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music discovery chronicles

via haveyouheardthisband and maybe general discovery

i recently discovered this blog called haveyouheardthisband. (PLEASE NOTE I DO NOT RUN THIS PARTICULAR MUSIC BLOG, charlottan@TUMBLR DOES) it's a cool concept so check them out! anyway, i trawled through the current archive and drafted some bands that i want to check out. because even if i HAVEN'T heard of them, i WANT to hear them. this is a little chronicle of my discovery log!

i might do this with other band discoveries. i do like me some music posting after all!

da bands

Strawberry Switchblade: i listened to their self-titled album. the genres that grabbed me were New Wave and Dream Pop. judging by the cover and the sound, extremely in the heat of new wave. the girls have their teased hair and that "rio" makeup look. released 1985! looks and sounds it! someone in the comments was like "omg my fave goth band!" and i was like "goth???? really??" but like...i kinda see it. it's like a classic sort of goth sound. maybe. anyway it wasn't bad, a lot of orchestra sounds in here along with the typical new wavey sounds. glad i listened to them, but not something i'm gonna grab for myself. (note: this was written in post, not while i was listening to the album.)

Cocteau Twins: i listened to the album art posted, "heaven or las vegas". genres that grabbed me were "dream pop" again, although this one is specifically tagged with "gothic rock", as well as "ethereal wave" and "post-punk", which i could be into. now this DEFINITELY sounds way more dream pop than the last group. album released in 1990, so new wave is heading out, but the swirling guitars of dream pop and soon to be shoegaze are really in full form. REALLY love all the chorused guitars going on here. even the album art has more 90s sensibilites. i'm surprised that tumblr has heard of them? i had never heard of them before this. this is truly that in-between sweet spot of what would come after and what has come before and matured in this genre. very cool! that's worth a download to me!

Looprider: we're listening to the album art posted, "my electric fantasy". genres that grabbed me were Shoegaze and Stoner Rock. plus the anime girl on this cover. so this is an interesting one: a shoegaze band from japan, this album is from 2015 but they have stuff releasing as late as april 2023. this is definitely more on the heavy side of things (given it's also given "metal" tags), think more hum and mbv than slowdive or ride. not the first japanese shoegaze group on my radar (magic love is another one, more dream pop). their discography is on bandcamp, which is cool! this album is pretty good, but i do want to check out their other stuff (particularly their newest album). it's cool, but on the fence about putting in my library. wishlisted a couple albums for now! brief update: i did listen to their newest album and i think i like it better, so that might be the one i get later.

TWRP: listening to the album art posted, "together through time". genres that grabbed me were Synthwave, Synth Funk, and Electro-Disco. okay so looking through the notes and reblogs on this post, these guys have played with and/or for ninja sex party? they preform in full costume. that rules. the anagram is "tupperware remix party". this stuff is SUPER funky! very daft punk "random access memories" vibes going on here. upbeat synthwave, which definitely rules. i loooooove modern disco. i think in a past life i was a disco queen. if you're into that sort of thing. anyway, these guys are on bandcamp and i'm DEFINITELY getting this album after only listening to like 2 songs and will look for another one. full marks.

American Football: listening to the album art posted, self-titled album. genres that grabbed me were Midwest Emo and Dream Pop. okay full disclosure: i HAD heard of this band before, i remember seeing this way back in my last.fm days. i just don't remember what the heck they sounded like. so i just looked up the midwest emo genre, and yeah, i can hear the differences: less punk/hardcore, more math rock/indie rock. also referred to as "second-wave emo". anyway, genre analysis aside: this sounds Exactly Like That. i do like this sound and am a fan of math rock anyway. this released in '99 so right in the beginnings of emo's popularity (jimmy eat world's "clarity" would be soon, if not already out). i think back in my high school days, i may have gotten a little bored of this sound (i liked screamo more then). there is something deeply nostalgic about this sound. i like it. i will probably buy this album and check out what else they've done since (they have a bandcamp). COMING BACK TO SAY: so these guys broke up after their first record and a handful of shows, then their popularity EXPLODED, and in 2016 they got the gang back together and since have put out like 2 new albums?? and their 2nd LP is arguably better than the first??? that rules also!!!

Blue October: listening to the album art posted, "foiled". genres that grabbed me were Alternative Rock and Acoustic Rock. i voted that i've heard of them, because i think i have, and someone in the tags mentioned "into the ocean", which ALSO sounds familiar. i think a few of my friends were obsessed with that song. this album is 2006, so like...i am Very Familiar with this vibe of alt rock. so far i'm not terribly impressed, it's very by the numbers. i also don't think i like the guy's vocals that much. also what the heck is up with the way the drums are mixed, the kick drum is super boomy and i don't love the snare either. i maybe shouldn't write my essay listening to the first song, but a) first impressions are important (i am such a big fan of album openers and what they can do), and b) i'm so used to writing for smm which is only on one song. i will find that into the ocean song and see if it leaves a better impression. oh god. yeah uh i don't like this! i will pass.

Waterparks: listening to the album art posted, "fandom". genres that grabbed me were Alternative Rock and Emo-Pop. oh yeah, this is pretty known on tumblr, which also piqued my interest too. honestly looking at the other tags combined (electro-pop, pop rock), i should have expected that this is how it would sound. these guys are fairly current; this album is from 2019. this reminds me of listening to stuff like. say anything. it's like say anything mashed with the 1975. the song "watch what happens next" is pretty smart, so is "i miss having sex but at least i don't wanna die anymore", and the vibe is pretty catchy. the last track is REALLY how i wanted the rest of the album to sound. i could get into this in the right mood. they're on bandcamp, so i will wishlist this and come back to later. or maybe i can't wishlist it?? i can't even play the songs on the bandcamp site. what the heck. can't tell if this is a label descision or not. anyway this is okay but not an instant buy.

The Correspondents: listening to the album art posted, "puppet loosely strung". genres that grabbed me were "electro swing". now i'm not a huge electro swing guy, actually, but i like checking out stuff because my spouse likes it. i feel like i've been transported to 2010's hipster twitter. i think this is simply not my style. i'm just skipping around since the first track didn't grab me. oh well!

At the Drive-In: listening to the album art posted, "relationship of command". genres that grabbed me were "emo" and "post-hardcore". it is definitely that! the hardcore influences definitely shine through. there's a lot of shouted vocals, with some screaming in there too. this released in 2000. i feel like i would have liked this more when i was in high school. i will say i THINK i've heard "one armed scissor" before, a LONG time ago. an aside: how do people decide when something is "post" a genre? it happens a LOT in music. looking it up, seems that it's just stretching the rules of hard and fast hardcore punk. some of the other bands listed in the genre are up my alley. this is something i think i'd have to be in the mood for. tumblr's consensus is that there a lot of devoted fans; my favorite comment is "i thought this was the emo website". i'll definitely keep this in mind and may grab it later when i'm in an Emo Mood. x

This Mortal Coil: listening to the album posted, "it'll end in tears". genres that grabbed me were "dream pop" and "ethereal wave". this is a little more dreamy than what i expected. no drums on anything, just kind of meandering vocals and very sparse instrumentals. i like some moody kinda dreamy stuff but i do not think this is my speed. this is an 80s album so this predates shoegaze (or could be considered its early inspiration). yeah not for me. that's okay!

Serani Poji: okay this is outside of hyhtb but a friend of mine mentioned it and i had to give it a listen. the group was formed by tomoko sasahi and produced by naofumi hataya, both of whom have sega music ties. and you know i like their stuff! anyway, the album i listened to was "one room survival". it's very bright and bouncy! to me it reminds me of the same mood i get when i want to listen to the katmari damacy soundtrack. it's just really fun and poppy while being kind of out of the box! goes without saying that this is j-pop as well. i'll be keeping this one for a rainy day!

In Angles: listening to the album "cardinals". this was tagged "math rock" and "swancore". hey. what the fuck is swancore. anyway. it's also post-hardcore which is different than emo in certain spaces. but like if the layman heard this, they'd be like "this is emo right?" anyway(2). i can dig this. i gotta see what the hell swancore is. ooo, there's some screaming here! okay, so apparently there's more of a focus on clean vox and less screaming. (there is some though). some guy named it after himself, incredibly. okay about this album: it's good. i'll put this in my playlist with hawthorne heights and the like. worth a download.

Great Big Sea: listening to the album "up". tagged "celtic rock", which i do enjoy. apparently these guys are from the canadian maritimes (newfoundland and etc.) and do folky styles. the first two songs on this album i didn't vibe with at all, but this slower one is actually okay. given the styles i think this band would be INCREDIBLE to see live. a very fun show probably! but i don't think i'll grab this for me.

Big Country: listening to the album "the crossing". tagged "celtic rock" and "new wave". girl you KNOW i'm curious about new wave!! this is an 80s band, and i don't know if i've ever heard their big hit. maybe in passing but it never stuck. but this sounds very 80s and very new wavey. i can hear the celtic influences. this is worth a full album listen that's for sure! this album is also mixed for cassette tape and nothing else. it's got that crunchy sound. other side of the mirror by stevie nicks has the same sound to it. maybe it's just this rip, they could only find the cassette tape. this is a nice listen but i don't think i'll grab it for myself.

more to come:

note: yes this list is hideously long now. i'm a music bitch okay. i had to clean out my tumblr drafts for this
* = i HAVE heard of this artist but i wish to actually. hear more of their work or hear it in context
  • Pierce The Veil* - Collide With The Sky #Post-Hardcore#Emo-Pop#Alternative Rock#Pop Punk
  • La Dispute #Post-Hardcore#Emo#Spoken Word#Screamo#Post-Rock#Acoustic Rock
  • Wolf Alice #Indie Rock#Alternative Rock#Dream Pop#Indie Pop#Noise Pop#Chamber Pop
  • Adam Ant - Friend Or Foe #New Wave#Pop Rock#Alternative Rock#Post-Punk#Synthpop#Dance-Pop
  • The Airborne Toxic Event* - The Airborne Toxic Event #Indie Rock#Alternative Rock#Post-Punk Revival#Pop Rock#Acoustic Rock#Electropop
  • Kortatu #Ska Punk#Punk Rock#New Wave
  • Sammy Rae & The Friends - The Good Life #Jazz Rock#Indie#Alternative
  • Marika Hackman #Singer-Songwriter#Indie Folk#Indie Rock#Indie Pop#Dream Pop#Art Pop
  • Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - Béla Fleck & The Flecktones #Jazz Fusion#Progressive Bluegrass#Jam Band#Christmas Music
  • David Sancious - Forest of Feelings #Jazz Fusion#Jazz-Rock#Progressive Rock
  • Metric - Fantasies #Indie Rock#Indie Pop#Post-Punk Revival#Synthpop#Alternative Dance#Acoustic Rock
  • Marshall Crenshaw* #Pop Rock#Power Pop#Singer-Songwriter#Jangle Pop#New Wave
  • Daisy Grenade - Cult Classic #Pop Punk#Bubble Grunge
  • Toadies - Rubberneck #Alternative Rock#Post-Grunge#Hard Rock#Acoustic Rock
  • Snarky Puppy - We Like It Here #Jazz Fusion#Progressive Big Band#Jazz-Funk
  • Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces Everyone #Pop Punk#Emo#Emo-Pop#Indie Rock#Heartland Rock
  • Origami Angel - Somewhere City #Emo-Pop#Midwest Emo#Pop Punk#Power Pop#Metalcore#Acoustic Rock
  • Vansire - Angel Youth #Bedroom Pop#Dream Pop#Chillwave#Hypnagogic Pop#Indie Pop#Synthpop
  • Weatherday - Come In #Slacker Rock#Noise Pop#Emo#Midwest Emo
  • Beach House #Dream Pop#Indie Pop#Neo-Psychedelia#Shoegaze#Indietronica
  • Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, The Water, The Sky #Dream Pop#Indie Rock
  • Vanity 6 #Minneapolis Sound#Synth Funk#Contemporary R&B
  • Cece Peniston* - Finally #Garage House#Dance-Pop#Contemporary R&B#Diva House#New Jack Swing
  • Kylie Minogue* - Disco #Dance-Pop#Electropop#Nu-Disco#Pop#Contemporary R&B
  • Jhiriah - A Beginner's Guide To Faking Your Death #Emo-Pop#Pop Punk#Rock Musical#Dark Cabaret#Rock Opera
  • Red Fang - Murder The Mountains #Stoner Rock#Stoner Metal#Acoustic Rock
  • Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die #Post-Rock#Experimental Rock#Electronic#Jazz-Rock#Indietronica
  • Graveyard Club #Dream Pop#Indie Pop
  • Sir Chloe - Party Favors #Indie Rock#Alternative Rock#Indie Pop
  • Elliott Smith #Singer-Songwriter#Indie Folk#Indie Pop#Indie Rock#Film Soundtrack#1990s
  • Their / They're / There #Midwest Emo#Math Pop#Math Rock#Indie Rock

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