Rock, Pop and some other forms of Noise



I tried to think of a way to define my taste in music but I realized very quickly there isn't really a very good definition. So here is a very concise list of some of my favourite artists. This list will probably change from time to time, and I can't really say it comprises a complete picture of the music I like but it is a start (by the way this isn't really in any specific order of affection...).

Each of these short paragraphs will lead you to a page dedicated to that artist, some are more detailed than others, but you should find more stuff on all of them.

Warning - some of the linked pages may be graphic intensive (~ 100K).



1 My favourite band, if one can call it that - by a somewhat slim margin is probably The Cure (66K).
The first time I ever heard a Cure tape was in a summer arts camp in NJ (Would you believe it?). I was sitting in the quad outside the lounge in one of Rutgers campuses, and a friend of mine handed me her walkman to listen. The song playing happened to be Plainsong (mp3, 929K) which is still my favourite Cure song (although it only appears once on all of their albums).
My story with Led Zeppelin (63K) is slightly different. I got Led Zep's Remasters as a present for who knows what occasion some six years ago. Since then every now and again I'd run the tape over a couple of times. But it was only lately that I really started loving the music.
It's hard to put to words the sensations these songs create, but the rhythm, and the ecstatic power are captivating.
2
3 The Pixies (75K) have always been one of the bands I love the most. What I liked most was their ability to play distorted guitars loudly and still maintain a depth and a more structured musical theme throughout their songs. I really liked that they didn't only grind away at the guitars.
And then there is their amazing album Doolittle - 15 songs, each of them with a completely new creative approach - an amazing album.
Tori Amos(63K) is I think one of the most famous musicians on the internet - she has some 6 webrings and tons of sites regarding her work. I really like the power of her voice and the way she plays the piano. 4
5 Suzanne Vega(60K), is a gentle and eloquent, but powerful musician. Her lyrics are very lean, only the important words get into the song. This minimalism creates a very strong effect to her rather unsettling lyrics.
The Prodigy(69K) I don't think I even need to introduce. Not that I know too much about them, but their music is great! I don't generally get too excited about this style of music, but some of the Prodigy's songs can really get you going, so they're here on my site too. 6
7 The Counting Crows(63K) are another special band. While most people only know the song Mr. Jones, the whole of their first album was an excellent record. Boasting beautiful melody with a fun attack on the drums and Adam Duritz's touching lyrics, the album was in my opinion a polished gem. The Counting Crows' second album, which came out a while ago, was a more complex attempt at bringing out feelings into the music, and based the band as a real musical entity.
(Rumours say that the Crows are to begin working on a new album real soon...)
Bob Dylan(55K). Not much to add here. One of, if not the most prolific songwriters of all time. My dad used to listen to Dylan, and his songs still have the same power and relevance today. 8
9 The Smashing Pumpkins (56K) are on my music page because of their beautiful albums - Gish and Siamese Dream. When I first heard Siamese, it was like nothing I heard before and it was beautiful. Going back to Gish I realized the Pumpkins created a new type of music, all to themselves. Since then, aside from Pisces Iscariot, the Pumpkins have done nothing new or inventive. I think it's time for the Pumpkins to evolve - and I'm personally waiting for their next Siamese Dream.



There are many other bands and musicians that I really love, maybe their pages will be added to these eventually (unlikely though) but you can check out these pages for Natalie Merchant, Tex as, R. E. M., The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the Stone Temple Pilots


Natalie Merchant (6K)



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This page last modified on - Friday, August 14, 1998.