what music are you guys listening to?

[checkymcfold 0]

Anyone else think MMJ is totally overhyped and really not that great?

yes, me. i was really excited to see them live the first time they came to my undergrad. i'd read reviews but never heard them. they walked on stage, and i was like, ok, here comes some good 70s rock. but it wasn't. i was, like, super unimpressed, and got in a few fights with uberfan friends about my opinion.so no, you're not alone.

[mbreon 0]

I am a big fan of My Morning Jacket. I saw them open for Pearl Jam a couple months ago and was extremely impressed.I have been listening to nothing but Fleetwood Mac today. Let me clarify, nothing but pre-Stevie Nicks and pre-Lindsey Buckingham Fleetwood Mac. For those of you who don't know, they used to be an amazing band before they got all lame in the mid-70s. Peter Green is one of the best blues guitarists of all-time, and I dig the Bob Welch stuff as well (have had the song "Sentimental Lady" stuck in my head today for some reason). Too bad that Peter Green and Danny Kirwan got too drugged up or Fleetwood Mac would have gone down as one of the greatest blues-rock bands of all-time, instead of being remembered for the most overrated album ever created, Rumours.

[lvpro 0]

Too bad that Peter Green and Danny Kirwan got too drugged up or Fleetwood Mac would have gone down as one of the greatest blues-rock bands of all-time, instead of being remembered for the most overrated album ever created, Rumours.

I'm gonna have to go out on a limb and say the most overrated album ever is Nirvana's Nevermind.

[mbreon 0]

I'm gonna have to go out on a limb and say the most overrated album ever is Nirvana's Nevermind.

That's not too far of a limb - you'll find many people agree with you, me being one. I can live with Rumours being the 2nd most overrated album ever.

[lvpro 0]

That's not too far of a limb - you'll find many people agree with you, me being one. I can live with Rumours being the 2nd most overrated album ever.

It's more of a limb considering I live in Seattle, and saying something like that in public is like saying you hate the Pope when you're in Vatican City.

[mk 11]

That's not too far of a limb - you'll find many people agree with you, me being one. I can live with Rumours being the 2nd most overrated album ever.

This surprises me from both of you (the Nevermind/overrated thing). Grohl's drumming alone means that it really can't be overrated, imo. Then again, I have kind of a man-crush on him. But seriously, the first time I heard those snare fills in Smells Like Teen Spirit (when I was like 11 years old) it pretty much changed my life forever. I couldn't believe how hard he was hitting the drums.

I am a big fan of My Morning Jacket. I saw them open for Pearl Jam a couple months ago and was extremely impressed.

I saw them do the same, and I was pretty bored. I enjoyed Pearl Jam despite the fact that I hadn't listened to them in probably 12 years or so. I was given a free ticket, and I went mostly just to see MMJ, but then I enjoyed PJ more. Weird. It was funny to see a band that still writes guitar solos, lol. It made me want to go home and practice those classic Mike McCready licks from my youth. Ahh, the nostalgia.

[mk 11]

edit again: I see there's a new Cex record out this week. Not sure if you guys are familiar with his stuff but it's pretty cool electro. He's kind of psychotic, but the music is fun, and he has song titles like "Florida (Is Shaped Like a Big Droopy Dick For a Reason)" and the new album is called Actual Fucking.

[Don Giovanni 0]

im entering another radiohead phase i think

[Dirtydutch 8]

I just got both Audioslave albums. It took me this long to realize I like them... I was huge Soundgarden fan, back in the day.

[LongLiveYorke 38]

im entering another radiohead phase i think

Me too. And by entering, I mean I've been in one ever since I heard the opening riff of Airbag on OK Computer (the first album of theirs I got). It's been pretty much non stop.

[Shimmering Wang 1]

Me too. And by entering, I mean I've been in one ever since I heard the opening riff of Airbag on OK Computer (the first album of theirs I got). It's been pretty much non stop.

Ditto Kiddo.Wang

[Don Giovanni 0]

I just got both Audioslave albums. It took me this long to realize I like them... I was huge Soundgarden fan, back in the day.

i like me some soundgarden. and i have a soft spot for audioslave.

[Shimmering Wang 1]

I just went Early 90s on everyone's collective ass today.I sat on my porch and blared:"Vitology" Pearl Jame"In Utero" Nirvana"Badmotorfinger" Soundgarden"Core" and "Tiny Music..." Stone Temple PilotsIt's like traveling in time, baby. Wang

[Dirtydutch 8]

I just went Early 90s on everyone's collective ass today.I sat on my porch and blared:"Vitology" Pearl Jame"In Utero" Nirvana"Badmotorfinger" Soundgarden"Core" and "Tiny Music..." Stone Temple PilotsIt's like traveling in time, baby. Wang

Nice. I've just started going back to my early 90's (for me, late 90's) roots. I didn't even listen to music 'til 8th grad. Is that weird?

[LongLiveYorke 38]

I didn't even listen to music 'til 8th grad. Is that weird?

Not at all. I didn't listen to music really until the middle of High School, and now I'm a huge music elitist. Go figure.

[lvpro 0]

This surprises me from both of you (the Nevermind/overrated thing). Grohl's drumming alone means that it really can't be overrated, imo. Then again, I have kind of a man-crush on him. But seriously, the first time I heard those snare fills in Smells Like Teen Spirit (when I was like 11 years old) it pretty much changed my life forever. I couldn't believe how hard he was hitting the drums.

I agree that Dave Grohl's drumming is amazing, and I'm a pretty big Grohl fanboy myself, but I think Kurt Cobain doesn't deserve the press he gets. He's an OK guitar player and a half-decent songwriter, but I don't see him as the greatest rock musician ever, like he's touted to be by some people, especially around this area.

[Shimmering Wang 1]

I didn't even listen to music 'til 8th grad. Is that weird?

My favorite band in 8th grade was Metallica.My favorite band in 9th grade was Led Zeppelin.My favorite band in 10th grade was The WhoMy favorite band in 11th grade was The KinksMy favorite band in 12th grade was The Dismemberment PlanAnd so forth. Freshman year was Radiohead. 5 years later... (shrug) finally found one that stuck

I think Kurt Cobain doesn't deserve the press he gets. He's an OK guitar player and a half-decent songwriter, but I don't see him as the greatest rock musician ever

I've always been very anti the whole "CobainBacklash" thing that seems to be so ubiquitous within the "in the know" music fans, especially over the last 5 years. Don't get me wrong, I'm among the most pretentious and elitist of all music fans, but I was YOUNG when Kurt Cobain ruled.... and I remember the effect his music had on me and my friends. And, going back, I'm still struck by how completely pretentiously unpretentious their work was. I've almost persuaded myself a few times that I think Nevermind is "so overrated," but everytime I sit down and listen to it I'm blown away by how ingenious the songwriting and simple musicianship is. It's completely different than anything I'd heard until then, and it fulfills so completely its goals.....Also, it's 9Am and I am drunk and tired, so...Wang

[LongLiveYorke 38]

I've always been very anti the whole "CobainBacklash" thing that seems to be so ubiquitous within the "in the know" music fans, especially over the last 5 years.

See, you're like me. We're so elite in our music taste that it's okay to think that Nirvana rocks. It comes full circle.It's kind of like in poker how terrible player play too many hands, and then when you become a good player you tighten up. And only the best players in the world can get away with playing tons of hands. Nirvana is playing a lot of hands.Does any of this make any sense?

[Shimmering Wang 1]

See, you're like me. We're so elite in our music taste that it's okay to think that Nirvana rocks. It comes full circle.It's kind of like in poker how terrible player play too many hands, and then when you become a good player you tighten up. And only the best players in the world can get away with playing tons of hands. Nirvana is playing a lot of hands.Does any of this make any sense?

My friend and I developed a whole theory based ENTIRELY on this idea. It's called the theory of Levels. Let me explain (lengthily):It's genesis is actually, appropriately enough, in music. A Level ONE person would think/say: "Man, Nirvana and Pearl Jam ROCK!" He's not thinking about it very much. He likes Nirvana. Other people like Nirvana. Nirvana's cool, and it's cool to like them. Part of the reason he likes them is BECAUSE other people like them. Fair enough.A Level TWO person would think and DEFINITELY say to his friends: "Man, Nirvana is so overrated. Everyone thinks they're all that, but significantly more talented but underexposed and obscure bands like Dinosaur, Jr. are much better musical acts. Anyone who thinks Nirvana is one of the best bands of their generation, let alone all time, is an uneducated fool, and I pity him..." The Level TWO person is characterized by his unwillingness to appreciate anything TYPICAL or COMMON. In fact, most Level TWOs refuse to admit to liking anything MAINSTREAM at all. This is the basic personality type of the alternative hipster. Alternative, but mostly for the sake of being different.A Level THREE response would be: "How about this, Gus? Nirvana fucking rules because they're fucking sweet, and anyone who disagrees is just a bitch baby poopdick too concerned with appearances." A Level THREE person is fully comfortable with his own range in tastes, and cares nil about perception. He might enjoy more obscure music, and even dislike most popular music, but he feels that way NOT because he's afraid of being too mainstream, but because he ACTUALLY enjoys what he says he enjoys, appearances be damned. He "comes over the top" of a Level TWO in this case, to use a poker metaphor. This theory can be applied to almost everything. The person who who feels how he feels because OTHER people feel that way, regardless of the issue, is a typical Level ONE. The man who feels how he feels because other people DON'T feel that way is an archetypal Level TWO. And the man who refuses to let public opinion sway his judgment of an issue is the epitomal Level THREE.It works in sports, too. Level ONEs hop on bandwagons. Level TWOs are terrified of being bandwagon hoppers. Even more importantly, they're incredibly worried about being perceived as or LABELED as bandwagon hoppers, so they react violently in the opposite direction, expressing disgust with fairweather fans. They will never admit to cheering for a popular team, player, or Cinderalla Story. But the Level THREE man has no qualms about what people think, and act accordingly. A Level THREE might get caught up in the Red Sox 2004 Championship run, or find himself rooting for George Mason during their improbable run to the 2006 Final Four. But he forms his opinions completely unpretentiously, and makes up his mind completely independent of popular sentiment.I must also mention that a person who generally forms Level THREE type opinions may fall into stereotypical Level TWO traps. He may do so frequently. So it's best to apply the formula on a case-by-case basis. Try not to look at it as "Dude, that guy is such a Level TWO" but rather as "Man, that's such a Level TWO thing to say/do."If you keep this in the back of your head, you'll start to notice all sorts of things that fit perfectly into the paradigm. It really applies to almost everything. Think about it.Wang

[Don Giovanni 0]

i like nirvana but ive never really thought of them as anything more than a good band.

[augmented 0]

okay here's my rundown. when i was about 2 and a little bit before (basically as soon as i was talking), my favorite band was The Police. my mom had a videotape of them and i would always yell "pa-peeeece! pa-peeeeece!" to demand to watch the tape again. when i was about 4, i got into eric clapton (hugely), and i loved his stuff so much that i began playing guitar and writing music. i memorized his unplugged album and so forth.it was in first/second/third grade that i got into the early 90's rock scene, my favorite band being nirvana, but also stuff like greenday, alice in chains, STP, soundgarden, etc. in 4th grade i started listening to nine inch nails and i was hugely into them, they were absolutely my favorite band ever. i was super all about NIN, and a friend of mine at the time also mentioned a little band called Tool to me. i had only heard Sober on the radio at that point and i didnt really like it, but i figured i'd give it a chance.The Fragile came out when i was in 5th grade, and NIN continued to be my favorite band until i got Undertow by Tool....then AEnima. in 6th grade Lateralus came out and i realized that absolutely no music could ever top that of Tool. it was in 5th/6th grade that i met Jason Newsted of Metallica and actually recorded a CD with him, so i got into Metallica as well. so basically throughout middle school i had a very closed taste in music, liking Tool, NIN, some other rock, and also expanding my horizons with classical music, cause i was playing violin at a music day school as well.9th grade was more of the same, and when my brother left for college when i was in 10th grade, he came across some new music that he sent to me. bands like dredg, the mars volta, and porcupine tree. I listened to porcupine tree a few times, wasn't exactly hooked, and then i bought their newer album Deadwing in 2005, and i realized that PT is absolutely without a doubt the best band of all time. and thats basically what i'm listening to these days. here is a list of my 10 favorite bands:1. Porcupine Tree2. Opeth3. Tool4. Nine Inch Nails5. System of a Down6. Radiohead7. A Perfect Circle8. Dredg9. The Mars Volta10. Alice In Chainsand there you have it.

[Shimmering Wang 1]

1. (not At The Drive In)2. (not At The Drive In)3. (not At The Drive In)4. (not At The Drive In)5. (not At The Drive In)6. Radiohead7. (not At The Drive In)8. (not At The Drive In)9. The Mars Volta10. (not At The Drive In)and there you have it.

Tool.WangPS- I would have replaced Radiohead, too, to make a more coherent point, but I think I'm physically unable. It's probably a disease.

[augmented 0]

i tried listening to relationship of command and i really didnt like it at all. i liked the song about the wishing well (cant remember what it was called) and one-arm scissor is ok, and the song with the bassline is good, but i really don't like it. i think ATDI is basically like volta, but way less polished, more chaotic, more stupid, and more bad.oh by the way, the radiohead show at the greek on 6/23 was really sick, but i thought the setlist was pretty stupid and uncohesive. thom's voice was superb though. i love radiohead.one more thing: wang, the theory of levels is awesome. truly amazing, i'll have to share it with my friends.

[joball33 0]

i tried listening to relationship of command and i really didnt like it at all. i liked the song about the wishing well (cant remember what it was called) and one-arm scissor is ok, and the song with the bassline is good, but i really don't like it. i think ATDI is basically like volta, but way less polished, more chaotic, more stupid, and more bad.

I couldn't disagree more. I really, really like De-Loused, but I couldn't get into Frances the Mute. That said, I would choose any ATDI album over Mars Volta.

[mk 11]

This thread got goot last night. Wang's theory of levels is sexiness and something i've discussed with friends as well. I like to add the Level 4 thinker to the musical discussion, if only to separate my pompous ass a little further. Level 4 musical thinkers listen deeply enough and are familiar enough with the business of making records that they can find admirable qualities in otherwise TERRIBLE songs--usually songs that are hopelessly mainstream, songs that the Level 2 and even level 3 listener would NEVER admit to liking. Can you get with the keychange at the end of "My Heart Will Go On"? Does the barely audible arpeggiated synth line in the chorus of Robbie Williams' "Rock DJ" give you a semi? Can you absolutely despise Linkin Park but still admire the stupidly perfect guitar tones achieved on their records? Do you know that it was Andy Wallace who mixed both of their studio albums--the same Andy Wallace who mixed Nirvana's Nevermind???? Then you are probably a Level 4 musical thinker.