If nothing else being here has provided me the opportunity to experience other musical genres. Before coming to Jamaica I was almost strictly a classic rock kinda guy. I liked jazz, a few jam bands, some folk-y guys with guitars, and pretty much anything with a quality guitar lick. You couldn’t say I had a closed mind as far my musical preferences, but I wasn’t actively seeking any new ear candy. I would occasionally stumble on a new artist or hear about a band from my sister or friends. Also during two formative university years I drove the Green Chick Mobile, a ’94 Dodge Caravan that lacked a radio, and for that matter a heater. Not that having a large van didn’t have its perks, especially when there were 10+ drunkards at your house and you were trying to get them all to the bars in one trip (p.s. whoever now owns Chicky… the mysterious stain in the back is from Dover violently vomiting on his 21st birthday… at 7:00 pm… he didn’t make it too long.) Not having a radio in your primary transportation really limits your exposure to new music, but Big Green did have a small living room in the back complete with couch and Playstation 2.
Anyway back to the point… experiencing new musical genres. Being here, for me, has slowed down life considerably. You know… the stopping to sniff flowers and all. It has also allowed me many hours to listen to artists I had never before listened. To be honest, I would not have been super-interested in giving a lot of the people I now consider staples a chance.
Many of you are fantastically busy and probably never spend any time looking for new music. I have it pretty easy as the strange mix of PC volunteers comes with a fairly wide taste in music and they provide me with new-to-me stuff all the time. I think that experiencing a new band, at least to you, is a positive thing. So I challenge you, even those of you with extra hectic schedules, to take 10 minutes, get online, and turn a couple aural tricks. Right now Josh Ritter is getting quite a bit of playtime on my iTunes. Check him out and let me know the new-to-you musical genius you find so I can check them out too.
Music appreciation is an innate behavior…its evolution…don’t fight it… Patrick
Thursday, May 1, 2008
want it to be fast, quick cuts. You know, youthful, sort of, um, MTV on crack kind of thing.
Posted by Patrick at 9:08 AM
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3 comments:
Maria Taylor.
Glen Hansard.
Still loving me some Nick Drake.
brighteyes.
dashboard confessional.
i'm into whimsical musings of wannabe philosophers who are really just have some nsightful observations.
you gotta share some names, brother.
Music discovery is great, I like Paste Magazine because it comes with a cd that has 20 or so songs from various artists, you can also find good stuff at their website, http://www.pastemagazine.com/.
I've recently become addicted to the Avette Brothers, http://www.myspace.com/theavettbrothers. I would also suggest you listen to a great band from Salt Lake City that is beginning to get some national recognition: Band of Annuals, http://www.myspace.com/bandofannuals.
Myspace has at least one great thing going for it, access to great music.
I didn't use quotes from AD because all of the good stuff is dialogue and I couldn't get it to look right.
Josh will be of more help, but check out www.woxy.com for new music. They call themselves "the future of rock n roll" for good reason. They really do predict the future!
I love me some Mates of State, Joshua Radin, M.I.A., Avett Brothers, Animal Collective.
Jen--great recommends. We're psyched to see Swell Season (Glen Hansard y Marketa Irglova) at this year's Bonnaroo! Also, Maria Taylor is such a great songstress.
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