Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Because blasting "Whoomp! There it is" from the car stereo just isn't cool anymore.

There once was a time when I was familiar with new music. And not just the popular top 40 tunes - though as a DJ that's a majority of what I played when my boss was around to listen, when he was out of range it was a completely different story - but the good music. The up and coming artists that few had heard of but whose reps were trying so desperately to get air play for.

Hey Bossman. Remember that time you wouldn't let me add that new group to our playlist? What were they called? Oh yeah, right. Belle and Sebastian. You were right, they were never going to catch on.

And I wonder if he remembers when he first hired me out of college how I had to fight him on this little album from a relatively unknown Virginia band - Crash. Yeah, that Dave Matthews Band. No future ahead for them, huh?

Dumb ass.

Back then I had music reps throwing CDs at me. We were a teeny, tiny radio station that barely got any play outside of our front door, we barely had enough wattage to power a hair dryer, but we had a decent relationship with most of the major and minor record companies. They felt charitable and, hey, even if only five people listen that's still five more potential buyers of their bands' albums.

Today is a long way from then. Light years. Today I have no idea who half of the bands are on everyone's year end lists. So many lists! So many opportunities to feel like a musical dumb ass. My christ, I'm turning into my old boss.

So please help a woman out. What were your absolute favorite albums, artists or bands of 2007? And please tell me why. I could go to Rolling Stone and start downloading their faves off of iTunes but I'd bankrupt myself. I want to hear from real people, not music critics, why you love these songs. Let's face it, some music critics are - um - influenced in ways. The way I see it, if you paid for the album and continued to love it whether or not anyone was waiting for you to write something positive about it then those are the albums I want to know about.

I do have some requirements:

- The songs must be suitable for playing in front of my two year old since I do the majority of my listening in the car or while I'm making dinner/cleaning the house. She doesn't have to like them, but every other word can't be "f*ck this" or "c*cksucker that". Know what I mean? That pretty much leaves rap out.
- Do not, and I really mean DO NOT, recommend anything from the country charts. It's not going to happen. I'm intrigued by Lucinda Williams' latest album, and I suppose she could be labeled as country, but she's Lucinda Williams. 'Nuff said if you ask me.
- If you're wondering where my musical tastes lie these days, a few of my favorite downloads from this year were from Iron and Wine, the new Robert Plant/Alison Krass album, and the music from the movie "Once". Especially that last one. Those are some pretty mellow examples but I'm fairly mellow these days (see the first requirement). However, if you have an opinion on the new Linkin Park album I would like to know about that.

- The music doesn't have to be radio-friendly. I like the indie stuff. It makes me feel young and hip. (I don't want to hear that no one who is truly hip actually uses the word "hip". They probably don't use the word "groovy" either. Lalalalalala.)

My credit card thanks you.


------------------------------

Due to the holidays and my general laziness the ROFL Awards are being postponed this month and will be picked up again next month. That means you get to nominate funny posts from either December or January! I'll be bugging you all about that again later. Oh yes, there will be bugging.

44 comments:

flutter said...

I love love love Snow Patrol, and also, the New Alicia Keys, is fabulous

Jess said...

I have no idea if this was 2007 or not but I really liked Sick Puppies 'All The Same' - there's a terrific video:http://youtube.com/watch?v=PpzkHhgcZG4

My son really likes Angels and Airwaves (he's 6)(The Adventure,etc)

I love the new Diana Krall cd, and Alison Krauss did an album with Robert Plant? Must check that out!

Oh, and for sheer dancability? The Bilz, 2 Step Bhangra.

Amy Urquhart said...

My favourite new CD this year was The Shins' Wincing the Night Away, but I don't know if it was actually released in 2007. The other two I listened to the most were Modest Mouse (Dashboard and Missed the Boat my favourite tracks) and Wilco (Impossible Germany my fave). All recommended by my brother, who is way into good music, Indie music, is a radio DJ, etc., too.

Assertagirl

Tania said...

I've turned into a top 40 pop-head since I've become a mom. I don't think I'm in a position to recommend anything, but I'm glad you wrote this post so I can see what your readers are listening to. Maybe I can be "hip" some day too!

Fratzels said...

If only I could recommend something! I'm afraid I am in your boat. The closest I get to new music is sitting my fat tushie in front of the tv when Amercian Idol is on.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to helping "discover" DMB!!
I'm lovin the new Alicia Keyes, too! (No One) and my personal favorest song ever -"Til Kingdom Come" by Coldplay. A little known song by them, and it's truly amazing. (I walked down the aisle to it!)Coldplay has some great hidden songs...

Christina said...

Right now I'm loving Fallout Boy. They're alterna-rock, but what I like best about them is that they don't take themselves seriously.

I'm still loving Nickelback, too. Rockstar is an awesome song.

Anonymous said...

Save yourself a world of trouble and just get a subscription to Paste. You get a CD every month with about 20-25 different artists on it, and their reviews are usually dead on the money.

I think it's $20 or so, but during the holidays you might can get it for $10.

Best bargain ever if you are looking for new music.

www.pastemagazine.com

Fairly Odd Mother said...

I was all set to write down an idea but then you went ahead and said that whole 'child safe' part. Plus, I think all my choices would be a couple of years old b/c I'm THAT far back.

Julie Pippert said...

Alicia Keys

Kate Tucker and Sons of Sweden

John Legend

I'm a big Lucinda Williams fan

I've liked the bits of Band of Horses I've heard.

Ooh a second vote for Modest Mouse.

And I am too old for it I think but Plastic Passion sounded like something that could catch on.

Go check out 3hive.com

Julie
Using My Words

Julie Pippert said...

Oh sheeshaw dog dogdogdogdogdog

I forgot to ask. You like ska?

Did you hear the Mighty Mighty Bosstones are back together??? I heard they did a Middle East gig last month.

Is it true??

Also, I got an iPod for Christmas, and while I've only used 1MB of space on it (I know...but it's hard to sit and load songs LOL and my computer doesn't have enough space) the post before my current one has my top 25 currently most frequently played songs.

It's not what you'd call new, LOL, but it'll give you an idea of my taste.

Julie
Using My Words

OhTheJoys said...

Canape's right about Paste.

Also - "Can We Kick The Bar Here" turned me on to Feist. Good stuff.

Julie Marsh said...

I'll be paying close attention to the comments you receive. One of my nesting projects is to tidy up the mess of CDs - many of which are still wrapped in cellophane - that I collected during my time in the business.

FWIW, one of the artists I like that never seems to have garnered mass appeal is Olive. I also played the heck out of a CD from Lizz Wright (jazz, I think, but not Kenny G kind of jazz).

mamatulip said...

Okay. Here are my faves and they also happen to be my children's faves, too. But they're not from '07. Sorry.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers -- Stadium Arcadium. It's a double album and it is phenomenal.

The Strokes -- Is This It? Great album. The music is simple, yet catchy and upbeat. I love love love these guys.

Coldplay -- A Rush of Blood to the Head. Just a damn good album.

The Beastie Boys -- The Mix-Up. Instrumental, and their instrumental stuff is fantastic. I really love it.

Silverchair -- Young Modern. I know, I said Silverchair. Trust me, it's a really cool album. Check out "Straight Line" and "Sleep All Day (demo)".

And one that may not be child friendly but is one that I am absolutely in love with is Queens of the Stone Age -- Era Vulgaris. AWESOME album.

LizP said...

Corinne Bailey Rae
KT Tunstall
Snow Patrol
John Mayer
Why? Because that's what I like :-)

SciFi Dad said...

Here via a request from Julie Pippert...

Serj Tankian (lead singer of System of a Down, which is on hiatus) has a new solo project that is quite good, although quite hard. However, no profanity, and a general social awareness that is never too early to instill.

Everything I've heard from the latest Radiohead album (In Rainbows) is awesome.

Ditto for Linkin Park's latest (i.e. some good tracks, haven't heard anything else).

The new White Stripes is quite good as well.

For some singles (i.e. of which I know nothing of the rest of the album):
The Fratellis - Flathead (something Julie P might like, given the Bosstones reference)
Rise Against - The Good Left Undone (like Three Days Grace, sorta)
Tokyo Police Club - Nature Of The Experiment (hard to describe, really)
Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles (think Veruca Salt, sorta)

Clearly, my tastes tend toward the harder stuff than most other commenters. Hopefully something in there appeals. (Oh, and if you're interested, I can upload some of the tracks to my imeem page for you to sample before purchasing.)

Loralee Choate said...

Feist
Mika (LOVE "Love Today")
Regina Spektor
Snow Patrol
Josh Radin(?) (Star mile is my fave)

Loralee Choate said...

P.S.
Big fan of Belle and Sebastian. Wish that The Beautiful South and October Project had the same success...

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Major Bedhead said...

Oooh, The Beautiful South. I loved that group.

Current favourite songs (not albums because I'm broke and don't buy albums any more):
Feist - Mushaboom and 1,2,3,4 (also known as the Nano commercial song)
Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am (If you liked Lisa Loeb, you'll like Ingrid Michaelson)
Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere and Girls In Their Summer Clothes, but the whole album (Magic) is great.

FENICLE said...

Oh, that song just (WHOMP) just brought back memories from 1993. A youth group trip to Denver on a bus full of testosterone filled high school jocks who repeatedly played that damn song all the way to the Rockies!!!

Good times.

Girlplustwo said...

Two words:

Zero 7.

Carry on.

Avalon said...

So not from 2007, but still good into 2008-----either release by the Getaway People. Fantastic band.

Anonymous said...

Can't help you. I am stuck in the 80s. And busy catching up on a zillion blog posts. BTW .. your dad ... yowsa. I'd have responded the same way you did.

BOSSY said...

Bossy's head just went blank. Blankety blank blank. Maybe because she doesn't buy albums anymore - or even cassette tapes or CDs - she buys SONGS.

Band who?

Kimberly said...

Queen Latifah's Trav'lin Light album is great if you like mellow.

I also really like the Decemberists, Ryan Adams and even though she's a mess on a personal level, Amy WInehouse.

Anonymous said...

Your title - I fell off my chair! I love that song and Ditty by Paperboy...among others. Those are front and center on my MIX CD from my mp3.

Currently I am in love with Fergie, Rhianna and Alicia Keys even though I feel entirely too old to say any of those names out loud.

Mom101 said...

I could have written this post - well, the part about not being cool. Not the part about how you used to be cool. That said, I can not make any good recommendations. But I can bookmark this and thank your readers heartily.

The Domesticator said...

*LOL* Oh, Mrs C.....I hear you. Really, I do. i can't listen to Eminem in my car anymore because of the little ears....

Anyway, some great suggestions thrown your way already. i am loving the new Lifehouse CD, as well as Three Days Grace.

Natasha Beddingfield is coming out with a new CD the end of January. There is a cool (80's term...sorry) song called "Pocketful of Sunshine" on it...very catchy, hip, and child friendly. Google it and let me know what you think.

ms blue said...

Some of the artists that I'm into at the moment include Alicia Keys, Foo Fighters, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Cold War Kids, Silversun Pickups, Radiohead, The Shins, Feist, New Buffalo, Neverending White Lights, Colbie Caillat, Ingrid Michaelson, Teddybears, The Hives...

Anonymous said...

Yay! I finally made it here! Your page looks divine, probably has been this way forever, but I haven't been able to load your page forever.

Anyway...
Norah Jones, a Must-Listen
and
Paolo Nutini. LOVE. HIM.

PinksandBluesGirls said...

I have to agree with one of the commenters above.. you should get Paste Magazine... You'll love the CDs coming.

Also... Ms. Chicky... get yourself entered at our Virtual Shower... you, my dear. deserve some new stuff!

xo,
Audrey

Happy New Year!!

Karen Bodkin said...

Bat for Lashes
Neverending White Lights (Esp The Grace)
Feist

I'm sure there's more but I can't think of any right now.
Hope that helps!

Mandy said...

I was going to say the soundtrack from "Once", but you beat me to it.

Did you see the movie? Pretty awesome.

I'd add Whitfield (a Canadian indie band... check them out on www.projectopus.com)

and The Art of Dying

Cakabaker said...

I listen to almost anything, so I would be no help to you. I do want to get the soundtrack from "August Rush" tho. That was a really good movie and I think the soundtrack will be awesome. A blend of rock and roll and symphany. Can't wait to get it. I like anywhere from Andrew Lloyd Weber to ZZ Top, but not too hot on rap (just cuz I can't understand most of it).

karengreeners said...

oh god, i know how you feel. i've been marinating a post called 'when did i become a mom?' and it's really about 'when did i stop being cool?'

maybe it was when i had to call my little brother (24) to (badly) sing him the only line I could remember to a song i had heard on the radio but did not know who sang it. it was FERGIE. i didn't know a freakin FERGIE song. i LIKED a freakin FERGIE song.

so yeah, clumsy, by fergie. good song.

but my favourite find of 2007 is Beirut. sooo good.

karengreeners said...

oh yeah, and feist and silversun pickups and i'll always give a shoutout to belle & sebastian and also jenny lewis lately.

Anonymous said...

No laughing.. but I like Daughtry -- finally got his album at year's end.. (though I don't know if it was released this year).

I also like Boys Like Girls - The Great Escape is one of my faves from that album.

Fall Out Boy is cool too :)

I haven't really listened to the radio lately because the music these days are a little out there... to me it's just noise. That's probably why the last song I bought from iTunes was Leif Garrett. LOL

Phoenix said...

Anna Nalik, Elliot Yamin, Mat Kearney & Marc Broussard are my favorites from this past year. I also love the new Maroon 5 CD...or well the few songs I have heard from it.

Susan said...

I have been thinking the same thing about discovering some new music. I was just going to email some of my "hipper" friends. But this is way better! I have one addition to the list so far:

Fiction Plane, "Left Side of the Brain"
http://www.myspace.com/fictionplane

It's Sting's son! He's really good, and hot.

Susan at Working Moms Against Guilt

Jessica Peck said...

Josh Ritter! He is an amazing singer/songwriter. I hope you like him!

moosh in indy. said...

Did anyone say Donavon Frankenrietter?
(That may or may not be spelled properly, I'm banking on may not)
He'll make you forget anything is wrong with the world.

Elleoz said...

Right Now I am totally in love with:

MIKA! He sounds so much like Freddy Mercury and my kids love him too.

All American Rejects

Plain White T's

Fall Out Boy

But then again half the stuff I have is from the 80's. The last thing I downloaded from itunes was Prince :)

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