Band Recommendation Thread

[TOG]

As someone who is always looking to try new bands and new music, it occured to me today that it would be good to have a topic where each person would pick a band and recommend five or so songs that they really like from that artist to get us started with an explanation on why you chose each song. Nobody would do a band that had already been done, unless their opinions on the song choices were drastically different.

I know it'd be helpful to me, because I always hear about bands I wanna try but it's hard to get started with them. Sometimes you kind of have to start at a certain point to like a band's other material, and peer to peer programs aren't always helpful with that.

So, with that, the songs should probably be five that you think would provide the best introduction as to what the band sounds like. If they have various sounds, you should include a song that showcases each. If this works, hopefully after awhile we'd have an impressive recommendations list.

Iunno, it's worth a try.

[K]

Also could we recommend an album for those of us that don't download music?

Stuck Mojo

Five Songs

Rising (From the Album: Rising)

Assasination Of A Popstar (From the Album: Rising)

Southern Pride (From the Album: Rising)

Set The Tone (From the Album: Declaration of a Headhunter)

Here Comes The Monster (From the Album: Pigwalk)

If you want to buy an album, go with Rising

[therockbox]

Hundred Reasons:

I'll Find You (Ideas Above our Station)

Silver (Ideas Above Our Station)

Drowning (Ideas Above Our Station)

Broken Hands (Kill Your Own)

Feed the Fire (Kill Your Own)

As for an album, I'd go with Ideas Above our Station. KYO is brilliant, but Ideas is one of my favourite albums ever.

[Whisper]

Something Corporate

Songs:

Down (From the album: North)

Break Myself (From the album: North)

Ruthless (From the album: North)

Good News ((From the album: Leaving Through A Window)

Drunk Girl (From the album: Leaving Through A Window)

If you want an album, both are great but if I had to choose one i'd go for North myself.

Edited May 18, 2006 by Whisper in the Wind

[YI]

Strung Out

1. Too Close To See (From the album, "Twisted By Design")

The song that quite possibly epitomises Strung Out. often a kick off to the live shows. It's fast, frantic and full of energy. A 'pop-punk'/'punk-rock' classic. Plus it's quite a iddle ground. It comes at a time when SO started to drift away from the 'poppy' songs of STWB and towards the 'heavier' sound of TEOSD etc.

2. Savant (From the album, "The Element Of Sonic Defiance")

One of my personal favourite SO songs. This is from the albumfollowing TBD and signals SO's biggest transition in sound to date (Probably). Some slick drumming (As usual) and darker lyrics (Which would increasingly become a trend for SO as time went on). A nice riff (With the half tempo at the beginning as well) and breakdown that simply requires a headbang. Great song (The LIAD version has some great harmonies as well...plus the bass is clearer, but still...get the studio version)

3. Scarlet (From the album, "Exile In Oblivion")

EIO is quite a mixed bag. On one hand it is the darkest album that SO have done to date with menacing a brooding songs such as; Her Name In Blood, Lucifermotorcade, Analog, Vampires, Angeldust and this track Scarlet. But in others the band take a trip back to circa 1996/98 with more poppier/catchy songs that wouldn't seem out of place on TBD or STWB. Scarlet as previously stated is one of the darker songs. The bass is pumped up more than a notch for this song and it's one of the first SO songs where the bass is really used to full effect. Plus the song is also one of the few that features Jake playing the solo. I wish SO would bust out longer solo's, they're capable of it, but punk-rock and long'ish solo's doesn't really work. However they're working with Matt Hyde again, so possibly they're going further down the metal path? Lets hope Hyde doesn't fuck up the drums again...too fucking quiet, and the bass drum sounded like shit on EIO. Good song. Love the riffs.

4. Wrong Side Of The Tracks (From the album, "Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues")

SO are often praised for their ending tracks. Well in the case of Matchbook (TBD) at least. However WSOTT is quite often a song which is overlooked. It's got a great drum intro (Much like lots of SO, it's the speed of jordan's drumming which is often the best thing) and it kicks in from there. It is simply the greatest possible song to end the best pop-punk album of all time...yes I feel comfortable saying that. There's also a version of the song which is featured on a Fat Wreck compilation in which Josh Freese drums (Whilst Jordan was filming a BMX video or Motorcross or something). However I'm not really a fan of this version. Production is better, but it's slightly slower, but even with it just being slight it seems to lag. Plus the bitchin' "Ah"'s that are on the album version aren't here.

5. Barfly (From the EP, "Crossroads & Illusions")

Might seem a bit weird slapping a song off of an EP on here, but it's the only place to find this song. Released in 98 before TBD, it's a cardinal sin that this didn't find its way onto TBD (Crossroads did however. I love Crossroads and it's an underrated song, but if push came to shove I'd probably have Barfly). But you can understand why barfly didn't make it when listening to it. It seem a little choppy, a little disjointed. So why choose it? Well this is a very improtant SO song. Firstly it's a cult classic among many fans, but more importantly a way of showing that whilst SO don't necessarily create a perfect song, it's still fucking brilliant in its excecution. Again the poor production that has always really hindered SO through their entire existence is here, but again it doesn't take anything away from the song. Barfly also, in my oppinion was one of Strung Out's best songs lyrically at that time with a 'story' being prominent within the song (From a film of the same name).

Oh, for a full album I suggest getting "Live In A Dive". Purely for the reason that it features many of SO's best songs from all the albums before "Exile In Oblivion". Some songs even sound better on the live album (Everyday, Bring Out Your Dead, Support Your Troops etc.). My only dissapointment with the album is the lack of songs from STWB. 3 is nowhere near enough IMO. I want Firecracker, Gear Box, Wrong Side Of The Tracks and/or Solitaire on there. However Rottin' Apple being included with the fairly 'obvious' choices of Monster and Bring Out Your Dead is cool.

Yeah I went overboard...but the original post said include reasons or something...I dunno...I'm bored and like a good whore.

Edited May 19, 2006 by YI

[Liam]

In Flames

To get a nice cross section of thier work, go for:

Ordinary Story (Colony)

Pinball Map (Clayman)

Only For The Weak (Clayman)

Trigger (Reroute To Remain)

Leeches (Come Clarity)

I'll be honest in not having Whoracle, and not being as into The Jester Race as some are. Also, Soundtrack To Your Escape is good, but not as good as the other stuff they have done. These five aren't their best necessarily, but give you a nice cross section over thier albums. If you want one album, Clayman

Faith No More

Midlife Crisis (Angel Dust)

Surprise! You're Dead (The Real Thing)

Last Cup Of Sorrow (Album Of The Year)

Falling To Pieces (The Real Thing)

Ashes To Ashes (The Real Thing)

Again, I must admit to not having as much love for King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime, and also not including pre-Patton FNM. If you want one album, Angel Dust

Hundred Reasons:

I'll Find You (Ideas Above our Station)

Silver (Ideas Above Our Station)

Drowning (Ideas Above Our Station)

Broken Hands (Kill Your Own)

Feed the Fire (Kill Your Own)

As for an album, I'd go with Ideas Above our Station. KYO is brilliant, but Ideas is one of my favourite albums ever.

Nothing from Shatterproof Is Not A Challenge, or whatever it was called? I'm sure the single from that was at least pretty sweet.

I'm a pretty big fan of Oratorio and Falter off the first album, for an addition to that list.

[fourstarfizzle]

Far

1. Love, American Style (Tin Cans From Me To You)

2. Anima (For America) (The Listening Game)

3. All Go Down (Quick)

4. Job's Eyes (Tin Cans From Me To You)

5. Another Way Out (Water & Solutions)

[Xero Gravity]

In Flames

To get a nice cross section of thier work, go for:

Ordinary Story (Colony)

Pinball Map (Clayman)

Only For The Weak (Clayman)

Trigger (Reroute To Remain)

Leeches (Come Clarity)

I'll be honest in not having Whoracle, and not being as into The Jester Race as some are. Also, Soundtrack To Your Escape is good, but not as good as the other stuff they have done. These five aren't their best necessarily, but give you a nice cross section over thier albums. If you want one album, Clayman

[GoGo Yubari]

The Pillows

1. Instant Music

2. I think I can

3. Ride on shooting star

4. Hybrid Rainbow

5. Thank You, My Twilight

As for albums, I'd suggest Happy Bivouac or Thank You, My Twilight

Rasputina

1. Transylvanian Concubine

2. High on Life

3. Rock & Roll (awesome cover)

4. Howard Hughes

5. Why Don't You Do Right?

I couldn't really pick an album, though A Radical Recital seems to be very good for a live album and The Lost and Found is one of the better cover EPs I've ever heard.

[The Dork Knight]

They Might Be Giants

Don't Let's Start (They Might Be Giants)

They'll Need A Crane (Lincoln)

We Want A Rock (Flood)

New York City (Factory Showroom)

Which Describe How You're Feeling (Apollo 18)

Album-wise, I'd go with Flood.

[Toe]

I will go with my favorite band, ever, CKY. Anyone who likes music in any way, shape, or form, will enjoy CKY. They are just amazing, too many people immediately stereotype them as skate-punk do to there association to Bam Margera and his skate videos, also labelled CKY. Those people are missing out on one of the best rock acts ever.

CKY

1. 96 Quite Bitter Beings

This is one of there more famous songs. It is very aggresive, but is also catchy and easy to listen to. I can't drive with this song on, as head banging is not something you want to do while driving. And I can't help myself when this song starts.

2. Escape From Hellview

Kind of a sequal to 96, Escape From Hellview is the first song off of CKY's second album, Infiltrate.Destroy.Rebuild, and it is just awesome. It is very melodic, but also retains a good edge to it. Plus Chad Ginsburg, guitarist for the band, nearly died filming the video - they had him hang from a noose that was set up by some redneck stunt supervisor.

3. Attached At The Hip

Up beat, hard, this song is great. I enjoy the lyrics, the vocals are amazing and of course there are some good opportunities to head bang. One of the strengths of the band is Deron Miller's voice, I think it is very unique and it is very good in this song.

4. Close Yet Far

More like a ballad, Close Yet Far is a slower song that I just love to pieces.

5. Triple Manic State

From there newer CD, An Answer Can Be Found, this song is aggresive and hard. Plus, this album is the first in the group's history to sport GUITAR SOLOS, so you get to hear that in there. This song just rocks the shit, but has it's slower parts that keep your head nodding.

If I was to recommend one CD, it would be CKY's newest CD, An Answer Can Be Found. All three of CKY's albums have a unique sound, but this one has grown on me and become my favorite. I would also recommend the Infiltrate.Destroy.Rebuild Video DVD. CKY made a video for every single video on IDR, and they are all really good. Each one has a little mini-segment about the making of, including the near death experience of Chad and how Deron directed his first video with a porn actress.

CKY's Website - Some song samples are there!

Edited May 19, 2006 by desiredtoe

[Steeb]

She Wants Revenge

Monologue

I Don't Want To Fall In Love

Red Flags And Long Nights

These Things

Tear You Apart

All of those are off their self-titled album, released last year. Newish band, but worth getting into.

Red Hot Chili Peppers (Before anyone else does )

Backwoods (Uplift Mofo Party Plan)

I Could Have Lied (Blood Sugar Sex Magik)

Saviour (Californication)

Charlie (Stadium Arcadium)

Fight Like A Brave (Uplift Mofo Party Plan)

For an album, get Blood Sugar Sex Magik, one of the - in my opinion - most perfect albums ever made.

I'll add more later when I actually have some time.

[Bushmeister]

Marduk

The Five Songs:

Baptism By Fire (from the album Panzer Division Marduk)

Dracul Va Domni Din Nou In Transilvania (from the album Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered)

Blooddawn (from the album Panzer Division Marduk)

Dreams Of Blood And Iron (from the album Nightwing)

Night Of The Long Knives (from the album World Funeral)

As far as a single album, get "Infernal Eternal", which is probably the best live metal record ever. Period.

[Benji]

Dirty Pretty Things

Bang Bang You're Dead

You Fucking Love It

Deadwood

Doctors and Dealers

Blood Thirsty Bastards

Album: Waterloo To Anywhere (It's the only album they have, but if you want to check out Carls previous band, obviously The Libertines are worth it)

[MalaCloudy Black]

Goodnight, Demon Slayer & Dunce by Voltaire. Brains, too.

I'm pretty sure the first two are on the same album (look it up, I don't know which it is), and Brains was done especially for The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.

[Skummy]

Goodnight, Demon Slayer & Dunce by Voltaire. Brains, too.

I'm pretty sure the first two are on the same album (look it up, I don't know which it is), and Brains was done especially for The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.

To add to that, I'd recommend God Thinks, Where's The Girl and The Vampire Club as fairly essential Voltaire songs too, and the entire Banned On Vulcan EP as it's some of the best comedy music out there.