Music

I've been digging into the new Mastodon record. Nothing could be as epic in it's sheer majesty then it's review at allmusic.com. I've never seen this much gushing over anything. Anyway Mastodon is one of a few band that will be soon breaking into the pop cultures consciousness along with Isis, Pelican, Opeth, Clutch, Mono, Boris, The Twilight Singers, Super Furry Animals, Tortoise, Mogwai, Lake Trout, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Explosions in the Sky, A Silver Mt. Zion, Aesop Rock and all the artists on the Definitive Jux, Stones Throw, Ninja Tune, Cuneiform Records, and Quannum labels, Boards of Canada, Broadcast, Comets on Fire, Radiodread: the dub version of Radiohead's OK Computer by the Easy Star Dub All-Stars, Danger Doom, MF Doom, Danger Mouse, Gorillaz, Death From Above 1979, Deerhoof, Desus Ex Machina, Dios Malos, June of 44, Kopecky, LCD Soundsystem, M83, Mew, Oneida, Rothko, Sufjan Stevens, Tarentel, The Coup, Blackalicious, The Roots, Umphrey's McGee, Zaar, Zero Hour, and I could go on forever because System of a Down, Radiohead and Tool broke the door down, you see bands like Wolfmother, Queens of the Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold, Muse, Sigur Ros and The Mars Volta on MTV now, when about ten years ago that would be impossible. Even Porcupine Tree is on a major label.

It's really not about the acceptance of metal, alternative, punk, progressive rock, Zappa-jazz, post-rock, even hip hop, it's the acceptance by the music consumer that it's OK to have a diverse musical diet, whence before the Internet and access to more College Radio Station like content, most folks listened to one or two genres of music. No more. People want it all, and mostly all in one song. Frank Zappa is very, very happy about this somewhere. The only thing that most of these bands have in common is a super-high degree of musicianship by their members and a willingness to throw everything but the kitchen sink into their albums, without care for commercial acceptance. These cats can all can BLOW.

A sensibility not a style, now that's really what Progressive Rock was really supposed to be about. They failed, because they stopped really making "new" sounds around 1977, had to make certain sounds to retain label status, or go unheard. The internet has set now and future muscians some what free, because almost any band that's any good can build just enough of a niche, to produce well produced songs and recordings. That's why the future of music is so bright.

I really suggest looking into any or all of these artists at their websites, or allmusic.com. Also attend shows, that's their lifeblood, recording sales are just enough to make the next recording. Buy direct from the artist when at all possible. Check out used record shops like Rasputin Records in the Bay Area for great deals. CD Universe is also a great place to get a deal.