking Heads, at least with their older stuff. Recently (as mentioned in the movie thread) I rewatched True Stories, and has made me remember how much I love the video for Wild Wild Life from that album:

https://youtu.be/616-QGQyx-I?si=0WBvTOEt3oV2weTA (unsure of how i'd embed these if at all possible)

yes yes yes yesyesyesyesyesyseyesyesyes i fucking LOVE!!!! TALKING HEADS!!!!! just like 20 minutes ago i was talking to my roommate about how we need to watch true stories. Stop Making Sense is one of those things that entirely changed how I think about an art medium

A couple nights ago after some drinks and a couple movies, I got a little in my bag again about SUPERCAR, which I think I can confidently still say is my favorite band. It's impossible to represent them with a single song, as they went on such an arc between distortion fuzzy guitar shoegaze shit to full synth drum machine twinkly guitar dreampop, but this song is still one I think about on sundays when I feel a little bummed out, but warmly so.

https://youtu.be/dKViWugb4NM?si=clJHispgG1N3NhLI

Oh I LOVE this? I instantly see what you mean, connected with this so lightning fast. I'm gonna have to listen to them more!

[amos]

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak (2003)

It drives me up the damn wall how unknown Ted Leo still is, he's one of those guys that I think would be an absolute superstar if more people knew about him. There's always one album of his bouncing around my brain at any given time and it's currently this one. I'm always blown away by how expressive his playing is and I love the punk/folk blend that really comes through in so many of his songs, especially on this one. I'm a big fan of his lyrics too, and with the bite in his words you can really tell this one was written in the wake of 9/11. Definitely give Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead or The Crane Takes Flight a listen for that folk influence, or check out Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone or The High Party for some good old fashioned shredding.

Every time I listen to Ted Leo I get embarrassed remembering the time a friend recommended me Brutalist Bricks and I went like "oh this is just like. rock music idgi."... I didn't have enough context...

https://youtu.be/616-QGQyx-I?si=0WBvTOEt3oV2weTA (unsure of how i'd embed these if at all possible)

Video embedding is an optional extension, I'll try and get that set up later today!

I'm always finding new old music to listen to... this weekend it's Goodbye Jumbo by World Party. This song came up like 500 songs into an auto playlist started off of Neil Young's 'Midnight on the Bay' and I really liked it so now I'm going album mode on the whole thing.

[sopy]

i only started trying to find new stuff to listen to a couple years ago so a lot of what i put on regularly is pretty recent. and a solid 30-40% of that is any given kendrick album so you can just imagine those are here. but here's other stuff:

Angel Eyes - Kenny Mason
i've been using this one as a short little "i want to focus in a chill no-pressure kind of way" album. this is the only kenny mason project i still go front-to-back with, but some other songs of his i like:
stack it up (idk why i'm obsessed with project pat's verse on this one)
back home
titan
once again

The Good The Bad The Dollar Menu - Ray Vaughn
i feel like ray vaughn is really slept on in terms of up-and-comers, i really love his delivery and intensity. there's a lot of moments on this album that fuck me up. also this freestyle video where he just goes craaaaazy

I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU - JPEGMAFIA
i kind of prefer the original release to the deluxe but maybe i just need to listen to the new songs more. to me it's all a fun buildup to that big intense moment in Exmilitary and then a satisfying descent from there to the end

Translating the Name - Saosin
found this one pretty recently and it goes down so quick and smooth. i REALLY love the first two songs and the acoustic arrangements at the end but the flow really works for me the whole way through

Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay
i know this is one of those recent darling albums but i just really like it lmao. parts of it bring me back to what i wanted to get out of art angels ten years ago; it goes so many fun and engaging places and it never really loses my interest for more than a minute or two. the way they bring back the first song's structure for the final song makes me holler

[shelter]

had an emo moment with this one yesterday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZYkrY9yxC0

[skweeki]

genevieve artadi - i know
the whole album slaps but this is my favorite song. really cool to hear her arrangements played by a big band.

knower - like a storm
genevieve artadi is 1/2 of knower and i'm going to see them live soon, so i've been combing through their older stuff. this track blew me away. the slow tender melodies punctuated by like breakbeat/jungle drums, so good.

fievel is glauque - love weapon
originally a blanche blanche blanche song but zach phillips rereleased it with his fievel bandmates. i love this version.

slugbug - pointless journey
been a fan since the truck month days but somehow missed this album! it's awesome goofy prog-y new wave with richly layered analog synths and themes of alienation in american society. these tunes get stuck in my head like crazy.

sopy, i've been listening to imaginal disk too! it's funny how much magdalena bay wears their influences on their sleeve. the little ahh-huhs mica tenenbaum does toward the end of death & romance kinda feel like a grimes impression. i have a big soft spot for 2010s indie electronic music & it's fun to hear a 2025 take on it.

[moon]

I haven't listened to this one in a while (mostly because it's been years since I played Let It Die, where it was licensed), but it's been hitting just right lately. "KRUNK" by The Jetze Johnson:



I really like this song, but from what I've heard of the rest of their work, this is really the only thing they've made that sounds like it...

So I don't forget, here's stuff on my to-listen list:

• casiopeia mint jams (I've never heard this one actually)
• mountain goats beat the champ
• newer janelle monae music, I stopped listening to her after Electric Lady

[onza]

one time i got really high and sniffed around to find "onza"-related music and surfaced HUASTEK DESERT MEZCALINE TRANCE MAFIA PART I from LA ONZA REAL (Icamole, Nuevo Leon, Mexico)

[shelter]

rip d'angelo... one of the great geniuses of the last 30 years of music