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Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

KevinHeaven posted:

Where do I start with Einstürzende Neubauten?

Halber Mensch and that one that begins with a Z are the best of their early ones. Kollaps is a bit all over the place but good anyway. The later stuff has some highlights but doesn't compare to the first few LPs, Silence Is Sexy is probably the best of the '90s albums.

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Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Fuzzy Cosmonaut posted:

Where do i Start with Ethio-Jazz, Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, Mulatu Astatke and such?

The Ethiopiques comps. It's not like there's much else to dig. Mulatu's new LPs are good too.

Fela and afrobeat are essentially synonymous. Start with stuff he released in the mid-'70s: Shakara, Roforofo Fight, Zombie, Expensive poo poo, London Scene etc.

Beyond that, if you're interested in African music of the '70s, give Orchestre Polyrythmo de Cotonou a listen.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

EAT DOG TODAYYYY posted:

This may be a stupid question, but I was wondering where one would gain a representative taste of Stevie Wonder's work.

There seems to be quite a bit, and my assumption is that it's not all chugging through. I really have very little idea, though. I was just watching High Fidelity for the nth time and took a liking to the closing song this time around for some reason.

Innervisions > Songs in the Key of Life > some of the earlier Motown poo poo (Signed, Sealed & Delivered?) > Talking Book > Fulfillingness' First Finale

Anything after '79 (Secret Life of Plants) is, uhh, risky...

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

chitinid posted:

How abooout The Strokes?

Listen to The Cribs instead.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

the Bunt posted:

Fela Kuti?

Ras Michael?

Shakara/Lady, London Scene, Expensive poo poo, Roforofo Fight, Gentleman.

The Dadawah LP, the Lee Perry produced record (can't remember the title).

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

TheNintenGenius posted:

Rum Sodomy and the Lash is the best bet for a starting point since it tells you basically everything you need to know about the band and is awesome to boot. Their first three albums are all excellent, honestly. Haven't had a chance to listen to anything beyond those.

The next two LPs after If I Should... are worthwhile too. Beyond that, less so, the rarities box set is a better listen than the last couple of records imo. Be sure to get the deluxe edition of Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, as it contains the Poguetry in Motion EP, probably their best work.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

The Schwa posted:

Ali Farka Touré? I have Talking Timbuktu with Ry Cooder but that's all.

The two s/t's from the '80s usually marketed as Red and Green are his best imo. He got more boring and westernised in the '90s, but The Source and Niafunké are still pretty decent.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

HateTheInternet posted:

How about The Fall for someone who hates compilation albums?

The second and third discs of the Peel Sessions box. It's a series of EPs, you shouldn't complain.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

NihilCredo posted:

I want to go on a trip through the chanson française, Brassens in the first place, but also Ferré, Aznavour and Gainsbourg (I'm already familiar with Brel and Piaf). What are some good recordings to start from?

Ferré's "Amour Anarchie" is loving amazing. I'm less into Brassens, but that's probably because I don't speak French and his music is quite low-key. I have a bunch of comps, wouldn't pick a fav just make sure it has La mala reputación (whatever the original title is, I'm more familiar with Paco Ibanez's Spanish version...). Aznavour always struck me as dull, so nothing to say there. For Gainsbour's proper chanson period, the Confidentiel compilation and "Du chant à la une!" are solid picks. Then you might as well proceed chronologically from there until you get bored, it's all good.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Allen Wren posted:

Now, here's one I'm wondering about---Lee "Scratch" Perry. I've been hearing him a lot lately, between spinning Hello Nasty for the first time in ages, running across a Gang Gang Dance remix he did, and a track from one of his recent albums where Tunde from TV on the Radio showed up. And the man puts out something like an album every four or five months, he's a machine. Where does one even begin beginning?

Long answer: very little of what Scratch has done since the late '70s is genuinely worth listening to, at least from my perspective as a reggae head. There's a few obvious points to begin with for his earlier career: the Arkology 3CD box set compiles many of his best productions and their dub mixes, there's The Congos' album Heart of the Congos and Max Romeo & The Upsetters' War Ina Babylon, his two best album-length productions, and then there's his best Black Ark solo album, Soul Fire. Beyond that, some divergent paths to explore would be his early ska recordings (such as "Chicken Scratch", which gave him the nickname), the pre-Island Wailers stuff, the early Upsetters instrumentals, his Black Ark production history for (among others) George Faith, The Meditations, Junior Murvin, Jah Lion etc., the Upsetters dub albums (staring with 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle with King Tubby, the first dub record, Super Ape is real good too), and then his post-Black Ark work, of which the Mad Professor collabs are by far the best, and most others have little but novelty value.

Short answer: Arkology or Heart of the Congos.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Allen Wren posted:

Genius. Appreciate the thorough reply.

Oh, just noticed that I mixed up the title of that solo album, it's called Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread, Soul Fire is a song off it :)

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Not An Irish Monk posted:

they never made anything even mediocre.

This is true, although we may not be looking at it quite the same way.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Polegrinder posted:

How about traditional Moroccan music? I'd prefer non-vocal if possible. Nothing new age either.

I only know gnawa, but Mahmoud Guinia, Hassan Hakmoun and Nass El Ghiwane are the big names in that niche.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Rubber Biscuit posted:

Where do I start with detroit techno? Any compilations I should be checking out?

That comp 28GBB mentioned is poo poo, go for retrospectives instead: Juan Atkins' 20 Years Metroplex, Derrick May's Innovator, Shake Shakir's Frictionalism are probably my favourites. For mixes, Robert Hood's Fabric mix is massif, as are Jeff Mill's Live at the Liquid Room and DJ Rolando's Aztek Mystic Mix.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Schiavona posted:

This is super broad, but where do I start with Bossa Nova? Say I wanted a fifteen track mix to get a feel of the genre, what's a good starting point?

A few classics:

http://youtu.be/G-G8-M10BZ4 (album has the same title)
http://youtu.be/tHEQ-m4KSaQ ("Elis & Tom")
http://youtu.be/NOQfwNhmlgg ("Dez Anos Depois")
http://youtu.be/9YxHjSH917c (weird version, but Nara's isn't on youtube)
http://youtu.be/dCa0nwZ7Se8 (all of Vinicius' albums with Baden Powell and Toquinho are sublime)
http://youtu.be/CzRfUUJelcg ("A Música De Edu Lobo Por Edu Lobo")
http://youtu.be/a4SUDEGAhXs (Chico's never really done straight bossa nova, but talking about '50s-'60s Brazilian music without reference to him would be absurd)

For broader compilations, Soul Jazz Records put out two really good ones last year, and there's a pretty expansive Brazilian one from ages ago, titled "Bossa Nova, Sua Historia, Sua Gente" iirc.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Schiavona posted:

Thanks. I picked up the SJR album off their website and it's good, and I've been listening to a lot of Nara Leao on Spotify. I really like her music, is it the most "traditional" or "popular" bossa nova?

Well she's a lot of things, depends on what you've been listening to. A traditional-popular dichotomy doesn't really make a lot of sense, since the genre's always happily coexisted with styles like samba-canção (crooner kind of stuff) and MPB (the "modern" style of samba & bossa that came around in the early '60s). All of her albums between '64 and '71 are definitely great stuff, containing just lots and lots of bossa classics, and the least "tradtional" of those is the '68 s/t, as it was arranged by the tropicália figure Rogério Duprat. After '71's Dez Anos Depois she went all pop and boring imo, but that was a general trend, I can hardly think of an interesting bossa album made after the mid-'70s.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Iraff posted:

What's the best Serge Gainsbourg?

For the most famous late '60s "psychedelic" period: Initials B.B., Histoire de Melody Nelson, and the album with Jane Birkin (I think the title is just their names)

Chanson: Confidentiel, Du chant à la une !...

Reggae: Aux armes et cætera, Mauvaises nouvelles des étoiles

Talking quietly about weird scary poo poo over a sleazy euro-funk beat: L'homme à tête de chou, Vu de l'extérieur

Soundtracks: Le cinéma de Serge Gainsbourg: Musiques de Films 1959-1990 (duh), Anna, Cannabis

Inexplicable bizrre stuff: Gainsbourg percussions ("world music"), Rock Around the Bunker (nazi rock), Love on the Beat (deranged synth-pop)

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

TheNintenGenius posted:

Where do I start with Dr. John, given that I've started to become interested in him and notice that he's released over 20 loving albums.

if you're interested in him as an "alternative" NO rnb artist, check out Gris-Gris, Babylon, The Sun, Moon & Herbs, and his latest, Locked Down. If more traditional stuff appears more interesting, give Dr John's Gumbo, In the Right Place, Goin' Back to New Orleans, or N'awlinz Dis Dat or d'Udda a listen.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

karl fungus posted:

Where do I start with Kyuss? Dire Straits? The Stranglers?

Welcome to Sky Valley > that blue something thing > the rest stinks.
Who cares.
Whe first LP like with every punk band.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Criminal Minded posted:

I have no clue where to dive in with Sun City Girls.

Torch of the Mystics is probably their best and least stupid record. After that I'd go for Grotto of Miracles and the s/t debut, 330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond the Rig Veda and the monumental Box of Chameleons.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

TheQuietWilds posted:

I'm looking for some new Jazz suggestions.

I'd say my two favorite albums right now are Saxophone Colossus (Sonny Rollins) and Blues and Roots (Mingus). I really like how these albums combine a jazz soloing and composition sensibility, memorable melodies and the feel and rhythms of other styles (calypso and blues). Any suggestions for albums to follow these up? I have a pretty big collection of Mingus already. I also really love Mingus Plays Piano and Monk Alone. Any other good solo piano albums I should definitely be checking out?

You familiar with Duke Ellington? If not, start with Far East Suite and move on from there.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Wheat Loaf posted:

What's a good starting point for Dr John?

Not in the late 70s and the 80s. The first six-ish records are his best, but Goin' Back to New Orleans, N'awlinz Dis Dat or d'Udda and Locked Down are great too. I'd go for Gris-Gris and Gumbo first, though The Sun, Moon & Herbs is probably my favourite.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Attitude Indicator posted:

Personally I've ended up thinking that singles are the most boring and predictable songs of an album most of the time.

Spoken like someone who only listens to indie rock and viking metal.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Cymbal Monkey posted:

State of Shock sounds like some porto-godspeed! I'm so sold.

I don't really remember that album, but I'm sort of baffled and offended by this comparison

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

hatelull posted:

Eric Dolphy

On that last one, I understand there's a "good period" and a "not so great" period? I'm looking to avoid straight up cheeseball new age tones.

Out to Lunch is one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded, Far Cry is a classic on its own right and Out There is very good. The earlier albums aren't quite there yet. There's a lot of live albums around too - the Five Spot dates are classics, and I think a lot of the European recordings are quite good too.

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Schiavona posted:

Bad Religion has been around for a long time. Where to start, where to skip?

Everything up to Generator is fine, with Suffer and No Control the best ones. Everything after that is tolerable at best

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Llyr posted:

Dr. John?

Gris Gris and Sun, Moon & Herbs are the best of his weirdo stuff, Gumbo and In the Right Place of the traditional stuff. The late 70s and 80s stuff is mostly trash but he's made several successful "comebacks" so there's a lot to check out

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Epi Lepi posted:

I'm not a huge rap guy, I only really listen to a couple modern rappers like Kanye and Kendrick, but I watched the Defiant Ones on HBO and it made me want to try some of the old Death Row Records artists. My question is if the Death Row Records Greatest Hits album is any good or if I should try something else to get a sampling of those artists.

There's only like... five Death Row albums you need to listen to, so - like, that comp looks fine, but if you have the slightest interest in rap you're gonna want to listen to albums like The Chronic or Doggystyle or All Eyez On Me anyway

e: I mean technically plenty of people associated with Death Row made great records but that's like a step beyond the absolute entry level

Ras Het fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Jul 14, 2017

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

me your dad posted:

Jesus and Mary Chain?

I just heard the track Dirty Water and I loved it.

Dirty Water is extremely unrepresentative of Mary Chain's career. Listen to Stoned & Dethroned and if you really like it, try Darklands. Then Psychocandy, Honey's Dead, Automatic and the rest, I guess

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.
Some of the 90s albums sound like the Von Sudenfed record. Shift-Work might be a good one to try, or maybe The Marshall Suite. And Infotainment Scan is good too yeah

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.
"went a bit more radio-friendly, even played to a ballet" is an absurd take considering what a great and weird album Kurious Oranj is, and I can't say I'd second some of your other observations either

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

F_Shit_Fitzgerald posted:

Thanks for the Bowie suggestions. I tried out Ziggy Stardust and although it didn't "hit the spot" for me like The Man Who Sold The world (especially after Nov. 8th of last year), the music was good.

I'm finding myself beginning to get into Reggae a little bit. I never had anything against it, but I never paid much attention to it until just recently. So with this in mind, where would someone begin with Bob Marley?

I have a soft spot for corny late Marley like Kaya, but his genuinely best records are Catch a Fire and the pre-fame Wailers ones, Soul Rebels and Soul Revolution (better known by the reissue title African Herbsman). Whether those are the best places to start I don't know, I can't really remember how I got into reggae

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.
Intervision and Organism are the "important" albums but they sound preeetty late 90s so ymmv

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Kvlt! posted:

Dub music? I love the dub-inspired basslines of stuff like Bauhaus and I'm a big fan of the dub versions of Israel Vibration and Peter Tosh albums. Looking for "traditional" dub, not as much modern electronic-type stuff.

Augustus Pablo's King Tubbys Meets the Rockers Uptown is probably the #1 dub album, beyond that you might check out anything by Pablo, King Tubby, Prince Jammy, Scientist etc from before 1985, the style changes at that point when they get synths. Scratch Perry was also important, particularly early on: Upsetters 14 Dub Black Board Jungle (also featuring Tubby) is maybe the first "genuine" dub record. But it all sounds pretty much the same and you'll know after a few records if it's something you'll really want to dive into

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

ultrafilter posted:

I really like Talking Heads but I've never looked too much into David Byrne's solo work. Where do I start with that?

None of his solo records are particularly great, although obviously the first album with Eno has its fans. I guess you could check out both of the Eno records, then Rei Momo and Look Into the Eyeball. If you like those, hey, you've got a whole world ahead of you, if you don't then there's definitely nothing better coming up

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Keret posted:

Bossa Nova?

The guy at the coffeeshop lent me an Antonio Carlos Jobim compilation and I'm a big fan of it, but prior to now my only real exposure to Bossa Nova has been Thievery Corporation's interpretations of it in their early stuff.

I by and large dislike Jobim's lounge piano style so ymmv, but Soul Jazz Records' bossa nova and Elenco compilations are fairly representative of the scene. The absolute no question 100% essential albums are João Gilberto's first two LPs and Elis Regina & Jobim's LP. The s/t with the white cover by Gilberto is pretty classic too. Vinicius de Moraes' records are personal favs of mine but he's not exactly a great singer. Beyond that you've got Edu Lobo, Nara Leão, Zimbo Trio, the aforementioned Elis Regina, Carlos Lyra, Elizeth Cardoso and many others I'm forgetting now. Bossa nova didn't last for many years, because by ~'65 the popular sound in Brazil was already way more baroque, but there's a fair few records

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.
Arkology, then look up the albums that the songs you like are on

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.
It's pretty obvious that MES wasn't trying to do something Fall-like with the solo records or the records with that Ed whatshisname so I don't know how they invalidate the fact that Fall was a band built around him

Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

Siivola posted:

Count Basie's small combo recordings? I know he did some work with a smaller band in the fifties, but finding any releases is a bit of a hassle.

The Penguin Jazz Guide from 2006, which I still trust in these kinds of things, doesn't particularly recommend anything, but this at least has come out since: https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/count-basie-albums/4713-complete-1952-1956-small-group-studio-recording.html

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Ras Het
May 23, 2007

when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child - but now I am a man.

ultrafilter posted:

I like every ABBA song I've ever heard, but I haven't heard much. Are the albums worth digging into?

Yes.

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