The "Music you didn't expect to like" Thread...

[Haku]

Hey all,

So I've recently been getting bored with my music collection (largely classic rock and blues), and have started looking in places I wouldn't expect. Pandora and other stuff like it have helped a ton, but I'm always interested in new stuff. For some reason its largely female singers for me lately, which is less then typical of my current collection. As a person who tries and hopes to make his living off the music industry, I am surprisingly out of date. I'd like to change that a bit.

So with that in mind......have you heard something recently that pleasantly surprised you out of the blue?

For me....there are a few.

The first is Lily Allen. She is a British punkish pop star, and her seemingly light music combined with darker lyrics is surprisingly enjoyable. Obviously its all in the mind of the beholder, but here is a video of her single "Smile"....sorry for the f-bomb at the beginning of the song...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZyTOROlo9E

This next one I am a bit on the fence with, as the use of Auto-tune software is a bit overused and the songs tend to sound very similar. That said, its catchy, happy making kind of music from a band named Owl City with the song Fireflies. I know I've heard it somewhere other then the radio, but can't place it. Still a nice song though...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4

The band is The Ting Tings. They have a vaguely similar sound to the White Stripes, but only vaguely. I've been really digging the driving drums and bass and such lately, similar to Franz Ferdinand and company. Its got a bit of an old school feel to it, but is fairly current. Here is the song they are most known for called "Shut Up and Let Me Go"....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tolm-07if3c

Lastly, is something a bit further towards obscure and "not for everybody". Scoutman and I had a gig in Albuquerque, NM last week (hey Smash) and escaped to the only Bar on Central Street (the main drag near the convention center) that wasn't completely full of drunken Frat Boy/Thug types after the last night of work. Its called the Blackbird Buvette and its the kind of bar that neither of us fit in, as it was very Beatnik/Emo/Hipster. Luckily we were wearing black and there with some other dudes that fit in bit more (but not a whole lot). Lots of hair gel, black eye shadow, and angst flowing around the room. That said, the music was slightly repetitive but I found myself kind of digging it. It was essentially Punk music, but using mostly Synth sounds. I found a band named that is on the lighter side of this kind of music called Freezepop with the song "Less Talk More Rokk" which is hard to argue with...


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

That is it for me, but lets hear what you have to add to this.

[Mporter]

The Dangerous Summer: mainly because my friend Matt suggested it and I normally don't like his style of music.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_K1lywPZms

Also nice synth-pop band. I can always dig a good keytar.

[RockyMtnHigh]

The Dangerous Summer: mainly because my friend Matt suggested it and I normally don't like his style of music.

That's pretty good and I also don't normally like that type of music either. I was checking out the comments on you-tube on the singers appearance and how they don't mean a thing when it comes to his ability to sing.

Reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjCtHgNEcV0

I would have never expected such a big guy to be singing like that, usually its a little skinny dude with a voice like that.

Some of others from them I like are:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKQCHty4XUM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXRnOIsbm-Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2dmjjaYHeI&feature=related

Back from Hell is good, but I can't find anything except the live version and it sucks!

[RockyMtnHigh]

Sorry Josh, wasn't trying to hi-jack your thread, I would not have expected to like a band named Texas Hippie Coalition and was pleasantly surprised!

[Mporter]

He sounds a lot like Rob Zombie.

Here's another good song by The Dangerous Summer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_68ECwmudkc

[Haku]

hahaa......if those guys are hippies then I don't even want to know what Phish is.

Thats about what I was expecting Mr. Big Hippy Texan to sound like, so no surprise there. Good stuff though, especially if you dig a bit of classic rock and deathmetal mash up (which I do on occasion).

I agree that I'm not usually into the kind of music that The Dangerous Summer puts out, but they are pretty decent. Fairly reminiscent of a lot of the bands from the Christian Rock side of things, as well as John Mayer and company. Its kind of cool when a band may have a similar style to a bunch of other bands that you aren't into, but for some reason that one jumps out and gets you.

[AccordRanger]

Big D and the Kids Table's newer stuff.

Here an older one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I0GtIXvoDw

And a new one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Pv3Frhym4

[Rob]

Jock, you're still listening to the ear-bleedin' stuff? :eek:

I'm not as young and hip as the rest of you, but let me suggest some Jamie Cullum, a British piano player. My wife bought me his first CD three or four years ago when I mentioned that I liked what he'd done with a couple of old classics, "I Could Have Danced All Night" (yes, I do listen to big band music on occasion :brody:) and "Singing in the Rain."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GADtAYFB1V0&feature=channel

[RockyMtnHigh]

Jock, you're still listening to the ear-bleedin' stuff? :eek:

I don't suppose that will ever change, here, something a little less ear-bleedin':lmao: and one of my favorites!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyC5xTD_2po


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBaIQreV8Yk

[Funrover]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GDZp0bPRcU

and for those rough days


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqdZpxkzNvc&feature=channel

[Mporter]

That Lamb of God song is the one that got me into em. And I have known about Save Ferris for a while....just because I kinda like Ska.

[Funrover]

That Lamb of God song is the one that got me into em. And I have known about Save Ferris for a while....just because I kinda like Ska.

I have know Save Ferris for awhile also, but when I first heard them I was a little Leary. Ska is still that way. I either really like it or not at all

[Rob]

That's third wave ska. I listened to 2-Tone back in the late '70s, early '80s, which was kind of a bridge between original ska and new wave. The Specials are a good example.

This is from their 30th anniversary tour:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hn_5oVhoy0&feature=related

[Haku]

I'm digging that Save Ferris band. I'll have to check some more of their stuff out. Towing the modern Ska line after Gwen Stefanie sold out and went all Pop Star. Listed to No Doubt last week for a bit and its a sad thing that its no more. I have heard that there has been talks of a reunion tour of sorts, but just vague rumors at this point. I do agree though, Ska is something I have to be in the mood for and it has to be good. Nice to have another band I can add to the list for that.

For some reason, I just can't get into music like that Lamb of God band. Just doesn't jive for me. For some reason, the Zombie brothers (Spider, of Powerman 5000, and Rob) are the only one I can really listen to often. Even so, they aren't exactly the same. I'm not making a comment about anyone who listens to KBPI so don't take it that way, but pretty much anything they play I just can't get into. Not sure what it is, because its not the usual reasons someone doesn't like metal (content or loudness or the growling lyrics). Very much to each their own and obviously me not liking it isn't effecting its popularity. I am positive someone can't get into what I listen to just as much.

Josh

[Mporter]

Josh you might check out Less Than Jake and Catch 22 for some good ska bands (not as much with Less Than Jake, but there are some elements in their songs)


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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYIx0sFNDH4

[AccordRanger]

On the topic of Ska.
Here is a Ska/Punk band from the UK. Sonic Boom Six.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-4KokEQDXQ&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtEc8UkQ6Ec&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iGetOXVJGk&feature=related

[AccordRanger]

And back on topic.. I don't like most newer rap. Mainly into 80's/90's, but I really like Lethal Bizzle.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpIFKKa1u-U

Found him through one of Gallows covers.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4ScST1yb4U

[Fatboris]

Preface this by saying I was a good little punk rocker in the late 80's through the 90's. That whole, Hives, Franz Ferdinand, Killers...thing didn't do it for me, the angst was a bit too contrived. There was 1 or 2 nice pop singles that came out of it but nothing that had staying power for me. I heard Arctic Monkeys one night at a bar, checked it out the next day, and realized I liked it in sober version too. Great arrangements, saucy lyrics...an all around-good show. I'm a big fan of jackhammering a floor tom and then they through in dancing girls with hot pants.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30w8DyEJ__0

...and fighting clowns. The main clown is Tommy from "Snatch"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw

[Fatboris]

...and speaking of ska, I walked through the living room the other day, kids had the TV on, and I heard Madness "Our House" as a jingle for something or other...made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. That Specials clip is fantastic, I have a Snuff record with the best cover of Do Nothing. Another great band is/was The Selector and of course no discussion of ska is complete without Desmond Dekker...the King of Ska.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGh5rM3GWL4

[4finger]

i love less than jake when it comes to ska, and mighty mighty boss tones.

i like a good hard hard hard (sorry i dont know the actual genre name) rock song/band, but i heard a "ballad" type song from this band and been listening to it lately, which is good cause the "nightmare" song from this band is probably really tired of being played all the time:)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzX0rhF8buo

[Chris]

In celebration of what would have been Frank Zappa's 70th birthday I post this as something for the young'uns to listen to.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws5Xeu3BEQk

[Fatboris]

The Monkees episode Zappa was on was brilliant...love this clip with Mike


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

[Brad]

Music is hard for me to share. I am very opinionated on what I listen to and what I pick and have very specific reasons why I like certain music.
I will however skim a few bands off the top and share.

I have been listening to the trash can sinatras since 1992. Their older music is excellent, they recently released a new album with 10 new tracks
and some live old tracks. Definately on the soft side. Good listening music.

Here is a old track:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL-FiS1yU8k
Here is a new track:


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

Only in the past 2 years I have discovered Bloc Party:

Slower track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLdp2OSFEys

Faster track (not live but video is cool):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOvZ8ln1riQ


For the industrial fan a flash from the mid 90's. You can hear where Trent got his early sound from.
This is from his former band mate:


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


How about something from the early 90's?
Heard about this band from a good friend who knew the lead singer personally.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvNzzzdNAhM&feature=fvw

And finally for now.. A band I discovered completely randomly surfing amazon for
new releases.

Ghostland Observatory:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZvaql37rcI&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=MLGxdCwVVULXcCa0LxIOdXwojO13lj6VgI


Eclectic enough mix? :D

Oh! and don't think this is all I listen to, only music I do not like is Country. Could never get into guitar played out of tune as well as singing out of tune. Blech!! ;)