Just to quickly say (as promised) this post is on the subject of music (”popular” – Modern music) from an entertainment point of view (and may be part of a short series of blogs on music – we will see how it go’s) I have a rough Idea of how I want it to go but I am just going to write as as it comes and maybe edit it a little after so here is hoping it is a good read.
Additional quick note – yes also (as promised) there may be a blog or two on cinema and video games as well.
Anyway….
I generally feel privileged to have been a teenagers in the 1990’s, I was 15 years old in 1994 bang in the middle, the reason I am so glad of this coincidence of time is the music, the music coming out at the time listened too by ‘youth culture’. The Clothes are better these days (well if you have taste just and don’t dress like a ‘chav’ or a snap back capped ‘swag’ clown – street wear good – 80’s reject lame) and the technology well that is just the dogs bollocks these days and I take full advantage of it mainly though the internet (e.g.writing blogs, and downloading shit loads of music I cram onto my iPod partly thank to my ‘renaissance’ with music, of which I shall soon explain).
The music these days though is just shit compared to that of the 1990’s – early 2000’s isn’t it? Even a lot of ‘this’ generation say so… Well yes it is …. On the surface…. but although not in your face (you have too be looking AND in the right places) because of the music I have discovered, a little though friends but mostly though music reviews and DJ mixes online I have had a renaissance with music.
I am going show some of the music that has rekindled the ‘spirit’ of 1990’s’ within me in this blog (links to follow) then the rest is up to you- because that is what I want most from this blog, for people of my age 35 (or any age for that matter) still with the time, want and passion for music to enjoy music again as much as I am.
Lets be honest the 1990’s produced good music like we all produce carbon dioxide when we breath out, The Stone Roses, Grunge (Siamese dream and nevermind are worth there wait in gold alone) , Brit Pop, Electronic acts like The Prodigy, Underworld and fat boy slim, you had hip hop from Del la Soul, Wu tang Clan and Jurassic 5 (to name a few) and Drum n Bass was at a high water mark .
……and that was just the main stream, the underground was rich with amazing artists like(for example) DJ Shadow and Portishead. We were literally spoiled for choice (hell even ‘naff’ euro dance like sash after a few shandies could make you want to throw your arms up in the air and party if on a night out – but don’t tell anyone one that, I was strictly a dnb and a prod kid ok ;0) ).
But like most good things it all came to an end – good alternative American Rock fizzled out to be replaced by new metal, limp biskit, and pantomime shock clown Marlilon Manson and the sort of shit you hear too much in rock clubs these day (are you down with the (shitty) sickness and let the bodies hit the floor (lets not eh?). (I am probably going to do a blog on the modern rock club – fun ahead ;o) )
Rap went ‘Bling’ shit beats and all.
(a lot of) DNB is going pop!…
And indie well lets just say – 90’s Stone Roses, Blur and (the ever amazing) Radiohead 00’s Cold Play and Mumford and Sons and the sad fact the latest band in UK charts to be getting good ‘buzz’ are the 1975
Its just the same bland shit as ever we have all seem countless times before.
In a mo we will go on to some of the main players of the new music I love but be warned it is mostly Electronic music, If you don’t think that will be to your taste fine but if you have any interest in the leftfield electronic music read on – trust me it is worth your time and there is also more prose from me.;) . Also if you are holding out for another nirvana/stone roses sorry but it just ain’t gonna happen (for now at least) generally NEW guitar bands simply don’t have the ability to make great albums as they did till recently and I am not sure why.. well I think I might know ….and the reason is the record execs are too involved with guitar bands these days, signing mom friendly crap – (see above) and killing creativity at the bud. It is exactly that lack of interference that means the music I love now so exciting on the ear – it is full of creativity.
OK First of all I am just going to say get hold of everything Boards of Canada have put out then in your own time learn about this wonderfully creative band who sound very experimentally but at the same time captivating and amazing to the ear. Below is a sample of there work
I highly recommend following a music review channel on you tube such as ‘the needle drop’ where I have been turned onto loads of new music.
I love it when bands mix electronic and more classic styles of music together, A new band to do this very well are Crosses (The singer from Deftones new band).
As do Radiohead
After The king of limbs album dropped by Radiohead (got a copy? no? get one the last 5 songs are simply stunning songs written in a a fantastically modern electronic manner) Thom Yorke (vocals) did a DJ set promote the remix album version of the album in the DJ set was music by Four tet (here is an amazing tune of his).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFSG3YYAoas
Leftfield Electronic music is so varied and diverse a good place to pick out new stuff is though DJ mixes (just don’t forget the play list) Mixes with techno and house flavors have (as well having enjoyed them in them selves) mostly lead me to many fantastic tracks I have enjoyed on there own and to further music by that artist.
tracks like these
Plenty going on in those 4 track alone.
Liking pages on facebook from the likes of resident advisor and thump is a good idea as they post free mixes from DJ’s all the time (as well as regular links to artists giving away free tracks) and there are countless mixes on sound cloud.
Well there we go, I will just finish up this blog with its musings on music and links n tips by saying I hope it can be of help to at least one person because I honestly feel the Music I am into now has the spirit of 1990’s so many of us love.
(‘N hey if you like a decent techno/house mix you may well enjoy going to see a proper DJ at a night club, I can’t do much of that right now being unemployed thanks to this shitty economy – still can’t have everything I guess).
Pleasure in considered thought. 