So what are you listening to?

Listening to: So So Modern – Crude Futures

I picked up the above over the weekend, based on hearing it in a music store with no other history (although at first listen I realised I had heard one of the tracks off it on one of the radio stations I listen to). I have picked up a lot of music this way, although it feels like not so much lately.

Once, a while ago (mid nineties) I was reasonably in touch with who was doing what in my preferred music genres. Who was making the coolest sounds, who were doing the most interesting things, who was worth looking out for.

Now it’s a bit different. I haven’t ‘discovered’ any new to me or current artists for a while, and I have no idea what a lot of the names I am hearing bandied about sound like. Maybe it’s a getting older thing. I still try and get exposed to new sounds as often as possible but less and less of them seem to stick. I like a lot of what I hear in certain circles, but finding out names and following up on them is rare (like when I hear something cool on the radio, but miss the DJ saying who they are). To an extent I am still stuck in the old CD/record store model. If I can’t find a CD of an artist I don’t get into them as much, and wouldn’t know where to start when it comes to embracing the download model.

I’m really liking the idea of the recent introduction of C42 (link). Videos have captions telling you what they are for one, and the emphasis on new and old alternative rather than mainstream top 40 stuff also bodes well. Not that the top 40 stuff necessarily sucks (although a lot of it does), but the alternative stuff is just more interesting. The mid 90’s were a golden era for me in that respect; I watched a lot of music television, mostly late at night when the programming was a bit more fluid, and got into a bunch of artists as a result. I’m quietly hopeful there are new discoveries awaiting with the new channel.

In the meantime, I want recommendations from you the reader:

Which are the worthwhile web sources for good/new/interesting music? (naive maybe, but if you don't ask you never know)

Which artists or songs you have been putting on repeat, and what would you recommend as being worth a listen? Who’s rocking your ears lately?

Anything left in the comments will get at least a trial listen. I’m in the mood for proselytising and propagation….