 |
I listen to a wide variety of music including metal, rock, classical and jazz. This page contains links to some of the artists and bands that I like. I have also included a comment under each artist/band containing what I believe is their most accessible album and also my favourite album. If you haven't listened to them before then I would recommend listening to the album which is under the most accessible category as this will be a good introduction. The albums listed as my favourites may not be the most representative of the artist or very accessible but generally in my opinion it is the best album by that artist or band. I am always interested in hearing new and interesting music so if you think that there is a band/artist out there you think I may like or if you think that there is a URL that should be included on this page e-mail me.
|
|
|
Tori Amos
Most Accessible Album: Little Earthquakes
Favourite Album: Under the pink
Comments:
A brilliant artist although she can be a bit weird, however if you like Kate Bush you will probably like Tori Amos. I have not been too taken with her albums after 'Under the Pink' however I would still recommend listening to her stuff.
Kate Bush
Most Accessible Album: Hounds of love
Favourite Album: Hounds of love
Comment:
Another brilliant artist who has produced may excellent albums over the years. If you try the album above and like it I would then try some of her earlier albums such as "The Kick Inside". If you like Kate Bush then listen to Tori Amos as musically they have a lot in common.
Burkhard Seidhoff's Kate Bush Page
Kate Bush Musical Extravaganza
Depeche Mode
Most Accessible Album: Violator
Favourite Album: Songs of Faith and Devotion
Comment:
A good band who first started making an impact in the early 1980's. Whilst I like a lot of the earlier stuff I think they started to really distinguish themselves as being more than just a good synth pop band with the release of Violator. If you like this album I would recommend listening to all the ones that have followed it to date.
Garbage
Most Accessible Album: Garbage
Favourite Album: Garbage
Comment:
A relatively new band that produced an excellent debut album. If you get the opportunity to seem them live then do as they are good live performers. I saw them at the Reading Festival '96 and I was impressed. Garbage have just released their second album of which I have only heard one single but hopefully it will be a worthy successor to their debut album.
Torn Apart: The Garbage Home Page
Peter Gabriel
Most Accessible Album: So
Favourite Album: Melt (Peter Gabriel 3)
Comment:
One of my favourite artists, Peter Gabriel started off as lead singer of Genesis during the period when in my opinion they were at their most interesting. He has produced a number of excellent albums and I would recommend listening to them all.
Peter Gabriel and Related Links
Genesis
Most Accessible Album: Invisible Touch
Favourite Album: Selling England by the pound
Comment:
A good band who in my opinion peaked during their progressive rock stage in the 70's with Peter Gabriel as lead singer. After Peter left although they tended to produce reasonable albums they suffered from the Phil Collins sound syndrome (i.e. it's all good but very similar in a lot of ways). If you like earlier Genesis then you will probably like Peter Gabriel's solo albums and if you like the later stuff you will probably like Phil Collins solo albums and Mike and the Mechanics.
Led Zeppelin
Most Accessible Album: Remasters
Favourite Album: Remasters
Comment:
A band who can be described as the fathers of metal music, it is easy to see where a lot of the later metal bands derived their styles. I recommend "Remasters" as it is the only Led Zeppelin album I own mainly because it has virtually everything on it. If you buy Remasters then you will probably not want to buy the original albums as you will have most of the tracks on each. If you don't want to buy Remasters consider a box set but they come highly recommended
Alex Reisner's Led Zeppelin Page
Alanis Morisette
Most Accessible Album: Jagged Little Pill
Favourite Album: Jagged Little Pill
Comment:
Another new artist who produced an excellent debut album with tracks containing just the right amount of cynicism. I would strongly recommend Jagged Little Pill. Alanis has released her second album which I have not heard as of yet but can only hope is as good as her first.
Nine Inch Nails
Most Accessible Album: Downward Spiral
Favourite Album: Downward Spiral
Comment:
A good and interesting band that produces what can best be described as industrial music. They are best known for the tracks "Head Like a Hole" and "Closer" although they consistently produce good music. All I can say about them is that my main problem isn't deciding what I like from the band but what to buy first I think. If you like 'Downward Spiral' then I would recommend listening to 'Pretty Hate Machine' this is an earlier album and has a more synth-pop industrial sound, however it also contains exceollent material. If you haven't heard any NIN I would recommend listening to something by the band but I suspect they are a band you will either love or hate.
Pink Floyd
Most Accessible Album: Dark side of the moon
Favourite Album: Wish you were here
Comment:
Probably my favourite band, Pink Floyd started in the 60's and have gone through three front men and still remain excellent. I cannot recommend them enough and are a band you have to see live. The show at Pink Floyd concerts has to be seen to be believed. I saw them at Earls Court during the Division Bell tour and it was spectacular and I have been reliably informed by my brother when he saw them during the Dark Side of the Moon tour in the 70's they were equally impressive. I personally like mostly the albums from "Meddle" onwards which is probably the first of the 'modern' Floyd albums. Generally most of the albums after this are considered to be excellent with the exception of "The Final Cut" which was the last of the albums with Roger Waters as the lead singer. Whilst from what I've heard from it it isn't a bad album (which isn't much as everyone I know who likes Floyd has most albums except that one) it definitely isn't a good one. The band are probably best known for the song "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" but this song is not representative of Pink Floyd in general although "The Wall" is an excellent album and the song becomes far more meaningful when taken in context.
The Original Pink Floyd Links Page
Radiohead
Most Accessible Album: OK Computer
Favourite Album: OK Computer
Comment:
Radiohead are an excellent band with the right mix or sarcasm and cynicism in their lyrics. As a whole the band has a very dark and depressing outlook musically at a level matched by few others. I would strongly recommend listening to Radiohead as they are one of the few bands to arrive in recent years which I find extremely interesting both musically and lyrically. If you do listen to 'OK Computer' and wish to hear more I would recommend 'The Bends'. This is the album before 'OK Computer' and has a slightly brighter feel to it but is also an excellent album.
Sting
Most Accessible Album: Dream of the blue turtles
Favourite Album: Nothing like the sun
Comment:
Sting is a very good artist, although I have felt that the more recent albums have been getting a little too laid back for my taste. However his early solo works after he left the Police up until "Ten Summoners Tales" where all excellent with "Ten Summoners Tales" being the weakest. However I would still strongly recommend Sting and if you enjoy the above two albums the next album I would listen to would be the "Soul Cages" which only just lost out to "Nothing Like the Sun" for the favourite position. The first concert I went to was a Sting concert and he is as good live as his albums.
Sting - The Unofficial Homepage
Soundgarden
Most Accessible Album: SuperUnknown
Favourite Album: SuperUnknown
Comment:
A reasonably good band who have now split. The last album "Down On The Upside" was given terrible reviews and from what I heard of it from the singles it was more of the same. However "SuperUnknown" is a good album with some excellent tracks although some of the other tracks in my opinion were merely OK. This holds true for most of the albums.
Unofficial Soundgarden Homepage
Talking Heads
Most Accessible Album: Speaking in tongues
Favourite Album: Remain in light
Comment:
A brilliant band of the 80's who had a style all of their own. I like most things they produced and would thoroughly recommend listening to them. David Byrne, the lead singer in the band provided a manic element to all the vocals. This combined with excellent lyrics and music made the band something special. If you like Beck you will probably like Talking Heads as Beck is in some ways reminiscent of them.
The Name Of This Site is Talking Heads
The Police
Most Accessible Album: Synchronicity
Favourite Album: Synchronicity
Comment:
A very good band of the early eighties. There's not a lot I can really say about them other than if you haven't already then have a listen, you won't regret it. If you like the Police and don't already listen to Stings solo work then do, you won't regret it.
Unofficial Homepage of the Police and Sting
The Prodigy
Most Accessible Album: Fat of the land
Favourite Album: Fat of the land
Comment:
I generally don't like dance bands but Prodigy are the exception. "Fat Of The Land" is an excellent and varied album and "Music For The Jilted Generation" also contains some very interesting stuff. The Prodigy are a band which need to be seen live if you get the opportunity. I have seen them live twice now, the first time at the Reading Festival '96 and the second time at the V97 festival in Leeds both times they were excellent and one of the highlights of the festivals.
The The
Most Accessible Album: Infected
Favourite Album: Soul Mining
Comment:
The The is a very difficult band to describe every album that has been released differs substantially from the last and so it is impossible to pick an album which could be considered representative. The The consisted originally of Matt Johnson and various session musicians for each album although from "Mind Bomb" onwards a permanent line up was introduced consisting of among others Johnny Marr (of The Smiths and Electronic fame). I generally like everything from Soul Mining onwards although a few albums which were originally released as Matt Johnson albums have been released as The The albums. All I can say is listen to the albums and decide for yourself, I like them which is why they are one of my favourite bands.
'Popular Classics' Composers: Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Stravinsky
Recommended Jazz Musicians: Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis and Charles Mingus
Comment:
I like a variety of classical and jazz pieces. These categories are too diverse to make any general recommendations as to most accessible although an obvious starting point would be what has been dubbed as the popular classics. On the jazz side I would listen to a variety of modern and more traditional jazz pieces and see what you like.
Classical Music
Jazz
|
|