A great newish band I discovered just three days ago is King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the name alone was enough to pique my interest. And I was not disappointed. It’s a psych-prog-jazz-heavy-metal combo from Australia that has released more than twenty albums since their debut in 2012, and every album sounds different, but glorious. The only bands I can compare them to are the mighty Motorpsycho and the Flaming Lips. And Zappa.
Two other newer acts I adore are German neo kraut rock bands, Urlaub in Polen and Camera. I’ve got some more favorite bands from the last ten years, but they all have in common that they build on former sounds, though they are not totally retro, but use those influences in modern, very eclectic ways.
Just found another one I think I’m going to like: Black Nail Cabaret. A friend suggested them to me last night. I’ve only listened to a small number of their songs but so far I like them. Will be trying more. Black Nail Cabaret - Bête Noire - YouTube
I love the Spotify recommendations. They know exactly what I like—but I listen to Spotify all day every day at work, and every time I hear something I like I add it to my playlist…which has several thousand songs in it at this point. I’m 48, and I’m always looking for new music (before pandemic, I went to a lot of shows, and always get there for the opening act, because I’ve found a lot of great bands that way).
Anyway…one of my favorite ‘new’ bands is Massive Wagons, who I found on Spotify. Anyone else listening to these guys?
Samantha Fish almost counts—her 1st album was apparently 2009.
50 years old… The newest artists in my files and playlists that I enjoy are:
Superorganism - happy shoegaze, to coin a genre?
Tacocat - throwback Seattle sound
The Regrettes - solid guitar pop
Otherwise I struggle to think of any band founded post-2000 that I listen to
I’ll third (fourth?) Sofi Tukker - I LOVE them.
Vampire Weekend - “Cousins.”
Fire Tiger for a real eighties sound.
Of Monsters and Men
I was born in 1966, and I listen to new music all the time. I love pop, I have for 50 years, and I make no apologies for it. I’ll be listening to these recommendations.
Rick Beato talks about what makes Boomers hate modern music, but he also talks about what is good today, too. Why BOOMERS Hate POP Music - YouTube
I was recommended them recently, a friend thought that they would be right up my alley, but hard pass. The music is OK, kind of generic synthwave-y, but her voice does absolutely nothing for me. It’s not weak, or anything, but it just doesn’t work for me.
I was primed to basically expect the second coming of Wolfsheim with Annie Lennox singing and it just … wasn’t. In the club, it’s the kind of music I use to take a bar break.
Born in 1962.
I watched a vein of dark European supernatural miniseries (The Dark, The Innocents, The Rain) and Agnes Obel had some songs there as did Eefje de Visser. I really got into them. Other new(ish) artists I’ve gotten into:
Aoife O’Donovan
Chris Pandolfi
Aldous Harding
Becca Stevens
Adrianne Lenker/Big Thief
Gabriel Kahane
Billie Marten
Sufjan Stevens
Jacob Collier
Olafur Arnalds
Phoebe Hunt
Sam Amidon
Spotify’s radio function has been a gold mine. Sorry if I broke the rules!
Rick Beato reviewed the current Spotify top ten. Most of the songs were very basic and uninteresting. IMHO The Partridge Family sang more challenging pop material.
Rick pointed out a couple songs with better production. They were noticably better than the other material.
I like some of Luke Bryan’s stuff. Luke Combs is very good. Both men write and perform their own material. Combs hit big in 2017. I have Blake Shelton’s greatest hits. It’s pretty good.
I miss the days when my radio was permanently tuned to the Top 40 stations. Casey Kasem’s show was a weekend ritual that I continued well into my twenties. I’ve tried listening to the top 40 country stations. I dislike at least half of the material.
I watch the Grand Ole Opry almost every Sat night. The older artists are staying home during the pandemic. I hear a lot of new artists on the Opry. Some of it is pretty good.
