Music you should be listening to especially if you aren’t!

06 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment

by Nathan Maxfield in Movies

I have been called a music snob, a music elitist, a music jack-ass, etc… etc… etc… I tend not to put up much of an argument as I generally feel that my taste in music is better than most and that might even include you! That being said, I think I should take a moment to enlighten you all. If you find yourself wondering why you are listening to Miley Cyrus for the 18th time today. Perhaps you can’t quite figure out what is so damn special about The Black Eyed Peas – I can answer that question for you, NOTHING! Or maybe Lady Ga Ga tends to frighten you more than entertain you. Well I am here to help!

(RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!)

Open up your ears and your minds and prepare to have your musical tastes enlightened like never before! Now these aren’t going to be in any particular order, at all. There will be bands, there will be albums, there will be songs. For the first few I am going to provide actual tracks for you to listen to. Some will have links to videos. Together though they combine to form all the music you should be listening to, especially if you are not!!!

Death Cab For Cutie – I know a lot of people are finally aware of this band but you aren’t you should be. And if you are only aware of their latest work you need to go and check out their entire library. This is a band that produces many more hits than misses!

Sea Wolf – now here is one that most people aren’t aware of. An indie band out of LA, I heard them first years ago on KEXP and loved them. They have since released to LPs and even had a song included on the New Moon soundtrack.

matt pond PA – talk about a band who has been around for years and gets very little airplay outside of indie radio! They have been producing quality music for over a decade and get no love from the mainstream!

Okkervil River is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas. The band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. My favorite album was the concept album Black Sheep Boy which I can listen to straight through without hesitation.

Sufjan Stevens – an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit. Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas, which is my favorite Christmas album ever… and that is saying A LOT!

Silversun Pickups – ohh yes, another band I heard many years ago on my beloved KEXP and they have only gotten better and better over time. I like everything they do, everything and that is very rare.

Ryan Adams (& The Cardinals) – a Grammy Award-nominated American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the group to pursue a solo career. Note that it says RYAN Adams, not BRYAN Adams. The man can write a song! Some are a little too country for me these days, but for the most part, outside of his album 1974, I can listen to everything he does.

Damien Rice – an Irish singer-songwriter and musician. Now I will be honest, you have to be in a mood to listen to most of his music – and the mood isn’t a good one! Most of his songs are for a rainy day and tend to relate to depression. You have been warned!