The Musical Elitists » Discussões

For Our Ignorant, Inane, and John Mayer Loving Friends....

 
  • For Our Ignorant, Inane, and John Mayer Loving Friends....

    As musical elitists, we should be able to take any person's ears and turn them away from "that radio station" and and tune them to the wonderful world of musical elitism.

    That said, certainly one would never play a Tom Waits song off of Rain Dogs, Joanna Newsom, or Deerhoof to a newbie.

    The purpose of this form is to make a "mix cd" of songs for the virgin ears. They should be melodic, listenable, and probably not break down too many musical barriers (sorry MBV fans).

    Maybe we can all agree on a certain set of songs and pass them out to our friends!

  • 1. Belle And Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
    2. Tom Waits - Martha
    3. The Hush Sound - Wine Red
    4. The Dismemberment Plan - The City
    5. Pinback - Concrete Seconds
    6. The Radio Dept - Tell
    7. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
    8. +/- - Ignoring All The Detours
    9. Sufjan Stevens - Jacksonville
    10. Midlake - Head Home
    11. Mew - She Came Home For Christmas*
    12. The American Analog Set - The Green Green Grass


    *Probably the most commercial sounding song I like.

  • I love John Mayer!!!!!!!! Don't hate.


    I think +/- - Ventriloquist is most irresistible.

    love, music, wine and revolution
    • tmills disse...
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    • Dez 11 2006, 18h29
    Newbie EP: Five Bands You Should Listen to, and the Best Songs To Start With
    Dinosaur Jr. - The Wagon
    Dismemberment Plan - What Do You Want Me to Say?
    Guided by Voices - I Am a Scientist
    The Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
    Magnolia Electric Co. - The Dark Don't Hide It

    • Haarry disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 1h29
    Everyone loves britpop, it bridges everything.

    Throw them a Dandy Warhols cd too.. everyone will be happydancing, and dear old adam here will still scorn our non-indieness.

    That said, John Mayer is alright.

    EDIT:

    I actually am in the process of doing this to my sister, well not really.. I'm not trying to make her listen to Deerhoof, Sonic Youth and Newsom, just something that won't rape my ears with it's poppy musical stupidity. So far she likes Eels and REM.. that's a start.

    • [Usuário excluído] disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 1h48
    My fun mix:
    1.John Cage - 4'33"
    2.Wilco - Less Than You Think
    3.Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music Part 3
    4.The Beatles - Revolution #9
    5.The Velvet Underground - European Son
    6.Throbbing Gristle - Death Threats

    Six really great songs you can take home to your parents!

    • Mod6 disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 2h33
    Hmm, interesting thread idea.
    For the record, John Mayer is a stupid loser. He actually claims that he's not a girly, sissy sell-out singer-songwriter (oh boy a whole lotta S's there) who cooes out all his words. And uh, yeah.

    For Help on Becoming an Elitist (Tracks):

    1) The Roots - You Got Me
    2) The Jesus and Mary hain - Darklands
    3) Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot
    4) R.E.M. - Sweetness Follows
    5) Beirut - Postcards from Italy (you gotta start somewhere!)C
    6) The Hold Steady - Chips Ahoy!
    7) Joseph Arthur - In the Sun
    8) Nick Drake - Pink Moon
    9) Big Star - In the Street
    10) The Velvet Underground - I'm Waiting for the Man

    Meh, seeing as I'm finding it very hard myself to convert others, my list probably isn't the best one. Whatever.

  • I've been quite successful in winning new fans with these bands:

    1. Husker Du - Dead Set on Destruction
    2. Dinosaur Jr. - Freak Scene
    3. Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia
    4. Replacements - Kiss Me on the Bus
    5. Minutemen - Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing
    6. Rites of Spring - Reminder

    i could have gone a bit deeper though.

  • John Mayer is undoubtedly one of the best guitar players of this era and to disregard him as nothing but a pop singer is having your nose way to stuck in the air (And an indicator that all you have heard is Room for Squares and/or "Waiting on the World to Change"). Not everything well liked is complete crap, just most of it. Doesn't mean you have to enjoy it, but to not respect it is ignorance.



    There Is No There by The Books
    Step Into My Office, Baby by Belle and Sebastian
    Windsurfing Nation by Broken Social Scene
    In the Morning by Junior Boys
    Love Is No Big Truth by Kings of Convenience
    Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars
    Me and Mia by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

    Not in that order or anything but yeah. And I agree that Chips Ahoy! is a great Hold Steady track to intrigue new listeners.

    love, music, wine and revolution
    • [Usuário excluído] disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 4h00
    What makes him one of the best? Because he can play 70 year old blues licks well? That's new.

    And until he gets off the adult alternative circut I think it's pretty fair to call him just another pop singer.

  • pattismithowns said:
    My fun mix:
    1.John Cage - 4'33"
    2.Wilco - Less Than You Think
    3.Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music Part 3
    4.The Beatles - Revolution #9
    5.The Velvet Underground - European Son
    6.Throbbing Gristle - Death Threats

    Six really great songs you can take home to your parents!


    So accessible. 2 questions though.
    Is 4'33" the composition that is just silence?

    And you haven't actually listened to all of Metal Machine Music have you?

    I forgot my physics book.
    • [Usuário excluído] disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 5h32
    Yes it's the total silence piece, best way to start off a mix.

    Also, I like all of these (except the Cage, because that isn't something you can love...), so yes I have heard MMM. It's theme is songs by artists I like that people usually hate.

    • zfarrow disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 5h53
    The way to do it is to mix the indie with the classics with a few borderline mainstreamers. Observe a mix I made for my Incubus/Brand New loving girlfriend (I guess she could have much worse taste though...I'm thankful):

    1)This Will Be Our Year
    2)If I Can't Have You
    3)Sea Legs
    4)Come On
    5)Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery
    6)Popular Mechanics for Lovers
    7)Independence Day
    8)Magic
    9)Mary Jane's Last Dance
    10)Bright Young Thing
    11)You're The One I Want
    12)Night Drive
    13)The Way I Feel Inside

    Now, you may scold me for putting songs like Ben Kweller's Magic (off of his new album...choke) onto this...but it is artists like him that bridge the gap between mainstream and indie music who make the transition easier. If its worth anything, she listens to this all the time. Its about time to take her deeper.

    Toodles!

    -zach
  • pattismithowns said:
    What makes him one of the best? Because he can play 70 year old blues licks well? That's new.




    No. What makes him one of the best is that he plays his OWN blues music well. He went from writing metiocre pop songs to creating accomplished, sexy and admirable music that is a testament to what real artists do: they evolve.

    To be quite honest I expected to hate Continuum and because of a decent amount of snobbery, I tried, but he created an outstanding blues-roots-inspired album that may draw comparisons closer to Vaughn than any pop singer in the industry.

    love, music, wine and revolution
    • tmills disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 7h29
    Yeah, but even though Vaughan was technically good at what he did, the guy was a hack.

    • Haarry disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 11h19
    All your sissy guitarists will bow down to Leo Kottke



    That is how a guitar is meant to be played my droogies.

    That said.. John Mayer was a decent pop musician.. nothing more. There's nothing wrong with that.

  • zfarrow said:
    The way to do it is to mix the indie with the classics with a few borderline mainstreamers. Observe a mix I made for my Incubus/Brand New loving girlfriend (I guess she could have much worse taste though...I'm thankful):

    1)This Will Be Our Year
    2)If I Can't Have You
    3)Sea Legs
    4)Come On
    5)Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery
    6)Popular Mechanics for Lovers
    7)Independence Day
    8)Magic
    9)Mary Jane's Last Dance
    10)Bright Young Thing
    11)You're The One I Want
    12)Night Drive
    13)The Way I Feel Inside

    Now, you may scold me for putting songs like Ben Kweller's Magic (off of his new album...choke) onto this...but it is artists like him that bridge the gap between mainstream and indie music who make the transition easier. If its worth anything, she listens to this all the time. Its about time to take her deeper.

    Toodles!


    Zach has actually been very successful with his mixes in the past. I believe most people start out really really really liking his songs while it may take a few listens to fall in love with mine. Either way, Zach, Kaitlyn said I had a better taste in music than you last week.... oooooooh!

    And about John Mayer:

    A good guitarist is not defined as someone who is good at jamming. Look at the artists in Phish or The String Cheese Incident... they are all extremely talented in their own right on the guitar, but they fail to do anything besides this. That is to say, while John Mayer may be better than your average Joe, he is still nothing special in the musical world. Look how many people are more innovative, look how many write better songs. I'm not saying he's horrible, I'm just saying all the credit falls on shoulders that are not deserving.

    The best example I can think of when defining the best guitarists always comes to Kevin Shields with My Bloody Valentine. The sounds on Loveless have never ever ever been able to be duplicated. How many people can play a John Mayer song?

  • How many people can play a John Mayer song?


    Uhhh "Neon" is SUCH a hard song to play. That being said, I'm done arguing about this.

    love, music, wine and revolution
    • [Usuário excluído] disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 19h44
    RufflesOLeary said:
    I love John Mayer!!!!!!!!



    Shocking! ;)

    • [Usuário excluído] disse...
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    • Dez 12 2006, 19h45
    awthomp86 said:
    1. Belle And Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
    2. Tom Waits - Martha
    3. The Hush Sound - Wine Red
    4. The Dismemberment Plan - The City
    5. Pinback - Concrete Seconds
    6. The Radio Dept - Tell
    7. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
    8. +/- - Ignoring All The Detours
    9. Sufjan Stevens - Jacksonville
    10. Midlake - Head Home
    11. Mew - She Came Home For Christmas*
    12. The American Analog Set - The Green Green Grass


    *Probably the most commercial sounding song I like.


    Sweet mix. +/- are great. I saw them open for Death Cab for Cutie in 2004 and they put on a might fine show.

  • dinosaur_act said:
    RufflesOLeary said:
    I love John Mayer!!!!!!!!



    Shocking! ;)


    Don't hate, Dino. :)

    love, music, wine and revolution
    • Haarry disse...
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    • Dez 13 2006, 1h27
    awthomp86 said:
    The best example I can think of when defining the best guitarists always comes to Kevin Shields with My Bloody Valentine. The sounds on Loveless have never ever ever been able to be duplicated. How many people can play a John Mayer song?


    You'll hate me for this but I don't think Mr.Shields is that great a guitarist, The whole record of Loveless was a real oddity, yes. But he drained how many record companies budget making it? and how long has it taken him and the gang to cough up a follow up? I agree, he's better than Mayer, much more original. But can you really say nothing sounds anything like the sounds produced on Loveless? There are thousands of Shoegaze acts, many of which faithfully reproduce very similiar sounds. I'm not about to go out and call them the best guitarists, I've always seen Shields as a composer, an ideas man, not a player. I mean just wonder.. if you met him, could he just pick up any guitar and amaze you? that's how I think of it. Sorry.

    • [Usuário excluído] disse...
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    • Dez 13 2006, 1h41
    Why do you have to follow it up? Slint didn't do the same thing either, doesn't mean they're anything less. Also it wasn't an oddity, all of MBV's stuff from before it (besides the first EP with a different group/style) are all excellent. Isn't Anything is one of the absolute best records from the 80s. Clearly THEY evolved and got better and better, and I think if they thought they couldn't top it they have no obligation to do so and "tarnish" their reputation sort of like all the classic rock dinosaurs doing reunion tours. Would I like them to do more shit? Of course. But it doesn't make them anything less. Loveless is still ahead of everything. Probably will be in 10 years. Maybe 25.

    Also I haven't heard any shoegaze group that is THAT big in their sound. Sure many get close but it never sounds that similar really. Shields' visionary sound is just as great as Hendrix or whoever playing a million notes and all that. He took guitar to it's limits really, and I think that's great.

    I don't think it needs to be a "pick up any guitar" kinda thing.

    • Mod6 disse...
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    • Dez 13 2006, 2h17
    Technical skill is almost wholly and totally separate from being a "good guitarist". Look at Malmsteen and Van Halen and all those cats. Maybe Kevin Shields can't pick up a guitar and replicate a Hendrix solo on the spot, but that doesn't mean he's a bad guitarist (and you should know that, Haarry, you're a huge Nirvana fan after all :P).

  • Being a good guitarist is all about being able to play the bassline to Seven Nation Army. That's what gets you the ladies.

    I forgot my physics book.
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