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Music I’ve been digging lately
By jmb | July 15, 2006
It’s been ages since I’ve talked about music I’m listening to these days, so here’s my short list of stuff I’m digging on right now…
- Matisyahu (also see the Wikipedia article about him)- I really can’t say enough good about this guy. He does spiritually-charged Reggae (he is a Hassidic Orthodox Jew) that gets you moving your body and stretching your spirit. (this is some of my favorite music to listen to on my IPOD while bicycling)
His Live at Stubbs album is hands-down the best live album I’ve ever heard, but lately I’ve been really getting into his latest album, Youth (particularly the title track, as well as “Time of your song,” and “Jerusalem”)
I also really dig his videos (which can be seen at Matismusic.com).
- Sufjan Stevens (this link is to the Wikipedia article on him, since his website is down right now)- I’ve liked his work in this past, but he really outdid himself with his most recent album Illinois, particularly his songs “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” (the only song I know that portrays a serial killer in such a humane and lvoing way), “Chicago” (a glorious anthem to the great city), “Casimir Pulaski Day” (a gut-wrenching song of sorrow, faith and doubt), and heck, the whole album is good, possibly one of the greatest albums ever made IMHO.
- Steve Earle - his last two albums (The Revolution is Now and Jerusalem are the perfect to listen to in crazy times) If there is a sound track to the resistance movement against our current neo-fascist era, these two albums would be it.
- Deathcab for Cutie - I know everyone and their monkey likes these guys, but I guess I have to join the bandwagon.
- Anthony and the Johnsons - strangely beautiful music that I was introduced to by a friend (who happens to have the best musical taste of anyone I know). I’m not really sure how to explain it, but if you are open-minded I recommend giving it a try.
- I’ve also been listening to all things Ska lately, particularly The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones, Save Ferris, and Five Iron Frenzy. Ska of course has the rhythm that perfectly matches my bicycling rhythm (I play it alot on my pedicab sound system… which I’ll tell about on another blogpost), but also just makes you feel good which is a very good thing.
- The Grateful Dead’s American Beauty album is in steady rotation (how could it not be)
But all of the above said, these days when I’m not bicycling I tend to listen to more news/spoken word stuff on my ipod, particularly all of the great Bicycling podcasts.
Topics: Music |
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