RE: A Grumpy Old Man in Search of New Music
As a Gen X-er, my formative years were through the 90s. I was an avid listener to grunge and rock at the time, so bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Faith No More, Metallica, and Tool were staples as well as stuff like Blind Melon and Days of the New. My tastes have grown to include classic rock like Zeppelin, Yes, and Hendrix. I also listen to Mudvayne and Slipknot and have recently gotten into Volbeat. John Mayer, Ed Sheerhan, Kaleo, Red Wanting Blue, Ray Lamontagne, Ben Howard, Mumford and Sons, and others along that line have become part of my regular listening, as well. This is a short list of the artists I can pull off the top of my head.
If I look at that list, there is a pattern. I like guitars, I like songwriters, I like lyrics, and I am open to a wide variety of styles.
You are correct that it is a challenge, but it is out there. Either their aren't as many musicians or they just don't have the vehicles for wide spread exposure like they did, but you can find decent artists if you look.
"Yes" is among my top 3 favourite modern bands. They are all fantastic musicians, performers and personalities.
If I may, I would recommend listening to Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree. If you listen to two albums of each (PT being Wilson's former band) I'm sure you'd fall in love with them, though PT isn't exactly "modern modern".
The "Karnivool" albums, Sound Awake and Asymmetry are both excellent MUST LISTEN albums.
If you're up for the challenge, then I strongly recommend getting into bands like, The Mars Volta and Between The Buried And Me.
I really enjoy Queens of the Stoneage as they are what I believe to be the epitome of a Rock 'n Roll band in the current decade.
If you're into jazz then I have about 100 artists to add to that list, but since you mentioned "rock" bands I gave you my list of musics that I'm never without.
Do with it as you want :)
Thanks! I am going to start at the top and work my way down. I have listened to some Mars Volta and I like some of their songs, The Widow comes to mind. I will give them another listen. I found them around the same time as I discovered Coheed and Cambria, another band that has some good tunes. I agree with Queens of the Stoneage.
I do like Jazz, but am kind of particular. Kenny Burrell is one I can listen to all day.
The Mars Volta (TMV) are very different from album to album because the sidemen have often changed per studio album. The one I linked is their first album after At the Drive-In split and is a phenomenal concept album about the protagonist exploring their deep subconscious, suicide, trains, submarines, a giant beetle-harpy, and tarsiers. Two of their other albums most varied to De-loused are "The Bedlam In Goliath" and "Noctourniquet"—both magnificent creatures!
Brad Mehldau's "Largo" and Aaron Parks' "Invisible Cinema" are two really good-sounding modern jazz combo bands.
Porcupine Tree is pretty good. I listened to the first album and then bits and pieces of other albums. Great guitar work and some interesting song writing. I picked up on a Beatles vibe for a lot of songs, which is not a bad thing. His lyrics lost me on a few, but overall great suggestion. Thanks for recommending.