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Iceheart
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Agreed, and the downslide happened fast. I was all over top 40 radio just four years ago, but nowadays I can't stay on a damn radio station.

 

At least there's some really interesting stuff happening in the indie world lately, especially indie pop and R&B. That stuff needs to be less indie asap.

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It always struck me as odd that music was the one artform people are expected to enjoy.

Music is the only universal art form, that can be understood by anyone without context. It's intrinsic to the human experience, be it classical or contemporary, folk, or the indigenous musics of people the world over.

 

I can understand why you wouldn't want to listen to Pop or Rock or Hip Hop or any other form of commercialy industrialised music... but to reject the concepts of rhythm and melody altogether is bizarre.

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The older I get the less tolerance I have for any music that isn't excellent (in my view). So pretty much anything on radio, even alt. radio sucks.

 

I used to like Indie bands, but the only one I could still stomach today is Sonic Youth. Everything now has become a homogeneous mass of bullshit synth, programmed drums, over-production and over-singing. Bands no longer want to challenge the status quo. Everyone is desperate to become part of the establishment instead of destroy it and build something new.

 

For this reason these days I pretty much only listen to Extreme Metal (Black, Death, or War..some Doom) or weird stuff from far flung corners of the globe like Tinariwen ( i think thats how you spell it) who are from the Mali part of the Sahara and play cool stuff. That or old 60s British folk music like Pentancle, thanks to my wife's influence.

 

So.. I pretty much only have room for extreme anger and vitriolic hatred and misanthropy, or super beautiful hippy stuff. The common thread is all these musics generally lean towards singing/screaming about spirituality/existentialism or the natural world and our place in nature, and how to rediscover it.

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So.. I pretty much only have room for extreme anger and vitriolic hatred and misanthropy, or super beautiful hippy stuff. The common thread is all these musics generally lean towards singing/screaming about spirituality/existentialism or the natural world and our place in nature, and how to rediscover it.

 

My brother said this almost word-for-word not long ago. Also, you may get a kick out of this band called Omnia if you haven't heard them already. They do a very good albeit really cheesy over-the-top melding of all the fav sounds and themes you listed.

 

Here's an opinion I formed with purely anecdotal information:

 

The recent trend toward collecting vinyl is at least partly a push back against the top 40 music machine's genericness. Not only because it's a tangible, physical object in a digital world, but also because there's a pretty broad gap in vinyl titles, so collecting vinyl isn't just about melding new music with an old format, it's about rediscovering classic greats and deep cuts.

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So.. I pretty much only have room for extreme anger and vitriolic hatred and misanthropy, or super beautiful hippy stuff. The common thread is all these musics generally lean towards singing/screaming about spirituality/existentialism or the natural world and our place in nature, and how to rediscover it.

 

My brother said this almost word-for-word not long ago. Also, you may get a kick out of this band called Omnia if you haven't heard them already. They do a very good albeit really cheesy over-the-top melding of all the fav sounds and themes you listed.

 

Here's an opinion I formed with purely anecdotal information:

 

The recent trend toward collecting vinyl is at least partly a push back against the top 40 music machine's genericness. Not only because it's a tangible, physical object in a digital world, but also because there's a pretty broad gap in vinyl titles, so collecting vinyl isn't just about melding new music with an old format, it's about rediscovering classic greats and deep cuts.

 

Ill check that out, thanks.

 

I would say the physical artifact thing is absolutely partially responsible for the resurgence in vinyl. However I would say the fundamental reason is compared with most other ways people consume music these days, vinyl simply sounds better. In the process of compressing digital audio to fit all sorts of formats i.e spotify, radio, other internet streaming services, digital downloads etc.. the dynamic range is pretty much lost. This is due to modern mastering techniques, in which dynamic range is sacrificed for meeting a highly compressed universal standard (so the song sounds the same online, in your car, on your phone etc) This is ignoring other means for compression... trying to make a recording play louder for example. And then for online formats to keep file sizes small, the audio is compressed even more.. to the extent that 80% of the orignal recorded audio information is no longer present in your typical Spotify .mp3 or .aac. Of course you can still get lossless digital audio like FLAC or ALAC files which has a higher dynamic range and keeps the 80% of lost audio... they are much larger file sizes. Like 60-100mb a song sometimes. An album can easily be 500mb. So obvs not many people download their music using lossless audio unless they're audiophiles.

All albums pressed to vinyl however, usually go through a separate mastering with as little compression as possible to maximize the dynamic range. This coupled with the physical contact a stylus makes on the song track makes for a higher fidelity listening experience. Which is why any music from the 90s and earlier sounds ****ing amazing on record and relatively flat and lacking that special something on digital formats.

CDs though.. they're the ****ing worst. They suffer even more audio loss and compression than online digital formats, and they degrade every time they're played.

 

Anyways.. sorry hope that doesn't come off as a lecture. Cause admittedly I'm not an audiophile and that is my lay understanding of it. But a few of my friends are audio engineers, sound technicians etc..

 

But nostalgia and having a physical artifact in a digital age for sure is a massive draw as well. Particularly when people found out that "buying" music off iTunes is nothing more than entering a licencing agreement so you don't actually own the files. Therefore when you die, you can't leave your iTunes collection to a loved one (as Bruce Willis found out) like you could your record collection. If you're gonna buy digital music only use Bandcamp, I say.

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Music is the only universal art form, that can be understood by anyone without context.

It's intrinsic to the human experience, be it classical or contemporary, folk, or the indigenous musics of people the world over.

Does that make it something everyone should enjoy though? I mean, dance is pretty universal as well, but no one thinks it's odd that most of the population barely thinks about it. No one is surprised that some people don't enjoy athletics, another universal form of entertainment.

 

I'm not saying that I run away screaming from music, life would be difficult if I tried, but I think it's more odd and a bit cultish that we've developed such a high regard for what is an artform that tends to be fairly two-dimensional compared to others, that it's surprising to hear someone say "meh" to the whole thing.

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I suppose you may be right... I guess I find it hard to comprehend not liking any music because music is so intrinsic to my existence. Everyone in my family is very musical, I play an instrument, sing in the shower, hum tunes when I walk, sometimes whistle, and I consciously listen to as much music every day as I can. So I can't fathom it not being a part of who I am. So far in my 34 years of life you're the first person I've "met" who claims to get no enjoyment from music.

 

As for dancing, well that's just as intrinsic to human nature. The only reason people don't like to dance is a social hang-up. They either think they can't dance, think its stupid (usually because they think they can't and are embarrassed), find social situations awkward enough anyway without trying to move their body to a rhythm. But again, like music, dance is a primal form of human expression ingrained in all of us. Any anthropologist will go on about both.

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Poe is ridiculous, but also very on brand.

 

Odine-- you like Alunah? Prob my fav doom band right now.

 

I personally love digital music. I don't like having clutter and I have discovered so much new stuff falling down rabbit holes on spotify.

 

What I like about music NOW is that with digital distribution genres are finally able to be broken down. For decades we've thought of music in categories of radio programming. Slowly but surely that's breaking down.

 

I love how there's ALT versions of every genre that radio can't classify. Want a power diva that's not Christina Aguilera Top 40? No problem, there's tons of dirty, raw, yet pop female artisys that will never get radio play like Melanie Martinez. Like hip hop but want to hear from the perspective of a female art school club kid? Check out Amanda Blank. There's so much diversification I'm loving it.

 

Personally I've been into a lot of alt country for the last five or so years. When I was a kid, country music was basically either old cowboy music or southern rock. In the 90s country turned into the most abhorrent and objectively terrible music ever conceived. To see the country version of an alt rock revolution against Top 40 pop has been great.

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Not heard Alunah but I'll check them out.

 

Doom wise I really like this guy MSW who releases stuff under the "Hell" moniker. All his releases are self titled, but I particularly his third "Hell" release. It's the filthiest sounding bass I've possibly ever heard and the most bloodcurdling vocals. At times he sounds completely inhuman.

Otherwise I really did this Brazilian band called Jupiterian. Their album "terraforming" is fantastic.

 

I also really enjoy digital music. But I purchase everything from bandcamp. I have ethical dissonance with spotify and other streaming services. Sometimes I get lossless audio but usually stick to smaller filetypes to fit everything on my phone. I consume most of my music on my phone through headphones getting about London. If there is an album I love to bits I will endeavour to pick up the LP of it. But I only have a small collection of records at the moment, once you commit to that lifestyle it can become quite the obsession. And I'm already obsessed with finding new stuff to listen to. Dunno if I need a vinyl addiction on top

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Unpopular opinion time!

 

I can't hear the difference between vinyl and digital. The sound quality just doesn't register with me. And yes, I collect vinyl (mostly vintage), I have really, really good sound equipment. That's why I don't normally consider the usual "warmer tones" argument from audiophiles - I don't doubt them, but I also don't think the average music fan cares so much that it's driving the current trend.

 

I also couldn't hear "Laurel" unless the higher tones of that recording were basically completely eliminated, so my ears aren't exactly normal.

 

I love Spotify. Mostly because it's enabled me to find so much new music that isn't on the usual radar. Any ethical quandary I might have with it is cancelled out on how much money I spend on concert tickets to see these bands when they end up in my area, or I end up in theirs. And, again, I do collect vinyl.

 

Live music > canned music no matter the shape of the can, anyway.

 

Since we're giving music recommendations, too, HAY TANK, have you found Spotify's "Swagger" playlist yet?

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Guest El Chalupacabra

Unpopular opinion time!

 

I can't hear the difference between vinyl and digital. The sound quality just doesn't register with me. And yes, I collect vinyl (mostly vintage), I have really, really good sound equipment. That's why I don't normally consider the usual "warmer tones" argument from audiophiles - I don't doubt them, but I also don't think the average music fan cares so much that it's driving the current trend.

 

I also couldn't hear "Laurel" unless the higher tones of that recording were basically completely eliminated, so my ears aren't exactly normal.

 

I love Spotify. Mostly because it's enabled me to find so much new music that isn't on the usual radar. Any ethical quandary I might have with it is cancelled out on how much money I spend on concert tickets to see these bands when they end up in my area, or I end up in theirs. And, again, I do collect vinyl.

 

Live music > canned music no matter the shape of the can, anyway.

 

Since we're giving music recommendations, too, HAY TANK, have you found Spotify's "Swagger" playlist yet?

Honestly, I can't hear much difference between CD and vinyl, but depending on how it was ripped from a CD I can tell the difference between digital and vinyl. The more compressed the rip, the lesser the quality. For example, I have a ton of music I ripped like 15 years ago on my computer at 128, and it all sounds blah to me now. There is also all kinds of variables when it comes to audio tech that affects sound quality with vinyl. But when all things are equal, I really don't hear the difference. But I know people who swear by vinyl. Whatever. I like portability of digital formats, and will take that over vinyl any day.

 

My theory is vinyl is mostly being pushed by the music industry as a way to combat digital piracy, and some people just buy into vinyl because they "hear" the difference.

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Guest El Chalupacabra

I dislike music in general, particular rap and dance music, and listen to audiobooks exclusively when driving.

 

I don't trust anyone that doesn't like music.

Nothing wrong with listening to audio books at all, or preferring them to music! But yeah, I've never hear of someone saying they dislike music in general. Maybe a genre, but music in general? There is a type of music for just about everyone.

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Tank- I had a brief look at Alunah and liked the music I heard, but the vocals somewhat less so. I could totally get used to it. They remind me of Electric Wizard (musically at least) which is a very good thing IMO. If you haven't heard the Wizard before I recommend the album Witchcult Today. It's a bit heavier than Alanah from what I have heard so far, but it's really good.

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Iceheart- I searched for Omnia and found two bands. One was from Iceland that played some pretty cool atmospheric electronic music. I quite liked that. The other (which was what I think you were thinking of) are Dutch and totally not my thing. But thanks anyway! :) if you're interested the metal/pagan/folk/hippy crossover stuff that I'm super into is Wardruna. If you're interested in that stuff start with the song Helvegen. But totally get it if it isn't your thing either.

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Tank- I had a brief look at Alunah and liked the music I heard, but the vocals somewhat less so. I could totally get used to it. They remind me of Electric Wizard (musically at least) which is a very good thing IMO. If you haven't heard the Wizard before I recommend the album Witchcult Today. It's a bit heavier than Alanah from what I have heard so far, but it's really good.

I know Electric Wizard. I was on a quest a year or so ago for femaled lead doom and found them both. Castle too.

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Unpopular opinion time!

 

I can't hear the difference between vinyl and digital. The sound quality just doesn't register with me. And yes, I collect vinyl (mostly vintage), I have really, really good sound equipment. That's why I don't normally consider the usual "warmer tones" argument from audiophiles - I don't doubt them, but I also don't think the average music fan cares so much that it's driving the current trend.

 

I also couldn't hear "Laurel" unless the higher tones of that recording were basically completely eliminated, so my ears aren't exactly normal.

 

I love Spotify. Mostly because it's enabled me to find so much new music that isn't on the usual radar. Any ethical quandary I might have with it is cancelled out on how much money I spend on concert tickets to see these bands when they end up in my area, or I end up in theirs. And, again, I do collect vinyl.

 

Live music > canned music no matter the shape of the can, anyway.

 

Since we're giving music recommendations, too, HAY TANK, have you found Spotify's "Swagger" playlist yet?

Honestly, I can't hear much difference between CD and vinyl, but depending on how it was ripped from a CD I can tell the difference between digital and vinyl. The more compressed the rip, the lesser the quality. For example, I have a ton of music I ripped like 15 years ago on my computer at 128, and it all sounds blah to me now. There is also all kinds of variables when it comes to audio tech that affects sound quality with vinyl. But when all things are equal, I really don't hear the difference. But I know people who swear by vinyl. Whatever. I like portability of digital formats, and will take that over vinyl any day.

 

My theory is vinyl is mostly being pushed by the music industry as a way to combat digital piracy, and some people just buy into vinyl because they "hear" the difference.

Being an old music geek (haven't kept up with it for years) I beg to differ. Vinyl popularity came from scene kids needing to be different, and it really started with people looking for music that never made the transfer to CD.

 

I remember spending days flipping through vinyl and visiting hole in the wall music shops looking for rare Elvis Costello releases.

In short, I was a hipster before being a hipster was a thing, and now I'm a dad who listens to Taylor Swift with my daughter.

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My theory is vinyl is mostly being pushed by the music industry as a way to combat digital piracy, and some people just buy into vinyl because they "hear" the difference.

 

Some people definitely hear a difference but I also don't think there is any real discernible difference (I think there have been studies done confirming this too) but I unfortunately made the mistake of getting into purchasing vinyl (unfortunate as it is an expensive hobby). Main reason is that I like it as a means owning the physical album. Majority of all my music I listen to digitally and streaming, but if I really love an album or soundtrack and I want to own it, I'll grab the vinyl.

 

I don't think the music industry are using it to combat digital piracy though. Sales have increased over the last few years admittedly but it wouldn't even be making a dent on digital, and it never will. It's not portable at all, no way to stream it and use it with a digital assistant and it's expensive.

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