I left the title generic so other people could add their own – if you need recomendations about a band on where to start with their music, this is the place.
For me, two bands that I’ve known about for years and they’ve always been on the edge of my radar but for some reason never really took the plunge:
The Melvins
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
What are good places to start with both of them, and what are their “must own” albums?
For Nick Cave, start with the “best of” album (there are two versions, one of which has an extra disc with a live recording). His sound has changed a lot over the years, so decide which songs you like and then get their source albums. I also like the “Live Seeds” album.
For Nick Cave - don’t bother.
Check out Ron Sexsmith tho, especially Retreiver
For Nick Cave, Live Seeds is a good place to start with his older stuff. Then you can go get the old albums if you like it. I would also recommend Murder Ballads for the middle stuff and No More Shall We Part for the newer stuff.
Before the CD player crapped out in my pickup, Stoner Witch by The Melvyns was listened to quite often.
Fugazi – never disliked them based on the singles i’ve heard but can’t find any used CDs to listen to before to know if they are worthwhile (Actually, that’s in common with all three of these.)
Sonic Youth – heard a bit more from them than from Fugazi, but some is “accessible” and some isn’t. Then again, I like This Year’s Model over Armed Forces (costello) which is supposed to be more “accessible”, so I don’t know how to explain exactly what I’m looking for – maybe for the more melodic and less “white noise” entries.
Husker Du – I like Sugar and the few Mould singles I’ve heard but the one album i found from Husker Du per se was white noise crap (at least i could hear it before i bought it.)
From the Melvins, Stoner Witch and Houdini are both highly recommended.
Ludovic: which Husker Du album did you hear? That might help with recommendations.
For Fugazi, their earlier works (13 songs, Repeater) are more straightforward and loud. Steady Diet of Nothing is generally considered their worst album. I’d go with either *In on the Kill Taker * or Red Medicine for a starting point and then expand from there if you like. With those two albums they started to change a little bit and weren’t quite as loud and seemed like they started to work a little touch of groove in. Those 2 are my favs.
For Husker Du, a lot of people seem to like *Warehouse: Songs & Stories * the most, but my favorite one was Always Zen Arcade.
Sonic Youth – Their two most accessible records in my opinion are Goo and Dirty but they still have a lot of fuzz and screeching going on even in those records. The rabid fans will tell you that Daydream Nation was their best but it’s probably not the best starting point.
For the Melvins… I would recommend getting to a live show. Pre-show homework would consist of study in the following albums, in the following order: Stoner Witch, Houdini, Hostile Ambient Takeover, and Electroretard. The live show is some Good Stuff.
I’ve always wondered where the best entry point would be for Skinny Puppy.
Thx,
-Sweep.
Sounds like you ran into the Huskers’ debut, Land Speed Record, which is pretty rough sledding. I would also suggest Warehouse: Songs and Stories.
I’ll second Hunter Hawk and Edwino on Nick Cave. I started on the double-version of “Best of” myself. Or for a more ephemeral but interesting dip, try watching the Wim Wenders’ film Wings of Desire - NC performs a live version of “From Her to Eternity” in a Berlin club near the end of the film. Sort of quintessential earlier Nick Cave.
For Fugazi, I’d actually try the early ep’s like Margin Walker and Fugazi, if they can be found. I think they’re stronger than the longer albums like Repeater.
I’ll agree with mouthbreather that Goo is probably the most immediately accessible Sonic Youth album. And as a fan I also agree that Daydream Nation is the best ;). Frankly I think the four albums Evol - Sister - Daydream Nation - Goo represent them at their strongest and I think any of the last three are worth trying first.
Husker Du - I’d partially go with mouthbreather again. Either Zen Arcade or New Day Rising.
For myself, I never really tried the seemingly very prolific Mekons - recommendations?
Margin Walker and Fugazi together make up the album 13 Songs that Mouthbreather mentioned. In my opinion, Repeater is the best of the bunch, followed closely by Margin Walker. I’m more of a fan of the straightforward and loud than the more experimental turns they took with Mouthbreather’s recommendations. I’ve heard that their last album (The Argument) is closer to the sound of those early releases than they have been for a while now.
If you’re interested in Fugazi (or other bands on their label), you can order stuff direct from Dischord, usually for a lot chepaer than you’ll find them in stores. Their CDs are generally $10 each.
How about the Descendents? I’ve always liked what I’ve heard, but never heard that much.
For Nick Cave, start with Tender Prey, then jump to Henrys Dream and Let Love in, then grab the new one, Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus. That’ll give you a decent range of his style changing across albums. There’s a DVD with all the videos up to 98 on it too that i’d recommend.
I was in the same boat - except for having exceptional early (1970s) single “Where Were You” - so bought the recently released Heaven & Hell: The Very Best of The Mekons. It is exceedingly good.
But where do you begin with Mazzy Star?
This one is tricky - they’ve had many sounds over the years. Here’s my best …
If you like more straightforward, dark, 80’s new-wave influenced material, I’d suggest their earlier material, like “Bites” or “Remission”
If you like a thick, dense, noise-heavy sound, “Too Dark Park” and “Last Rights” are where you want to be.
If you want a slick, techno-like production but still much weirdness, the new album “The Greater Wrong of the Right” is excellent.
Overall, a good sampler is their “Singles Collect” album - it has all of their singles from 1984 to 1992, which comprises the majority of their catalog. The only one I’d say NOT to buy to start it out is “The Process”.
You can’t go wrong with “Milo Goes To College.”
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (currently just Blues Explosion)- no real bad place to start, but for anyone interested, I’d recommend Orange or Plastic Fang first. Both give a fair balance of the kickin rock/funk combo these guys do. Acme, Extra Acme USA- also highly recommended.
Damage, their latest, is disappointing only in the number of good songs. There are about 3 or 4 great ones, but the rest of the album falls a little flat (for me).
Sonic Youth:
The place to start is Dirty. Go from there to Goo and then to Daydream Nation. That’s their best three IMHO.
Mazzy Star:
IIRC, they only have 3 albums. I only have She Hangs Brightly and So Tonight That I Might See. They both sound very similar. She Hangs Brightly has “Holah” on it and So Tonight That I Might See has Fade Into You on it. IMHO, Holah is a better song but So Tonight That I Might See is a better album.
Then again, my favorite is Hope Sandoval and The Jesus and Mary Chain on the track “Sometimes Always” off of Stoned and Dethroned. But you didn’t ask…
My question isn’t with a band per se, but a whole genre. I want to start listening to shoegazer music. I have some old Ride and Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine and (aforementioned) Jesus and Mary Chain, and some newer stuff like Built to Spill and Sigur Ros but I don’t even really know if any of these fall into the “shoegazer” school. Two problems: which bands define the genre and what are good starting points?
The first three for sure - not really JAMC, though. There weren’t a whole lot of others that were any good (at the outset), really, except for, IMO, the best: Swervedriver - and perhaps you could include Curve [the original Garbage], House of Love and Levitation (all recommended). There are a few bands that would have fit the bill if they hadn’t been ahead of their time - Loop and Spacemen 3 come to mind.
Recommended listening for Swervedriver: They evolved very quickly so the records were all quite different. Raise was an adrenaline rush, Mezcal Head was more rhythmic and by the time they reached Ejector Seat Reservation they had become quite melancholy.