… lend me your ears. Or to be more exact please lend me your music tastes.
I’ve got a £15 iTunes voucher and I want to use it to buy a couple of “modern classic” albums that I don’t already own. So what I’d like you to do is use the comments below to make some suggestions. The albums (that I don’t already own) with the most suggestions by Friday 12th October I will buy.
Of course I’m aware of the possibility that this can be “gamed” and you can leave me with two atrocities to download, but… well… I foolishly trust you. But I will download (and listen) to whatever you choose for me.
Thanks 🙂
1000kmstowindermere 
War of the worlds and The Cult, Electric (and Patrick – remember the iPhone competition) 😉
Mumford And Sons – Sigh No More
Bob Dylan – Time Out Of Mind
Best two albums of the last decade, IMHO
From the other two comments, it may be that I am on the wrong track here. However, if by ‘modern classics’ you mean classical music written in modern times, then anything by Ludovico Einaudi, Giovanni Allevi, Phamie Gow, or Yanni would be good. I’m particularly fond of Einaudi., which my son plays – both on his computer and the piano – all the time.
Hi Margaret, I don’t mean classical I’m afraid, but I will try to listen to those recommendations anyway.
By a country mile, if you’re into your good vibes and happy days, then The Black Seeds’ album ‘Into The Dojo’ will blow your mind.
OK. I’ve been known to sit in pubs and argue about individual bands’ best albums, and will (when it’s The Clash) throw in reference to what was was happening both musically and socially at the time to strengthen my argument. I can take this stuff a bit TOO seriously.
But I don’t want to be a music Nazi about things here, or too “w*anky” about the choice either… Some industry changing records are in fact very hard to listen to regularly.
So, taking into account your taste (what little I know of it), and trying to anticipate you enjoying them, as opposed to holding a grudge against me forever (but looking cool on your shelf), I’ve thought about what you might know/not know, what albums are considered great by other sources, and crucially, what albums I actually enjoy regularly… Neither necessarily have the instant hit that other choices have, but those albums don’t last long. These are albums I come back to, often weekly.
Therefore, may I suggest, from a list of about ten (twenty?):
— American IV: The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash
&
— Gold by Ryan Adams
*I’ve changed my mind three times now…*
Thanks all for your comments so far.
Just to reiterate, what I mean by “modern classics” is an album that, in your view, everybody should own or at the very least listen to. Something that if I didn’t at least listen to it my life would be the poorer for it.
If someone asked me the same question I guess the two that would spring to mind would be:
– The Bends – Radiohead
– Last of the Ghetto Astronauts – The Matthew Good Band
So that probably also gives you an idea of my tastes (and the fact that it got stuck about 10-15 years ago).
As I said, it’s the albums with the most votes (comments) that I will buy, but I’m also going to set up a Spotify list with as many of the others as possible so I’ll at least listen to them.
Thanks all and more comments welcome.
I had no idea you were a Matt Good fan Patrick?
So many great recommendations on this page that I’m not sure I can add much. However, off the top of my head here’s the 5 I would choose:
Matthew Good – Avalanche
Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite
Digitalism – I Love You Dude
Soulwax – Much Against Everyone’s Advice
Burnside on Burnside – R.L. Burnside
Repeating my Facebook-faves 🙂
Eagles – Hell freezes over
Eva Cassidy – Live at Blues Alley
Yes – 90125
Van Halen – F.U.C.K.
Judas Priest – Screaming for Vengeance
… and adding one more:
Seeed – New Dubby Conquerors (yes, it’s German – but nevertheless …)
Thanks Thomas. In particular thanks for not suggesting too much German music.
I know. That’s why I narrowed it down to Seeed.
well, the latest Sweet Billy Pilgrim album should *definitely* be on there, if we’re talking bits from the last year, and you can’t go wrong with ‘David Comes to Life’ by Fucked Up if you want something a bit heavier.
The Hold Steady’s ‘Stay Positive’ is outstanding, if you like a bit of a Husker Du sound, and actually the last two Dinosaur Jr albums were a good return to form. As was J Mascis’ recent solo outing…
you should of course buy my brother’s first album – The Boy Least Likely To, ‘Best Party Ever’ – but then i’m biased.
will keep pondering.
Thanks Chris – if I’d heard of any of those people then I’d know if they were good suggestions!
I suddenly feel very old!!
Looking at all of the suggestions, so do I!
Boxer, by The National
Dear Science, by TV on the Radio
White Blood Cells, by The White Stripes
For Emma, Forever Ago, by Bon Iver
The Rising, by Bruce Springsteen
Thickfreakness, by The Black Keys
Wincing The Night Away, by The Shins
Out of Season, by Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man
Dummy, by Portishead
Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah, by Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah
Boys & Girls in America, by The Hold Steady (I’d argue it’s even better than Stay Positive as recommend above by Chris…..but they’re both immense. Likewise, Separation Sunday and Almost Killed Me….sadly, Heaven is Whenever didn’t quite live up to the previous four albums. ps. I bloody love The Hold Steady!)
Ten, by Pearl Jam
Phrenology, by The Roots
Saturdays = Youth, by M83
Hope you find something you love.
Howard
Aha – some things I have heard of from Howard. From his list, I would absolutely second Bon Iver and M83.
I’d also recommend:
James Yuill – Turning Down Water for Air
Cat Stevens (anything – take your pick – for Rumours-era tunage)
So Many Nights – The Cat Empire
Some Cities – Doves
Like Drawing Blood & Making Mirrors – Gotye
Kings of Leon – all of the albums
I’ve just realised how hard it is to define a modern classic because music is so subjective, and so tied to moments in your life. Actually what you asked for is ‘records everyone should own’ but what you’ve got is music that moves people, and although they aren’t mutually exclusive, what you have here is a list of amazing music but not necessarily something that Channel 4 would compile if they were making a ’50 greatest albums of all time’ documentary, like what they do.
But this list and personal exploration of music is better. One person’s love is another’s one hate. So I have a long list of music I love but they probably don’t count as modern classics. The above is a selection of things that, knowing you, I think you *might* like. Let’s hope.
I’m off to get all my CDs out of their boxes…
Modern classics is kinda hard to interpret…especially when you’re an old bastard like me! But some of my fave albums of the last decade are:
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes…they look like weirdy / beardy little gnomes but sound beautiful
Best Coast – Crazy for You…laidback California indie
Paul Weller – 22 Dreams …hugely ambitious and varied in style
Doves – Some Cities…good call Kate 🙂 Hadn’t listened to this in a while but its f***Ing great!
One more thing… I’m casting a(nother) vote. Don’t listen to the twitter naysayers, Mumford & Sons is excellent and I think you would love them.
Trying to keep it a little tame, but here’s a great tune, that’s not _too_ fast paced… Adagio for Strings, by Tiesto (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/adagio-for-strings/id313684911?i=313685010)
Take your pick of mix from the page.
Tiesto – great choice – Kings of Leon – good again – Santana Moonflower – ELO Out of the Blue – Mumford & Sons – reasonable – Elvis Costello Greatest Hits – 80s Groove Ministry of Sound Vol II – no Parlez Paul Young – Deacon Blue Raintown -Groover Washington- Winelight
Some great new replies above… (Apart from the Mumfords).
In a bid to improve chances of something near agreement, I’d fully back Doves & The Hold Steady too. (F—ked Up are great, but would be amazed if I heard you listening to that across the room!)
my personal ‘modern classics’ would have to be a drum & bass selection :
Timeless by Goldie (1995 – groundbreaking)
Mysteries of Funk by Grooverider (1998 – dreamy jazzy spacey d’n’b)
looking through other people’s suggestions and in the same spirit as Marcus, I’d go with:
Dummy, by Portishead – as suggested by Howard
Tiesto – as suggested by Toby (although not an album)
the only reason behind this is because I’ve listened to them but not any of the others mentioned!!
look forward to hearing the final verdict!
Kudos to PaulieA on the Fleet Foxes shout. Stunning album, and should have been on my original list.
Also thinking Blue Lines, by Massive Attack should be a consideration.
And what about Appetite for Destruction, by Guns N Roses?
So Mumford & Sons, Doves and The Hold Steady are in the lead it seems – any other suggestions?
Seeing as loads of others put in more than two, I’m adding Fleet Foxes to my picks, as well as any of the Johnny Cash American recordings except the last one, which is scraping the barrel a bit.
Standard Fare – The Noyelle Beat
Trips & Falls – People Have To Be Told
Mersault – Pissing on Bonfires / Kissing with Tongues
Fairly confident these won’t make it past one vote, though.
I would second Doves and Mumford and Sons, what about Two Door Cinema Cub ‘Tourist History’ for something a bit more upbeat….