@Erroll_Sims: I committed the cardinal sin of letting 37 posts pile up - some pretty dense ones among them - and have only just seen your recommendation of Samira Joy. Love Billy Holliday (and was playing a CD a couple of days ago). I can appreciate the quality of Aretha Franklin’s voice (? Queen of Soul) but I’m not familiar with her recordings much beyond Respect and Natural Woman.
I’ll have a listen to Samira Joy. And I’ll also post a link to a wonderful Irish singer, Mary Coughlan. Last heard live at Wycombe Town Hall at least 15 years ago.
@eric_plant chose New Order's World in Motion because it took him back to a time when he felt full of optimism. Full of youthful naivety and without a care in the world. This song makes me feel exactly the same.
It sticks in my memory because I had to walk a good 3 miles as part of my journey back home from watching Wycombe Wanderers. We'd just beaten Telford United 4-0 at Adams Park (Saturday 5th September) and it was exactly a week before my 17th birthday. I listened to the KISS FM House Chart Top 40 on my tranny radio and this was No. 1.
The lyrical sample "I can't believe this feeling, you take me higher" felt entirely appropriate as we sat top of the GM Vauxhall Conference, heading for the non-league double and promotion to the Football League. If only you could bottle that feeling. It felt like I literally skipped home basked in the Autumn sun that evening.
The name of this band has subsequently been brought into quite some disrepute. A post-rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, who rather wisely disbanded in 2010. This song has become something of a modern lullaby to me, helping me fall to sleep countless times.
10 minutes 45 seconds in length, it slowly builds to form a beautiful melody, with the lyrically refrain "A day, it changes everything" delivered hauntingly by a guest female vocalist. It might not be the poetry of Keats, but it repeatedly resonates in so many life situations. Most recently Tuesday 21st February 2023, if we're keeping it on topic.
@tom_doust's important thread discussing the health risks of men 'who are somewhat blessed in years' acts as a reminder of my own lucky escape from cancer in 2007. Since then I sometimes find myself pondering on all the things I'd have missed out on had it been my time. It's a curious feeling. There are three obvious ones.
First and most importantly meeting my girlfriend in 2015. There have been so many life experiences that otherwise would never have been open to me. Her one and only football match was the play-off final against Southend United. Trying not to cry in front of your girlfriend of barely four months was certainly an experience. She really learned the significant role that Wycombe Wanderers plays in my life that day.
Secondly, Monday 13th July 2020. One of the greatest days of my life. An unforgettable day. Truly magical. A real life fairytale that came true. In the midst of a global pandemic. Utterly surreal. YCMIU.
Thirdly, discovering Sleep Token. I didn't think falling in love with a new band happened in your mid-40's. It's a teenage thing. The music that lives with us throughout our lives tends be discovered around the age of 16. Yet here I am, feeling like I'm 16 again. Sleep Token are a masked, anonymous collective of musicians that don't give interviews and aren't confined or defined by genres. No band before has made me feel like this. I get goosebumps every time. The reason for choosing this song and the purpose of all this schmaltz relate to the lyrics to the chorus. They perfectly sum up these three things better than I ever could.
"And you make it more - than I - could ever feel - before"
As I said before picking 3 was very hard & my earlier choices were the right ones that day, but would probably have been different every day since then & beyond.
This thread has been wonderful as it has firstly reminded me of & made me listen to stuff that had been gathering dust in my collection for too long, so thanks to those whose picks fall into that category & secondly, has introduced me to artists that I hadn't had the pleasure of listening to before, something that has opened up some new musical vistas for me; finally it did also on one or two occassions remind me of what I don't like or just find too hard to make sense of (my failing rather than the musicians I suspect).
So a huge thank you to all who have contributed so far & to all those little pleasures we are yet to hear from those who haven't posted their choices yet.
You are absolutely right that choices would vary day by day. Definitely would find a place for Hazel O'Connors "Will you" if doing today for example. Always loved a bit of sax.
I held off posting mine as like so many, picking 3 songs from the 10s of 1,000s I own and love is an impossible task but here's three I hope people enjoy:
The imperious centrepiece of possibly the greatest, most innovative album ever released. And to think, the band weren't keen on Andy Warhol installing Nico in their ranks.
A hugely underrated singer who found her spiritual home on 4AD in the 80s and early 90s. An emotionally intense but musically serene train trip along the coast away from home. Just beautiful.
You probably wouldn't expect a collaboration between two of North America's best underground metal bands to produce an album of gorgeously gothic Appalachian folk music but here it is.
I know I've already had a go, but there's been a distinct lack of certain genres so far, and having been steeped in the techno / acid / house music scenes for decades I feel like it's my duty to introduce you all to some dance music.
Junq - From Below - Listen to this on the very best sound system you can, and preferably not via YouTube or Spotify who both butcher this kind of thing with their compression. The production on this is impeccable, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to make these sounds sit together so perfectly.
Modeselektor - Black Block - My favourite track by probably my all time favourite electronic music act. When their first album came out nothing had ever sounded quite like it, and nobody has since.
I give you Alabama 3 - U Don't Dance To Techno Anymore one of my all time fave bands - not strictly electronic but a cracking band that bend genres left right & centre to make banging tunes.
followed up by my current fave electronic band VNV Nation - Resolution - can't remeber how I discovered them, but boy am I glad I did as they have a whole host of cracking tunes &
the grandaddies of german techno Kraftwerk - Autobahn - simply because they got me and a huge swathe of my generation into electronic music in the first place
I think I stumbled upon them while playing song radio of something on Spotify, then saw they were picking up quote a bit of hype. I wasn't at all surprised to see Pitchfork rate them...
Really interesting thread...sadly some of the more progressive tunes pass by my need for immediate punk/rock impact (and I quite like Rush!) but I realise that is my own fault. As for Dance music @drcongo, I tried, but in the words of the great philosopher professor Liam Gallagher - 'I'm sorry but I'm not 'avin' that.'
Happy Birthday! is an absolute monster of a record, so many huge tunes. I have seen them live a number of times and loved every one. Moderat, and indeed Apparat on his own, have also produced some incredible work.
I like a lot of 100 gecs-y music and I’ve tried to get into them a few times but I just haven’t enjoyed it. I’ve not listened to the new album yet though.
Comments
Something in the orange is an absolute banger!
@Erroll_Sims: I committed the cardinal sin of letting 37 posts pile up - some pretty dense ones among them - and have only just seen your recommendation of Samira Joy. Love Billy Holliday (and was playing a CD a couple of days ago). I can appreciate the quality of Aretha Franklin’s voice (? Queen of Soul) but I’m not familiar with her recordings much beyond Respect and Natural Woman.
I’ll have a listen to Samira Joy. And I’ll also post a link to a wonderful Irish singer, Mary Coughlan. Last heard live at Wycombe Town Hall at least 15 years ago.
Well this might just come across as a little indulgent. If so, please forgive me.
1] ACEN | TRIP II THE MOON (Part 2 - The Darkside) September 1992
@eric_plant chose New Order's World in Motion because it took him back to a time when he felt full of optimism. Full of youthful naivety and without a care in the world. This song makes me feel exactly the same.
It sticks in my memory because I had to walk a good 3 miles as part of my journey back home from watching Wycombe Wanderers. We'd just beaten Telford United 4-0 at Adams Park (Saturday 5th September) and it was exactly a week before my 17th birthday. I listened to the KISS FM House Chart Top 40 on my tranny radio and this was No. 1.
The lyrical sample "I can't believe this feeling, you take me higher" felt entirely appropriate as we sat top of the GM Vauxhall Conference, heading for the non-league double and promotion to the Football League. If only you could bottle that feeling. It felt like I literally skipped home basked in the Autumn sun that evening.
2] ISIS | WEIGHT September 2002
The name of this band has subsequently been brought into quite some disrepute. A post-rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, who rather wisely disbanded in 2010. This song has become something of a modern lullaby to me, helping me fall to sleep countless times.
10 minutes 45 seconds in length, it slowly builds to form a beautiful melody, with the lyrically refrain "A day, it changes everything" delivered hauntingly by a guest female vocalist. It might not be the poetry of Keats, but it repeatedly resonates in so many life situations. Most recently Tuesday 21st February 2023, if we're keeping it on topic.
3] SLEEP TOKEN | HYPNOSIS - September 2021
@tom_doust's important thread discussing the health risks of men 'who are somewhat blessed in years' acts as a reminder of my own lucky escape from cancer in 2007. Since then I sometimes find myself pondering on all the things I'd have missed out on had it been my time. It's a curious feeling. There are three obvious ones.
First and most importantly meeting my girlfriend in 2015. There have been so many life experiences that otherwise would never have been open to me. Her one and only football match was the play-off final against Southend United. Trying not to cry in front of your girlfriend of barely four months was certainly an experience. She really learned the significant role that Wycombe Wanderers plays in my life that day.
Secondly, Monday 13th July 2020. One of the greatest days of my life. An unforgettable day. Truly magical. A real life fairytale that came true. In the midst of a global pandemic. Utterly surreal. YCMIU.
Thirdly, discovering Sleep Token. I didn't think falling in love with a new band happened in your mid-40's. It's a teenage thing. The music that lives with us throughout our lives tends be discovered around the age of 16. Yet here I am, feeling like I'm 16 again. Sleep Token are a masked, anonymous collective of musicians that don't give interviews and aren't confined or defined by genres. No band before has made me feel like this. I get goosebumps every time. The reason for choosing this song and the purpose of all this schmaltz relate to the lyrics to the chorus. They perfectly sum up these three things better than I ever could.
"And you make it more - than I - could ever feel - before"
Damn! I love music.
Best film/music scenes: The Commitments with Mustang Sally!
@glasshalfempty I still love that ISIS track, easily in my top 20 all time.
As I said before picking 3 was very hard & my earlier choices were the right ones that day, but would probably have been different every day since then & beyond.
This thread has been wonderful as it has firstly reminded me of & made me listen to stuff that had been gathering dust in my collection for too long, so thanks to those whose picks fall into that category & secondly, has introduced me to artists that I hadn't had the pleasure of listening to before, something that has opened up some new musical vistas for me; finally it did also on one or two occassions remind me of what I don't like or just find too hard to make sense of (my failing rather than the musicians I suspect).
So a huge thank you to all who have contributed so far & to all those little pleasures we are yet to hear from those who haven't posted their choices yet.
You are absolutely right that choices would vary day by day. Definitely would find a place for Hazel O'Connors "Will you" if doing today for example. Always loved a bit of sax.
I held off posting mine as like so many, picking 3 songs from the 10s of 1,000s I own and love is an impossible task but here's three I hope people enjoy:
The Velvet Underground & Nico - 'All Tomorrow's Parties' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vquoQkoeqc
The imperious centrepiece of possibly the greatest, most innovative album ever released. And to think, the band weren't keen on Andy Warhol installing Nico in their ranks.
Heidi Berry - 'North Shore Train' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWh8Bi8d4h0
A hugely underrated singer who found her spiritual home on 4AD in the 80s and early 90s. An emotionally intense but musically serene train trip along the coast away from home. Just beautiful.
The Body & Big Brave - 'Blackest Crow' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prj0n5Bn9oc
You probably wouldn't expect a collaboration between two of North America's best underground metal bands to produce an album of gorgeously gothic Appalachian folk music but here it is.
Or, Try a little tenderness, great film The Commitments !
I suspect you might be the only other Gasroom contributor who has heard of ISIS (the band).
Saw them at Koko in London many years ago (possibly 2010 or thereabouts). Great show - remarkably visceral for such a technical band.
@MindlessDrugHoover well that put me in my place. I never got to see them live, because I’m an idiot, so am green with envy here.
I know I've already had a go, but there's been a distinct lack of certain genres so far, and having been steeped in the techno / acid / house music scenes for decades I feel like it's my duty to introduce you all to some dance music.
Junq - From Below - Listen to this on the very best sound system you can, and preferably not via YouTube or Spotify who both butcher this kind of thing with their compression. The production on this is impeccable, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to make these sounds sit together so perfectly.
Modeselektor - Black Block - My favourite track by probably my all time favourite electronic music act. When their first album came out nothing had ever sounded quite like it, and nobody has since.
Humanoid - Stakker-Humanoid - The greatest acid house track ever. Though Energy Flash might have something to say about that.
If we get another 13 pages without any jungle tracks I'll come back and do that one too.
If you like Isis, Mogwai, Godspeed etc you might enjoy Ghosts In the Photographs from Oxford who've just released their debut album.
Ah @drcongo I too enjoy those genres
I give you Alabama 3 - U Don't Dance To Techno Anymore one of my all time fave bands - not strictly electronic but a cracking band that bend genres left right & centre to make banging tunes.
followed up by my current fave electronic band VNV Nation - Resolution - can't remeber how I discovered them, but boy am I glad I did as they have a whole host of cracking tunes &
the grandaddies of german techno Kraftwerk - Autobahn - simply because they got me and a huge swathe of my generation into electronic music in the first place
Thanks for the recommendation, I shall check them out.
Humanoid - Stakker Humanoid is such a seminal house track. I love how heavy it gets.
If I may diversify things some more, the new 100 gecs album is possibly the weirdest thing I've ever heard - and I think I love it.
I thought I was the only football fan who enjoyed a bit of 100 gecs… nice to know I’m not even the only Wycombe fan who enjoys them. Haha
Plus one here. Totally bonkers, but very enjoyable.
For fans of total bonkers, how about some Renaldo & the Loaf - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLLo-cDzKlc
Mates of The Residents but British and weirder.
I think I stumbled upon them while playing song radio of something on Spotify, then saw they were picking up quote a bit of hype. I wasn't at all surprised to see Pitchfork rate them...
Really interesting thread...sadly some of the more progressive tunes pass by my need for immediate punk/rock impact (and I quite like Rush!) but I realise that is my own fault. As for Dance music @drcongo, I tried, but in the words of the great philosopher professor Liam Gallagher - 'I'm sorry but I'm not 'avin' that.'
Oceanic by ISIS: 9 songs, 1 hour 3 minutes
10,000 gecs by 10,000 gecs: 10 songs, 26 minutes 53 seconds.
Alien Lanes by Guided by Voices: 28 songs, 41 min 15 seconds
Scum by Napalm Death - 28 tracks, 33 minutes.
Happy Birthday! is an absolute monster of a record, so many huge tunes. I have seen them live a number of times and loved every one. Moderat, and indeed Apparat on his own, have also produced some incredible work.
The Body are a bit special though. And arguably underground metal and Appalachian folk are both outsider genres
Excited to see post-rock starting to take centre stage...
It certainly is. He seems to be playing Islington in April.
I like a lot of 100 gecs-y music and I’ve tried to get into them a few times but I just haven’t enjoyed it. I’ve not listened to the new album yet though.