I haven't listened to non-metal for years. I don't, in fact, listen to any non-metal at all these days for my own enjoyment, apart from the occasional spin of a Mogwai album or something related. Instrumental atmospheric stuff is the best when reading rather than some in-your-face thrash or sinister black metal with intricate atmosphere that commands attention...

Tyler The Creator - Dracula

A chilled out synth beat with some distant, deep keyboards and a fairly typical-sounding, if rhythmically not-outright-ordinary, drum machine beat (with the kind of sounds that don't even try to imitate actual drums) and calm rapping. I don't like this much, mostly because of the rhythms being annoying and repetitive, but I found the background keys to be pretty cool actually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEEM5aQNXNU

@Ilwyhan

Tommi Lantinen "Via Dolorosa"

So, this guy...Northern European sounding name, but Southern European song title (Means "Path of Tears" in Italian) dishes out some sort of vaguely commercial sounding hard rock, not unlike something Foreigner or maybe Rainbow or Europe would have dished out in the early to mid 1980s. But with a bit more of a European feel than, say Bon-Jovi or Foreigner perhaps. Not just the language either (Think he's singing in Italian) If Bon Jovi and Foreigner are "Blue Jeans and Coors light," then this song is "Striped Shirt, Khakhis and Carlsberg" if you get the idea. In other words, a bit more of a flair for melody without the overdrawn "party rock" hooks, but still pretty over-produced and generally inoffensive rock music. Lots of keyboard and synth washes over the generic clunky hard rock-style guitar work. Overall, this might be something I would listen to in an Olive Garden restaurant. Or maybe at a 1983 prom night in Venice. Decent, but not really an attention grabbing song.

____________________________
So, there was a period of a couple years, during which I was fairly (but by no means completely!) burned out on metal, where I listened to a lot of music like this. These guys were on my fave band list for a while; so tell me what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9xCibsXdqI

Swervedriver - Duel

I enjoyed this song quite a bit. It had a vaguely grungy style to it, but with intricate and layered guitar riffs heavy with effects. I had to do some research into who this band was and among other genres this band explores the shoegaze genre. The post-punk vibe amongst the alternative rock base and soothing vocals is simply excellent. 9/10


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEEtmse5kNM

Elf - Good Time Music

I've been aware of Dio's first rock band, Elf, for quite some time now, but never bothered listening to them (which is pretty weird, considering how much I worship the guy). Well, stick a knife up my ass, take a picture and use it as the new Torsofuck album cover, because this stuff is boss. The piano playing is absolutely stellar, giving it that laid-back, happy-go-lucky (but in the good sense) feeling this kind of thing needs, and the rest of the instruments, while individually discrete (although the bass is rather interesting), truly manage to make a great team effort in order to construct an overall enjoyable and relaxing song, all the pieces of the puzzle fitting as intended. The piece seems simple, but it actually has quite a few layers and details that aren't apparent on first listen. Now, what about the little man himself? He's outstanding, as always, even though his voice wasn't fully developed yet, and instead of the mighty roars he would become known for a few years later, he sings here with a bluesy, soulful demeanor that is just as good, if not nearly as commanding. You can tell his heart was in the music from the very beginning though. I certainly should give some of my attention to Elf's discography after listening to this.

On a much different note, I have to say that this moved me to fucking tears.

PS: Just echoing the general consensus by this point in time, but this is a great (if not tremendously original) idea for a thread, Abom. Cheers!

Pink Floyd - Great Gig in the Sky, Live 1987

This doesn't drive me to tears, but it does fill me with regret. Regret that I never got to see Pink Floyd perform live. Regret that the only experience I'll have of their live show is through video, which no matter how high the definition and how excellent the audio, it will never match the sheer bliss and intensity that could only come from being RIGHT THERE while the band themselves were playing. I have Dark Side of the Moon in a super-CD anniversary sort of thing. The CD is gold plated, and deservedly so. I guarantee you five hundred years from now, shit like Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj will be completely forgotten, their infestation erased from memory forever such that no trace of the crap they put out will ever be unearthed. Well, maybe not that exaggerated, but music historians of the future will STILL be reviewing Pink Floyd, not as rock legends but as composers of the highest grade - just like Mozart and Beethoven are so revered today.

This song has no lyrics, yet it communicates so much more than most songs that do. The singers are fantastic in their delivery, the guitar work is legendary and blissful, a masterpiece in its own right and that this band performs the classic as if it were easy. The singers seem so comfortable with their vocal skills that they NEVER stray from perfection. Extremely powerful, absolutely timeless, and I might even go so far as to say that this song is /thread.


And now for something (almost) completely different...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae0nwSv6cTU

Weather Report –Birdland

Looking at the album cover, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was about to listen to. After a brief little intro, it became clear that I was about to listen to some type of jazz. As this isn’t a genre I’m terribly familiar with (my experience pretty much begins and ends with the soundtrack of Streets of SimCity), I can’t give a more specific genre specification. The song is very dynamic and a variety of instruments are used throughout it with a seamless transition between them. Along with the multitude of instruments, vocals are used very sparsely and really just act as another instrument. The music loves to quickly build up in intensity, hold onto it a bit, and then fade back down. Throughout all of this, there’s a constant use of percussion which sits nicely in the background. It feels like the song could go on forever, but it eventually builds itself up only to quickly fade away. Overall, despite it being a bit outside what I’d usually listen to, it’s still a very enjoyable piece which is despite its intricacy pretty relaxing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNC60X2O58Q

Desiderii Marginis - Constant Like The Northern Star.

So Ambient. This is a hard genre to review for me, as it dosen't have many familiar musical elements to latch on to. I like that this isn't purely ambient, it builds up with a few minutes of layered ethereal sounds and then introduced a sort of sad middle eastern melody and some more textures. This works well as background music and as active listening music. I love the album artwork too. I generally like my ambient slightly darker though, as this is more dreamy and mournful.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACG9wv69bKU

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Curse of Millhaven

Great song choice! While I have never been a fan of Nick Cave, at least I highly appreciate his music. The album this song is taken from (Murder Ballads) was probably his most commercial success, mainly to the (totally overplayed/hyped) single with Mrs. Minogue. However the album, being the only one of his I own, has much more to offer - esp. with "The Curse of Millhaven". As the whole album centers around death, murder etc. it's really enjoyable that not all tracks come along in a melancholic way but, like here, are also presented in a folky, upbeat and rhythmic way full of sarcasm and black humour. The story to the song is the icing on the musical cake as death comes in form of a mad girl and the lyrical "body-count" is higher than in any other of the album's songs.

ok, here's my next contribution:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8-ItRoHJM0

edited for review

Finally a video that is not blocked by the GEMA ...

Miami Vice - Crockett's theme

Well, it is a theme that is played on the airwaves now and then; not this version but other ones ... maybe even interpretations, I am not entirely sure. The tune is a very familiar one and even if you have not watched the series -- like me --, there is still this short track that is buried in the brain somewhere. A clam melody with a nice build-up and a combination of in-offensive- and catchiness. Typical 80s music. A lot of synths and electronic manipulation. You may not like it, but it is hard to run away from it.


Yes, I am a bastard, I know:
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Joplin/Frog_Legs_Ragtime_Era_Favorites/03_-_scott_joplin_-_maple_leaf_rag

Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin

Oooo! Ragtime from the 1800s! Although I doubt this was recorded in the 19th century, this is a decent chunk of music history nevertheless. Actually, scratch that, this could have very well been recorded in the 19th century, and played back on player pianos. Fancy machines that can replay music recorded on a paper format, a very similar idea to music boxes. This brings back some fond memories of going to a local amusement park called Knoebels, a place I still go to and still manages to evoke the same atmosphere - there are player pianos (or something similar) located in the park, there is one installed in the carousel (world famous for having a game you can play if you sit on the outermost horses, where you try to grab these rings and if you get a Brass Ring you win a free ride) and another by the gift shop across from The Phoenix roller coaster.

The song itself is a simple, short little jig played entirely on the piano. It's enjoyable for the nostalgic purposes I described above and for the potential usefulness as background music, perhaps for a cartoon of a short mustachioed man dancing on top of a piano in a ye olde time saloon.


I'm posting this next video for the song, although the stars of this short film are quite fascinating!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFchWzKM0yc

The song is:

Horse Lubber Grasshopers

Bluegrass. A genre I know almost nothing about. Would I be wrong to say this sounds like it was recorded a really long time ago? It has that echoey retro song to it. It's a pretty simple arrangement of banjo's plucking away major key melodies, blues harmony vocals and another unidentified wind instrument. It sounds like something that would have been on the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. If I judge this objectively without being an expert, I'd give it a 7/10. It's a nice little ditty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFO4GFvj9IM

Steve Von Till - To the Field

It is always interesting to hear metal musicians wander off into other realms. Civil Defiance has the counterpoints on their albums -- Man in the Moon -- while Steve Von Till of Neurosis releases his music separately. What grabs my attention is the layer in the background; the organ drone-like texture adds a nice touch an otherwise acoustic/vocal combination -- first part of the track. The shift into something harder more rockish comes a bit of a surprise; especially due to its intensity. Maybe there simply has to be a spillover to the calm regions. Otherwise it is an interesting and very atmospheric track. Especially the vocals are great.

my contribution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3BaiVoyg6Y

Civil Defiance: "Man in the Moon"

I hadn't heard of this band until today, but they're apparently metal...they surely need some reviews on this site! They have a name that screams' hardcore", and yet this particular composition is led by some very strong piano playing, in a warm, inviting style taht makes use of some full, jazzy chords. The player clearly knows what he's doing. Over this are some very soft, barely articulated yet still quite fitting vocals. It was a genuine surprise when drums, followed by distorted guitar chords, joined the piano, creating a full, cinematic experience, even joined later by violin sounds (probably synthesised). This felt like a closing statement of some kind, especially with the full band finishing on a big chord to have the high piano notes drifting off into the distance. Very interesting track, which I feel would be even better if heard in the context of the record where it belongs....I'll look into that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYX4TVktOjk

Maynard Ferguson - Conquistador

Though I really like Ferguson's most successful and well known track ("Gonna fly now" from the Rocky movie), this song isn't really my cup of tea. Probably his a very well respected and hailed trumpetist and musician in general but jazz itself is a genre I can hardly appreciate if any at all. This track isn't nearly as terrible as most other jazz stuff I was exposed to (and as such this surely gets some points ) but still falls in my "hard to endure" category. Elevator music somehow and just plodding along without giving me anything. However as I pointed out, luckily this track is at least harmless in a way that I can listen to it from beginning to end which puts it on top of most other jazz... Well, tastes differ, for sure - so, this just isn't my cup of tea. (sorry, no offense meant )

my next one for you:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdaixb ... rch_algo=1
(couldn't find it on youtube)

Dernière Volonté - Où tu iras

Funny actually that the first time I look in this thread I pull one of my favorite Martial bands! Like most DV songs of this era its extremely minimal - a drumbeat, accordian, some synth and vocals. I've often thought that part of their appeal is that I dont speak French - often Martial lyrics are pretty dire. Also interesting that this stuff is on Dailymotion - put it on youtube and you'll cop copyright infringement notices from Albin Julius. Its certainly not for everyone, many would find its repetitive nature "boring". But that's part of the charm of the genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E45Jk2M_vHg

@Scorntyrant:

@ Mausling

Scorn - Flick

What we have here is a very minimalist electronic music piece of some sort, with a single beat that stretches for most of the song length and ambient whirls of some sort that kind of sound like alien birds. It's very spacey and cold, and not quite my cup of tea.


I debated on posting this or not since it's a ... guilty pleasure of sort. This is from what I feel is their best album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-OStMJIm50

Yep, no DB tracks either. Has a nasty 3 way argument with Albin and Douglas P about it at one point. Albin was trying to assert control over the Take care and Control stuff, Doug said it was fine to be there, hilarity ensued.

I hope I didn't kill the thread here,

ok, I'll take it. I would already have done yesterday but I thought (as I "took" already some songs here( I should wait if others were interested:

Eiffel 65 - Morning Time

Well, Eiffel 65, a band I only knew one annoying and additionally overplayed track from (this "Blue" thing). Must have been around 99/2000 or so and you couldn't escape this last breath of the eurodance genre (thankfully). So as you might correctly assume I expected some seriously bad music after seeing what Goatfang's link was about It wasn't as terrible or annoying as I expected. In fact this track included some slight classic electronic music parts with even a bit of a "chippy" sound (think of old computer music vaguely) which were even quite good. The track could at least have been tolerable if it wasn't for the vocals.. which sucked completely. Weak vocoded stuff without any effect, so to say. Though being not as terrible as expected this still won't be ever played again by me but I can see that it possibly has some nostalgic value to Goatfangs (as do many 80s of my childhood for me) and that I can fully relate to.

Next one from me:
NEXT ONE FROM ME


edited for review

"untitled song"

this didn't really go anywhere - it was halfway to being metal, too. kinda reminded me of a cross between the sisters of mercy and steve vai's "I would love to" without the solos. Maybe a later faith no more vibe in there as well. is it a theme song to a video game, or your own creation maybe? sounds like midi drums and the guitar directly plugged into the soundcard. now that i think about it, it could've definitely been the music to a level on sonic the hedgehog, or similar. it wasn't bad, it just didn't do anything.

here's one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li2t_XbXaRY

@Turner:

Die Toten Hosen - Alles aus Liebe

Don't really know what to make of this song. It starts with a slightly sad arpeggio on guitar and upbeat vocals in German (I assume.) If I had to guess, I think this part of the song is meant to be sarcastic. After that the song leads into a rock song that is slightly punkish. I dig the guitar in this track, catchy and engaging. The chorus is kind of popish, but not at all in a bad way. The guitar solo is predictable yet effective. I find it hard to listen to rock in different languages, so I don't think I'll revisit it. A good songs by all means, though. Weird music video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WduI_0eK8uc

Man's Gin - The Death of Jimmy Sturgis

First impression: Nice americana guitar/vox style, kinda SWANS influenced. Picking up echoes of the Alice in Chains unplugged album - southern rawk style channeled through bummed-out rainy-climate stoners. White man's blues, and I can dig that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da5FIf77BJ4

Edit: Never mind, can't do it now, but that was a great song tyrant; thanks for introducing.

Coil - Ostia (The Death of Pasolini)

I really liked it! The song had pretty "eerie" atmosphere which is always nice. I'll definitely look for more of their songs. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCRByh5jQG4

Try to put a little bit more substance into your reviews mate.

Tenhi - Kielo.

I like this, it's pretty much piano and clean guitar driven the whole way through with some chant like vocals. And that's my only problem with it. It's 10 minutes of that. Did it really need to be that long? Very little happens, and while what does happen is nice and soothing, I would only put this on while falling asleep or something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZVGqZRePt8

Wintersleep - Insomnia

Pretty standard post-rockish indie. Really simple, but effective as a result of this - the repeated melody is just so damn good. I'm not a huge fan of the vocals though, I think something a bit more subtle and reverb-drenched might work better. Actually, at around 2:30 it picks up a little bit more and for whatever reason now I'm digging his voice. The trippy female chanting stuff is also quite cool. Loving the simplicity of this song and the layering, great stuff!

Something a few of us metalheads might be able to relate to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IsXKMkDAMQ

the Mountain Goats - "the best ever death metal band in Denton".

Now, never let it be said that I'm a man who's averse to a bit of folk music. I like a lot of it, particularly the sombre european neofolk style. But what I've always hated with a venomous passion is the kind of twee "whimsical" stuff pedaled by the Mouldy Peaches and these guys. Its not a bad song per se, but I get a subtext of sneering hipsterism coming from this, as if forming a Death Metal band was akin to going to hollywood, launching their own rocket-ship,starting a cat-circus or similar insanity only persued by social dysfunctionals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdvt8kZhQDA

@ Scorntyrant

Soft Kill - Death in the Family

This is exactly the kind of band I was hoping to discover in this thread: old style post-punk / gothic rock by a new band that knows how to do it right - with class and atmosphere. I listened to a couple other tracks and will be buying their CD. When the song started I wasn't sure if it was an obscure band from 1980 or a new band without glancing to the sidebar and seeing another of their songs listed with the release date.

These guys sound like they are surely fans of Joy Division, The Cure, and probably Sisters of Mercy, among others, but their music holds up alongside those classic bands very well without being merely a hollow imitation, I think. The production was perfect (as far as I can tell on 2" computer speakers, at least) and every element of their sound, from voice to drums to guitars was well executed and recorded and nothing sounded out of place or forced. I appreciated the overall restrained style/sound and that they didn't try to 'spice' things up with some more modern sounding ornamental production flourishes or suddenly attempt a more upbeat 'poppy' vocal style. I've checked out several newer bands in the post-punk revivalist category in recent years and am usually disappointed. Too many bands lack an edge or any atmosphere and there is often a vapid hollowness about them that is kind of difficult to explain right now in this quick review, but it does not encourage repeat listens.

http://youtu.be/0W0KsPFJvwM