The Official Pop and Rock Music thread

[Ren 77]

Sweet!

So in regards to my post was I stating the obvious and miss the boat on it?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Probably

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

I'm pretty excited for the new Ben Folds Five. I decided to not listen to any samples and then tomorrow, BAM....I will listen to the whole thing

I'm a backer, so I got the official download link for the whole thing in MP3 format. Still waiting for my physical CD though.

[MrJosh 1,205]

I'm pretty excited for the new Ben Folds Five. I decided to not listen to any samples and then tomorrow, BAM....I will listen to the whole thing

I'm a backer, so I got the official download link for the whole thing in MP3 format. Still waiting for my physical CD though.

Nice! What are your favorite tracks so far, I just listened through for the first time today.

Though Ben's voice has changed through the years, it's pretty awesome to hear these three together again. Couldn't help from smiling when I heard Darren and Robert on background vocals. Brings back classic memories of my step brother and I cruising around listening to Ben Folds Five

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Do It Anyway actually is my favourite so far (and was even before the video). Draw a Crowd is nice, too. But it's all good, really. Doesn't dethrone the best BFF albums and not his best solo efforts either, but I'm fully happy with it.

[Wojo 2,458]

I'm not sure I would be able to name a single Ben Folds song if me life depended on it, or recognize one if you played it.

[Jay 46,243]

Two biggest hits go "She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly", and "I'm rockin' the suburbs, just like Michael Jackson did"

[Wojo 2,458]

<blank stare>

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

To me, Ben Folds is sort of the next generation version of Randy Newman.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Just discovered these guys today. Awesome stuff, their album and new EP are available on Bandcamp.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

According to this Wikipedia article (and an Amazon review... but that may have taken its info from Wikipedia), Bruce Botnick remastered all The Doors albums last year. Is this true? This should be good, right?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I've been wanting to buy The Doors discography, but had held out in case a new set came out.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Same here. But what I was talking about is actually a 2011 box set release of the discography (sans bonus tracks). Opinions seem to differ on whether the new remasters are fine or too different from the originals, but even those who say they sound too changed generally seem to consider the remastered sound to be good (no loudness problems - but after all, we're talking Botnick), just no different in character.

Price is good, too. I'll probably trust Botnick on this one.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I want this one but the price is ridiculous. Last time I checked it was like $70.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

I got the new Dave Matthews Band album. I've listened to it twice and nothing is really jumping out at me. It's not as good as their last album, Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King, but it is better than Everyday and Stand Up. They have really never been a good studio band. All of their songs become alive on the stage. I look forward to hearing these new songs the next time they come around.

[Wojo 2,458]

I want this one but the price is ridiculous. Last time I checked it was like $70.

Check Half.com. I just saw two there for reasonable prices, Like New for $99.99 and Good for $79.98.

Of course, they also have a Brand new for $1,800.99. The fact it's out of print made this set wacky expensive.

At least with The Beatles Mono Box set, it stayed in print which made the price drop like a rock.

[Jay 46,243]

I got the new Dave Matthews Band album. I've listened to it twice and nothing is really jumping out at me. It's not as good as their last album, Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King, but it is better than Everyday and Stand Up. They have really never been a good studio band. All of their songs become alive on the stage. I look forward to hearing these new songs the next time they come around.

Nah, they're first 3 albums are terrific listens all the way through. It's only since then that they can't put out a good album to save their life (but their put on great concerts at least)

[Maurizio 6,913]

To me, Ben Folds is sort of the next generation version of Randy Newman.

I never thought about him that way, but now you pointed this out, it really makes sense. Nice comparison.

Can't wait to listen to the new album.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Piano pop with very satirical texts. Somewhere on the web is a claim that Folds cited Newman as one of his influences. Certainly wouldn't surprise me.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I've been listening to Babel a lot these past couple of days. My initial disappointment still stands, but I've come to quite like the album. To clarify, it never put me off in the first place. If you liked Sigh No More you'll like this, it's just that I was expecting them to take what they started with to another level. It's more of the same, which is obviously not bad, but ultimately not as great as their debut. The banjo really doesn't do anything besides being plucked away in the background in each song, creating a homogenous sound.

My favorite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5hx9HChDGk

[alicebrallice 134]

hmm, haven't listened much to babel yet but that sounds awfully familiar...

I will not speak of your sin

There is a way out for him

The mirror shows not

Your values are shot

But oh, my heart was flawed

I knew my weakness

So hold my hand

Subscribe me not to darkness

[media=]

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Exactly, there's a lot of similarities in tone and melodic content. "Broken Crown" is pretty much "Thistle & Weeds." However, they apparently wrote all these songs either before or right after Sigh No More, so it's not really surprising.

Don't understand why it took them 3 years release them.

[alicebrallice 134]

yes, "broken crown" is pretty much "thistle & weeds part 2" with lyrics from "to darkness". not loving it... I want new! I want fresh!

what other songs from the album do you like?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

"Babel" and "I Will Wait" are most likely up next. They just wrote a song for Andrea Arnold's adaptation of Wuthering Heights, and it's used in the trailer. This is what this entire album should have sounded like:

[alicebrallice 134]

that's quite gorgeous.

[Jay 46,243]

I listened to Babel this weekend finally and am also underwhelmed. To me, however, it doesn't sound the same as Sigh No More (other than the obvious "Thistle and Weeds part 2" feel to "Broken Crown") its just kinda... boring.

The first album is full of classic songs with memorable melodies and lyrics that will stick with me forever. This album is just kinda... there. Not aweful, not bad writing, but not great writing either. It just is.

I Will Wait is a good radio hit but the rest of the album is nothing to write home about. Glad I got the Deluxe Edition though, because their cover of The Boxer is pretty good (though it was better live)

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Agreed on everything.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

This is what El Camino should have sounded like. Their new songs played with their old sound. Love it.

My friend snagged a brand new copy of this album by Japanese band Ling Tosite Sigure and let me import it. Awesome stuff.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

My physical copy of the new Ben Folds Five album finally arrived. Nothing on it that wasn't already in the 320kbps MP3 download for pledgers, but it came with a t-shirt. And it's fun looking for your name on the included booklet listing all "vice-presidents of promotion" (i.e. pledgers) and discovering that it's one of the bold ones spelling out "thanks" when seen from a distance.

After listening to it many times, it's a great album, too, from beginning to end. Much better than the much hyped and much lauded (by Ben Folds, among others) new Amanda Palmer album released at the same time, which leaves me nearly entirely cold. And Do It Anyway is easily among my favourite BF5 songs.

[Sandor 918]

I think this is so awesome for a lot of reasons:

http://youtu.be/Py_-3di1yx0

[A24 5,156]

Ben Howard, I can stomach him.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Any jazz fans here?

I've always had an interest in the expansive genre, and have a small handful of favorites from various places. I wanted to ask if anyone could recommend where to start in relation to Miles Davis, Coltrane, and Ellington. Or anyone else you recommend. These guys composed so much music that it's as daunting to get into as classical music.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

I grew up listening to my moms music, mostly Blues, Rock & Roll and Reggae, and a bit of Jazz.

I like the last of those far less then the other 3.

[Wojo 2,458]

Jamie Cullen's a pretty interesting young British jazz artist who often performs the staples.

[Wojo 2,458]

Led Zeppelin (the 2012 version, with Jason Bonham) will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight.

[A24 5,156]

I like Jamie ... but he's more cross-over than strictly jazz. Great pianist.

[Jay 46,243]

Led Zeppelin (the 2012 version, with Jason Bonham) will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight.

Weird they are just interviewing and not playing.

[Wojo 2,458]

Yeah, it is weird. Unfortunate. It'd blow my mind for Robert to get off the schneid and announce a tour but it won't happen. I've asked Santa for the Celebration Day BR set, basically because it's one of the few "mainstream" (i.e. BestBuy versus specialty labels) music purchases I could ask for.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

There is no Zeppelin without Bonzo.

[Wojo 2,458]

That's like, their opinion, man.

I've seen Jason Bonham in concert, and if there is one man worthy of drumming for Led Zeppelin, it's Bonzo's son.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Well yeah, but it wouldn't be the same.

[Wojo 2,458]

Yeah, but the song remains the same.

Why sell Celebration Day at all? Why cocktease the fans with what the band could sound like today under the right conditions? Sure, so Page and/or Plant said that Led Zeppelin died with John Bonham, and that a tour with 3/4 plus Bonham's son wouldn't be Led Zeppelin but some crazy-ass tribute band, a parody of their former self. This isn't like Journey who kept hiring Steve Perry soundalikes to keep the 1980s sound of their band intact for 20+ years. Led Zeppelin would still sell out every single venue they'd headline.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I don't doubt that at all.

[A24 5,156]

Alexcremers recommends:

Alex

[A24 5,156]

Beware, my previous album was better.

[Sandor 918]

What's with all the emo-stuff, Alex...?

[A24 5,156]

What emo stuff are you talking about?

[Sandor 918]

What emo stuff are you talking about?

Haha, good one.

[A24 5,156]

Jonathan Jeremiah looks like Jesus, you know, the way experts today think the real Jesus must have looked like.

Joey: NO! The real Jesus looked like this!

[Wojo 2,458]

Question for Richard, but it's worthy of being discussed in this forum:

How do you like the 2012 next generation version of Jeff Waynes' War of the Worlds, featuring Liam Neeson? I've read mixed reviews on it.

It totally slipped my mind when I was making my list to "Santa" (mom and gf), so it's something I would wait to buy after Christmas. I have some lengthy car drives ahead of me, making the original a worthy companion for the trip.