So What Are You Listening To?

[aradia22]

Just a place to share current favorites and new discoveries (whether they were just released or you just listened to them for the first time). 

[Jeebus Cripes]

James Bay is all kinds of awesome right now. 

 

 

 

Jesus... I had no idea he was so beautiful looking until YouTubing. Now I feel like an old pervert.

[magicdog]

The Red Button.  technically they're not so much a band as a pair of singer songwriters who had a mutual love of 60s pop.

 

They've released two albums so far and I found them by accident.  One of their tunes was playing on satellite radio;   after finding their site and downloading their albums, I play them regularly.  My faves of theirs are "Can't Stop Thinking About Her", "Gonna Make You Mine", and "Caught In The Middle".

 

When I listen to these songs with my eyes closed, I feel like it's 1966, and these guys are sharing the stage with bands like The Byrds or The Critters (a VERY unappreciated band from that era).  If The Wonders (From "That Thing You Do!") had been a real band, they probably would have graduated to this.

[magicdog]

Not a double post!

 

Another accidental discovery:  The Viscounts' instrumental of "Harlem Nocturne"  It's so noir! 

[Ohwell]

I just bought the Nico & Vinz cd and I play it constantly.  I know "Am I Wong" has been played to death on the radio, but they've got some other songs that I like even more.

[magicdog]

Another accidental discovery:

 

I had posted in a different thread about an underrated band from the mid 60s called The Critters.  One of the tunes they recorded, "Children & Flowers" was recorded by another group I'd never heard of from the same era.  The band called, The Shillings were extremely popular in the Boston area and had a regional hit with "Lying & Trying".  The band never went national, and some of their tunes were standard for the era, but this one is a standout.  It should have gone Top 40.  The song and a compilation album is available on iTunes although to my disappointment, the music was never remastered so it sounds a bit fuzzy.  I don't know if that's because the masters are lost or if no one cared to go to the trouble.

[Beezel]

magicdog, thanks for mentioning The Critters!  I like "Children and Flowers" but I initially clicked on "Mr. Dieingly Sad." Now I can't stop listening to it. Such a beautiful and haunting song. 

 

My choice is Julie Driscoll accompanied by Brian Auger & Trinity. I had never heard of them, but I decided to give their cover of "Season of the Witch" a listen. Not my favorite really, but I was drawn to Driscoll's voice. Upon further research, a couple of favorites I found: 

 

A cover of "Road to Cairo," originally by David Ackles (awesome song):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWh6xkVNPmw&index=5&list=RDD1-iIiEq20Y

 

An original song, titled "A Word of Colours"  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x76Ay25Fcz8

Edited January 18, 2015 by Beezel

[magicdog]

 

Julie Driscoll accompanied by Brian Auger & Trinity

 

 

Believe it or not, I know of Driscoll and Brian Auger & The Trinity!  They were musical guests on The Monkees TV special, "33 1/3 Revolutions per Monkee" (1969).  Driscoll reminded me of Annie Lennox (I first saw a bootleg version of the show back in the early 90s so she was the first person to come to mind).

 

 

Love "Dieingly Sad" as well!  It was the song that lead me to The Critters in the first place!

Edited January 18, 2015 by magicdog

[Expat]

I've become a little obsessed with Gina G's "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" after hearing it again on the 90s countdown that Downtown Julie Brown does on Sirius.

 

[ebk57]

Steaming now on NPR until it's released on Tuesday, the new Alabama Shakes album "Sound and Color."

 

http://www.npr.org/2015/04/12/398068310/first-listen-alabama-shakes-sound-color

 

I love Brittany Howard.  They just added a couple more cities to their tour, and my city is one of them - yay!!

[lion10]

Majestic Casual always has great music but this one is fantastic, even for them.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg0XOi8AxJo

[AntiBeeSpray]

Music on my ipod. Some Ozzy Osborne right now.

[magicdog]

After a discussion in a different forum, I decided to check out Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come". Very nice and after comparing other versions, I think this is my favorite so far.

 

I also found myself checking out some Etta James.  I really need to add more of her work to my iPod!  I already have "At Last" and "Dance With Me Henry"  only to realize I forgot about "Sunday Kind Of Love", "I'd Rather Go Blind", and "Something's Got A Hold On Me".  

[funkopop]

I'm listening to a 90s/early 00's pop playlist I got off of Spotify.  So a bunch of Britney Spears, TLC,  N*Sync and Backstreet Boys.  Leave me alone... I'm in heaven!!

Edited May 27, 2015 by funkopop

[SosaLola]

I'm listening to a 90s/early 00's pop playlist I got off of Spotify.  So a bunch of Britney Spears, TLC,  N*Sync and Backstreet Boys.  Leave me alone... I'm in heaven!!

I've been listening to nothing but the Backstreet Boys for the past six months, started a few weeks before they released their documentary out of nostalgia. However, I don't feel like listening to their older stuff anymore - except maybe for 10,000 Promises. I'm more into their newer albums, especially the latest. Favorite songs: Madeleine, Trust Me, Show Em What You're Made Of, and especially the beautiful Breathe. I also can't get enough of Bigger from the previous album This Is Us - the video is also awesome - AJ's voice is enchanting. Now that Brian is having struggles with his voice, AJ is my favorite vocalist.  

 

As for the album Unbreakable, Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon is simply perfection, especially the short acapella version in the intro of the album. Downpour is another favorite from that album.

[lottiedottie]

After a discussion in a different forum, I decided to check out Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come". Very nice and after comparing other versions, I think this is my favorite so far.

 

I also found myself checking out some Etta James.  I really need to add more of her work to my iPod!  I already have "At Last" and "Dance With Me Henry"  only to realize I forgot about "Sunday Kind Of Love", "I'd Rather Go Blind", and "Something's Got A Hold On Me".  

Be sure to check out W.O.M.A.N. I love that one.

 

I've had the latest Vaccine's release on constant play lately. It's not often that I get into newer artists, but I really like the Vaccines.

[magicdog]

Thanks for the tip lottiedottie!

 

I'm currently listening to Danny Hutton before he joined up with Three Dog Night.  He recorded some stuff on the HB Records label (Hanna-Barbera had him in charge of recruiting talent at the label as Rock and Roll was going through musical puberty) and he did have two minor hits:  "Roses & Rainbows" and "Monster Shindig" (which essentially was a variation on Monster Mash).

 

A CD is available which included some of his solo work but I can't seem to find much downloadable stuff.  He also recorded a song I really like (which I think was a B-side to Roses & Rainbows) called, "Sometime at Night".  I found a video of him singing both tunes on "Hollywood A Go Go" back in 1965.  Sometime At Night was also recorded by the Beau Brummels but I think it's inferior to Hutton's version.

 

Another gem of his from his HB days was Big Bright Eyes.  Pop perfection!

Edited June 4, 2015 by magicdog

[PrincessLuceval]

I've had Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" on heavy play in my car lately. It's a perfect album, except for this remastered one I have - they added Silver Springs to the lineup, and it was engineered very poorly compared to the rest of the album - low volume, somewhat muddy. But small complaint when the rest of the album takes me back to the hot summer of 1977.

[Ohwell]

I also found myself checking out some Etta James.  I really need to add more of her work to my iPod!  I already have "At Last" and "Dance With Me Henry"  only to realize I forgot about "Sunday Kind Of Love", "I'd Rather Go Blind", and "Something's Got A Hold On Me".

Also check out "AlI I Could Do Was Cry" (forget Beyoncé's version).

[magicdog]

Found myself in a doo w** mood and found this lost gem from The Diamonds called, "She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)"  .

 

They're best known hit was,  "Little Darlin' " but this one is so much fun.

[Ohwell]

I busted out my "Frampton Comes Alive" album yesterday.  Good listening.

[aradia22]

Parlour Tricks' new album. Check it out.

[prican58]

I saw youtube footage of Linda Ronstadt's induction to the R & R Hall of Fame and pulled out the vintage stuff. My very favorite female singer of the 70's and I am so sad that she has Parkinson's. Heart Like a Wheel is still the best she ever did and it paved the way for my getting into folks like Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash. 

 

Linda's Hasten Down the Wind is my 2nd favorite and her voice is all kinds of wonderful on it.

Also, I have been reacquainting myself with Bread. Yes, the 70's has taken residence in my head lately. David Gates got all the pub back then but Jimmy Griffin was every much his equal and his songs show a very strong Beatles influence which would have been natural for musicians of his age back then. I've been reading up on him and he was a co author of "For All We Know", which was a big hit for The Carpenters. It was the theme song for the film "Lovers and Other Strangers" and it won Best Song at Oscar time. Impressive.

 

Sadly he passed away from cancer in 2005. 

Bread and Linda are taking turns on the stereo. They must surely be dizzy by now.

[Mindymoo]

When I was on vacation in Stratford, Ontario a couple weeks ago, a new record shop was up and I sort of splurged. I got:

Warren Zevon- Excitable Boy

ELO- Eldorado

David Bowie- The Man Who Sold the World (alternate album cover)

Rush- Exit... Stage Left

The Mothers- Just Another Band from LA

Queen- The Game

Lenny Bruce- Sat. Feb. 4th at Midnight

 

All of the albums were in near mint condition, and the prices were amazing when you consider the exchange rate.

 

Ever since, I've been on a huge (and I mean HUGE) Zevon kick. He's always been one of my favorites, but I can't stop listening to the guy. I've been watching his old clips on Letterman, including his final show before he died of inoperable mesothelioma, and he was just amazing and brilliant. He's so much more than just the "Werewolves of London" guy, and I wish that other songs from his catalogue had become the huge hits that that one did. I miss his voice every day.

[prican58]

Mindy, yeah Zevon was great and I have Excitable Boy from when it first came out.

He was a great writer. Ronstadt covered a few of his songs but I never really thought she was the right artist to cover him. Hasten Down The Wind was her best interpretation of his songs.

 

He was under appreciated by the masses.  

Edited September 5, 2015 by prican58

[Mindymoo]

I like Rondstandt, but I agree, she wasn't the right voice to cover his music. Warren Zevon and Frank Zappa are gods to me, and I am just on a Zevon binge for now. I remember watching that final Letterman episode with my parents and being in tears, and watching it again all these years later had me bawling like a baby. I read an article about that show where afterwards, he gave David his guitar and asked him to take good care of her, and I just cried and cried. He was such a brilliant songwriter, a man who never got his due, but his music touched a lot of people. That album "Life'll Kill Ya" came out before he was diagnosed, and it had that song "My Shit's Fucked Up", and it was so eerily prophetic. I just wish I could have seen him live.

[AimingforYoko]

His last appearance on the Letterman show (who was a huuuuuge fan) will definitely stir up your allergies.

 

My hip-hop listening seems to end in 1995, but of the current crop, I am wearing out (well, not really, you can't wear out ones and zeroes) the latest from Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly. He has restored my faith in the future of rap.

[Rick Kitchen]

Ed Sheeran can do no wrong.  Love his latest, "Photograph"

 

[panthergirl13]

Greg Trooper Live at the Rock Room... He's married to my childhood friend and he was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The guy is fucking amazing, and if you haven't heard him, now's a good time to listen:

 

Edited September 19, 2015 by panthergirl13

[GaT]

Can't stop listening to Raise Hell by Dorothy

[prican58]

forumfish, that list is aces! That was one of my very favorite musical years. Those Guess Who and Elvis songs are really underappreciated. I love The Guess Who. Does that station play a list every day at 10? Do they have a website? (stupid question...everything has a website)

[PrincessLuceval]

I recently was urged to listen to Tom Waits. I've only been familiar with his later, raspy stuff, but I listened to his first album, Closing Time. My word, it's wonderful! His writing is so good, and a few of the songs just wreck me each time I hear them (Martha and Grapefruit Moon, especially). 

[magicdog]

I found myself listening to Eric Heatherly.  He's a Country/Rockabilly artist and I only came to know of him via a blog post discussing his version of "Flowers on the Wall" (originally a hit for the Statler Brothers back in 1966).   I'm a sucker for Rockabilly music anyway.

[Crim]

Solar Fields, aka Magnus Birgersson, EarthShine - Summer. I'm sleepy, drinking coffee, and this is a good song for mornings/awakening. He did the Mirror's Edge soundtrack and is working on the sequel now.

[MusicFan85]

Janet Jackson's new album Unbreakable is great!  Currently listening to Night and The Great Forever.

[magicdog]

Just a few clicks on YT brought me to a song I'd never heard before - "Glitter & Gold" by the Turtles (1965)

 

Written by Brill Building songwriters, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, it was recorded by a few different acts, including The Enemys and The Everly Brothers.  None of the versions became Top 40 as far as I know, but I think were good enough to chart that high.

[GaT]

Can't stop listening to Lay It All On Me by Ed Sheeran

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srsFuJ1_tQE

[Tabbyclaw]

A couple of local stations have started playing "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit all the damn time. It's weird, but I'm not complaining.

[John Barnes]

There is nothing better than hitting the bed listening to some awesome stuff from Coldplay using my new Bose QC headphones*. Mylo Xyloto is still, by far, their best work till date. Can't still stop listening to Paradise**, the song keeps coming back into my playlist. Makes me feel the pain of losing someone dear even though something of that sort has happened till date. It's gonna be a beautiful night. 

 

*https://baybloorradio.com/headphones/noise-cancelling/bose-quietcomfort-25

**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg

[Rick Kitchen]

I'm obsessed with this new song by Elle King.  She has a very strong Amy Winehouse feel.  The video is slightly NSFW.

 

BTW, her father is comedian Rob Schneider.

 

[AimingforYoko]

Relatively new, I guess. I posted in the Racy Lyrics thread about it back in June.

[Rick Kitchen]

missed that, sorry.  :)

[ebk57]

Just got the OBCR a couple of days ago and I can't stop listening to this.  Might be the first time I've bought the cast recording before I've seen the show. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2015 by ebk57

[33kaitykaity]

 

I never paid attention to this before.  I'd heard it, but I didn't realize how righteously good it is.  

[magicdog]

Found myself introduced to some lost gold:

 

Maynard Ferguson - "MacArthur Park" (1974) = Someone said to me if I wanted to know good Jazz (besides Dave Brubeck) - to check this tune out.  I've gained a new respect for the genre.

 

Frankie Lane -  Seven Days Of Love (1965) - I couldn't sleep one night and found myself watching GET-TV.  They were airing a rerun of the Merv Griffin Show from 1965.  Frankie was on that night singing this tune - but it was arranged more like L-O-V-E (by Frank Sinatra or Nat King Cole).  He said it was in the top ten in So. Cal (regional hit) but was hoping it'd go national.  Seems that didn't happen since 1965 was a banner year for great music and this one was another  that got lost in the shuffle.

 

Chuck Sedacca - "I Don't Wanna Know" (1962) He was a singer-songwriter (who coincidentally wrote "Seven Days of Love").  Unfortunately he and his family were tragically killed in a car accident in 1967.

[Miss Dee]

Lately I can't get enough of the Civil Wars. I'm especially loving "Dust to Dust".

(Edited because "I can't get enough of the Civil War" has a very different meaning.)

Edited March 19, 2016 by Miss Dee

[ebk57]

Austin City Limits live streaming Robert Plant now:

 

[33kaitykaity]

[Cobalt Stargazer]

So apparently these folks

 

 

 

have been around for a bit, but I'd never heard of them before. The song is very catchy, but I can't decide if I actually like it or not.

[33kaitykaity]

 

One of the best albums from beginning to end I have ever heard.  Ranks right up there with Pink Floyd Animals IMHO.  

 

This album contains their one and only top-something hit, Kayleigh.  

 

Edited April 2, 2016 by 33kaitykaity