People often say to me “Hey Nik, you're a happening dude (albeit one who blogs infrequently) with a largely excellent taste in music, as a busy working father, how do you get to hear great new music”. Actually, that's not entirely true - no-one has ever said that to me. But they should do. And if they did, this is what I'd say:-
Why, thank you for asking. I'd have to say there are three places where I've heard great new music over the past couple of years. Firstly, Word Magazine has introduced me to James Hunter, Midlake, Tungg, The Honeymoon, Imogen Heap, Seth Lakeman and many others, via its excellent cover mounted CD. Unlike most other covermount CDs I could mention, this is invariably crammed with excellent music that I haven't previously heard, with very few duff tracks of tedious R&B (aka mobile-phone-ringtone-flavoured-playground-chants).
Secondly, I'm a regular listener to Late Junction, evenings on Radio 3. This gets downloaded and popped onto my iPod. Verity Sharp and Fiona Talkington play an eclectic range of folk, modern classical, electronica, world, ancient, jazz, delta blues, avant-garde etc etc. Most of it defies categorisation, which is a good thing in my book. Amongst the albums I've bought from hearing the Late Junction are The Milk Eyed Monster by Joanna Newsom, and Alice by Tom Waits. One of the most appealing things about this programme is that even if you don't like what they are playing now, just wait a few minutes and something entirely different will come along. Another appealing thing is that you very rarely hear anything that you have heard previously. Check out the Late Junction Website where you can download the playlists of recent shows, and even download the shows themselves (in horrible RealAudio format).
My final plug would be for Rough Trade's Counter Culture series of CDs. which typically contain around 50 tracks (for a tenner!) ranging the full gamut of popular music. There are lots of “car crash” moments where quite bewildering tracks are juxtaposed against each other (e.g. Daniel Johnston's “The Beatles” segues into a version of Gary Numan's “Cars” played by a steel drum band (The Katzenjammers, no less), and then David Shrigley reading out a bunch of things not to do. Quite Astounding.
That's what I'd say, more or less. And I wonder why I don't have many friends…
Posted by niknoi - i thought i introduced you to imogen heap?
i hope you are well
r
Yes, technically this is true. But only her first album (and Frou Frou). But it wasn't until I heard Hide And Seek that I was captivated.
And besides, you also introduced me to Emerson Lake & Palmer, which negates having introduced me to Imogen Heap.
Posted by: Nik at October 21, 2006 10:12 PMHave you had a play with last.fm my love?
It's quite good for music discovery too.
Posted by: k at October 22, 2006 05:22 PMAre Emerson Lake and Palmer the ones that did the instrumental “fire on the mountain” or something like that?
I had a music question I was going to email but it seems almost topical (for once) to put it here - what do you think of Royksopp?
Posted by: Tazja at November 2, 2006 03:29 AMRoyksopp - I have their first album (very much recommended by Kim, who is now recommending last.fm, so there must be something in it), and quite liked it. I don't have their new one, which is apparently quite different.
Posted by: Nik at November 2, 2006 09:27 AMIt's a sad fact that half of the new music I've gotten into in the last two years has been brought to my attention on advertisements, but Royksopp's “Remind Me” is the background music on a car insurance commercial currently airing in the States.
When we finally get broadband, I will definitely be checking out last.fm and others.
Posted by: Tazja at November 3, 2006 10:31 PM