Why I Love Atmosphere -- A Top 10 List
[ 3 August 2008 ]
(Yes, this is an old photo.)
I talk about Atmosphere a lot on iCiNG, & I thought maybe it was time to help you all understand precisely why they are my favourite group on the entire planet. There are a bunch of reasons, some of which can be explained. The rest of it is all about the music, so I’ve thrown in videos of some of my favourite tracks.
Atmosphere are a hip hop group from Minnesota. The members of Atmosphere are Slug (Sean Daley) & Ant (Anthony Davis). Sean is the MC while Ant does the beats, & Sean is known as a bit of a crush object. In fact, to help promote the release of their latest album, When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold, Slug & Ant did a series of videos on Youtube where they would answer questions sent in by fans. Here’s one I sent him.
“As I was watching your last video, where you mentioned your pot belly, it occurred to me — what do you think you would have to do in order to lose your fan-girls & “oh my god cutest guy in hip hop ever” status? Or have you tried already but to no avail?”
His reply…
“why do you think i’ve been growing my hair and this shit on my face?
trying to scare away the ones who dote on that shit.
thanks for asking.
s”
Not that it has worked or anything, I still adore him.
I was introduced to Atmosphere in probably 2004 or 2005 by my friend Timmy Crunk. He used to come to my place all the time, & we would drink & I would chain-smoke & he would play me songs. It’s a time I look back on very fondly, & Atmosphere has been a constant in my life ever since.
Okay, here we go. 10 reasons why I love Atmosphere — & you should too!
10. This photo.
9.
Sunshine
8.
Slug talking about his writing process.
It’s really interesting to hear about his writing progression, what he values, staying true to who he is & being relevant. Plus he mentions Bikini Kill. Props!
“Man, if you’re going to take four minutes of my time, I want you to communicate something to me.”
“When I was 17… man, I wanna hear about… boobs. Rap about… boobs.”
7.
Me
6. The lyrics continue to entertain, delight & confront me, even years after first hearing some of the songs. Sean is intelligent & not afraid of his own mind, so he often takes tracks to places that ordinary rappers wouldn’t. A few years ago, mainstream music media was fond of labelling Atmosphere “emo hip hop”, which kind of pissed Sean off. But really, I think the reason for that tag is just because people are unaccustomed to a guy rapping about anything real. Sean’s lyrics run the gamut from his relationships with his son & father through to issues with society, the difficulties he has relating to women & life on the road. I’m not adverse to a bit of bullshit, which is why I love Jay-Z, but it’s refreshing & wonderful to hear a guy tell it like it is so shamelessly.
5.
Modern Man’s Hustle
4. Sean is a Virgo. (I am totally biased.)
3.
The Woman With The Tattooed Hands
2. Sean’s favourite books are Factotum & Women by Charles Bukowski. Anyone who loves Bukowski is alright by me.
1.
Reflections
What’s your favourite band, & why do you love them so much?
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
Tags: video Share this! + Email This + Del.icio.us
+ Facebook
+ Stumbleupon
+ Technorati
oooh first comment!
i love the beatles, because they’re a classic, and they’re music is so original and because of them we may never have the music we have today. and i never get tired lsitening to them.
My favourite band? You REALLY want to know? (I’m so uncool!) [ blushes ]
I love No Doubt, even after all these years. They make me want to dance and shout and dress up. They are one of the only bands where I’ve never felt “oh, this song again” when I hear them. It’s just…. love.
And honorable mention to Led Zeppelin. I am enamored with them, and there’s nothing sexier to listen to in the summer than Physical Graffiti.
Those videos are awesome! I’ve only started one but I’m impatient and wanted to scroll around first… got to love a guy who not only is a feminist, but wears a shirt for it..
But what really got me was the picture from a year ago. You should do a post on change, because you look so different! I used to have black hair and be a very gothy 13 year old before finally growing my natural hair back and looking like I do now, a few years later. I find it fun to look at phases.
Oh, and the Beatles. Let It Be was the first piece of music I ever heard.
My favorite band is Green Day and has been for a verrrry long time. I think they’re my favorite band because they were always “there” for my during all those awkward years and more haha. Plus I have many memories attached to their songs throughout much of my life so everytime I listen to a song it I guess takes me back to a certain time, person and/or place.
And to Nadine, who cares what people think about the music you like. You shouldn’t be ashamed. My best guy friends favorite band is Backstreet Boys (he’s also straight) and he doesn’t care if people laugh at him. Who decided what was “cool’ and what wasn’t anyway?
i am totally with you.. i love love love atmosphere!
the woman with the tattooed hands is a truly great song. a good song to listen to on the train during life transitions.
“its not that she wasn’t attractive, she was beatiful,
but its the way that she interacted. she was aggressively passive to the point where she would of intimidated any mitt that ever tried to catch her” = favorite part.
i dig atmosphere. but my sister, who is a virgo, is actually OBSESSED with them (or rather, him. slug. :D ).
his new song (“you” i think it’s called?) is a disappointment. sometimes i dance to it at work on bad days though.
hmmmmmmmm. i think my “favorite” bands would have to be infected mushroom and the mars volta. they tie for the best shows i have ever been to, but subsequent shows didn’t live up to the initial epicness of when they were fresh & excited about their projects.
lately i’ve been playing a lot of m.i.a., 90s trance, tricky, ladytron, living legends, boards of canada.
do you listen to mac lethal? he opened for atmosphere last year & i think he’s on rhymesayers…hilarious, fun stuff. i
I love that first photo – in fact I want one of those ‘this is what a feminist looks like’ t-shirts!
My musical tastes have changed a lot in the last couple of years, but I will always always ALWAYS maintain a special place in my heart for U2. I’ve been a fan since I was about thirteen, and maintained for many years that Bono was the only man I would consider marrying! (This was much more in his incredibly sexy ‘Achtung Baby’ phase, mind you). After years of missing out on going to see concerts because of being too young, not having the money, or them not coming to NZ, I finally got to see them perform in Sydney a couple of years ago. I camped out overnight outside the ticket office to get my tickets, and the concert was truly one of the best experiences of my life. I was in the ‘standing room only’ part of the stadium, but my friend and I managed to get a spot REALLY near the front, and I spent two + hours jumping up and down and singing along to EVERY WORD at the top of my lungs until I was completely hoarse. I wore a t-shirt with the words ‘I fancy the singer’ printed on the front, and because I’m short people kept lifting me up on their shoulders to get a better look – and every time they did, I would get super-excited and start waving to the band, like they could actually see me!
The song ‘Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses’ ranks as one of my all-time favourites from any artist, and ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ is my favourite of their albums.
The Smashing Pumpkins.
They share my #1 position with Crowded House. But they just pip them at the post as they introduced me to my (now) husband.
We met on their message board on SP.com in 2000 and spent the next few years chatting via the net until 2002 when we met in the flesh. We’ve been together for 6 years, married for 2 of those years and run one of the biggest Pumpkins fan communities in the world (Ozphoria.com).
In March/April this year we travelled around Australia seeing them perform – 8 times in 2 weeks!
This band has given me so much (and us – my husband and I) and are awesome people to boot.
I love The Smashing Pumpkins.
P
x
wow that shirt is fantastic
umm my favourite band?
tegan and sara – i love their lyrics, they manage to achieve an emotional complexity whilst remaining heartbreakingly honest.
i also love that they havent compromised their identities in order to be successful, they seem to be the same people now(but with much better hair), as when they were starting out a decade ago (not that i knew about them then..the wonders of youtube)
lol poor gala you managed to arrive just in time for the horrible stormy weather..thunder and lightening was fun though :)
Someone I know slept with SOMEONE from Atmosphere, after the Big Day Out one year. Haha! That’s all I can think of whenever I read thissssss:)
He is pretty cutie!
Weelll Roisin Murphy is my favorite singer and she used to sing the lead for Moloko, so she counts.
She’s a breath of fresh air in a thousand different ways to me and just gushesandrambles
gah not to mention I lurve her sense of style (well not everything but w/e) and she’s an amazing performer. (People who are curious should look up the Moloko’s concert called 11,000 clicks to see what I mean.)
I have the biggest girl-crush on this woman ♥
(Little Dragon, M.I.A., Marilyn Monroe and James Brown are other things running through my ears these days)
p.s. Roisin for the love of god come to North America please!
I second La Luna – No Doubt has been my favorite band since I was twelve years old. I spent my pre-teen years looking for a strong female role model who had a fierce way of presenting what she had to say, and I found that woman in Gwen Stefani. Her lyrics, their music, their energy – it’s irresistible! There’s no keeping my feet still or my voice down when No Doubt is playing.
My favorite band is…..Tokio Hotel. No one shoot me plz :)
[Nadine I know exactly how you feel. :P]
They’re kind of addicting. Hehe.
Anywayz, Gala, a friend told me about iCiNG and I am know a faithful reader. You write such interesting content, I love to just sit down and read the old posts. And btw, your hair is ace.
~Kathryn
My favorite band is The Killers. I love their sound and Brandon Flowers’ voice just mesmerizes me. I specially like When You Were Young but I might be biased since I’m addicted to Guitar Hero ^^.
Another band I love is Muse again the vocalist’s voice is enthralling for me and I really do like their sound.
As you can guess, voices are a big thing for me XDD.
Kisses.
Nadine — Spill!
kitten` — !!!!!!!!!!! Jealous :D
Thanks Gala, I’ve never actually heard Atmosphere before, so I shall have to give them a listen! :)
As for my favourite band? Oh, I have so, so many! I honestly could not list one particular favourite, or even five! My music taste is fairly varied, as well, which makes it just a little bit more difficult to choose! I am stupidly, wildly obsessed with all things retro and disco, I love rock music and metal, and I also have a soft spot for r&b and hip hop, too!
My favourite band is Gomez. I discovered Gomez when I was 12 or 13 so they’ve been with me for my entire teenage life, which is something I am very thankful for. They’ve been the only band that I’ve really latched onto – others have come and go but those five boys have always stayed at the top of my most loved list.
I love them because they’re masters at pulling you into their world, a world where songs like ‘Machismo’ make perfect sense, where singing about senoritas and sombreros (Tijuana Lady) is just as valid as telling a story about a day with your mates (Whippin’ Piccadilly). In short, Gomezworld, while it might feel introverted and claustrophobia-inducing to some, is actually a place of comfort. This world loves making new things, but is just as content to strip a song bare and have the mood itself tell the story (1000 Times, There It Was, etc). It’s a world where bluesy guitar and electronica and indie pop and sweeping orchestral pieces live together and work together with seamless harmony.
I love it so much. They get a fair bit of bad press from music critics but I will defend them to the death!
The Police. I don’t care how old Sting is, he is an amazing musician and handsome to boot. They are just such a timeless and fantastic band.
My favorite band is Queen, I’ve been listening to them since I was a little girl. Love of their music runs in my family, but as I’ve grown older I’ve been able to appreciate their talent. I don’t think anyone in the world can sing like Freddie Mercury!
I have a few favourite bands, and it’s all down to the music.
They are:
Coheed and Cambria – though I love the imagery and storyline that goes with this band. And Claudio’s hair is the best I have ever seen. It flows like a tidal wave.
Incubus
Alien Ant Farm
Mindless Self Indulgence
I was obsessed with My Chemical Romance for a while, I knew and loved everything about them, their fans are crazy. But, the last cd was kind of a disappointment. I still really love their earlier stuff though.
My favourite local band is Alabaster Theatre :]
Seriously, there isn’t enough room here for me to list my favourite bands! Music is one of the biggest parts of my life. Some of my faves would be Placebo; Tegan and Sara; Paramore (yes, yes, I know, emo-pop, but they’re so much fun!); my best friend’s band – The Astral Aliens (look them up on myspace, they are so very, very cool); The Dandy Warhols; The Beatles…. I could easily go on. But I won’t. Loving your new hair, by the way! I’d love to do something different with my hair, but I don’t know what! Love and pixie kisses xxx
It surprised me – the first band I thought of when I read this was Evanescence. Amy Lee is a powerful singer as well as an incredible musician and “My Immortal” is the first song that ever made me cry at work… bit of a back story to that. I had the pleasure of seeing them live at the St James before it closed, and the architecture of the old theatre suited them perfectly. My boyfriend at the time thought it was supercute how excited I got when she had her piano wheeled out for her encore :)
Other than that, U2… the only concert that I bought a singular ticket for, didn’t get refunded when it was postponed and went and sat by myself in the rain amongst a whole bunch of pot smoking old hippies… and still had the best time!
Smashing Pumpkins. I first heard them growing up, always hanging out at a neighbors house, then in high school when I was having the typical horrific depression that comes with the age my boyfriend at the time re-introduced me to them and they fit perfectly, as they do even now. The music just speaks to that dark, raw, but oddly beautiful part of my personality more than anyone else.
Ooh, it changes pretty often, but Olmecha Supreme have been a fave for a while now. I was hooked the first time I saw them live. I cannot hear their music without shaking my booty. They are an amazing live act, and one of the few who manage to capture that energy on their albums. Same goes for Sheba Williams. She’s soooo much fun to see live.
Whoo, these comments are so interesting! c., I really really like some of the Backstreet Boys’ music and will often get funny looks from people as I stroll down to the shops singing ‘Shape of My Heart”. Kirsten, I have had the exact same experience at a concert, and it was without doubt one of the best times ever – SO life-affirming!
Atmosphere: never heard any of their stuff before now, and I’ve just had it going in the background without paying close attention – to me they have a verrry New Zealand sound; all that’s missing is the accent. It’s the laid-backness. I used to love NZ music so much in the 90s – Supergroove and the Exponents, yeah! I’m a dancer, not a musician, and I love to sing, so what I like in music is good lyrics, good singing and musicianship, and lots of energy/emotion.
Anyway, my favourite band is Bon Jovi. Yes, I am ‘over 30’ and have vivid, vivid memories of when ‘Wanted’ came out (truly that song is without flaw). I always kind of liked them and I was utterly entranced by the album ‘This Left Feels Right’, where they re-did all their old songs. But what really made me a full-on fan is they way the albums just keep coming and coming. Other bands like The Beatles or Abba or Queen (or Poison!) come to an end, and there’s no new data. I have every Bon Jovi album since 1994 (except the reeeally expensive box-set). I love the energy, the emotion, the drop-dead guitar-playing, the storylines, the melodies. And their concert in Christchurch was mind-blowingly unforgettable.
Rock on, everybody. :D
Nirvana. since i was a youngin’ i had a crush on kurt cobain when i first saw the video for smells like teen spirit and i had no idea why. i cried when i found out he died. since then i’ve been keeping the love. i’m actually wearing my kurt cobain shirt right now. six years old and faded -it’s my favorite shirt :)
as for a band that is still around now to make music – foo fighters. anything dave grohl touches turns to gold. and everlong is hands down my favorite song in the whole wide world. i saw them in concert in february- most amazing two hours of my life ever.
also thrice because of the inventive things they come up with. for a band that’s been thrown into the “post hardcore” genre and to be around a bunch of bands that basically re write the same shit over and over they keep it fresh. they recently came out with the alchemy index – four eps to represent the elements. a lot of their song writing is based off either what’s going on in their life or c.s. lewis books.
I’ve never heard of Atmosphere before today but they’re just fabulous! I’ve been listening to them since I saw this post!!
So my all time favorite band is…drum roll please..Blink 182! Haha I know, I know. But their old stuff is INCREDIBLE!! I litereally cried the day they broke up…embarrasing, i know…
i love bon jovi
I haven’t been truly obsessed with any one band (yet) but I do have my favorite genre: prog rock, especially from the 70’s. Mixing classical instruments with guitars and drums, and just inserting so much depth and creativity into the lyrics makes it beautiful to me. Genesis, Argent, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, the Moody Blues etc. Listening to Nights in White Satin is like a religious experience for me. It does lack strong female contributions but I can go to Le Tigre/Bikini Kill for that :) I’m also in love with the Beegee’s and I refuse to be embarassed of it!! Life’s too short!
wow i’ve never heard atmosphere before :)
hmmm i’m loving kosheen, flyleaf and shamefully jesse mccartney.. his song leavin just is something i want so bad right now.. flip if a guy sung me that and meant it id run off with him in a flash :)
I would have to say that i have a raw, undying love for Against Me!
maybe it’s the balls to have an exclamation in their name.
maybe it’s because i’ve seen them live and met them twice
whatever it is, they have brought up a strange love for punk that i never knew i had.
they’re anarchist and everyone loves a bad boy especially me.
It’s hard for me to have a favorite band… it tends to fluctuate based on mood, but here are some constants: The Smiths & Morrissey, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins (who I’ve liked the longest of these, except maybe for Cure tracks on the radio in 1989), Queen, Interpol, Muse (the newest addition to this list), and Gackt (solo artist, love his music but can’t take him very seriously as a “persona” — don’t love him the way I love Freddie Mercury).
I love them because I do — something about the melody, lyrics, percussion, whatever — something in their work strikes a chord in me. (oh, bad music-related puns, how I love you.)
gala please forgive me for i am on heiny.
but my favorite band (if i had to choose) has to be the doors. a short top 10: 10. “touch me”, the very first song i fell in love with a few years ago. it should be my theme. no it is my theme. play it when i die.
9. i wanna fuck jim. alive. dead. today. yesterday. now.
8. fuck this shit.
seriously the doors are there for me when i can’t fucking stand anything else. jim morrison embodies everything i want and probably have had. the rest of the doors are still alive but they know better than to try to make anything new. yeah they still cash in on jim. why the fuck not? he is the lizard king. he can do anything. damn it. seriously. the doors. las puertas. the doors are my homeboys. i pray to jim. jim is god. =) damn it i need to stop. but yeah the doors. and the beatles and radiohead and the verve and the backstreet boys. =)
a bit about the verve. i’m glad they got back together. richard ashcroft is a living god. heh.
oooh! i really liked how you broke down your favorite band and why you like them so much. i am going to go and check them out.
my favorite band on the other hand is brand new. i have a top 5, but recently the directions they’ve been taking have kind of left me in the dust.
but, i love brand new. every song they write is every song i love. i can never tire of them. and i can listen to them on repeat for ages. jesse is a genius and the words he writes feels like they were ripped out of my brain. they’re amazing! period. =)
Ever since you posted about them a while ago, I checked them out and have been listening to their CD.
And reason #10… yum!
i love a lot of bands but for some reason i’ve never really stopped listening to portishead, even after all these years :)
I’m a little obsessed with Patrick Wolf. He’s obviously not a band, but definitely my favourite singer! He has so much character and his songs are just so catchy and unique. If I had to choose a band though, it would probably be of Montreal, The Smiths, or the Beatles. Also, I’m listening to Atmosphere now that I read your post and I just love them!
Oh Atmosphere! I got into them on Seven’s Travels and never looked back. Amazingly, as much as I love ‘Reflections’ I have never seen that clip! Thanks for posting it :D
And I like too many bands/musicians to even begin to pic a fav. Dammit.
I really have taken a liking to this new-ish korean-jazz-pop band called ‘clazziquai,’ I love them so much because they sound like nothing I’ve ever heard, and I keep wanting more. I’m always afraid I may not like some of their songs, but I’m in love with just about all their songs! Not to mention, they’ve got style too.
My favorite band changes so much but I have to say two have stayed constant.
First is Mest. I love them because their beats are amazing, and when I first heard them in high school I could relate to the lyrics a lot. Now when I listen too them They take me back. Their songs never fail to put a smile on my face.
second would be Double Clutch and I pretty much love them for the reasons above. Great songs they always make me smile.
I love Antony and the Johnsons, and The Cure. Antony Hegarty’s voice is AMAZING. My favorite song of theirs is ‘Bird Gehrl’. It’s gorgeous.
The Cure is simply… sigh I really don’t know. I just love all of their songs.
Oh! I almost forgot the Dresden Dolls. I love them, too. And Radiohead. And Depeche Mode.
I need to stop!
Well, I have plenty of favourite bands (portishead, air, the beatles, the killers, modest mouse, midnight juggernauts, the presets, radiohead, scissor sisters and many many more)... but none of them have moved me like one particular singer has (and yes, I know you said BAND, but well, this is an exception)!
I’m talking about Chanel Cole. I was first introduced to her when she auditioned for Australian idol in 2004. I instantly fell in love with her voice, her wit, and her style. I followed her on the show till she came fifth. After the show, she did many small gigs and even released an album with some other cool musos. They formed a band called Spook, and the album was called The Dust Sessions. It was a beautiful down-beat lounge-type album, reminiscent of trip-hop groups Portishead or Massive Attack. Definitely worth a listen if you like trip-hop.
I’ve met her twice so far. Once at a gig she did in Melbourne, and once at her second big concert called ‘colestock’. Basically, a bunch of us from the forum went to her hometown of Bega where she performed at the local RSL. She went out to lunch with us a few times while we were there, which was really nice of her… the two times I’ve met her, she has been really sweet and down to earth.
Anyway, aside from her music, I’ve also met a bunch of really amazing friends from the forum, and I even met my boyfriend from that forum… and we’ve been together for close to 3 years now! She also inspired me to start my own craft business. She wears these really beautiful fascinators in her hair… and I just LOVE fascinators, so I decided to start making some… and that’s how my business started. I now have expanded and make a bunch of other stuff too… but I basically owe it to Chanel for inspiring me to start off in the first place.
At the moment she’s doing other things (although she still does an odd gig here and there)... but I really really hope she releases a solo album one day… that would be incredibly exciting!
If you’re interested in finding out more, you can check out her official site: www.chanelcole.com or visit the fan forum www.chanelcole.cc
Yay!
Thanks for this!
Sorry, made a type, their album was called The DUSK Sessions!
i really enjoy that photo of you.
did you have a lip ring?
i love relient k.
even if i’m not christian…
their lyrics are amazing and make me feel good.
“hope for every fallen man” ...wow.
plus, the music’s just great.
it can make me cry, laugh, dance, think…
and always, always sing along!
I had to read all of the comments on this post for my music obsession is CRAZY sometimes. I’m SO glad The Doors, Of Montreal, Against Me! & Mindless Self Indulgence were mentioned… however!
My favourite band is The Blood Brothers, I really have no clear answer why, their complex lyrics, the mix of a deep voiced singer & one that sounds like he’s been sucking in some serious helium, and they put on one hell of a show. I only saw them once, but I sold my expensive camera to cash converters (such a rip off) to get there, and met 3 of them, totally worth it & definitely was the best night of my life. I cried when they broke up.
I have a few for my different moods.
If I’m melancholy: Death Cab for Cutie
If I’m happy: Rhianna (you can’t help but want to dance!)
If I’m feeling a little bit crazy: ABBA
Other than that it’s always always always INCUBUS!
But my all time favorite is Prelude 12/21 by AFI.
I advise everybody to have a listen to it. It’s truly great.
my favourite band is The Cure because.. I dont think I reeally need to explain myself here..
they really are well named though, whenever I feel blue, I put on the cure and it aalways helps!
my second is Tom Waits (not a band but whatever.)
I can never get tired of him for some reason! it also helps that I share his wife’s name(Kathleen)so whenever he sings her name I pretend hes singing to me. ;)
I forgot to put in Disturbed and Opeth!
The shame I feel!
Lauren – I love Patrick Wolf too! I discovered him a few years ago and he’s still one of my absolute favorite artists.
My favorite band of all time, though, is hands down Jethro Tull. I especially love their stuff from the late 70s, like Songs From the Wood. I love prog rock, and Renaissance madrigals, so that album is a perfect combination of loves for me! I also totally dig Ian Anderson’s concert getup — he would wear leggings with a codpiece and poofy shirts with waistcoats, and dance around on one leg while playing the flute. Totally ridiculous but amazing at the same time. I could go on for ages about Jethro Tull!
Hmmmm… at the moment Panic at the Disco are starring, which feels a bit indulgent for a 33.997 year old (my 34th birthday is tomorrow).
I always, always have The Dresden Dolls and Imogen Heap on my mp3 player.
The artist whose albums I have the most of…
The Black Keys. Placebo. The Dandy Warhols
... but this could be because they’ve all released so many.
I loves my music!!!
My favorite band is The Clash. I really got into them in 7th grade, I was exploring my musical options while everyone else was listening to the same old things. They’ve changed my life and how I view things.
And I love me some Atmosphere!
World/Inferno Friendship Society changed my life( www.worldinferno.com ). Several years ago I met a man on Craigslist, for our only date he took me on a Rocks Off concert cruise to see a band I’d never heard. When we met at the pier it was already thronged with punk rock kids in fantastic clothes, including several sailor hats and water wings, like a band of charming juvenile deliquent pirates. The band played as the boat coasted around the island of Manhattan, they were even more wonderfully motely than their fans and the music was divine. Circus punks, unironic, unapologetic bohemians, their songs of mad love and wild souls and drunken 3 AMs never leave my battered little second hand ipod shuffle and never fail to lift me up and swing me swirling into the hope of the life I want to create for myself. Also, I met my amazing boyfriend because of them and we’re both getting tattoos inspired by a song of their’s, Only Anarchists Are Pretty. We’ve also taken the waltz-mosh that is tradition at their shows and merrily spread it a far afield as we can, at every show we go to.
If anyone wants to take a listen, their myspace has some very good songs up ( www.myspace.com/worldinferno ). Also, they have an acordian (and share its player with The Hold Steady), and I have perhaps an unseemly adoration for acordians.
I look so different now, you might not recognise me.
I like reading your comments, you have some funny readers.
At the moment I am enjoying the sweet nothings of Pulling Teeth, especially their album Martyr Immortal. Honourable mentions go to Cold War Kids & XO Skeletons.
My favourite band is Billy Talent. I adore them. Their songs are all so different, and you can tell they really put a lot into their music. Surrender is my all-time favourite song right now. Plus, the lead guitarist’s hair is…awesome!! (http://www.youtube.com/v/0g1RA28AgOc&hl=en&fs=1).
Other honorable mentions are Linkin Park, System of a Down and Coheed and Cambria.
I totally agree with you Gala, Atmosphere is an amazing group, up there second only to Tegan and Sara because almost every song they write can be applied to something that is going on inside your head, in your life, or in the world. Plus, they are precious, and they are Canadian like me!
Also, Sean is very sexy, no matter what he shit he grows anywhere. If he wants to be ugly to repel people, it’s not working because his sexiness comes from inside, his passion and his passion and his intelligence.
I even wrote a blog post about him:
murdersherote.wordpress.com/20…
I love your blog, esp. when you write about Atmosphere. Vive la Slug & Ant!
oops, the link didn’t work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g1RA2…
my favorite band is tegan & sara, and the reasons are three-fold: 1) their music is dark & weird & perfect, 2) they’re outrageously funny and can always cheer me up, and 3) hot twins. don’t need to explain this. :)
Wow, so many of you like Tegan & Sara! I only know ‘Back In Your Head’ which I loved & THRASHED when it came out. Maybe I need to do some investigating!
Jess — You’re so right. He would be the champion of cute even with a duffel bag on his head ;D
Bright Eyes…which almost isn’t a band cause it’s just Conor and whoever he decides he wants on the record/tour.
Ever since I first heard Lua I was captured by the lyrics and it’s imagery.There is a song for everything by Bright Eyes.It’s hard to explain how much I love Bright Eyes but I listen to a song every day whether I choose to or not it just happens.
My most favourite band in the entire world is Queen :D
I love them so much, it’s really hard to describe why exactly i feel this way.
I was first introduced to their music in more of an intensive way when i saw the We Will Rock You musical and i realised that i really liked all of their songs.
Eventually i came across some of their lesser known songs and i am so grateful that i did because it’s the non-singles that really made me fall in love with Queen.
Seriously, if you have a spare $30 one day, go and buy Queen II. It’s so amazing, it flows wonderfully and has an awesome medieval/fantasy kind of theme to it. If you thought Bohemian Rhapsody was weird, March of the Black Queen will blow your mind!
Another thing i really like about them is that they all wrote songs, there wasn’t just one main lyricist. And because of that, their music is so diverse because of all of their different influences.
I am really passionate about my ‘trifecta,’ Which comprises of Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, and Bright Eyes, and they always have favorite band status, but this entire summer has been defined by…
Radiohead!
Reasons they are perfect: – The lyrics can be incredible and meaningful (My fav – “When I am king, you will be first against the wall / in your opinion which is of no consequence at all – The lyrics can just sound good (Thom repeats ;the rain drops’ 41 times on Sit Down. Stand Up. just because he likes how it sounds. So do I!) – Incredible musicianship. 15 Steps is so named because it is played in 15/12 time. O_O – Danceability! Bodysnatchers, anyone? – They will mope with you. High and Dry is my favorite scorned lover song! – They haven’t made an album I don’t think is genius. – Finally – Paranoid Android. Nuff Said.
Ohmygod, yes L I am so with you!
I adore Bright Eyes, Conor is a poet, pure & simple.
The language techniques he uses…the similes, metaphors, imagery & personification, are exquisite.
Love it!
Buuuut I also love Say Anything.
Max Bemis has such a sharp, witty, sarcastic sense of humour that is prevalent in his songwriting.
Plus they’re pretty damn catchy as well :)
Yay!
Keep up the good work Gala! x
six reasons I love Man Man:
6. clever references to films, classic lit, and folklore.
5. anything that can be described as “viking-vaudeville manic gypsy jazz” has my affection.
4. their seemingly haphazard use of melody and tone color is, in my opinion, absolute genius.
3. Poor Jackie: www.imeem.com/people/09BQlDj/m…
and Whalebones:
www.imeem.com/people/KZysWqO/m…
2. war paint! whistles & noise makers! pots & pans! trumpets, marimbas, and honky-tonk piano!
1. the live shows, though I’ve yet to experience one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p
I am a classical musician by profession, and although that doesn’t necessarily mean I only listen to classical music, it infuses most of my life! I would have to say my top favorite musical groups of all time are the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, or Berlin Philharmonic. If I am learning a symphony I choose to listen to the versions recorded by those orchestras; I love their aesthetic of sound and the interpretations of their conductors. But of course, these things are hotly debated between my peers/colleagues and myself!
If we’re going for non-classical, Sigur Ros, Windsor for the Derby, and the Shins really float my boat :)
Atmosphere is faaaantastic! I’m an avid reader but never a commentor, but this last post spurred me to action!
I have two very different but equally talented singers fighting for my top spot. The first is Ben Kweller, his catchy songs have captured my heart. It also helps that my favorite person in the world introduced me to him, and the song dienu will forever be that friend and I’s theme song. His music has been the soundtrack to some of the happiest moments of my life! The second singer is none other than Sir Elton John, every time Tiny Dancer plays I just can’t help but sing along!
Honourable mention: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Trooper, The Beatles, and Ben Folds Five…
Love your posts though, always amazing! ♥
I love talking about music. I believe that it’s one of the best things ever though of. For that reason I have many people I love.
But the ones that mean most to me are:
The Beatles! One of my friends was quite a sour puss, and she was jealous that I loved music as much as she did, so she tried to pretend that I was clueless and I didn’t get how ‘deep’ my favourite bands were. I believed her, until I listened to the Beatles. I think they are amazing, and a lot of their songs mean the world and more to me. Especially, Let It Be, Yesterday, and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
The Who! They were so awesome. I don’t have much to say except that. And every time I hear Baba O’Riley I get up and head bang. For serious. ;]
Boston, Duffy, David Bowie, Led Zep, etc. etc. My musical loves span many genres and decades, but they all have special places in my heart.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
one word: Porcelain.
Macromantics! Gala, you should totally listen to her if you haven’t already!
Kings of leon : why? They rock. SO MUCH. their lyrics i can relate too, I love them so much. I love the rock vibe and wicked guiter in the songs. I love the mixture of slow, and suductive to fast and obnoxious :) AGHHH saw them in concert this year… best night ever. xoxo
Queen!!. dah!
Freddy mercury is my god.
i base my style upon this man, i always ask myself “ what would Freddy mercury wear if he was a woman with my wardrobe”
Led Zeppelin; I know is uber classic and stuff, but I just adore them…the rawness of their first albums is amazing; the fact that each member of the group is incredibly talented in what they do; the strange and poetic lyrics that pop out in their latest records; they “sex drugs and rock and roll” like no one else; because of the song “The Rain Song”, which is to me the most romantic and beautiful song ever; and because Robert Plant is the most sexy lead singer the world has ever seen (just watch their concerts…is amazing!)
ahhhh atmosphere!
i swear i feel the most confident and stroppy and awesome when i’m walking in the sunshine and listening to modern man’s hustle.
that whole album rules.
love em.
Another classical musician here, though I am a pianist. If I had to choose three classical pianists, it would probably be Sviatoslav Richter, Grigory Sokolov and Martha Argerich. love love love them :D
Speaking about non-classical music though, I think that the groups/artists that have defined me the most are Kino (a Russian rock group from the 80s), Regina Spektor (her music has made every rough period in my life easier), Tegan and Sara, the Decemberists and Zemfira (another Russian poprock singer, she is way awesome).
i appreciate this post…thank you.
i will post my favorite band in the morning :)
I feel the need to give a shout-out for Rasputina. I have waaay too many favorites to count, & many of them have already been listed above by others, but Rasp’s yet to get a mention. Quirky, psuedo-historical cello rock fronted by a vibrato that could’ve bounced off a carnival truck on a bumpy dirt road. What’s not to love?
I don’t think I have a favourite band…I have favourite bands plural. But I’ll say why I like Robots in Disguise since they are probably the /people/ I like most in a band.
7. Their live performances are amazing, so energetic! There are only two of them (and a guest drummer called ‘Ann Droid’) and they switch between instruments (bass, electric guitar, xylophone!) and they both sing. Plus they stage dive, have little dance routines and it’s so good.
6. They’re both feminists who will write about ANYTHING. Seriously! Their second album is the most adventurous in that way as their third album is quite a bit about a break up. But nevertheless. You have to love a band who says ‘It’s not a dirty word, it’s not a dirty word, c’mon use it dream it own it sign it scream it G-I-R-L GIRL’. Hee!
5. Both of them are very pretty and have very much their own style.
4. If it wasn’t for them I probably wouldn’t have discovered iCiNG when in a search for MY own style!
3. They both have changed their names to names which mean ‘other name’. Sue Denim (pseudonym!) and Dee Plume (Nom de Plume, french for pen name I think).
2. Their songs are catchy and fun to dance to. And they have a song called ‘The Sex Has Made Me Stupid’ which has a video which makes me laugh.
1. The song ‘Turn It Up’.
i don’t really have a favourite band which was my crying, laughing and thinking music during bad times and good. i have many, sometimes i go through cycles.
these days, i have A Fine Frenzy on repeat. she is the most gorgeous red head with a beautiful voice. her words are poetry.
Radiohead – persistent favourite :). When I was younger, I liked their easier stuff. For the last few years, I’ve been ga-ga over their middle albums.
Imogen Heap – grown to love her over the last couple of years.
Sooo… what they have in common are uncommon arrangements, melodies, a tendency to cover a crazy vocal range, lyrics that sometimes come outta left field, and a kind of musical fiddliness :).
Honourable mentions to Muse, Massive Attack, Tori Amos, and Tool/Perfect Circle, depending on the album – they’re more mood-music, I guess :).
Yay music :) ♥♥♥
I don’t usually comment here because I feel like I never have anything constructive to add, but I have to declare my undying love for Atmosphere! I have been an aficionado for almost 8 years now. I was introduced to them by a friend from Pheonix, Arizona through the Lucy Ford EPs (he also introduced me to a host of other amazing underground hip hop acts like Aceyalone and the Freestyle Fellowship, the Living Legends, Abstract Rude, Saul Williams…). Sean is one of the, if not THE wittiest, most intelligent and poetic rappers ever (it doesn’t hurt that he is V. sexy without even trying) and Ant’s beats and production values are second to none. I work in the music industry so I am constantly surrounded by great new music, but Atmosphere are a group I always come back to (excuse the pun fellow Atmosphere fans).
oh t.rex for sure. you can’t beat marc bolan or anything on electric warrior.
orange juice, particularly ‘rip it up’ never fails to cheer me with its bouncy harmonics. i am still searching fruitlessly for ‘you can’t hide your love forever’ on vinyl. and simon & garfunkel, always… my friends and i play their records nonstop in our apartment. ‘america’ might be my favorite song of all time, and my parents would play ‘for emily, whenever i may find her’ for me when i was a baby.
I think my favourite band has changed along with my personality over the years.
When I was a kid my favourite band (or group, I guess) was Take That. My room was covered in posters with them, I was head over heels in love with Mark Owen and I listened to them ALL the time. When I was 10 I went to the DPRK for 4 months with my mother, around the time that Nobody Else came out, and I remember my sister bought the album back home, and my brother recorded it on cassette tape and sent it to me. I was so happy, and my brother was my favourite person in the world, haha. I was really sad when they broke up, but got over it, of course. I saw them live last year for the first time in my life after their reunion, and it was amazing. I love their music still, but in another way, I guess.
The next favourite band in my life was Silverchair. I saw the video for Freak on a youth tv show one day, and thought Daniel Johns was the hottest person I had ever seen in my life. So I bought Freakshow and Frogstomp and fell in love with them. This must have been around 97 or so. Every day that went by I felt worse and worse, for reasons I couldn’t really explain to anyone and I felt very alone. When Neon Ballroom came out in 99 I felt, for the first time, that I wasn’t alone in the way I was feeling. This album is probably the one I have listened to the most in my life, as it really came at the perfect time, where I needed something or someone. I was obsessed with Australia as well, and met someone online whom I fell in love with and saw in real life and fell even more in love with and I just wanted to go to Australia and listen to Silverchair and hold his hand (even though he hated them). Diorama is the last album I bought with them, thought. It felt like Daniel Johns was getting happier, and so was I, but I couldn’t really re-connect with him, so to speak. I still listen to the old albums from time to time, and I still like it. But it also brings back a lot of painful memories, so I try not to do it too much.
My last favourite band is The Microphones. I think Phil Elverum touched me in the same kind of way that Daniel Johns did. He made me want to become a better person, he made me want to find peace, find myself after so many years of feeling absolutely lost. I have had the pleasure of meeting him several times, and he is probably the nicest person I have ever met.
I think music has definitely been my best friend and has helped me through a lot of hard times, more than anyone or anything. Lately though, I really want to connect with people, more than music, and I have found that the music I listen to really influences my mood. So I try to listen to music that makes me happy, open and upbeat. A lot of pop, hip hop and such. So amazing what it does to you! I have loved Atmosphere for a couple of years as well, and will be seeing them this month for the third time :)
Whoa, long comment!
Iron and Wine ~!sewwwwwwwwwwwwwww ~ beautiful
mil i totally agree! i love orange juice. fabulous band. and emma i agree on iron and wine too! cinder and smoke is one of my favourite songs :D
my favourite band changes all the time. i have a short attention span and love to hunt for new music. currently i love band of horses, M.I.A, thao and the get down stay down, fleet foxes, and i always put on michael jackson to cheer myself up!
Atari Teenage Riot! I discovered them when I was about 13 and really loved their fresh, digital punk sound. Also the fact that a woman was producing this type of music inspired me to make my own. I’m now 21 and they were my portal to the noisy terror rave scene, my boyfriend and I have now set up a record label releasing anti-music and digi-punk and it’s going so well!
Hello to mil, fellow T Rex fan! I love ‘Tanx,’ the album you’re supposed to hate. And I couldn’t pick a favourite song, though most of the ones I like best are B-sides… ‘Cadillac,’ scandalllously underrated song. I also love ‘Thunderwing’... Marc was a god
Favorite… has to be New Order for me.
Reasons…
I like their songs so much, I never get tired of listening to them. That’s a big one.
I also think that they represent an era, a certain style & a certain mood (mysterious & dramatic & nervous) that goes with all of that. A new culture perhaps?
I like their vinyl artwork – so cool :) I think they knew what they were doing & they were doing it right. They worked with special people.
I love their synths & the dominance of the basslines of Peter Hook.
I’m completely biased too, I know their background & I know the artists they were inspired by – like Kraftwerk (which is like my second favorite band – but on a more emotional level I think)
“Blue Monday“ is a masterpiece. People know that song, even if they don’t know who the f. New Order is :)
The fact that they were a part of Joy Division. Ian Curtis, droool.
I feel close to the words they use (umm…I’m trying to say something here).
So I could list more things but that’s enough – it’s been a long comment anyway.
Wow, thanks Gala for reminding me how much I love music in general again :) smooch. I’m in the mood for digging up some old CD’s & remembering the old days, ha-ha.
Definately Massive Attack firstly… Especially ‘Dissolved Girl’
There’s just no – one quite like them
and Placebo next, I mean who can resist ‘Meds’?
My favourite band is Fairport Convention, and they are absolutely wonderful! I love them to pieces!
They’re a folk-rock band who are in their 41st year (!!) – although the line-up has changed! They’re often credited as being the first English electric-folk/folk-rock band, and has had their album Leige and Lief voted as the most influential folk album of all time, as well as having a Lifetime Achievement Award… But enough of that – they are the most amazing musicians, and the friendliest people you could ever wish to meet!
I see them about four times every year, and because of this Ric (the violinist) now knows my name (!), and whenever they see me they know that I’ll ask for a photograph with them.
I’m currently way, way, way too excited because I’m seeing them tomorrow night and I haven’t seen them since February (which is such a long time, squee!). And from Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning I get to spend every waking moment at their festival (Fairport’s Cropredy Convention) jumping up and down in the most excited of manners!
Eeeeeeeee!
Here’s the last.fm page!
xxxLib
& I have to say, it’s so nice to read the comments! We are talking about music (which is my favorite topic, I just realized that all the people I know; I’ve met them because of music)!!!
This is the first time I have read all the comments :D
For me, it will always be The Cure. Because they are just the right shade of happysad.
Oooh, I have to chime in here, especially because I doubt that many readers have heard of my favorite band, so that gives me the chance to advertise, yay!
My favorite band is The Ark. They’re Swedish. Their music tends to be described as glam rock, but really it’s much more versatile than that (no offense to glam rock fans, it’s just that The Ark’s music doesn’t really fit one single genre). It’s highly melodic and filled with lots of pathos (the good kind) and almost always, it’s highly danceable. It’s feel good music, but not in a shallow, bubble gum way (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), it’s the kind of music that will fill you with the sheer joy of being alive.
Also, the lyrics their singer Ola Salo writes are often very deep and philosophical, and his message of being yourself is put across in a way that is both touching and fun – check out the song “It Takes A Fool To Remain Sane” as proof. It’s my personal hymn, really.
I was lucky enough to meet Ola for an interview last year, and he is one of the most amazing personalities I have ever met. Off stage, he is rather shy, very eloquent and smart and basically the type of guy that makes you think: “Oh honey, let me sit at your feet and listen to you speak your mind, because your words are so intelligent and enlightening”, while on stage, he is this larger than life – Queen fans, please forgive me for the comparison, but that’s just he way I see it – Freddy Mercury type persona that makes you think (well, if you can call it “thinking”...) “Oh honey, let me lick the sweat off your body!” So, the best of both worlds, really. ;-)
I have loved this band since early 2001, and they have never disappointed me, not on cd, not live, not in person. They’re wonderful. Sorry for going on and on, but I can’t keep it short and sweet when it comes to The Ark. Love, love, love.
Katrina: “ what would Freddy mercury wear if he was a woman with my wardrobe”
Bwahahah That has got to be the coolest comment I’ve ever read! :D
My favourite band changes every few years, as I tend to grow out of music, or wear it out a bit by listening to it too much! Past favourites have been Tool and Green Day.
At the moment, the band I listen to the most is Elemeno P. Their music is bouncy and happy and fun, and makes me feel energetic. I can relate to their lyrics at the moment, so I have very personal associations for them. Still their music fills me with happiness, and energy, and hope.
Heehee, I’m a sap! :D
I think my favourite band would be either Air or Cocteau Twins. Air’s music is just unexplainably awesome – I’ve been addicted to their sound since I was 10 and a teacher played them in class! Cocteau Twins’ music is so beautiful, and Elizabeth Fraser’s voice is the most breathtaking I’ve ever heard. Of course, no one in school ever has any idea who either of them are, so I’ve lost them there!
Biffy Clyro are,to me, the most amazing band ever. they were the first band that made me think “wow, this is what music is supposed to sound like”. Theyre weird and disjointed and crazy sounding and despite becoming bigger in britain in the last few years, they’ve never completely changed the way they sound. And i adore them so! I think in the space of 5 or 6 years I’ve seen them live 10 or 11 times….I’ve lost count! x
Ok, so i’ve already posted but i just have to say this – you can’t be much of a fan of Queen if you don’t know that the lead singer’s name is Freddie – NOT Freddy!
Sorry, that just really irritates me…
meg – I LOVE JETHRO TULL TOO!
my parents were hardcore fans in the seventies (thier first date was a jethro tull concert!) and so I grew up listening to them! they were my very first concert as well..
WHO else can have a flute-driven rock band and still ROCK SO HARD?!
Kati! Robots in Disguise! YES!
They are rad. THAT is what a feminist looks like!