Vinyl Me Please Essentials

Indymisanthrope said:
The Avett Brothers, like RHCP, are a band that score well on multiple criteria but comes up short for me in the totals. And have only existed for about 60% of the timeframe under discussion. Give it another 10 years and see what happens? Maybe put My Morning Jacket in this bucket as well?
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MMJ is my first instinct for best rock band of the last 25 years, though they've certainly put out a sub-par album or two in that time.
 
Indymisanthrope said:
The Avett Brothers, like RHCP, are a band that score well on multiple criteria but comes up short for me in the totals. And have only existed for about 60% of the timeframe under discussion. Give it another 10 years and see what happens? Maybe put My Morning Jacket in this bucket as well?
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Yes! Thank you, I was trying to think of at least a third one.
 
Indymisanthrope said:
The Avett Brothers, like RHCP, are a band that score well on multiple criteria but comes up short for me in the totals. And have only existed for about 60% of the timeframe under discussion. Give it another 10 years and see what happens? Maybe put My Morning Jacket in this bucket as well?
Click to expand...
I think they fail on the album standpoint - enjoyable live band and some great tunes, but only one album that I think is better than the general good range.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
MMJ is my first instinct for best rock band of the last 25 years, though they've certainly put out a sub-par album or two in that time.
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Bearded Dad Rock.

In all seriousness, I think they're a strong contender for best of the last 25, certainly a Top 10 rock group during that period. The aforementioned albums of Z, At Dawn, and It Still Moves are great, but my favorite is the live album, Okonokos. Love that one.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
MMJ is my first instinct for best rock band of the last 25 years, though they've certainly put out a sub-par album or two in that time.
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BjorgenFjorgen said:
Favourite MMJ album? At Dawn, but Z and It Still Moves are also pretty much perfect.
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I really struggle with MMJ. On paper I should like them, and I really liked Jim's Eternally Even, but they're just such a snooze for me. I've been stunned each time I've seen the crowds they draw at a festival. I'd like to get it, but it just hasn't clicked so far.
wmeugene said:
I think they fail on the album standpoint - enjoyable live band and some great tunes, but only one album that I think is better than the general good range.
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My wife is a huuuuge Avetts fan, so I've seen them in concert multiple times, and yeah I think this is right. Their shows have a good energy, but I have no idea what the heck any of their music is actually about. Something about them rubs me the wrong way, but that may just be a personal thing.
 
Selaws said:
The Roots are one of those groups where once you scratch the surface you soon realize they have been so so so influential in the world of music. They have guided, produced, and assisted a crazy amount of now renown musicians including Erykah Badu, Common, D'Angelo (Voodoo won a Grammy), Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, John Legend, Elvis Costello, Slum Village, etc. They have also worked on films and broadway shows, most notably 'Hamilton' (where The Roots are credited as producers). This is all before we even mention their own albums.

They have released 11 studio albums (9 of which ranked within the top 5 US R&B Charts, and 7 breaking the top 20 US Charts) 2EP's, and 3 collaborative albums (2 breaking the top 20 US Charts). They have 3 Grammy's (not including the Grammy won for Hamilton) plus countless other awards. Their live shows are constantly ranked as being amongst the best in the world, and the critical reviews match this claim. Its difficult to state their net worth from music alone, but Black Thought has a net value of $12Million and Questlove had $16Million. Its more than likely that a considerable chunk of this stems from their albums. I would also add that they are one of those groups where you may struggle to name a song by them, but they actually have a load of instantly recognizable songs.

I completely agree with you that a lot of people will only know them as 'Jimmy Fallon's House Band', but the reason they were offered that role is BECAUSE of their already stellar career. In fact, when first approaching them with the offer Fallon completely expected to be turned down by them, and it wasn't until Questlove turned the corner to see Fallon and the rest of the Roots messing around (they were on the floor making a human pyramid) that they agreed to be part of it (they thought it would be a good platform to remove the pressures of their other work and just play around).

This was a actually a fun exercise :LOL:
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This is a fantastic assessment, and you didn't even have to mention how amazing their live show has been for 25+ (?) years.

These guys are no strangers to taking an odd gig that probably pays very well. Seen them 3 times in 3 atypical situations: 1. Kool-sponsored event in Nashville (~2005, free menthols), 2. Music festival that my college sponsored also in Nashville (2007; The Roots, Wolfmother, and Drive-By Truckers headlined), 3. Jazz Fest after show at the Orpheum where they started at about 2:00am (2016; Anthony Mackie standing next to me, Craig Robinson also in attendance).
 
Indymisanthrope said:
The Avett Brothers, like RHCP, are a band that score well on multiple criteria but comes up short for me in the totals. And have only existed for about 60% of the timeframe under discussion. Give it another 10 years and see what happens? Maybe put My Morning Jacket in this bucket as well?
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IMO : the "lyrics" of Anthony Kiedis should automatically disqualify RCHP from any contention.

BjorgenFjorgen said:
MMJ is my first instinct for best rock band of the last 25 year.
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I knew I was forgetting a strong contender.
 
Indymisanthrope said:
I'd like to get it, but it just hasn't clicked so far.
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I love this assessment, speaking in generalities basically aimed a younger version of myself. There were so many bands/artists that I have "grown into" over time. My attitude used to be if a band didn't click with me that obviously the band must suck, who could like that garbage? to later discover the joke was on me, because a lot of music I hated/thought boring/didn't understand 10-15 years ago are now some of my favorite. Life's funny like that.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
As Dad rock or as the best bands of the last 25 years?
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Missed this, but best bands. I'm having second thoughts about MMJ in connection with Avetts or Decemberist. Listening to MMJ again I'm getting a Phosphorescent vibe more than anything.

Anyway best is really hard to say and that's why I think rock has so many different sub categories.
 
Indymisanthrope said:
I really struggle with MMJ. On paper I should like them, and I really liked Jim's Eternally Even, but they're just such a snooze for me. I've been stunned each time I've seen the crowds they draw at a festival. I'd like to get it, but it just hasn't clicked so far.
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That's completely fair, and actually a pretty good echo of what I'd say about Radiohead. They should be right up my alley, but they haven't clicked yet.

Like most bands, I think the context in which you first hear them plays a huge role in developing a relationship with/getting into them. I only first heard them in the summer of 2011, after Circuital came out (which most hardcore fans don't like much), but the title track just gripped me. I worked backward pretty quickly and At Dawn and Z became the soundtracks to late-night drives through the country going home from my summer job and drinking outside with my friends. Those will always be some of my most vivid memories of a pretty important time (my early 20s), so that relationship with the music makes it that much more special to me.
 
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