Scotch Sampler

scotchandcigar said:
I feel like we've come full circle; not because I'm done with favorites, but because I started this thread in 2015, talking about bands like Wolf Alice. This British group's breakout song became big in 2015, but it was introduced on their 2014 EP Creature Songs. It's kind of an indie anthem

Wolf Alice - Moaning Lisa Smile (live)



In 2015, they released their first complete album, My Love Is Cool. Songs like You're a Germ, Your Love's Whore, and Freazy were hits in the UK, while this was their radio-friendly hit song in the US

Wolf Alice – Bros (live)



Another one of my favorites from the album is this rocker

Wolf Alice - Giant Peach (live)



Their 2017 album Visions of a Life was big in the UK, winning them the 2018 Mercury Music prize. I wasn't thrilled with the few songs played here, such as Don't Delete the Kisses, and the dyslexically named Yuk Foo (which is a really out-there song, if you want to check it out). And this year, they have a new album out.
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Bros and Peaches are good. I’ve heard the other on on SXM, but I don’t think the others. I like em. They are a stand out among the multitude of Wolf bands.
 
Since my last 4 favorite bands were female-fronted, I figured I might as well get one last one out of the way. Sharon Van Etten is from my part of Joisey, but for professional purposes, she hails from Brooklyn. She's been a respected indie music maker since the late aughts, but her first notable hit was in 2012, with this emotional song from the album Tramp

Sharon Van Etten – Serpents (live)



In 2014, she made a big splash with the album Are We There. Her unique vocal style is recognizable in this atmospheric, "Twin Peaks" sounding track, which got a lot of radio airplay

Sharon Van Etten – Taking Chances (live)



And indeed, advertisers like Volvo discovered the stirring, emotional sound of her music, like the album's big hit

Sharon Van Etten – Every Time the Sun Comes Up



It was around this time that I saw her open for Tame Impala and Beck at Boston Calling. But her best was yet to come. Jumping ahead, she scored several charting hits with her 2019 album Remind Me Tomorrow, including the brash Comeback Kid, You Shadow, and this song that captivates with it's lyrics

Sharon Van Etten – Seventeen (live)



She's back on the scene with a new album, and a collaboration with Angel Olsen (coming up here).
 
As amazing as this next artist is, I was wondering how I'd feel about their music, had I known nothing about how they make it. For example, if I somehow forced IRBS to listen to a few songs by Royal Blood, would he be indifferent - neither liking or disliking it? Would he say he has "no opinion" of them?

Anyway, I came across them by way of who they are: two British guys making a lot of sound. The guitarist uses something like a dwarf bass guitar, with both an octavizer and a splitter for simultaneous bass/ treble amps. So he can play rhythm, lead, and have a bass line, all at the same time. And the drummer employs a style that really fills-in the gaps, with double bass, and complex fills. The guitarist can also sing while he's essentially playing 3 parts.

The music itself is straight-ahead classic rock. I was really an advocate for them when their first album came out in 2014, and that's where all my favorites are from. They had a few good songs on their 2nd album, but they weren't nearly as big a deal as I expected. And for their 3rd album, they went in a different direction. So here are my picks, plus Out of the Black - which was my introduction to them

Royal Blood – Come On Over (live)



If you can make it through the painfully un-insightful questions, the performance is good

Royal Blood – Figure It Out (live on The Howard Stern Show)



Royal Blood – Little Monster (live on Jools)
 
scotchandcigar said:
As amazing as this next artist is, I was wondering how I'd feel about their music, had I known nothing about how they make it. For example, if I somehow forced IRBS to listen to a few songs by Royal Blood, would he be indifferent - neither liking or disliking it? Would he say he has "no opinion" of them?
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I like them. I like his voice. He sounds like a couple of other 90s bands I like but the name escapes. I like the first 2 songs a lot. I like the 3rd a little less on first listen. Will listen again later and maybe add to my collection. Probably *** if added.
 
IdRatherBeSkiing said:
I like them. I like his voice. He sounds like a couple of other 90s bands I like but the name escapes. I like the first 2 songs a lot. I like the 3rd a little less on first listen. Will listen again later and maybe add to my collection. Probably *** if added.
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In all seriousness, that's interesting. Because I like these songs, but I can't separate the music from what I know about how they make it.
 
scotchandcigar said:
In all seriousness, that's interesting. Because I like these songs, but I can't separate the music from what I know about how they make it.
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I never really pay much attention to how its made. Sometimes I hear stories and it becomes interesting. But not a concern for most groups. There are some groups whose sound is so different because of how its made that I become a fan ("Home Free" for example) but these are the minority.
 
I like those guys. The first songs that broke out for them hit you with a heavy thing and don’t apologize for it. Even though the latest stuff went a different direction, I still like it. I’m glad that they are exploring different flavors rather than relying on the one trick that got them noticed. I think that if they don’t evolve, people could get tired of them quickly. I’m looking forward to seeing where they will go.
 
I hadn't posted their first radio hit, but since it seems like some of you are being exposed to them for the first time, here it is.

It's a great song that really showcases their unique style, but with more of a hard rock sound

Royal Blood – Out of the Black (live)
 
scotchandcigar said:
Sharon Van Etten
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Sexy like a hot n muggy afternoon on the front porch of a plantation house in the South. Nothing I'd listen to on my own, but yes. Very yes.

scotchandcigar said:
I was really an advocate for them when their first album came out in 2014, and that's where all my favorites are from. They had a few good songs on their 2nd album, but they weren't nearly as big a deal as I expected. And for their 3rd album, they went in a different direction
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Basically the same. Except while it isn't as good, I like more of the 2nd album than just a few.
 
I think we need to counter-balance the testosterone of Royal Blood with, let's say, an all-girl band. The great DJ Jake Fogelnest, from Sirius XMU, was such a big fan of Sleater-Kinney, he vowed to play them on each midday edition of the Daily Download, until they reunited, following their 2005 breakup. Ten years later, he got his wish.

The trio of Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein, and Janet Weiss reformed in 2015 with the album No Cities to Love. In order to appreciate it, there's a bit of "suspension of reason" to deal with. For one, these punk rockers are approaching cougar status. For another, we've been watching Brownstein yuck it up with Fred Armisen on Portlandia, so it might be hard to still accept her as a serious musician. Yet S-K managed to create songs that reflect their punk roots, while maturing in content and style. With that in mind, let's proceed.

Sleater-Kinney – Surface Envy (live audio, with video montage)



Sleater-Kinney – A New Wave (live on Letterman)



Sleater-Kinney – Bury Our Friends (live)



Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love (live)
 
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