Among many other things I happen to be a fan of acoustic guitar music, especially spanish/flamenco style.
My absolute favorite album in this style is Friday Night in San Francisco which features some of THE BEST guitar playing ever recorded. It is an acoustical tour de force of flamenco and Latin flavored jazz tunes.
Here is a sampling from YouTube
What kind of music do you like? What are your absolute favorites?
What are your absolute favorites?
Nat King Cole’s “Fly Me to the Moon” flies me to the moon everytime! B)
I listen to it on Rhapsody, the best online music service ever. No downloading and they respect copyrights. Yes, that’s a plug. In the interests of full disclosure, I am not being paid to give it. 
I like Sean Callery in general.
My absolute favorite album in this style is Friday Night in San Francisco which features some of THE BEST guitar playing ever recorded. It is an acoustical tour de force of flamenco and Latin flavored jazz tunes.
Oh yes! That used to be one of my all-time favorite recordings! I haven’t listened to it for a while. Now I need to pull it out of my collection and listen to it a few time. Thanks for reminding me of it!
I’m a Josh Groban fan.
Another of my favorite albums, something which I listen to often (usually on Saturday mornings when I am cleaning my apartment haha) is The Best of Vaya Con Dios I have done the ‘singing and dancing with a broom’ to it many many times.
And then for the pure emotion of it I also like Metallica by Metallica (love James Hetfield’s voice http://forum.objectivismonline.com/uploads/emoticons/default\_wub.png’ alt=‘:wub:’> ) - I listen to that one in a car while driving to work. Another of my ‘car selections’ is old Depeche Mode).
Supertramp, James Blunt, and Juanes all the way!!
Supertramp, James Blunt, and Juanes all the way!!
James Blunt “Back to Bedlam” is great. If you like him you probably would also like Daniel Powter.
Among many other things I happen to be a fan of acoustic guitar music, especially spanish/flamenco style.
I love flamenco guitar music, too. There’s something about those minor modes that really gets me, and the rhythms are so hypnotizing and seductive.
What kind of music do you like? What are your absolute favorites?
My absolute favorite band ever is Cocteau Twins. I think their
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpeZm\_f1Zk
is unmatched for its (usually) unabashed benevolence, fragile sense of beauty, full range of emotions, and always fresh, innovative sense of independence and exploration. I also think they have some of the most inventive melodies, and the most perfectionist devotion to unique and interesting tones and sound production of just about any post-1950s music.
Other post -1950s music I like includes Felt, Lush (God were their harmonies hot), My Bloody Valentine (sexy arrangements), Swallow, Altered Images (straight new wave, but good), sometimes Smashing Pumpkins (one of the only rock bands I like besides Led Zeppelin).
But I’m a music fanatic.. I could go on forever with music I like, especially if I get started with older music (I like most 20th century popular music of the '50s and earlier).
Congrats go to Sophia. I haven’t had much time to post this week, but this one probably made me think the hardest. And I have to agree with Bold Standard; I could go on forever on this topic. Discovering great music that other like is like treasure hunting.
Classical is definitely the top, with semi-classical orchestral works right behind. For instance, many movies scores today are particularly fresh in their arrangments. I adore the soundtrack to Les Miserables.
In terms of range and complexity of the musical throughts probably ensemble formats such as big band jazz or a really tight jazz quintet is excellent. Contemporary big bands like some of hte best college bands or the military bandsare phenomenal. Some of the best semi-orchestral jazz is Miles Davis Sketches of Spain, with a version of Concierto de Aranjuez with trumpet instead of guitar in the lead.
Oh, and anyone who has never seen a DCIchampionship should really try to see on in person. It is like nothing you’ve ever heard.
As for solo instrumentalists, the polyphonic intstruments (piano, guitar are my favorites). I have an incredible admiration for solo jazz piano. I’ve got a CD of Marcus Robertsplaying some of the piano standards of Monk, Ellington, and Jelly Roll Mortonthat is great.
If I had to pick a “tiddlywink music” it would have to be the marches of John Phillips Sousa. Most marches of that period are mangled today as college fight songs, but when one knows how they should be played the are masterful works.
All types of Latin music, whether dance or latin tinged jazz, or folk music (flamenco, etc) I think has a special passion to it. When I was in Lisbon last year, I took some clients out to a small little restaraunt the specialized in Fado music, a Portuguese folk music, mournful passionate songs of lost love, guitar and a throaty alto, several guitars, Lone guitar and a male, etc… Phenomenal stuff.
As far as today’s popular music. I love all types, but recognize that none of it as complex or as complete in terms of range of expression as orchestral works. But certain genres are great for certain objectives. I’ve got a smattering of everything on my iPod. U2, Rush for a workout. Santana, Ray Charles, BBKing. I love Depeche Mode (Sophia what constitutes “old” Depeche Mode for you?). I am particularly fond of the Indigo Girls when I’m in a quiet mood. I think Emily Saliers is a phenomenal lyricist. I programmed a sountrack to The Fountainhead a while ago, you can get an idea of some of my fav’s (or anti-fav’s depending on who I was programming).
I tend to like selected forms of heavy metal.
Some of the bands that I am presently really interested in are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkw4jhDE1eQ, the 2006 Eurovision champions and monsters of hard rock.
Opeth, a melodic death metal band from Sweden.
Nevermore, a progressive metal band from the United States.
Lacuna Coil, a gothic metal band from Italy. In particular, the song I have linked here is my favorite song by this group. It is called “Heaven’s a Lie.”
Sophia what constitutes “old” Depeche Mode for you?
Well, 1980s and early 90s.
BTW, thanks for your replies, everybody. Partially, the reason I started this thread was, for me, to get exposed to good music, which perhaps I am not familiar with - so I hope people continue posting (I am a bit surprised nobody mentioned Sting yet…)
(Recently, another of my favorites has been Norah Jones.)
Well, 1980s and early 90s.
BTW, thanks for your replies, everybody. Partially, the reason I started this thread was, for me, to get exposed to good music, which perhaps I am not familiar with - so I hope people continue posting.
(Recently, another of my favorites has been Norah Jones.)
Early 90’s. So ending at Violator, Songs of Faith and Devotion? That’s about my range as well.
Norah Jones is great. Another quiet mood sort of sound.
I’ve actually as of late found some country that I like. (it’s probably the one genre that I’ve stayed away from most of my life, but I like Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, and SheDaisy. Still a very minor genre for me.
I found some samples of Fado here. Or, just found one hereand here. The last sounds almost exactly like I remember it in Lisbon.
I tend to like selected forms of heavy metal.
Some of the bands that I am presently really interested in are:
Lacuna Coil, a gothic metal band from Italy. In particular, the song I have linked here is my favorite song by this group. It is called “Heaven’s a Lie.”
i’ve seen them live.
I recommend Nightwish, Within temptation and Edebridge as well. I also recommend Operatika as well.
i’ve seen them live.
I recommend Nightwish, Within temptation and Edebridge as well. I also recommend Operatika as well.
I am also a big fan of Nightwish. I will check out the other bands you have recommended.
I hope to see the Stone Sour, Shadow’s Fall and Lacuna Coil tour that is presently ongoing.
I am also a big fan of Nightwish. I will check out the other bands you have recommended.
Also try Xandria at www.xandria.de for a band not miles away from Nightwish. You should really enjoy Operatika as well.
I don’t want this thread to die this fast!
I am also a fan of French music: Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Becaud, Henri Salvador, Jacques Brel, Leo Ferre, Renaud, Yves Montand.
I like some of the songs by Pink Martini - here is their remake of a French classic Sympathique
Non-classical… I have some tastes, not well developed, but they’re all over the place.
In a bad mood, Anathema are good (though live they are AWFUL.) Failing that, Nevermore or Katatonia from ‘Discouraged Ones’ onward.
I am also a fan of Lacuna Coil. When Evanescence first popped up at first I thought that was the coilers finally getting some attention, but no. As to E, I like some of ‘Fallen’ but ‘The Open Door’ doesn’t inspire me.
Speaking of topnotch female vocals, I am similarly a fan of Nightwish (LOVE The Siren - the chorus from Ghost Love Score is wikkid soundwise, but the song overall is mixed). I haven’t heard any from Tarja since she went solo, so I can’t say anything about that. The older stuff from The Gathering before they went really mellow is okay, Enya on occasion, and sometimes Kari Rueslatten / Third & Mortal. In a REALLY dark mood I break out Shellyz Raven, but I’m starting to go quite off on SR now.
Helloween has its moments. The original ‘Keeper’ pair are fantastic, as is ‘Master Of The Rings’, which rank among my favourite albums of all. Some songs from ‘Chameleon’ are good, particularly Giants and Windmill, but beyond that I turn my nose up at their half-hearted christian-influenced feel.
Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare is also good, but not so keen on Firegarden. Never took a shine to Joe Satriani, sorry.
For plain boys-will-be-boys-even-in-their-twenties-and-thirties fun, Drop Kick Murphys, a Boston Irish punk band.
Then there are bands with good music but totally sucky beliefs. Alchemist and 30 Seconds To Mars come to mind, to which one can only say “Your politics suck, but thanks for the music”.
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Looking at all that lot, it’s strange stuff, with which I expect almost all Objectivists older than I would be less than impressed. My tastes have changed and grown up, though some of it I still like. I will try to expand it, as I can, over time. As to the present, two things come to mind. First, liking that doesn’t make me (or anyone else citing heavy metal or the best of doom metal amongst their likes) any less Objectivist, just as the tear-jearking music that Kira was crying to in We The Living does not make her at fault. However, it is indicative of problems if someone’s taste runs predominantly to sad music (of any kind) - but again not necessarily problems of a moral kind. Second, further questions of liking this sort of thing “versus Objectivism” are one of the key points Dr Peikoff laid to rest in Understanding Objectivism, so if anyone has any personal qualms or guilt orwhat not I suggest you consult that tape series - not that it gives license to indulge in anything and everything, mind.
JJM
