Stop Listening to Nonsense: How to Develop Discerning Ears

A video on MTV. The cover of SPIN magazine. If you haven’t taken notice of this female-fronted trio yet, the time is now. But while we’re discussing the band, it should be noted it had material out before the highly acclaimed Fever to Tell. The first track of off the band’s first release, “Bang!” feels like its title—off-kilter guitars, drums trying to keep it together and Karen O’s sultry singing. By the time you get to the handclap outro, you will be converted.

This is a song that is so deceptively simple, so straight up Rock, that to truly get it inexplicably takes a few listens. Archers of Loaf spent its time as an indie darling of the ‘90s waving the flag for deep-voiced-fronted-guitar-wielding rock bands. Any song that can make you sing “all I ever wanted was your spine” and “I got a magnet in my head, a magnet in my head” in line at the supermarket without second thoughts is pure gold.

TV on the Radio is one of the most shockingly original groups to come along in a while.The three core members of the group weave their eclectic sensibilities to create a sound (amazingly) equal parts blues, electronica, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and barbershop quartet. Not even kidding. “Staring at the Sun” was the immediate highlight from 2003’s Young Liars EP, so successful that the band included it on its first full length, released earlier this year, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.

Think of these guys as an up to date and slightly insane version of the Talking Heads and you’ll be on the right track. The Dismemberment Plan created quite an underground legacy during the 10 years it was around—they broke up last September. “A Life of Possibilities” is one of the finest tracks from the band’s greatest statement, 1999’s Emergency & I. This distinction is no small feat, standing out from an album just bursting with quality and unorthodox tunes.

Chan Marshall could melt anyone’s heart, especially with “Good Woman,” which was easily among the most tender songs of last year. Get the tissues ready; when Marshall sings, “I want to be a good woman,” followed by, “This is why I’m leaving,” nothing could possibly slow the tears. She’s not always this melancholy, but it’s hard to complain when she is.

Don Van Vliet (the Captain) is often (at least on this album) too weird for words. But for those who want their blues mixed with a bizarre, gravel-voiced frontman, it doesn’t get much better than “Frownland.” Of all the tracks on Trout Mask Replica, this one is probably the most accessible and if you like it, then consider yourself warned: it only gets weirder from here.

The oft-repeated (ad nauseum) saying goes something like this: every person who heard the Velvets in his or her heyday went on to form a band. A great band. And while that’s probably not all true, Lou Reed and Co. did create one of the more influential groups in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. “Waiting for the Man” chugs along, talks about meeting a drug dealer, and digs its vocal hooks into anyone who will give it a listen. It’s recommended that you do.

Before Modest Mouse had a video contending on VH1 countdowns and an album that debuted (surprisingly) high on Billboard just this year, it was just another band making damned good music and somehow not getting noticed – despite an eventual contract with Sony imprint Epic Records. And yet, “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” simply sounds too good to be on a major and not get attention. The bassline is hipshakeworthy, the vocals swing from simply apathetic to screamingly unhinged, and when it’s over, you just have to play it again. You just have to.
- also highly recommended: Good News for People Who Love Bad News

How can a song so sweetly innocent still invoke a room of people to dance as if their feet were on fire? The world may never know. Nevertheless, Le Tigre adds a pop sensibility to the riot grrl aesthetic, making for music that’s equally likely to start a revolution or a party. If it’s not enough for you, first, check your pulse, then check out one of front woman Kathleen Hanna’s former bands, the punkier Bikini Kill.
 

Robert Pollard, the only member not to rotate out of the ever-rotating lineup of Guided by Voices, is like, totally 96 years old. OK, not really, but chances are he’s been rocking since you’ve been teething. Unfortunately, it looks like Guided by Voices is nearing its end, with the impending release of the band’s reportedly last album (it’s something like number 1,300 in the grand scheme of things) this fall. But why focus on the sadness, when there’s happiness to be found in the band’s catalogue? Check out this song, or, better yet, the whole album.
- also highly recommended: the band’s drunken and thrilling live show 

Not many bands can pull off a combination of subtle humor and first rate material. However, the three Welshmen in Mclusky walk a fine line between in-jokes and incredible guitar hooks, silly vocals and all out rock ‘n’ roll. “To Hell With Good Intentions” fits right in, with lyrics like, “My dad is bigger than your dad/ He’s got three cars and a house in Ireland.” And that’s just the tip of the lyrical bloody iceberg. Sing it, indeed.

Listening to John Vanderslice, you can tell he’s spent a few nights in the Neutral Milk Hotel. But this ilk of singer-songwriter uses NMH’s particular brand of pop music as a stepping stone for his own kind of keyboards-infested-white-noise-afflicted-sound-geek amalgamation. “You Were My Fiji” is one of greatest moments of his four album solo existence, tugging at the heartstrings in a non-hackneyed description of an old relationship. If only this one was longer.

Sure, the love song has been done and done again. You’re about to stop reading this just because you already have your favorite romantic music. Well, hold up there, smart one. Sam Beam has a little something for you. How about “love is a crying baby mama warned you not to shake?” Not good enough for you? Well, maybe you don’t have a heart. You sad, heartless bastard. Regardless, Iron & Wine specializes in folky, whispered vocals over gentle acoustic guitars and other various instrumentation. In this case, it’s hopelessly romantic with integrity.

Props to Mahjongg for their clever word-play—combining in one word both a nice reference to cult musician Jandek and the one word essence of what “Jamdek” does: Jam. Long-winded and hard to understand introductions aside, this band will be one people look back on in 20 years and wonder why they weren’t paying attention. You, dear reader, have an advantage over those future schmucks. Check it out and tell your friends.

A full article, twice the size of this one in its entirety, could be written about Tom Waits’ 30+ year career in which time he’s played the part of lounge singer, drunkard, jazzman, circus outcast, alley bum, road weary troubadour, leader of the weird, student of the blues, multi-film actor, and all around underappreciated legend. The easiest place to start is the album from which this song belongs, Rain Dogs. It shows Waits on the cusp of a strange change, and also falls roughly in the middle of his career. To explore either way will open eyes and drop jaws. And with a new album on the horizon, the story continues for Sir Waits…