Music Megathread

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

     Metallica doesn't seem to be a serious band anymore. To be fair, I only listened to a combined total of four songs off those two albums. All Nightmare Long was the only one of those songs that was actually any good, faux badass title aside.

That seems to happen to groups that have been around for a while.  The quality of their music tends to decay.  That is, if they started out with good music.  Lady GaGa and other pop stars will always have bad music, because their music has never been good.

I think major record labels have something to do with it.

The labels have something to do with it yes.  Of course, that mostly goes into "we have to write music that will sell and make us rich/safe from bankruptcy". 

And yeah sure, groups that age tend to lose their artistic spirit as we've seen before, groups that age tend to turn more and more to pop.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

     Metallica doesn't seem to be a serious band anymore. To be fair, I only listened to a combined total of four songs off those two albums. All Nightmare Long was the only one of those songs that was actually any good, faux badass title aside.

That seems to happen to groups that have been around for a while.  The quality of their music tends to decay.  That is, if they started out with good music.  Lady GaGa and other pop stars will always have bad music, because their music has never been good.

I think major record labels have something to do with it.

The labels have something to do with it yes.  Of course, that mostly goes into "we have to write music that will sell and make us rich/safe from bankruptcy". 

And yeah sure, groups that age tend to lose their artistic spirit as we've seen before, groups that age tend to turn more and more to pop.

     Yeah, most bands age poorly. I'm trying to think of older bands that have released an album recently that really outclassed the rest of their discography. Some have had pretty good recent albums, but I don't know of any that have really matched the best of their older material.

I would say that there are almost no bands that have aged over the years that have kept up to a high level of artistic quality (though the Foo Fighters, being 15 years old came out with a pretty damn good album in 07).  A lot of bands seemed to make comebacks around the late 00s though.

Nevertheless, of bands that stayed and aged (however they've broken up) and reached their artistic high point is probably the Beatles (mainly because they quit at their peak).  While other bands start artistic and turn to pop, the Beatles are the archetypal opposite of that (pop to, from what I could gather on Abbey Road and the White Album, a more complex, heavier, prog-like sound)

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

There is strong stigma against this in metal, & you see humorous things, like Megadeth becoming more pop over the course of the 1990s & then returning to an older style in the early 2000s.

I think it's justified, certainly. Metallica, Megadeth, Testament, Anthrax, Cryptopsy, all turned into commercial oriented bands, and the music definitely suffered.

On the other hand, a band like Gorguts cemented their legacy by going into a completely different direction, and rupturing eardrums by going more extreme than any death metal act before.

     Well I don't think anybody ever innovated by becoming more commercially-oriented. The wider listening public prefers sounds & structures that are familiar. Doing the same old stuff as everyone else may get you more admirers, but it won't influence anyone. Metallica is much more popular than Slayer, but Slayer has probably had a far bigger impact on other metal bands.

Nevertheless, in the future Megadeth and Metallica are probably going to influence bands more as they were in the mainstream.  Bands of the next generation tend to do such things, even if the past generation's bands sold out or turned to pop; they keep their reverence for said band and consequentially the band is given a better opinion through history.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

There is strong stigma against this in metal, & you see humorous things, like Megadeth becoming more pop over the course of the 1990s & then returning to an older style in the early 2000s.

I think it's justified, certainly. Metallica, Megadeth, Testament, Anthrax, Cryptopsy, all turned into commercial oriented bands, and the music definitely suffered.

On the other hand, a band like Gorguts cemented their legacy by going into a completely different direction, and rupturing eardrums by going more extreme than any death metal act before.

     Well I don't think anybody ever innovated by becoming more commercially-oriented. The wider listening public prefers sounds & structures that are familiar. Doing the same old stuff as everyone else may get you more admirers, but it won't influence anyone. Metallica is much more popular than Slayer, but Slayer has probably had a far bigger impact on other metal bands.

Nevertheless, in the future Megadeth and Metallica are probably going to influence bands more as they were in the mainstream.  Bands of the next generation tend to do such things, even if the past generation's bands sold out or turned to pop; they keep their reverence for said band and consequentially the band is given a better opinion through history.

     But my point is that bands that go pop have less capacity to influence others because they aren't doing much that is different from anyone else (of course they might have innovated plenty prior to going pop; it really depends on the band).

That true.  I guess that's the problem with having a music career; eventually it just becomes playing to pay off the bills (though if it was playing to just have fun I'd respect that a lot more).

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Jazzrivet/jazzrivets_top_25_albums_of_all_time

My top 25 albums yadda yadda. Hopelessly addicted to alt rock.

Why Definitely Maybe?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Jazzrivet/artists_who_produced_undiluted_crap/

Another list, this time of worst artists.

Boo. They can be overrated, but their new album is still pretty good. +The Rasmus have a few good songs. Everything else yes, is complete sh**t.

I didn't mind sections of Supermassive Black Holes, but apart from that, I really don't like Muse very much at all. Prefer Radiohead

Huh, strange.  I don't get how people end up having to like one or the other.  Personally both bands are great, Muse is really maturing now and OK Computer will forever have a place in my heart.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Jazzrivet/jazzrivets_top_25_albums_of_all_time

My top 25 albums yadda yadda. Hopelessly addicted to alt rock.

Why Definitely Maybe?

It's edgy and sophisticated to prefer In Utero and Definitely Maybe to Nevermind and (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

Tis my genuine opinion to be honest. Nevermind has some weak spots (I'm sick to death of Smells Like Teen Spirit, and I've never really gotten the point of Polly). Also, the best parts of Morning Glory are the title track and Champagne Supernova - the other songs are pretty standard Oasis fare.

In Utero is the better album compared to Nevermind, but Definitely Maybe is about at equal quality to (What's the Story) Morning Glory.  Though I prefer Stop the Clocks, since it's a compilation of their best songs (Acquiesce and Slide Away:D).  Though I was kind of pissed that they didn't think of including Let There Be Love or Let It Roll until the Japanese special edition came out.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

As long as all agree Standing on the Shoulder of Giants was the worst Oasis album. Ewww.

Well....I guess.  They tried to do something different, so I can respect them for that.  But Go Let it Out is a good song.

Unpopular opinion:
"Half the World Away" is the best Oasis song.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

As long as all agree Standing on the Shoulder of Giants was the worst Oasis album. Ewww.

Well....I guess.  They tried to do something different, so I can respect them for that.  But Go Let it Out is a good song.

Unpopular opinion:
"Half the World Away" is the best Oasis song.

I'm largely indifferent to Go Let It Out. The only real highlights on that album for me were F-ckin In The Bushes and Who Feels Love? The rest was dross.

Half The World Away is good, but my favourite Oasis song is Slide Away.

Well the fact that you like Slide Away only means that you have good taste.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

     I am slightly bored, so I decided to rank the Beatles albums from best to worst:

Abbey Road
Rubber Soul
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The White Album
Magical Mystery Tour
Let It Be
Beatles For Sale
Revolver
Help!
A Hard Day's Night
With The Beatles
Please Please Me

I'd go with something like this:

Abbey Road
The Beatles (White Album)
Let It Be
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Revolver
Magical Mystery Tour
Rubber Soul
Please Please Me
Help!
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles For Sale
With The Beatles

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Opinion of Sonic Youth?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Opinion of Voxtrot?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFXewMxkb60

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

I wasted a night on learning Hendrix's Purple Haze on guitar.  It was worth it.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Opinion of Beck?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Opinion of Beck?

Glenn Beck or the guitarist from the Yardbirds (I think his first name was Jeff)?

Neither, though Jeff Beck is pretty damn badass.  And yes, he is the best guitarist of the three Yardbirds guitarists.

This is what I meant by Beck.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Just previewed Alter Bridge's AB III (been waiting for this one all year), and I have to say, it's pretty damn good.  Here's my favourite track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc0xQStQxfc

A Porcupine Tree/Alter Bridge concert would mean that I can die happy.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Ozzy Osbourne is comin' to the Auburn Hills Palace! Too bad the tickets are thirty bucks, and I'll never be able to go.

30 bucks is actually pretty damn good for an Osbourne concert.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

If you buy Queen and you have a turntable, get it on vinyl, preferably coloured vinyl.  Trust me, it's worth the extra cost...my A Night at the Opera is one of my most cherished possessions and plays wonderfully.  Listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on the warm feeling and crackle of vinyl is one of my favourite things to do.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

If you buy Queen and you have a turntable, get it on vinyl, preferably coloured vinyl.  Trust me, it's worth the extra cost...my A Night at the Opera is one of my most cherished possessions and plays wonderfully.  Listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on the warm feeling and crackle of vinyl is one of my favourite things to do.

I love that album.


Ive only recently discovered Abbey Road (don't judge me....). I never was much of a Beatles fan, up until my friend bought the album and we both sat down and listened to it. It's quite amazing I will admit. Mind you though, I was quite under the influence while listening.

Abbey Road I found kinda average. Sgt Peppers and Revolver are good albums though

Abbey Road I think doesn't get the credit it should.  It is probably the best of the three later albums (barring Let it Be), and also pretty damn cohesive.  The quality of each song...leading up to the finale Abbey Road Medley is simply great.

I'm kind of sad the Beatles became so disjointed, because as seen by their later work (especially Happiness is a Warm Gun and the Abbey Road Medley), they started to dabble into what would become Prog rock - and a Beatles driven prog album would've kicked ass.

If you buy Queen and you have a turntable, get it on vinyl, preferably coloured vinyl.  Trust me, it's worth the extra cost...my A Night at the Opera is one of my most cherished possessions and plays wonderfully.  Listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on the warm feeling and crackle of vinyl is one of my favourite things to do.

     I must agree, A Night At The Opera is a great album. Everyone knows Bohemian Rhapsody, but I find Death On Two Legs, '39 & The Prophet's Song to be great songs that do not garner anywhere close to the praise they deserve.

Very true.  But Queen doesn't get a lot of credit outside of Bohemian Rhapsody sadly.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Sick of hearing the new crappy My Chemical Romance song. Any chance of me liking them has gone.

haha, I'm surprised you even listened to it at all.

I sort of liked Welcome to the Black Parade, and had I bought and listened to the album a few years ago, I'd probably have enjoyed it. But I just can't be doing with it now.

The album isn't all that bad, it's just really odd and out there. It makes everything they've made before this album kinda irrelevant. I feel like if they made albums like this instead of Bullets or TBP, they'd be more successful. Na Na Na is a crap song though.

I think that "Na Na Na" is the only song I've actually enjoyed from MCR.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Speaking of that:

Concerts I'm going to:
Sonic Youth

Tell me if Kim Gordon is still hot.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

http://www.mapofmetal.com/#/home

Hmm. This may be helpful

Very much so.

Kinda confused as to why Progressive Metal is so isolated.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Why is punk, hardcore punk and crust there? Are they seriously arguing that HUSKER DU is metal? lolz

Probably because they (as in punk, hardcore punk and crust) have influence on metal.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Does the genre Progressive Punk exist?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

I thought they were alright, but what kind of name is "I Am the Branch"? Damn hipsters.

Anyone enjoy the stylings of Robert Rich or Dream Theater?

I find Dream Theater to be a moderately enjoyable Prog metal band.

Still not as good as Porcupine Tree though.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

I thought they were alright, but what kind of name is "I Am the Branch"? Damn hipsters.

Anyone enjoy the stylings of Robert Rich or Dream Theater?

I find Dream Theater to be a moderately enjoyable Prog metal band.

Still not as good as Porcupine Tree though.

Never listened to them, any suggestions for a beginning listener?

If you enjoy Dream Theater?  I would go with In Absentia, Fear of a Blank Planet or The Incident.

Giving what Porcupine Tree album to start with is all dependent on the listener's tastes - if it's metal, you start with the later work, if it's alternative rock or psychedelic, you start with the earlier.