And you were expecting the mainstream music scene to be anything other than??? It's all crap 'indie' (signed to major labels yet still called indie? hmmm), US MOR radio rock, US 'RnB', US pop rap, camp girl/boy bands, whiny women singing 'liberating' ballads and whatever the latest pop techno/'dance' craze is this month... On the other hand we have a great thriving underground scene for most types of music you'd care to mention and arguably with a lot of underground electronic styles we are world leaders... Very few popular British bands have done much interesting since the mid 90s IMO.. Aaaaanyway... On topic... Really amazing album I've been playing nonstop recently is: Glyphic by Boxcutter (2007) If you're into IDM/Glitch/Dubstep there's some really fresh sounds and original ideas on here and it's well worth checking out, been on my stereo for about a month now and not stopping any time soon methinks... Get it! And if you wanted amazing epic British trippy bandness, you can't go wrong with Stone Roses - Selftitled (1989) Also a winner: Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician (1987) And my fav ambient/chill album ever: Future Sound of London - Lifeforms
There is a ring of truth to that, how many mediocre young bands are being churned out in the UK at the moment, with the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, the Editors, Cold Play... Some of these bands do have talent though but they are just propelled into things that kind of distracts from their musicianship, they are over marketed . Don't forget though, someone mentioned the Smiths, one of the greatest ever british bands, they were manufactured by some record company. Initially they were marketed towards the gay market, but they exceeded all expectations and became hugely succesful, owing largely to the fact that they were also very very good. There are some bands coming out though that are good. The Young Knifes, for example, Elbow from Manchester are pretty good. They have a new album coming out soon and it is hotly tipped to be their best yet and to finally give them the success they deserve. Bobbie Peru are another new band to look out for, I saw them live supporting Black Francis recently and they were great. I'm sure there is more... The British music industry might be saturated with mediocre shite, but that is not to say that there still isn't a lot of good bands coming out amongst them.
Ahhhhh, you are Australian. Have you heard Angus & Julia Stone? They come from down under and have a great new EP out and an album last year, they are a bit like Damian Rice, or perhaps Belle & Sebastian. YEAH! I forgot about them, they are Scottish. Belle & Sebastian are fucking great.
I like Angus and Julia stone, although I think there is far better stuff coming out of Australia. People like Xavier Rudd seems to get a lot of attention, whilst more genuine and gritty artists get ignored. I LOVE Belle and Sebastian. They have been my fav band for a long time. I visited Glasgow just because of them, but they didn't tour the UK until after I left the country. When they came here last time I was broke. God doesn't want me to see them.
Tigermilk and The Boy with the Arab Strap are two of the best albums to come out of the 90's. Apparently they are still making good album as well, although i've not heard much of the new stuff.
The new stuff is pretty ordinary, but better than most of the crap that is out. Their new music has more of a polished sound. Although Dear Catastrophe Waitress was really good.
more genuine and gritty artists get ignored? Xavier gets more attention because he has a very unique sound, is a unique character, is a one-man show, and I'm guessing here, but he's probably been making music for a longer period of time than the artists you refer to, hence, he has more success. I don't understand "more genuine" - mr Rudd seems to be about as genuine as they get. and while he is becoming huge worldwide, he's not that big out of Australia just yet. mind you, fame and renown doesn't equal suckiness, just like obscurity doesn't equal greatness.
Piss off dude. I hate his whiny voice and trendy, john butler like, world saavy, tree hugging lyrics. Every backpacker I met while overseas knew about Xavier Rudd, he is the iconic folkster of today. IMO Any shmoe can get on a guitar, do some fancy slide work and sing like a knob head, but to grow some balls and write something dark, gritty and personal is another thing. Again, shutup.
so any idiot can get a guitar (and play over a dozen other instruments, several of them at once) and "sing like a knob head" in your opinion, sing with passion and a message in mine? whereas writing something "dark, gritty and personal" is some improbable feat only accomplished by a few select bands? you make me laugh. writing dark and depressing lyrics has been overdone for years now, and doesn't make any artist any more personal, or creative, more the opposite. nah, I think the main thing you hate is that you perceive him as trendy. everybody likes him, ergo, he sucks. but the music you love that no one's ever heard about, is fucking amazing, because it's not so commercialized and yada yada yada. like I said, obscurity doesn't equal greatness. and get over yourself. it's an internet forum.
I never said music has to be depressing, it just has to be honest, quirky and not stereotypically hippy. Dark is not depressing, its ironic, real. Xavier rudd sings songs about the earth in a stupid sounding way that makes mother nature look like a tacky commercialised whore. I don't fucking perceive him as trendy. I hated Xavier Rudd from the first day I heard him. His first song was "let me be". At the time he was a nobody, but I knew that it was the kind of crap that wankers would listen to in droves. That they did. I don't hate him because he is trendy, I hate him because he sucks. Don't make me out to be some sort of hateful elitist standing above the crowd like a judge. I am just another face in the crowd that judges songs on the basis that they are songs, and not who listens to them. Don't get over yourself me. I enjoy being offensive. You're the guy that called me out first in your semi agressive elitist tone for the sake of defending a mediocre musician, therefore I don't respect you.
Yeah, I don't really like Xavier Rudd either, a tad too winy for me. Here's a nice morning album: Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun
Thankyou, and Jimmy I apologise for being an arsehole, it is very late, there is a heatwave on and I HATE xavier rudd. You are right about him being popular, if he was not popular I would just dislike him and think he was shit.
Porcupine tree, haha, I really don't like that in the morning.. But I guess it's just isn't for me :tongue: My favourite album of Moby Grape: