Good music

[Writer_for_God]

Hi,
I am starting to collect music and video games. I like playing games with people, but I also listening to and playing music. I am looking for suggestions of good musicians and musical artists and composers to listen to and collect CDs of. I am open to listening to all kinds and styles and genres of music. I thought I would start a thread for discussion of some of the best music to listen to and play. I am trying to branch out. I like a lot of Classical music, but I grew up listening to a lot of Oldies and Classic Rock music. Sometimes all I listen to is the band U2, but recently I started listening to some of Elvis Presley’s music, and I just got a box set of some of B.B. King’s music and have listened to jazz of people like Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane.
What are some of your favorite music to listen to, and what Cds would you recommend listening to. In addition to listening to music, I would also like to compose lyrics and songs with my brother, who plays guitar, and I would like to learn to play piano, once I get a full time job and can afford weekly lessons.
Let me know your favorites, and hope this thread is an interesting one.
God bless you. Amen.

 

[RPRPsych]

Nice thread topic!

Thanks to circumstances, I’ve listened to a lot of stuff, and I still do.

Classical music is always good, especially Mozart.

Classic rock is much easier to take than the modern variety - the Beatles, the Eagles, Heart, etc… Dire Straits are a perennial favourite. I used to be very big on U2, and I still like them, but they’re not “#1” in my book anymore. If you like U2’s kind of music, you might also enjoy Live, especially songs like “Heaven” and “Dance With You”.

I went through a pretty heavy “alternative rock” phase in my teens and 20s but am now largely over it; the only band I still listen to regularly from that time is Alice in Chains. They’re great at creating a dark mood and layered guitar textures, but a lot of their songs deal with drug abuse, so keep away if that’s not your cup of tea.

In my late 20s, I was mostly listening to progressive metal - Dream Theater, Queensryche. These bands have great musical talent and thought-provoking lyrics, but again, the heavy sound means they’re not for all tastes.

Nowadays, I’m rediscovering old childhood favourites, particularly ABBA. I also enjoy good video game music. Two recommendations from that genre would be the Chrono Cross soundtrack, which is a masterpiece, and the soundtrack to an indie game called Katawa Shoujo. While I would recommend caution with that game (it’s very well written, but it’s essentially a dating sim ), the music is terrific, and can be downloaded free on the 'Net.

If you want something more Catholic, check out the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles; they’re a traditional order of Sisters who sing a cappella. Heavenly stuff.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some stuff, though.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Well, I would listen to a lot of old blues (Sonny Boy Williamson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Johnny Lee Hooker, Etta James etc. look for a couple of anthologies). That can lead to a better understanding of 60s/70s rock (Led Zeppelin/Cream/Foghat/Rolling Stones…) were all heavily influenced by blues.

Personally, I’m pretty eclectic I like a wide variety of music (I’ve just never really been able to appreciate baroque like Bach, but I love classical music).

Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of movie scores/instrumental music. Search ‘Epic Music’ on you tube- groups like ‘Two Steps From Hell’, ‘Twisted Jukebox’, ‘Audiomachine’, ‘Brand X Music’, Zack Hemsey, ‘Immediate Music’…

For example, ‘To Glory’ by Two Steps From Hell:

youtube.com/watch?v=cjPO6tgnftU

(You mentioned you like video games, so link is fan video putting the music to a Star Wars game cut-scene)

 

[Joe_5859]

Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons



My tastes are still generally where RPRPsych’s were in his late 20s p). And I know it’s not for everyone. But if you’re open to it…

For me, thinking of “albums” is different from thinking of individual songs. I still buy CDs, so I generally think in terms of albums. If I were stranded on a deserted island and only had a handful of CDs to listen to for the rest of my life, I would bring:

Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
Ayeron - The Human Equation
Royal Hunt - Paradox
Savatage - Dead Winter Dead
Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night (or maybe Unia)
Van Canto - Tribe of Force
Theocracy - Mirror of Souls
Kamelot - Silverthorn
Vanishing Point - Distant is the Sun
Nightwish - Imaginareum
Leah - Kings and Queens