Author Topic: Best Music  (Read 10539 times)

Michael792

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Best Music
« on: August 14, 2014, 06:17:42 AM »
I listen to pretty much everything, but I tend to think that our current era of music is pretty underwhelming. I grew up without a wide background in music. My parents listened to the same cassettes over and over on car trips, and then converted them to cd's after we got a car with no cassette player. I grew up with Lee Greenwood, Alabama, John Denver. Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic, pretty much like they're just trying to make money. While there are exceptions, I feel like most of it's pure shit. I like music that says something.

What do y'all think is the best music/genre/artist/era? I'd love to hear and explore the responses :D


Cromacster

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2014, 06:45:25 AM »
Tl:dr  Up the Irons \m/

I agree that if you on listening to the radio or focusing on what is popular, then yes music is generic, unoriginal, and catchy.  There are and groups out there that don't fit this profile, but they typically would not be played on any radio station.

Best Music/genre/artist/era

Myself I would vote for 70's/80's rock and metal.  You have Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Metallica, Pink Floyd.

Best overall (obviously an opinion) would be Iron Maiden.  To this day they have never really had  "Hit song"  They do have songs that are more recognizable.....the two or three that get played on the radio once in a blue moon.  Their success has purely been driven by their fan base around the world.  They pull crowds of 40,000 all over central and south america, and over 100,000 in Brazil.  As well as playing the European concert circuits, Japan, India, Dubai.  They are still touring and pulling these crowds to this day.  They are truly a global power.  Not to mention their lead singer was an olympic level fencer, commercial airline pilot purely because he liked flying, and all around bad ass.

For a little taste, one of my favs.
Wasted Years
« Last Edit: August 14, 2014, 06:47:50 AM by Cromacster »

Michael792

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2014, 06:59:11 AM »
Hey, thanks! That was a quick reply time. I just listened to Wasted Years. I've heard Iron Maiden and most of the other big names from that time period before, but I'm more familiar with their names than music. I really like the sound of the instruments, but I have a hard time understanding the voices for 70's/80's rock/metal. It's one of my favorite genres in terms of music, but the voices are hard for me. I have to really get familiar with a certain voice before I can understand it through the sound of instruments, due to some childhood problems. Not to mention I now have a problem with volume, since explosives are my job :D However, I do really appreciate the instrument part of the music when I hear it. So thanks! I enjoyed listening to the song, and I'll be sure to explore more of that genre. Looking forward to more replies!

welliamwallace

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2014, 07:31:38 AM »
RiFF RAFF

Polaria

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2014, 07:35:18 AM »
Tl:dr  Up the Irons \m/

+1.

One of my current life objectives is to master "Stranger In A Strange Land" on the bass in Rocksmith.

The single cover is the wallpaper of my home computer to remind me of that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land_(song)

I listen mostly to bands gravitating towards Gothic Metal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gothic_metal_bands), although I like several bands in totally different genres.

Pol

GuitarStv

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2014, 07:45:58 AM »
There's no such thing as 'best'.  How do you compare Coltrane to Hendrix?  How do you rate Mozart against Billy Joel?  Bob Marley against Tool?  Music is wildly diverse.  You can find good music in any genre and any time period with a little searching.  I have found that current radio stuff is generally pretty terrible though . . . you get the same dozen songs played at the same times every day in a transparent attempt to market them.

We live in an age where there are many other ways to access music fortunately.


Depending on your tastes . . .
Bebop - John Coltrane/Giant Steps
Prog Rock - Supertramp/Crime of the Century
Rap - NAS/Illmatic

. . . just to pick three giants in their genre off the top of my head.

Donovan

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2014, 08:07:03 AM »

LibrarIan

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2014, 08:56:08 AM »
For me I have several artists in various genres I really think are *the* greats of this current era we're living in.

Acoustic: Denison Witmer and Noah Gundersen

Hip Hop/Rap: Kid Cudi and Immortal Technique

Metal: Zao, Remembering Never and A Hill to Die Upon

Electronic: Kraftwerk, Glass Candy and Sabrepulse

Punk/Hardcore: Arkham, Amends, Ignite, Gatherer


dycker1978

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2014, 09:55:36 AM »
I listen to pretty much everything, but I tend to think that our current era of music is pretty underwhelming. I grew up without a wide background in music. My parents listened to the same cassettes over and over on car trips, and then converted them to cd's after we got a car with no cassette player. I grew up with Lee Greenwood, Alabama, John Denver. Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic, pretty much like they're just trying to make money. While there are exceptions, I feel like most of it's pure shit. I like music that says something.

What do y'all think is the best music/genre/artist/era? I'd love to hear and explore the responses :D

I used to agree with this.  Then I found bandcamp.com.  This is a site of cheap or free music from musicians that have yet to "make it" in the main stream.  They have all genere of music, from you black metal to pop, country and everthing in between.  Although none of these artists have yet to be played anywhere there are lots and lots of meaninful music for any taste.

kyanamerinas

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2014, 10:07:54 AM »
yeah for maiden!

my first thought on topics like this is usually opeth (metal).

but i also love blues, folk, jazz, indian classical, western classical, african music. i really couldn't pick a best.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2014, 10:54:32 AM »
Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic

Isn't that generally what happens in every generation?  I know very few people over maybe 40, definitely by 50, that wouldn't say todays music sucks.  I'm always on a search for new music but at 35 it's getting increasingly harder.  Trying to keep an open mind but maybe it's inevitable?

But answering the question of best music would be impossible.  Best in what situation?  At home alone doing chores?  During a dinner party?  In the car?  Out on the boat on a sunny summer day?  While stoned wearing headphones plugged into the turntable and laying on the floor?

Michael792

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2014, 01:50:15 PM »
Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic

Isn't that generally what happens in every generation?  I know very few people over maybe 40, definitely by 50, that wouldn't say todays music sucks.  I'm always on a search for new music but at 35 it's getting increasingly harder.  Trying to keep an open mind but maybe it's inevitable?

But answering the question of best music would be impossible.  Best in what situation?  At home alone doing chores?  During a dinner party?  In the car?  Out on the boat on a sunny summer day?  While stoned wearing headphones plugged into the turntable and laying on the floor?

Why not all of those? Thanks for the replies! I'm exploring them as I type this. Actually, I'm about to. Rocking out to Macklemore's Thrift Shop at the moment lol. Thanks for all the links. Oh, and I'll have to check out bandcamp.com. I refuse to pay, however!

(I'm only 21. I hate "my" generation's music.)

Edit: Fixed weird typo.

dycker1978

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2014, 02:25:17 PM »
Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic

Isn't that generally what happens in every generation?  I know very few people over maybe 40, definitely by 50, that wouldn't say todays music sucks.  I'm always on a search for new music but at 35 it's getting increasingly harder.  Trying to keep an open mind but maybe it's inevitable?

But answering the question of best music would be impossible.  Best in what situation?  At home alone doing chores?  During a dinner party?  In the car?  Out on the boat on a sunny summer day?  While stoned wearing headphones plugged into the turntable and laying on the floor?

Why not all of those? Thanks for the replies! I'm exploring them as I type this. Actually, I'm about to. Rocking out to Macklemore's Thrift Shop at the moment lol. Thanks for all the links. Oh, and I'll have to check out bandcamp.com. I refuse to pay, however!

(I'm only 21. I hate "my" generation's music.)

Edit: Fixed weird typo.

Just a note... Bandcamp makes no money on any of the music.  The artist chooses what to charge, if anything.  You can stream all of the music for free.  I do pay a small amount for some artist(espically as I said band camp makes nothing and all the money goes directly to the artist) I only pay if I phyically get something... Not just to download the music.

All and all a very good site... and if everyone pays just a dollar or two for an 20 song album... maybe the music out there will get better.

Eric

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2014, 04:29:55 PM »
Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic

Isn't that generally what happens in every generation?  I know very few people over maybe 40, definitely by 50, that wouldn't say todays music sucks.  I'm always on a search for new music but at 35 it's getting increasingly harder.  Trying to keep an open mind but maybe it's inevitable?

I think there is a veritable multitude of amazing music being made on a daily basis.  There are millions of bands/artists out there right now making killer music. (only a slight exaggeration) The difference is that now, with the internet, it's actually possible to find them where in the past you were limited to whatever was played on the radio.

I'm 37 and continually listen to awesome new music all of the time.  I also never listen to new music on the radio.  Between Spotify, Bandcamp, Pandora, Live Music Archive (with 130,000+ live concerts available for free legal download, although mostly jamband style since they're the ones that aren't dicks about people recording their live shows), Soundcloud, and of course Youtube, it's really hard to even keep up with everything that I'd want to listen to.  It's out there.  Go explore!!

Some random examples of awesome bands that you've probably never heard of off of the top of my head:

Americana:
Railroad Earth
Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers
Dead Winter Carpenters

Progressive Bluegrass:
The Devil Makes Three
Greensky Bluegrass
Hot Buttered Rum

Folk:
Nathan Moore
Todd Snider

Rock:
The Stone Foxes
Gov't Mule

Rock/Pop:
ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra)
Assembly of Dust
Dangermuffin

Funk:
Orgone
The New Mastersounds
Moksha

Afrobeat:
Toubab Krewe

Unclassifiable:
Rubblebucket

Lian

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2014, 08:28:24 PM »
So much music - so little time! I will check out bandcamp.com and many of the suggestions made here. I still listen to the metal of my youth (Metallica!), but love discovering great music from any decade.  Can never decide which is the best. Lately been listening to the Kills, Shovel & Rope, Townes van Zandt.

agent_clone

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2014, 02:09:08 AM »
Hmm as a question is there a historical prejudice in regards to music?  e.g. Over time the truly crap music is left behind but the good stuff remains?  So say 90% of today's music is crap but 10% is good, but if we take say the 1980's again we have 90% crap, with 10% good, but given that its been 30ish years, the 90% of crap has been phased out.

socaso

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2014, 01:16:21 PM »
I find a lot of great music through NPR music. They have a free Roku channel called Tiny Desk Concerts and since I listen to NPR a lot I'm always hearing them recommend music. I've been enjoying the Young Fathers and Zara Macfarlane lately. I'm often able to find NPR suggestions on Spotify. If I really like an album and I find myself listening to it a lot I will buy it. I don't listen to much mainstream music and the people I really enjoy are artists and I believe in supporting art.

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #17 on: August 22, 2014, 01:53:54 PM »
I listen to pretty much everything, but I tend to think that our current era of music is pretty underwhelming. I grew up without a wide background in music. My parents listened to the same cassettes over and over on car trips, and then converted them to cd's after we got a car with no cassette player. I grew up with Lee Greenwood, Alabama, John Denver. Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic, pretty much like they're just trying to make money. While there are exceptions, I feel like most of it's pure shit. I like music that says something.

What do y'all think is the best music/genre/artist/era? I'd love to hear and explore the responses :D

The current age is always the best age for listening to music, because you can always listen to music that came before you. Like, even if you don't like any current music, which would be pretty weird, you'd probably like something from earlier. So it's always better to be alive NOW, than to be alive in the 70s or whatever. Also, we now have digital music on the fucking internet, so you can listen to anything ever made, ever. Sort of.

Garnacerous

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #18 on: August 22, 2014, 02:10:06 PM »
So much music - so little time! I will check out bandcamp.com and many of the suggestions made here. I still listen to the metal of my youth (Metallica!), but love discovering great music from any decade.  Can never decide which is the best. Lately been listening to the Kills, Shovel & Rope, Townes van Zandt.

The great thing about music is that its impossible to listen to every single song as it gets released. There just aren't enough hours in the day. Therefore, there's an ever increasing list of bands/songs that may not be new, but will be new to you when you discover them.

I'm an amateur musician (some might say overly amateur), so I've really been getting into DIY recordings and people who can create a great sound with cheap/limited equipment. Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver come to mind, but that's a very far departure from Metallica.

Beric01

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2014, 03:10:52 PM »
I pretty much listen to classical (Romantic era and earlier) and a bit of Japanese from the anime I watch, always with a heavy piano/orchestral instrumentation. I can't enjoy most music with a heavy beat or that is very dissonant.

thedayisbrave

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #20 on: September 01, 2014, 09:42:31 AM »
I'm a big fan of indie/singer songwriter type goodness.  Brendan James is my fav - I've never found a more honest yet supremely talented man in all my life.  I'm a big fan of the crowd he runs with... artists like Tim Blane, Tony Lucca, Brian Jarvis, Andy Grammer (who is a little more popular now).  They're good people and do this for the ART of it - not the $$$$. 

popsy13

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #21 on: September 19, 2014, 01:50:02 AM »
True music is that which makes our mood swing, makes us happy and give us relief. We feel free from inside. True music is that which never gets old and one never gets bored after listening again and again.

deborah

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #22 on: September 19, 2014, 02:44:59 AM »
I think today's music is judged differently from music even 15 years ago. Now, everyone has seen the video clip associated with the music, and whenever it is played, they visualize the clip. Music is no longer simply an aural form - and current music thus needs to be compared to movie music and aural/visual forms such as ballet and opera.

The pure music form is just about dead.

My second point is that as media becomes more accessible, the amount of ad hoc music composition declines. It has been well documented that whenever a community is linked to television (for example), their sing-songs, and music composition within that community rapidly declines. My parents noticed it when the North West of Western Australia got television (and there was some academic work done to quantify it). With the ubiquitousness of the mobile phone and tablet, I think we may have another reduction of music composition occurring, even though these devices make it fairly simple to generate new music. Of course, the simplest musical instrument to "play" is still the voice. Whether a decline in the amount composed is reflected in the quality of compositions is another matter.

keith

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #23 on: September 20, 2014, 08:43:00 PM »
I listen to pretty much everything

Trying not to be a dick here, but this phrase always gets me. No, you don't listen to pretty much everything. Not even remotely close. There is no way anyone listens to "pretty much everything". There is just too much stuff out there. I think a lot of people don't realize just how big the universe of music is.

There is so much good shit out there that just isn't played on the radio. If you spend some time searching, you can find music from this generation that you will enjoy.

keith

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #24 on: September 20, 2014, 08:45:06 PM »
The pure music form is just about dead.

Wow. What are you smoking? Hahahahah.

Michael792

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #25 on: September 21, 2014, 02:39:08 AM »
I listen to pretty much everything

Trying not to be a dick here, but this phrase always gets me. No, you don't listen to pretty much everything. Not even remotely close. There is no way anyone listens to "pretty much everything". There is just too much stuff out there. I think a lot of people don't realize just how big the universe of music is.

There is so much good shit out there that just isn't played on the radio. If you spend some time searching, you can find music from this generation that you will enjoy.

I listen to pretty much everything. When I say that, I mean it. It doesn't mean I have every single sound of music coming into my ears all the time, but here's what it does mean: if anybody, anywhere plays music, I will listen to it. If I decide I don't like it, I explore the genre to find out if there's anything I like. When I am introduced to new genres or music, I will stay up all night listening to it, which generally hurts my performance at work. If something's playing in any public place, I listen to it. When I choose to listen to music on my own, I will switch it up constantly throughout the hours. Now, I could go on and on about this, but it's not the point of the thread. What I will say is: I listen to everything. Because the former is too long to write every single goddamn time I write/talk/mention about what I like to listen to.

Also, what would you consider the pure music form, Deborah? I have no concept of what that term encompasses.

To all the rest of you, thanks for the suggestions. Keep em coming! I'm exploring them constantly.

keith

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #26 on: September 21, 2014, 12:41:00 PM »
I listen to pretty much everything

Trying not to be a dick here, but this phrase always gets me. No, you don't listen to pretty much everything. Not even remotely close. There is no way anyone listens to "pretty much everything". There is just too much stuff out there. I think a lot of people don't realize just how big the universe of music is.

There is so much good shit out there that just isn't played on the radio. If you spend some time searching, you can find music from this generation that you will enjoy.

I listen to pretty much everything. When I say that, I mean it. It doesn't mean I have every single sound of music coming into my ears all the time, but here's what it does mean: if anybody, anywhere plays music, I will listen to it. If I decide I don't like it, I explore the genre to find out if there's anything I like. When I am introduced to new genres or music, I will stay up all night listening to it, which generally hurts my performance at work. If something's playing in any public place, I listen to it. When I choose to listen to music on my own, I will switch it up constantly throughout the hours. Now, I could go on and on about this, but it's not the point of the thread. What I will say is: I listen to everything. Because the former is too long to write every single goddamn time I write/talk/mention about what I like to listen to.

Today's music all seems pretty useless and generic, pretty much like they're just trying to make money

This statement can be easily made against popular music, I get that.

Good music exists today that isn't useless or generic. Are you trying to say this literally applies to all music today and not just popular music? Because to me that doesn't make any sense at all. Especially if you say you have explored most of the music out there.

viper155

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #27 on: September 22, 2014, 09:45:43 AM »
The best music is the music YOU make...

swallowtail

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #28 on: September 22, 2014, 10:09:23 AM »
For some great country / folk, try Mary Gauthier and Tom Brosseau.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #29 on: September 22, 2014, 12:12:36 PM »
I think today's music is judged differently from music even 15 years ago. Now, everyone has seen the video clip associated with the music, and whenever it is played, they visualize the clip. Music is no longer simply an aural form - and current music thus needs to be compared to movie music and aural/visual forms such as ballet and opera.

The pure music form is just about dead.

I haven't watched a video with music since MTV stopped playing music videos in the 90s.  Where are you getting music that it comes with a required video clip?

rugorak

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #30 on: September 22, 2014, 12:42:35 PM »
I am a big fan of sub genres of metal. Folk metal is my favorite of those. You probably will have issues with many of the voices. Growling vocals are common (although not strictly required). One thing you may consider is consider the voice just another instrument. Especially given that lots of folk metal does not have English lyrics. Finnish, German, Russian, even Ger-wegian (Mix of German and Norwegian), Gaulic, and Elvish.

Last.fm is a great place to check out stuff. It is free (unless you want to pay for it)

Some bands I like and you may want to check out:
Battlelore - most songs are in English and all the lyrics are based on the works of Tolkien. Also vocals are mainly clean.
Epica - symphonic metal.
Finntroll - polka metal. Lyrics are in Swedish and growling.
Eluveitie - Folk metal. Most lyrics in English with some Gaulic as well
Arkona - Russian folk metal. A fair mix of growling and clean vocals
Trollfest - Balkan metal is what they call themselves. Lyrics are growling and in Ger-wegian.
Korpliklaani - Finnish folk metal. Most of their early stuff is English and most of their later stuff is Finnish.
Alestorm - Scottish Pirate Metal
Ensiferum - Finnish Viking metal. Mostly rougher vocals
Flametal - Flamenco metal. Rougher vocals
Týr - Viking Metal from the Faroe islands. Kind of progressive. Lyrics mainly in English with some in Faroese (which is akin to old Norse)

Except Battlelore who is on extended hiatus all those bands are actively making music. And you'll probably never hear them on the radio. And even though most of them are not from the US they tour extensively. I have seen Eluveitie, Arkona, Trollfest, Kropliklaani, Alestorm, Ensiferum and Týr live. As well as many others.

riverrat

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #31 on: October 01, 2014, 06:27:46 AM »
John Prine -
Old Crow Medicine Show
Drive by Truckers

These three are always on constant rotation

surfhb

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #32 on: October 01, 2014, 03:10:31 PM »
I could watch Old Grey Whistle Test on YouTube all day long

swallowtail

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Re: Best Music
« Reply #33 on: October 02, 2014, 12:34:18 PM »
John Prine -

These three are always on constant rotation

+1 John Prine

If you like rock music, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is pretty cool.  I also just re-watched Dig! and it heightened my appreciation for both the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre.  Although all this music is getting old. 

Newer stuff:

War on Drugs / Kurt Vile
Dungen
Ex Hex
Gulp

@rugorak - folk metal sounds amazing! I'm excited to check it out.  Arkona came through my city recently.  I knew absolutely nothing of their music, but from the description I read in our alt-weekly paper they sounded like a cool band.  I was super bummed when I got to the show to find it sold out.