I'm overwhelmed by the enormous number of bands and stations on the internet.

What's worth listening to these days?

I have an on again, off again love affair with anything Grateful Dead. I grow weary and tired of the standbys - then a few months, or years later, I fall back in love with them again. If you're not familiar, I'll find some links to some free Ipod ready downloads.


If you like bluegrass at all, check out Allison Kraus + Union Staition. And also, last years Allison Krauss/Robert Plant collaboration - Raising Sand. It's magic...

That's a start....

Thanks, Andy. My question has been on here for weeks with no reply, I was really feeling like a nerd. I listened to enough Grateful Dead in college to last the rest of my life, but the Alison Kraus collaboration sounds awesome.

Krauss/Plant was pulled together by TBone burnett, who's basically the band leader for their collaboration. The band also has some members of Spyboy, who for years has been Emmylou Harris' backup band. They also played with Dave Matthews for his solo effort a few years ago. They're some big hitters.

There's a live AK+Union Station album that is incredible. Also, Down From the Mountain is basically the soundtrack of Oh Brother Where Thou performed live. If you like a little ol' timey twang you'll love it all.

Switching gears, my indulgence today is a Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals. He jams to a wide range of styles - reggae, blues, funk, ditry distorted rock.

Nice tastes Andy! I think I own (with the exception of the newest Plant one) every Alison Krauss and Union Station CD. Saw them in concert twice. Ventured into Mountain Heart? Hope to see you at the reuion.

Barb,

I remeber something with you and I think it was Salt and Peppa or that buffalo stance song in Mr Harrisons class.

Barry

Alison Krauss is a great suggestion - such a beautiful and distinct voice.

The latest Animal Collective is a great summer record, as is the latest by Phoenix. Phoenix is a French guitar-based pop band, AC kind of an electronic-based outfit.

If the rumors of Sondra's Metallica tattoo are true, I'd recommend the latest albums by Mastodon, Big Business and Lamb of God for a fix of the heavy.

I have to credit my wife with opening me up to AK+US. And Emmylou Harris. Last year we went to see her open for John Prine, not knowing what we were getting in him.....wow, such simplistic complexity, is the best way to describe his style.

Also, I heard on the radio that Plant and Krauss are currently back in studio working on a follow up Raising Sand.

Here's to hoping Calvin Lloyd has the Man who Couldn't Hoe Corn in his library!

See you all soon.....

Baby Bird (or any of Stephen Jones' work, for that matter)

Chicago's first ten years of audio work

Otis Redding

Tegan and Sara

Kamelot for fun and the memories the music inspires

ZZ Top because I love Gibbons' tone and the grit, oh, that grit!

April Wine, Rainbow, Saxon, etc. - circa '79 - '81 - because they worked with a songwriting and studio production style that was heard for such a short period of time and not been commercially explored since. Fun stuff. Genesis' work during that period was fantastic as well.

Ernest Tubb

Johnny Horton

Lucero

Drive-by Truckers

Todd Rundgren

Type O Negative

Volbeat is a lot of fun as well.

The list is too long. I listen to everything. Sound has always been an obsession of mine. I find "music" wherever I am; at all times, everywhere, with everyTHING. In other words, I organize all sounds I hear at every living moment into mathematically calculate-able musical compositions. It drives me a bit crazy, actually. Ben & Jerry's Pistachio Pistachio is rather a delightful snack, I must state.

Johnny Horton?? I sing Johnny Horton in the shower but wasn't expecting to hear anyone from my generation mention him . . . "We ran through the briars and we ran through the brambles, and we ran through the bushes where the rabbits couldn't go . . . ."

What a good question Sondra, well as I get older I’m listening to more and more country music. Alison Krauss has a fantastic voice. I also like Sugarland they remade the Dream Academy’s “ Life in a northern town” last year with Little Big Town, I thought that was cool….
Even though the big hair 80’s bands hold a spot in my heart, when I'm feeling nostalgic. There’s no substitute for the early 90’s grunge; Mother Love Bone, STP, The Melvin’s, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains as u can see anything with Chris Cornell and Layne Staley Jimi

Why is it that people listen to more country as they age?? I cringed at anything with a twang when I was in h.s. (well, except Johnny Cash--I have a long love affair w/ his music) but now like certain kinds of country and folk music. Alison Krauss was a great suggestion, Andy. I also like Kelly Willis, Iris DeMent, Emmylou Harris, Dixie Chicks, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Merle Haggard, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, etc., etc. (But notice that none of these are new acts--I'm relying on all of you to alert me to the new stuff!)

Then again, I didn't like heavy metal in h.s., either, and I've grown into that, too, along w/ jazz and blues. Maybe our tastes just expand as we age.

Ah, someone else is familiar with Iris (DeMent) and Kelly (Willis). I did two shows with Ms. DeMent and three with Ms. Willis - one, I ran sound for her group - in NY. Kelly is a rather amazing performer, really; very sexually charged. Iris is very slow and calculated, but almost sleepy at times (personally). Good stuff.

It all depends on what u like, try these on for size Black Eye Peas, Sean Kingston, Lady GaGa, Pit-bull.

If u like it heavier go with Mr. Wall’s suggestions, by the way Robert good suggestions, Lamb Of God hell to the ya.