New Music for an Old Fart

One of my goals for the year was to discover new music I might like as I have been in a musical rut. So, to that end, I asked each of my kids and their spouses/significant others to give me a list of their favorite albums/artists that they thought I might like. I also included my biking coach, who is more of my age, to keep it closer to my era. And from these lists, I tried to listen to one new album a week in 2019. I didn't quite hit that goal, but met the spirit of the target in listening to over 40 new albums and found some new groups I actually like. I also added some albums I came across on Amazon Prime just by surfing around.

Here are some rambling thoughts with personal anecdotes where I jotted them down.

Really Really Liked:

• Pretty Gritty -- Seven Year Itch. We had discovered this band when we went to McMenamin's Grand Lodge in Forest Grove. This folksy duo were playing downstairs. We liked them enough to buy their album and have since listed to them play live a couple more times (when they performed outside Kaye's in Sellwood.)
• Lang Lang -- Piano Book. Found this by chance on Prime and loved it. Clean classical piano music that is great to read or work to.
• Khruangbin -- A Calf Born in Winter. Beautiful funky/jazz mostly instrumental. Love it. 

Liked a Lot:

• Beth Hart --  Fire on the Floor 
• Lady Gaga  -- The Fame Monster. Had to give the Lady a go after a family friend went to see her in concert in Vegas. Liked her voice and range and catchy pop style.
• Nils Frahm -- All Melody
• Taj Mahal and Keb'Mo -- TajMo. Great bluesy music.
• Badbadnotgood -- IV
• Diana Krahl -- The Look of Love. She has a wonderful voice for the jazz/blues style.
• Phillip Glass -- The Hours. Lovely instrumental music to relax to.
• Morphine -- Cure for Pain. I liked this. The rough sax added to the rock to make it sound raw and edgy with lots of energy. 
• Alvvays -- Alvvays. Liked most of the tracks on this album.
• Leon Bridges -- Coming Home. I had heard Leon's other album before and found the music reminiscent of the 70s or 80s.
• Maren Morris -- Girl. Not sure why I listened to this but for a pop-country album it was upbeat and enjoyable.
• Joe Bonamassa -- Redemption. My biker buddy came good again with this cross between blues, R&B, and rock. Good stuff.
• Joseph -- I'm Alone, No You're Not. Very nice acoustic/rock girl band. 
• Soundtrack from Hamilton. This was the biggest surprise. I don't enjoy musicals and didn't like the first couple of tracks. But kept listening, as I had promised myself to give every album a fair shake, and it started to get catchy and interesting. I have listened to this more than once. 
• Gerry Gibbs Jazz Band -- I listened to a YouTube video and then saw this musician live in a New York basement club. Very atmospheric and very cool. I loved it.
• Big Thief -- Capacity. The first few tracks sounded a little boring, but the music grew on me. It's a cross between indie acoustic rock and folk. The later tracks mentioned me a little of Jack Johnson crossed with Norah Jones.
• Streetlight Manifesto -- Everything Goes Numb. Listened as punk it has an exciting, upbeat vibe. I liked the music a lot but didn't enjoy the lyrics or the singing as it seemed too noisy.
• Taylor Swift -- Lover. Another find from Prime. Very pop but liked the upbeat melody and catchy lyrics. Might have to listen to more by her.
• Ed Sheeran -- X. After seeing and hearing Sheeran in the movie Yesterday, I found this on Prime. Liked his music and voice. Will have to listen to him.

Uh? OK:

• Courtney Barrett -- Tell Me How You Really Feel
• Cigarettes After Sex
• Gungor -- I am Mountain. I found this repetitive and boring, and didn't really like the male vocalist.
• Soviet Kitsch -- Regina Spektor. The music was OK but I couldn't get past the singer's voice or the lyrics.
• Blockhead -- Funeral Balloons. The music was OK but the vocals/lyrics were weird and definitely put me off the album. 
• The Walters -- Songs for Dads. The male vocalist was too twangy and annoying.
• Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. I found this folks with a symphonic background.
• Ojos del Sol -- Y La Bamba. Too folksy for me.

Didn't Really Like:

• Paul McCartney -- Ram. I am a big Beatles fan and love some Wings music, this didn't do anything for me.
• Arctic Monkeys
• The Vaccines
• Tank and the Bangas -- The Big Bang Theory. There was too much talking, some ranting and raving, but not enough singing for me. I found it to be discordant.
• Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn -- Echo in the Valley. This was too twangy bluegrass for me. It never got a hold of me.
• The Good, the Bad & The Queen -- Merrie Land. So-so indie-rock. Nothing special. The British accents were a little grating (did I just write that?).
• Bruce Springsteen -- Nebraska. I've never really gotten into the Boss. But wanted to give it a shot. This album never grabbed me and I've still not gotten into Bruce.
• Tame Impala

No, Don't Make me Listen Again!

• Labor Days -- Aesop Rock. Wow, I really didn't like this hip hop. It was not music to my ears. 
• The Mars Volta -- Noctourniquet. Loud. Did I say LOUD! Noisy, almost discordant. 
• Titus Andronicus -- A Productive Cough. I didn't like the vocals and the music was just noise.
• Sir Lord Baltimore -- Kingdom Come. Didn't like the voice of the lead singer.

And if you're interested, I had 15 goals for 2019 across 5 categories (health, intellect, relationships, hobbies, spiritual) and I met 8, with at least one checked off from each category. I consider that a big success. Now to think what to set for 2020 -- 20 goals for 20?