re: Best Current Rock Band?

The Hold Steady or Titus Andronicus.

quote:

---

Damn, I am really out of the loop when it comes to rock. I thought it would never happen, but I was a child of the 80's and started high school in 1990 and graduated from college in 1999.

That was just an amazing time for rock (if you don't know why I feel sad for you). I was also raised by my parents on classic rock from the 60's and 70's.

Anyway, of all the bands listed I have heard of very few and have only heard music from the Foo Fighters which formed in 1994, and just recently announced they are "taking a break" for an unspecified amount of time......so I don't really consider them as "current" as the other bands.

Around 1997 or 1998 "new rock" played on the radio just started to suck for the most part (talking about the new bands coming out, not the ones like Foo Fighters etc.). So, at some point I said frick it and just started listening to classic rock radio and all my old CD's (yes I bought over 500 CD's in the late 80's and throughout the 90's).

So I just listened to The Gaslight Anthem song - "45" on Youtube and while not a bad song, I found with just one listen nothing particularly original or different about the song. Just sounded like most of the generic songs I've heard from time to time over the last 10 years or so.

So frick me, I'm only 36 and really enjoy rock music. I tried to like the "indie rock" for a while (Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, etc.) but I just can't force myself to enjoy music I don't like.

I realized I have rambled on here and if you've read this much try and help this old man (when you are 36 you won't feel that old, trust me) find some good new rock. List the best songs you can think of and not just throw out band names. Try and pick songs that are "original", "different", etc. I will listen to suggestions and try to get into "new rock" again. Thanks.

---

I'm 31 and couldn't have said this any better. Completely apathetic towards rock these days. I've tried listening to a lot of these bands and they just sound like average crap to me. Getting old.

quote:

---

I'm 31 and couldn't have said this any better. Completely apathetic towards rock these days. I've tried listening to a lot of these bands and they just sound like average crap to me. Getting old.

---

I have to agree! Since I made that post I have been on Youtube listening to random songs from these bands (most have millions of views) and I just don't get it. Mostly generic shite that all sounds the same. I think I kind of liked one song from a band called "Nude Beach" called "Radio" and it only had 12,000 views......go figure.

If I was 15 and my only exposure to rock was what is on the radio right now, I would hate rock music. There is more generic, uncompelling music on rock radio than I thought possible. It's just boring. If you don't make the effort to seek out a Deer Tick, you'd have no idea it exists.

Also, the indie rock press hypes up the least rocking bands in the world. Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear are the best examples: two wildly hyped bands by the Pitchfork style hipster press, and neither bands rocks at all. It just meanders. Very few bands just turn the amps to 11 and rock out. I don't want every band to do this, but it wouldn't kill us to a have a few bands who did.

I'm making it a requirement for every new band to listen to a T. Rex album before recording their own album.

quote:

---

If I was 15 and my only exposure to rock was what is on the radio right now, I would hate rock music. There is more generic, uncompelling music on rock radio than I thought possible. It's just boring. If you don't make the effort to seek out a Deer Tick, you'd have no idea it exists.

---

Very well said.

quote:

---

I'm making it a requirement for every new band to listen to a T. Rex album before recording their own album.

---

I couldn't agree more. Easily 99 percent of all music I listen to was recorded before 1998. A few good Foo Fighters or new RHCP songs every now and then, but still no "new rock" for me.

I find lately I don't even listen to that much 90's rock anymore.....don't get me wrong, I still love it, but I've really been diving deep into not just 70's rock, but some of it's more "pop" songs as well.

An example:

Orleans - Dance With Me

A simple ballad, yet there is something refreshing about that song (a simpler time maybe, who knows?)......anyway I could hijack this thread and ramble on for hours, but I'll stop. Thanks for listening.

quote:

---

Easily 99 percent of all music I listen to was recorded before 1998

---

It's probably closer to the opposite for me. Most stuff I listen to is more recent, though I'm not at the 99 percent level. There's tons of good music being made, but if you don't put forth the effort, you'll never know about it. And to be honest, as you get older, it's harder to put forth the effort. I still do because I enjoy it, but I'm not gonna look down on a 40 year old guy with a family and a job for not spending time on music blogs trying to find out who the Cloud Nothings are.

I will warn you, a guy with Boston's first album as his avatar is probably not going to like it. They are far more punk based, and I'd compare them to mid-period Fugazi. Which is why I love it. That's "my" music.

But straight 1970s style rock is on life support. Try Blitzen Trapper. You might like them. I don't want you to go looking for something you probably won't enjoy.

Listen to Clutch if you want something that really rocks. Try the songs Burning Beard, 101001101, Electric Worry, and The Mob Goes Wild. Also check out The Sword. Three Witches, Iron Swan, and Maiden, Mother, amd Crone are all good songs to start with.

The Raveonettes