Like the great John Peel,
I’m not letting advancing age (I am a good sight closer to 40 than 30)
turn my iTunes library into a time capsule from my youth. Although you
won’t find much evidence on MTV, MuchMusic or standard radio, the world
of music is bigger than ever. Luckily, the ‘net lets you find the music
that’s just too quirky, too offbeat and just not generally palatable in
that pop pablum way that big hits are to get played on video stations
and standard radio.
You’ll find a list of the albums getting a lot of play on my iTunes
below. I “discovered” some of them by listening to internet
radio, where the selection is much wider and the programming less pusillanimous
than commercial media. Others were sent to me by friends and blog
readers with a “Hey! Thought you might like this!” message tacked on.
Aside from Beck and The Bravery, most of what’s on heavy rotation on my
iTunes won’t be found on standard radio, but it’s great music. I highly recommend them all.
Eels: Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Vitalic: OK Cowboy
Polysics: Polysics or Die
Beck: Guero
The Decemberists: Picaresque
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Hard-Fi: Stars of CCTV
The Knitters: The Modern Sounds of the Knitters
Danger Doom (that is, Danger Mouse and MF DOOM): The Mouse and the Mask (Not out yet. I got…er, an advance copy. Yeah.)
The Bravery: The Bravery
Sigur Rós: Takk (Also not yet released. It…um, fell from an Einstein-Rosen bridge that linked my current position in space-time to Penguin Music on the release date.)
Art Blakey: The Definitive (Okay, so this one’s not that current. But I hadn’t heard it in a long time, and it’s jazzalicious.)
Platinum Pied Pipers: Triple P
American Analog Set: Set Free (To be released September 20, when I plan to buy it.)
JR Ewing: Maelstrom (Available everywhere…in Norway!)
The Boy Least Likely To: The Best Party Ever
Ratatat: Ratatat
Architecture in Helsinki: Fingers Crossed
Based on this set of albums, is there anything you think I’d like? Feel free to make your recommendations in the comments.
5 replies on “On Heavy Rotation”
Dood,
do any of the above song offerings feature accordion?
why no mention of Art Van Damme, Eddie Montiero or Frank Marocco?
Terry Valko
Yay, the Decemberists! I highly recommend all of their previous albums, especially 5 Songs. If you have not already, you should also take a look at Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.
I have not heard any of the other albums on your list (to tell the truth, I have not even heard of some of them), but my personal favorite right now is Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois.
Since you’re digging Polysics, I’d suggest you check out Thunderbirds Are Now!‘s Justamustache.
Of Montreal wouldn’t be out of place on a list like that, either…
Hey Joey,
Sounds like you might also enjoy The Mountain Goats – either of their two recent albums – “We Shall All be Healed”, or “The Sunset Tree”
Tim
What about some Bloc Party? I am loving the Bravery and loving BP as well.