best rock album of the 21st century (so far)?

Discussion on new albums, developing listening skills, critical listening to others' work, as well as TOMB members' MP3 links, online recording critiques

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joninc
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Post by joninc » Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:45 am

what about something by MEW - crazy progressive rock but still very melodic and some amazing sonics (rich costey).

i have been revisiting Sigur Ros lately too - i forgot how amazing they are ... their last album is really cool. also mixed by Rich i think.
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Post by variableD » Tue Apr 26, 2016 1:01 pm

Thanks, I'll check them out. I should give Sigur Ros a close listen too... they've been on my radar for a long time but I don't really know their work.

I'm trying to go back to how I listened to things as a kid... with a more open mind, letting things grow on me that I might not like that much at first.

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Post by variableD » Tue Apr 26, 2016 2:30 pm

Listened to a few by Mew... to my ears it's nice pop-rock... I'm not sure I hear anything I'd call crazy and/or progressive in it. I'm guessing it's in the harmony and the song structures? I think I hear some Genesis in there, not King Crimson or Yes. It has some of the softer side of progressive, without the medieval elements, odd meters, jazz influence, fuzzed guitar or organs.

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joninc
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Post by joninc » Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:13 pm

not sure which MEW albums you were listening to - check out this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1IP0qc ... AuDnT4wFmv

he has a really high voice which is interesting and there's a strong melodic thread through most of it even though the chord/time structures are unusual.

but - one man's prog in another man's pop i suppose :)
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Post by variableD » Tue Apr 26, 2016 5:40 pm

The songs I listened to earlier are Satellites and Water Slides. I'm up to #3 in the album you just linked to. It's interesting and I like it, it just doesn't seem to have much in common with the progressive rock I'm familiar with (70s). I guess it has more in common with current groups under that heading, like Porcupine Tree and Ozric Tentacles.

Apocalypso (#5) is a little more aggressive, but maybe owes more to progressive metal like Dream Theater than 70s progressive rock. Though the more I listen to the album the more it makes me think of 80s rock like Golden Earring (not the vocals). Pop/rock in the 80s was pretty quirky, for the most part, but nobody called it progressive... some of it was called "art rock".

Ah, fuck. It's just a word. It's good music. Like everything else, there are things I like in it and things I don't. Thanks for posting them.

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Nick Sevilla
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Post by Nick Sevilla » Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:39 am

I have to say David Bowie REALITY.

That thing gave me back my faith in rock and roll.
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Post by variableD » Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:04 pm

I'll check that out. I like The Next Day but haven't listened to it much. I haven't heard Reality yet. Bowie never stopped innovating.

John Paul Jones' the Thunderthief (2004) is worth checking out too... another guy of about the same age who never stopped innovating.

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Post by vvv » Thu Apr 28, 2016 3:13 pm

Nick Sevilla wrote:I have to say David Bowie REALITY.

That thing gave me back my faith in rock and roll.
I love the Cale cover!

That said, I really do believe Blackstar to be innovative - the jazz textures with the dance beats, the lyrics, and the vocal performance, the instrumentation (including two saxes) - I can't think of anything like it, altho' I am reminded a bit of Morphine, as well as various of Bowie's earlier works.

But yeah, Reality is very, very good, better'n Heathen if not, IMO, as good as Hours, but I like the guitars, there (Gabrels).
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Post by Nick Sevilla » Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:54 pm

vvv wrote:
Nick Sevilla wrote:I have to say David Bowie REALITY.

That thing gave me back my faith in rock and roll.
I love the Cale cover!

That said, I really do believe Blackstar to be innovative - the jazz textures with the dance beats, the lyrics, and the vocal performance, the instrumentation (including two saxes) - I can't think of anything like it, altho' I am reminded a bit of Morphine, as well as various of Bowie's earlier works.

But yeah, Reality is very, very good, better'n Heathen if not, IMO, as good as Hours, but I like the guitars, there (Gabrels).
I am still in mourning... so have not picked up Blackstar yet. Will do so soon.
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Post by ubertar » Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:09 am

"Chains of Smoke" by Cryptic Ruse (2014) is some brilliant work. Microtonal math core.

https://cryptic-ruse.bandcamp.com/

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Post by variableD » Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:46 am

Oh, hell yes! Thanks.

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Post by christiannokes » Sun May 01, 2016 12:00 am

I first really became aware of music when I heard Nirvana and it was life changing, and then I got into the Beatles and that was life changing again. Recently I've been listening to Ace of Base and they do that to me too.

The closest thing that has done that same thing to me, Rock-wise, in the last 16 years were The Shins and Mars Volta. I feel like something big will come one of these days. I do love me some Jack White as well, but it doesn't sucker punch me like the other bands I mentioned.

I've grown up and changed as a person too so I have no idea how that variable plays in to the equation. I would love to think that if another Beatles came along I would fall in love with music again like I did when I was 12. I think I still would.

I fall in love with music almost every time I play my guitar though so I don't feel like I'm missing that feeling too much, which to me is what music is really all about.

A side-note- don't you love it when you hear a really good song and you try to figure out the chords and when you learn what they are it's something so simple like A Major and E minor, but it's just played in a slightly unique way that makes it sound like it's from some alternate reality? Man I love the mystery in good music. The music I love most is the kind where I'm at a loss of ability of understanding how the artist is making the sounds that they are making. That's one aspect that really makes music enjoyable for me.

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Post by SpencerMartin » Mon May 02, 2016 7:48 am

I like a lot of older and newer music - my taste isn't rooted in one particular era, although I'll admit I do have a massive sweet tooth for newer artists that are strongly rooted in nostalgia. To some people that sort of thing may seem too derivative, but I love it. For the sake of the question at hand I'll leave out those artists, which for the record, probably account for the vast majority of my favorites. That being said, these two are my favorites as far as the "innovative rock" genre goes. (Without just getting weird for the sake of getting weird. Huge pet peeve of mine.)

St Vincent - Actor (honestly every album by her is worth checking out)

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

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Post by Warm Mastering » Fri Mar 24, 2017 8:48 am

My 21st century best album could be Sonic Nurse, by Sonic Youth. A masterpiece both artistically and under the sound point of view :o

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