Today is my Ottawaversary- the one year mark of packing up everything, moving back to Ontario, and re-focusing on the things that make me happy, namely music and art.
I am happy to say that I have seen more concerts in the past year than I have since high school. I have spent hours drawing, sketching and painting, started designing fabric (some of which even made its way into pillows on the office couch of one of the top producers at CBS!), sold artwork in support of one of my local galleries, and drawn inspiration from the oddest of places (as "He-man would say..."). I have discovered more new bands, recommended more music to friends, and spent more hours listening to stuff that makes me excited about life, than ever before. Its been fantastic.
A lot of the credit for this phenomenal year goes to the places I pass the time time (Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Gravenhurst, with a little bit o Guelph-Kitchener-Waterloo thrown in for good measure) and the bands I unabashedly love (Elliott Brood, Library Voices, Graveyard Train...), but I can't forget the people who have helped make this year unforgettable. Being geographically closer to family has been amazing, as has it been reconnecting with old friends, and making amazing new ones all the while getting lots of updates and visits from my loverly Hali-chums. Thanks everyone for being you. Yous. Vous. Merci.
So what will I be working on for my second year in Ottawa?
Of course I will be continuing to see tons of live music, but in addition to writing about it here, I'll also be doing reviews for Grayowl Point and looking at Canadian music on The Road Less Traveled. On a more personal note, I'm making it my goal for the year to improve my music-recommendation skillz, honing it into a science. So if you know me in person, I apologize in advance for all the questions about your musical tastes, but hopefully it will all be worth it in the end! I'll also be working on getting better at various instruments including the ever-adorable ukulele. Luckily you won't have to endure all of that practicing, but if you see my roomie maybe throw her a quick smile for putting up with me ;o)
At any rate, tomorrow I'll post my top concert of 2011, then its back to the grind; starting a new year off in the best way I know how. With a show. Geez I sound like I'm in an old Muppet movie! Ah well, there are worse things...!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Top Five Performances of 2011 (#2)
2
Graveyard Train - The Drink, The Devil & The Dance - Hillside Festival, Guelph ON, July 22, 2011
I don't just love Graveyard Train, I am in love with Graveyard Train.
If you're someone who demands perfect pitch, heavenly voices and crisp clean sound, then this is not the band for you. If, however, the thought of a line of (albeit somewhat dirt-covered) grown-men choral-singing chain-gang-style ballads about werewolves, witches, and wagon trains gets your juices flowing... well then we've got something very important in common.
I had the pleasure of seeing Graveyard Train not once, but three times, three days in a row at this year's Hillside Festival in Guelph. As with many Hillside experiences we stumbled upon this band through a workshop session they were playing with another band (in this case Karkwa out of Montreal) and got to be part of a group-discovery that clearly had dozens of people simultaneously hooked.
I have a bit of a thing for odd instruments and in this category GT hits the jackpot. Playing everything from steel and slide guitar, to banjo, stand-up bass and chains (yes chains. played with a hammer) they run the gambit. Not only that but they dress and act the part, with dirty white tank tops, plaid shirts and suspenders their omnipresent uniform they look like they walked out of the Australian wild-west (complete with tipped hats and shoeless feet) and sound like they just emerged from a mine shaft.
Their epic choral singing stirs your soul in a way that makes you believe in ghosts, and drove us to see them not once, but three times over the course of the weekend. The only less-than-perfect thing about the experience was the knowledge that they were Australia-bound mere days later and that it will be a long time before I get to see them again!
If, however, you ever get the chance to see them live, take it. Then call and tell me where you are so I can go too!
Graveyard Train - The Drink, The Devil & The Dance - Hillside Festival, Guelph ON, July 22, 2011
I don't just love Graveyard Train, I am in love with Graveyard Train.
If you're someone who demands perfect pitch, heavenly voices and crisp clean sound, then this is not the band for you. If, however, the thought of a line of (albeit somewhat dirt-covered) grown-men choral-singing chain-gang-style ballads about werewolves, witches, and wagon trains gets your juices flowing... well then we've got something very important in common.
I had the pleasure of seeing Graveyard Train not once, but three times, three days in a row at this year's Hillside Festival in Guelph. As with many Hillside experiences we stumbled upon this band through a workshop session they were playing with another band (in this case Karkwa out of Montreal) and got to be part of a group-discovery that clearly had dozens of people simultaneously hooked.
I have a bit of a thing for odd instruments and in this category GT hits the jackpot. Playing everything from steel and slide guitar, to banjo, stand-up bass and chains (yes chains. played with a hammer) they run the gambit. Not only that but they dress and act the part, with dirty white tank tops, plaid shirts and suspenders their omnipresent uniform they look like they walked out of the Australian wild-west (complete with tipped hats and shoeless feet) and sound like they just emerged from a mine shaft.
Their epic choral singing stirs your soul in a way that makes you believe in ghosts, and drove us to see them not once, but three times over the course of the weekend. The only less-than-perfect thing about the experience was the knowledge that they were Australia-bound mere days later and that it will be a long time before I get to see them again!
If, however, you ever get the chance to see them live, take it. Then call and tell me where you are so I can go too!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Top Five Performances of 2011 (#3)
3
Elliott Brood - Northern Air - La Sala Rossa, Montreal QC, November 19, 2011
I make no secret of this, Elliott Brood is pretty much my favourite band, and I always enjoy seeing them perform live. Even the worst EB show I have ever seen (also this year...) is pretty much a sure thing, but the best Elliott Brood show, well now. Only number three because numbers one and two had the surprise-first-time-seein-em factor- plus I really should give other bands a chance... ;o)
As I am wont to do I saw the band perform several times on the same tour- both in Ottawa and Montreal. The Ottawa show was the aforementioned worst-one-ever, so my hopes were not too high for Montreal (well, comparatively not too high). That may have played a part, but regardless I was blown away.
It may have been because it was the last stop on their tour, or because the crowd was surprisingly excitable for Montreal, but regardless of the reason the performance was fantastic. Energetic and enthusiastic, sweat flying and givin'er at every turn, it was everything I have come to love about this band. The crowd danced non-stop, sang along with every song, and cheered through endless collaborative encores.
It was my first time at La Sala Rossa- A perfect size with just enough space to feel full, but not crowded, and leave just enough room for copious amounts of dancing. A beautiful gem of an old theatre space chocked full of character, from the hardwood floors to the crown moldings, the soaring ceilings to the sculpted proscenium arch. There could be few venues better suited to the aesthetic of the band. Banjos, guitars and pounding drums easily filled the space, sounding great from every angle, and giving chest pounding bass without busting your eardrums.
It was also my first time seeing my now-favorite drum kit of all time- covered with birch bark and tree rings- only one of the many Elliott Brood visuals (from chairs to merch to backdrops) I spend every show oohing and ahhing over (my friends spent significant amounts of time making fun of how many more photos I was taking of the kit than of the band). It was also great to hear quite a few old songs (first-album old! ones I haven't heard live in years) right along brand new anthems and sing-alongs. It was clear that virtually everyone in the crowd had listened to every album countless times, and great to hear shout outs to numerous old-time fans.
This show was the result of an ideal combination of energetically played music, an enthusiastic crowd, and a perfectly themed venue. Elliott Brood the way they were meant to be seen and heard. Here's hoping every one of their shows matches this one!
Elliott Brood - Northern Air - La Sala Rossa, Montreal QC, November 19, 2011
I make no secret of this, Elliott Brood is pretty much my favourite band, and I always enjoy seeing them perform live. Even the worst EB show I have ever seen (also this year...) is pretty much a sure thing, but the best Elliott Brood show, well now. Only number three because numbers one and two had the surprise-first-time-seein-em factor- plus I really should give other bands a chance... ;o)
As I am wont to do I saw the band perform several times on the same tour- both in Ottawa and Montreal. The Ottawa show was the aforementioned worst-one-ever, so my hopes were not too high for Montreal (well, comparatively not too high). That may have played a part, but regardless I was blown away.
It may have been because it was the last stop on their tour, or because the crowd was surprisingly excitable for Montreal, but regardless of the reason the performance was fantastic. Energetic and enthusiastic, sweat flying and givin'er at every turn, it was everything I have come to love about this band. The crowd danced non-stop, sang along with every song, and cheered through endless collaborative encores.
It was my first time at La Sala Rossa- A perfect size with just enough space to feel full, but not crowded, and leave just enough room for copious amounts of dancing. A beautiful gem of an old theatre space chocked full of character, from the hardwood floors to the crown moldings, the soaring ceilings to the sculpted proscenium arch. There could be few venues better suited to the aesthetic of the band. Banjos, guitars and pounding drums easily filled the space, sounding great from every angle, and giving chest pounding bass without busting your eardrums.
It was also my first time seeing my now-favorite drum kit of all time- covered with birch bark and tree rings- only one of the many Elliott Brood visuals (from chairs to merch to backdrops) I spend every show oohing and ahhing over (my friends spent significant amounts of time making fun of how many more photos I was taking of the kit than of the band). It was also great to hear quite a few old songs (first-album old! ones I haven't heard live in years) right along brand new anthems and sing-alongs. It was clear that virtually everyone in the crowd had listened to every album countless times, and great to hear shout outs to numerous old-time fans.
This show was the result of an ideal combination of energetically played music, an enthusiastic crowd, and a perfectly themed venue. Elliott Brood the way they were meant to be seen and heard. Here's hoping every one of their shows matches this one!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Top Five Performances of 2011 (#4)
4
Northcote - Gather No Dust - Raw Sugar Cafe, Ottawa ON, October 22, 2011
This one was a surprise for me- one of those times when you go to see a band and (not that they're not excellent) but the opener totally steals the show. This was Northcote opening for The Wooden Sky at Ottawa'a Raw Sugar Cafe.
This was the first time I had been to Raw Sugar as a concert venue and it was simply wonderful. I know that sounds Victorian-ish, but it really is the best way to describe it. A quirky yet homey indie cafe nestled just barely into Chinatown, you always feel comfortable when lounging on their couches or old kitchen tables. Normally the music is a little repetitive (how many times can you listen to Tom Waits? apparently many many many...) but that is of little concern during a concert...
So we sat on the floor. We were tired from standing in line, and it was cold outside, and frankly the floor was pretty damn comfortable... when singer Matt Goud took the stage (aka area of the floor covered in mics and cables) he laughed good naturedly at our choice of seats and kept the jovial attitude throughout the performance. An adorably bearded ginger, who is as friendly as he is talented, Matt Goud hails from originally from Regina and is currently trying out a solo project, accompanied by two friends on guitar and bass/melodica, both of whom are equally good-natured and good-skilled. They breezed through a too-short [only because it was awesome, I'm sure it was actually regular-lengthed] set and finished off with a few older songs (one of which I got to play the tambourine for ;o), punctuating the whole thing with cheerful banter, gigantic smiles, and genuine mirth. Their music was beautiful, they were wonderful, and it made the whole evening just vibrate with happiness.
We ended the night by buying all of his albums and having a nice chat about my excellent (ha) tambourine skills. Fingers crossed he returns to Ontario soon as I would jump at the chance to see him play again. Seeing as he was this great when I'd never even heard of him, I am greatly looking forward to hearing the songs live after listening to them non-stop for about three months...!
Northcote - Gather No Dust - Raw Sugar Cafe, Ottawa ON, October 22, 2011
This one was a surprise for me- one of those times when you go to see a band and (not that they're not excellent) but the opener totally steals the show. This was Northcote opening for The Wooden Sky at Ottawa'a Raw Sugar Cafe.
This was the first time I had been to Raw Sugar as a concert venue and it was simply wonderful. I know that sounds Victorian-ish, but it really is the best way to describe it. A quirky yet homey indie cafe nestled just barely into Chinatown, you always feel comfortable when lounging on their couches or old kitchen tables. Normally the music is a little repetitive (how many times can you listen to Tom Waits? apparently many many many...) but that is of little concern during a concert...
So we sat on the floor. We were tired from standing in line, and it was cold outside, and frankly the floor was pretty damn comfortable... when singer Matt Goud took the stage (aka area of the floor covered in mics and cables) he laughed good naturedly at our choice of seats and kept the jovial attitude throughout the performance. An adorably bearded ginger, who is as friendly as he is talented, Matt Goud hails from originally from Regina and is currently trying out a solo project, accompanied by two friends on guitar and bass/melodica, both of whom are equally good-natured and good-skilled. They breezed through a too-short [only because it was awesome, I'm sure it was actually regular-lengthed] set and finished off with a few older songs (one of which I got to play the tambourine for ;o), punctuating the whole thing with cheerful banter, gigantic smiles, and genuine mirth. Their music was beautiful, they were wonderful, and it made the whole evening just vibrate with happiness.
We ended the night by buying all of his albums and having a nice chat about my excellent (ha) tambourine skills. Fingers crossed he returns to Ontario soon as I would jump at the chance to see him play again. Seeing as he was this great when I'd never even heard of him, I am greatly looking forward to hearing the songs live after listening to them non-stop for about three months...!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Top Five Performances of 2011 (#5)
So I already know that as you're reading that title you're thinking "Top five? Shouldn't that be top ten?" Unless of course you know me personally in which case you're likely thinking "Oh gawd, not another top five list..." you're welcome dear readers for not regularly inflicting these on you... Either way, I am a fan of the top five list over the top ten because I find it more challenging. And more reflective of actual 'best of's. And just better. So yeah.
I should perhaps start off by mentioning that this is not the top five CANADIAN bands of 2011, even though it pretty much looks that way... What can I say, I love Canadian music! Can I help it if we have awesome bands up here? No. No I cannot help that. I can, however, revel in the fact and enjoy every minute of music listening joy. Also I am not a "Top Five Albums" kind of gal- sure all of these bands released albums in 2011, and sure I absolutely love all of them (and may or may not have done several weeks of chain-listening), but it is too difficult for me to separate a band's on-album work from their live performances. Plus live performances are just awesome. Seriously. So without further ado:
5
Said the Whale - New Brighton - The Live Lounge, Ottawa, ON, September 14, 2011
One of the many bands my sister introduced be to this year who I have since fallen totally in love with- their combination of clever-lyric riddled short songs, cheery attitudes, and wonderful music/voices make listening to their music on headphones or in the car a joy and even better in person. The venue (the live lounge in Ottawa's Bytown Market) made it even better, with some of the best pre-show music I have heard in a long time (perhaps ever actually! Ele will back me up on that) the perfect size (big enough but not too big) a great crowd (enthusiastic, but devoted enough to manage complete silence during the beautifully performed Curse of the Currents), good sound and even a free cd at the door!
As with all good concerts, it has to be at least partially described by saying (cheesy at it always sounds) the vibe was great- everyone was excited to be there, especially the band. Impromptu sing-alongs, acoustic jamming, and cheerful banter abounded. They played all their hits (not difficult for a band with only two full length albums and only maybe three songs clocking in at over two minutes, but still appreciated!) and a slew of new ones which were well received, albeit skeptically at first.
Its always nice to be at a show where you really get the feeling that no one in the room would wish to be anywhere else. This was that show. Excellent.
I should perhaps start off by mentioning that this is not the top five CANADIAN bands of 2011, even though it pretty much looks that way... What can I say, I love Canadian music! Can I help it if we have awesome bands up here? No. No I cannot help that. I can, however, revel in the fact and enjoy every minute of music listening joy. Also I am not a "Top Five Albums" kind of gal- sure all of these bands released albums in 2011, and sure I absolutely love all of them (and may or may not have done several weeks of chain-listening), but it is too difficult for me to separate a band's on-album work from their live performances. Plus live performances are just awesome. Seriously. So without further ado:
5
Said the Whale - New Brighton - The Live Lounge, Ottawa, ON, September 14, 2011
One of the many bands my sister introduced be to this year who I have since fallen totally in love with- their combination of clever-lyric riddled short songs, cheery attitudes, and wonderful music/voices make listening to their music on headphones or in the car a joy and even better in person. The venue (the live lounge in Ottawa's Bytown Market) made it even better, with some of the best pre-show music I have heard in a long time (perhaps ever actually! Ele will back me up on that) the perfect size (big enough but not too big) a great crowd (enthusiastic, but devoted enough to manage complete silence during the beautifully performed Curse of the Currents), good sound and even a free cd at the door!
As with all good concerts, it has to be at least partially described by saying (cheesy at it always sounds) the vibe was great- everyone was excited to be there, especially the band. Impromptu sing-alongs, acoustic jamming, and cheerful banter abounded. They played all their hits (not difficult for a band with only two full length albums and only maybe three songs clocking in at over two minutes, but still appreciated!) and a slew of new ones which were well received, albeit skeptically at first.
Its always nice to be at a show where you really get the feeling that no one in the room would wish to be anywhere else. This was that show. Excellent.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Q: The real way you know winter is here?
A: Depressing music actually makes you feel depressed
This may surprise you, but there is actually music I don't like. Alright, that's not super surprising, but I mean music I really REALLY don't like, and almost all of it is sung by girls.
I know that might be a pretty horrible thing to say, but I can't help it. Its true! I cannot tell a lie! I'm not saying I don't like any female singers/ female-led bands (Kate Nash, Metric, Of Monsters and Men, The Ting Tings, Laura Marling, the list goes on!) but there is a certain kind of girl-with-guitar music that just makes me want to claw my ears off. Many people disagree with me (many many people I'm sure) and that's fine! They are entitled to their opinions (you, if on that side of the fence, are entitled to your opinion!) but I am also entitled to disagree with you. Because it isn't a sexist-based opinion, it isn't one born out of some deep seeded anti-songwriter ethos or overarching opinion on what music 'should be,' it is a gut reaction. Or a heart reaction. Or one brought on by whichever gland it is that makes you feel frustrated and angry and sad all at the same time.
Tonight I was listening to Sarah Harmer. Not my usual cup of tea, but I like some of her songs (more specifically some parts of some of her songs... even more specifically "Its late now and there's only four hours 'till I get up again. You know I'd wait somehow if I thought this was something that a little time would mend.") and my roomate was in the mood for a listen. It started out alright. It was just on in the background, I sang along with a few of the radio-played ones... then the inevitable happened- it became un-background. I started listening to all the lyrics, I started hearing the minor chords, the over-abundance of songs about wallowing in break-up sadness, and it started to get to me. it REALLY started to get to me! I became frustrated. I became annoyed. I became sad, and angry and upset. I started to think of all the ways in which my life makes me feel all of those things. and then I couldn't do it anymore. Either the music had to go, or I had to go!
Luckily it wasn't really that dramatic as there was only one song left on the album and my roomate was perfectly happy for me to switch it to something else. But it was the after that got me thinking. Because once we put on a different band, all of those feelings fairly quickly went away. No more frustration, no more sadness or anger, even the art piece I was working on suddenly started going right again.
I don't know if its the weather (I can handle much more frustrating music when the sun is shining- hell I can sometimes listen to Sarah McLaughlin in the summer! Well, in the car. On the highway. With the windows down. ok, ok I don't usually make it through a whole song, but still!) or the time of night or the key of the music or the tone of the voice, but something about girl-with-guitar-break-up-music just really gets to me. REALLY gets to me. In the worst possible way.
I don't mind lyrical rap and I kind of like wall-of-sound. Screamo is a bit loud but alright, and ska doesn't always do it for me, but sit me in front of a stereo with a song about how-much-you-still-love-someone-even-though-they-were-horrible-to-you played by a well-meaning songstress with a high voice and an acoustic guitar... Give it a whole album and apparently I am ready to do anything to get away. Like walk to the grocery store in minus twenty five (with snow), at eleven o'clock at night.
Apparently I really really don't like girl-with-guitar...
This may surprise you, but there is actually music I don't like. Alright, that's not super surprising, but I mean music I really REALLY don't like, and almost all of it is sung by girls.
I know that might be a pretty horrible thing to say, but I can't help it. Its true! I cannot tell a lie! I'm not saying I don't like any female singers/ female-led bands (Kate Nash, Metric, Of Monsters and Men, The Ting Tings, Laura Marling, the list goes on!) but there is a certain kind of girl-with-guitar music that just makes me want to claw my ears off. Many people disagree with me (many many people I'm sure) and that's fine! They are entitled to their opinions (you, if on that side of the fence, are entitled to your opinion!) but I am also entitled to disagree with you. Because it isn't a sexist-based opinion, it isn't one born out of some deep seeded anti-songwriter ethos or overarching opinion on what music 'should be,' it is a gut reaction. Or a heart reaction. Or one brought on by whichever gland it is that makes you feel frustrated and angry and sad all at the same time.
Tonight I was listening to Sarah Harmer. Not my usual cup of tea, but I like some of her songs (more specifically some parts of some of her songs... even more specifically "Its late now and there's only four hours 'till I get up again. You know I'd wait somehow if I thought this was something that a little time would mend.") and my roomate was in the mood for a listen. It started out alright. It was just on in the background, I sang along with a few of the radio-played ones... then the inevitable happened- it became un-background. I started listening to all the lyrics, I started hearing the minor chords, the over-abundance of songs about wallowing in break-up sadness, and it started to get to me. it REALLY started to get to me! I became frustrated. I became annoyed. I became sad, and angry and upset. I started to think of all the ways in which my life makes me feel all of those things. and then I couldn't do it anymore. Either the music had to go, or I had to go!
Luckily it wasn't really that dramatic as there was only one song left on the album and my roomate was perfectly happy for me to switch it to something else. But it was the after that got me thinking. Because once we put on a different band, all of those feelings fairly quickly went away. No more frustration, no more sadness or anger, even the art piece I was working on suddenly started going right again.
I don't know if its the weather (I can handle much more frustrating music when the sun is shining- hell I can sometimes listen to Sarah McLaughlin in the summer! Well, in the car. On the highway. With the windows down. ok, ok I don't usually make it through a whole song, but still!) or the time of night or the key of the music or the tone of the voice, but something about girl-with-guitar-break-up-music just really gets to me. REALLY gets to me. In the worst possible way.
I don't mind lyrical rap and I kind of like wall-of-sound. Screamo is a bit loud but alright, and ska doesn't always do it for me, but sit me in front of a stereo with a song about how-much-you-still-love-someone-even-though-they-were-horrible-to-you played by a well-meaning songstress with a high voice and an acoustic guitar... Give it a whole album and apparently I am ready to do anything to get away. Like walk to the grocery store in minus twenty five (with snow), at eleven o'clock at night.
Apparently I really really don't like girl-with-guitar...
Saturday, December 17, 2011
So There's This Band I Think You Might Like...
I love music (yeah yeah you know that already), I love seeing music live (you know that already too), and I love loving both of those things (ditto)- that feeling, however, that feeling when you pass a band on to someone else and they end up loving the music, loving the show, loving the band... le sigh. Sharing the love... makes me feel like a bona fide hippie- and not in the unwashed and smelly kind of way.
I've said before that when I love a band, I'm not that bothered whether other people like them too, and that's true (only if they DO happen to like them, it kind of makes me super excited). That extends to pretty much any band I recommend to someone; I mean I might hear something and think its okay, but feel like it is right up Krista's or Em's or George's alley and then pass it on. Now even though I am not totally enamored with this band, if they like it, if I was right and it is up their alley, that is such a great feeling. If they really like it, if they love it, well then. Even better.
I am not someone who recommends bands willy nilly (neither do I trust the recommendations of those who do)! Recommending a band is like recommending a movie or a restaurant or a book: Just because I like it, doesn't mean everyone else will or should like it too. You have to take into consideration each person's individual taste, what other music they like, their favourite bands, and most importantly what it is that they like about their favourite music/bands. Someone who likes K-os for the singing parts is not necessarily gonna like Eminem, while someone who likes The Streets for their every-day-life lyrics would likely enjoy Scroobius Pip... I like to find out what it is about a song or a group that makes someone love it and then keep on the lookout for things that remind me of that...
Either way, you also have to be careful about how you recommend it... "You're gonna love these guys, they are sooooo good!" is almost as unflaggingly doomed as "You like the colour blue so you will love these blueberries!" Something like "So I found this band, they kind of remind me of Library Voices, maybe not quite as energetic, but you should give them a shot- I think you might like them!"- much more direct, much more honest, much more effective. Tells them what to expect and doesn't set the standard so high that they're bound to be disappointed regardless of how much they should logically love it.
When I first discover that a friend is in into music (sure arguably few people are not into music, but I mean 'into music' in an active way, where they will just sit down and listen to an album without doing other things, or get a craving for a certain band, or love going to live shows...) I start gathering information so I can make better recommendations. Making mental notes of which music they like and why. I mean its not a recommendation-a-month type of thing, more of a keep-an-eye-out matter, but I like to know what I'm keeping an eye out for. Of course if their tastes fall in line with mine I am bound to be passing on music on a more frequent basis, but regardless of my own reaction to new music my second question when I discover a new band is always 'who else do I know who would like this?"
Loving music is a pretty personal thing. Having a favourite band is a pretty personal thing. And recommending a possibly-future-band-like should be a pretty personal thing too. Don't cop out when passing-on bands: one good recommendation is so much better than ten unconsidered ones...!
I've said before that when I love a band, I'm not that bothered whether other people like them too, and that's true (only if they DO happen to like them, it kind of makes me super excited). That extends to pretty much any band I recommend to someone; I mean I might hear something and think its okay, but feel like it is right up Krista's or Em's or George's alley and then pass it on. Now even though I am not totally enamored with this band, if they like it, if I was right and it is up their alley, that is such a great feeling. If they really like it, if they love it, well then. Even better.
I am not someone who recommends bands willy nilly (neither do I trust the recommendations of those who do)! Recommending a band is like recommending a movie or a restaurant or a book: Just because I like it, doesn't mean everyone else will or should like it too. You have to take into consideration each person's individual taste, what other music they like, their favourite bands, and most importantly what it is that they like about their favourite music/bands. Someone who likes K-os for the singing parts is not necessarily gonna like Eminem, while someone who likes The Streets for their every-day-life lyrics would likely enjoy Scroobius Pip... I like to find out what it is about a song or a group that makes someone love it and then keep on the lookout for things that remind me of that...
Either way, you also have to be careful about how you recommend it... "You're gonna love these guys, they are sooooo good!" is almost as unflaggingly doomed as "You like the colour blue so you will love these blueberries!" Something like "So I found this band, they kind of remind me of Library Voices, maybe not quite as energetic, but you should give them a shot- I think you might like them!"- much more direct, much more honest, much more effective. Tells them what to expect and doesn't set the standard so high that they're bound to be disappointed regardless of how much they should logically love it.
When I first discover that a friend is in into music (sure arguably few people are not into music, but I mean 'into music' in an active way, where they will just sit down and listen to an album without doing other things, or get a craving for a certain band, or love going to live shows...) I start gathering information so I can make better recommendations. Making mental notes of which music they like and why. I mean its not a recommendation-a-month type of thing, more of a keep-an-eye-out matter, but I like to know what I'm keeping an eye out for. Of course if their tastes fall in line with mine I am bound to be passing on music on a more frequent basis, but regardless of my own reaction to new music my second question when I discover a new band is always 'who else do I know who would like this?"
Loving music is a pretty personal thing. Having a favourite band is a pretty personal thing. And recommending a possibly-future-band-like should be a pretty personal thing too. Don't cop out when passing-on bands: one good recommendation is so much better than ten unconsidered ones...!
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