Modern/new Bands That Are Good

[Luxury-Yacht]

I know how easy it is to dismiss most/all modern music as shit. I know, I've done it too. We've all heard/participated in lamenting the fall if music and how music is now shallow and terrible and dead for all future generations.

But today, we're going to do an exercise to pick ourselves up and look on the bright side of things in the musical world.

Many of our favorite bands may not exist or tour or even be alive today, but that doesn't mean that we can't find bands that are NEW and SHINY that are good as well. So, instead of feeling bad for ourselves because Led Zeppelin isn't doing studio work, let's all chip in and name a band or two that is new (let's say that they should still be active and formed during the late 90's AT THE LATEST) that gives us faith in future music.

Name a modern active band that you like and you feel that other people should look up. Give a brief description of their genre/style and any other interesting bits about them, and then feel free to link to one of their songs.

PLEASE try to refrain from repeating the same bands as everyone else and posting the same songs. Try to name bands that haven't been pointed out yet. I'll kick it off.

Gogol Bordello. Self-described "gypsy punk", these guys fuse eastern European folk stylings with punk music. Sounds weird, but it's incredible. Someone made a thread about them earlier today, but I had to name them. Example song: Wonderlust King.

The Mars Volta. A sort of modern progressive rock band, these guys can go from Pink Floyd-like white noise with faint dialogue over it to hard rock/metal guitar. Their vocalist is also very talented. Example song: L'Via L'Viaquez.

Enter the Haggis. From the late 90's, these guys are still making albums. They're celtic rock/world music. Example song: Gasoline (it's a live version, the studio one is better quality).

Kasabian. An English rock band. A bit indie-ish, but they have a good sound and the instrumentals are tight. Example song: L.S.F. (the NG artist ShirtTurtle did an animated music video for this song, look it up, it's L.S.F.).

Beirut. Another example of Eastern European folk music fusion, this time it's with a more pop-rock type sound. They also make use of brass orchestral music from time to time. A very interesting sound, indeed. Example song: Brandenburg.

Alright, that should be a good point to leave off. Now, YOU guys educate everyone.

[C-Doodlez-Man]

Green day with their latest album

oh yes

[C-Doodlez-Man]

Creed is back too I beleive

[Luxury-Yacht]

At 7/6/09 09:39 PM, Tramps wrote: Kasabian have been out for a few years.

Only a few years. Their first studio album was in 2003, and they had only just formed by 1999. I'd say they're fairly modern.

[liljim]

In my opinion, some of the enemy's stuff isn't so bad.

[EverReady2Kill]

The Strokes
The Killers
MGMT
Muse
Interpol

[6r0undZ3r0]

A Day to Remember. I personally like their Homesick and For Those Who Have Heart albums the best.

[xCutieBaabe14x]

At 7/6/09 09:43 PM, EverReady2Kill wrote: The Strokes

1998

The Killers

2002

MGMT

2006

Muse

1994

Interpol

1998

How the fuck are any of those new?

[o0-0o]

There are a lot, but I'll mention Brand New, Bayside, and Against Me!

[Wonderful]

Porcupine Tree is my all time favorite prog band, if you're into prog you'll have to give them a listen.

[Luxury-Yacht]

At 7/6/09 09:47 PM, xCutieBaabe14x wrote:

MGMT

2006

How the fuck are any of those new?

2006 is pretty recent.

[SouthAsian]

I thought these were very good.

Peter, Bjorn, and John-Young Folks

Royksopp-What Else Is There?

[liljim]

At 7/6/09 09:43 PM, liljim wrote: In my opinion, some of the enemy's stuff isn't so bad.

Sorry, I didn't leave a description. I guess they're kinda like Kasabian and Primal Scream, in a weird mixture.

[C-Doodlez-Man]

At 7/6/09 09:47 PM, xCutieBaabe14x wrote:

At 7/6/09 09:43 PM, EverReady2Kill wrote: The Strokes

1998

The Killers

2002

MGMT

2006

Muse

1994

Interpol

1998

How the fuck are any of those new?

Wow, someone did there research. And as long as they are still playing and making songs they are modern. They dont have to be bands that were recently made.

[Aigis]

At 7/6/09 09:35 PM, Luxury-Yacht wrote: I know how easy it is to dismiss most/all modern music as shit. I know, I've done it too. We've all heard/participated in lamenting the fall if music and how music is now shallow and terrible and dead for all future generations.

Nope, I think music is better now than it ever was.

There are only a few bands that I really like from the way back in the long long ago, but there are a huge number of great bands out now.

I'd name all the modern bands that I like, but that would take waaaaaaay too long.

So let's just flick my iTunes on random:

Belle and Sebastian - Indie Pop
Calexico - Rock
Destroyer - Chamber Pop
TV on the Radio - Experimental Rock
The Shins - Indie Rock
The Knife - Electronic
The New Pornographers - Indie Rock
My Morning Jacket - Indie Rock
Fly My Pretties - Mixed genres
Califone - Indie Rock
Fleet Foxes - Folk Rock
Fuck Buttons - Drone/Electronic
Battles - Math Rock

That's enough of that.

Those are all great bands.

[silentisdeath16]

At 7/6/09 09:45 PM, 6r0undZ3r0 wrote: A Day to Remember. I personally like their Homesick and For Those Who Have Heart albums the best.

I completely agree. I have been listening to Homesick none stop for over a month. Its incredibly amazing. I actually like it better than their first. The tuens are catchy and clever. The music is brutal and amazing. All around kickosity!

[PlayTheGame]

If you're just talking about rock/alt rock/metal etc then i have to i like Paramore, The Killers and Linkin Park. Oh i forgot Vampire weekend.

I mostly listen to alt rock though.

[xpnc]

I like Alexisonfire. 2001 is fairly modern, I suppose.

[tehslaphappy]

Heart.

They will come back.

[kjb1124]

The Fall Of Troy- the singer is also the guitarist, and has a ton of talent.
They are more of a mathcore type band with great lyrics and great breakdowns. I love 'em.

[CapnCrunchDaPimp]

Mastodon - Have a couple of albums out, Crack The Skye, Leviathan, and Blood Mountain, and probably some EPs and stuff. The guitar playing is technical, difficult, and fast, and the drumming is obviously progressive rock influenced. This band is a fierce helping of metal.

Muse - The singer is amazing, and he can play classical piano, which is demonstrated in a few songs. The singer also is the lead guitarist, who is very unique at different effects and styles of playing. The bass is pretty crazy too, and their sound changes every album.

Porcupine Tree - Greatly influenced by 70's progressive rock and Pink Floyd. One album will be mostly instrumental with bongos and synthensizers and the next will be crunchy heavy metal riffs, but all songs have flowing and beautiful choruses.

Tenacious D - Stoner duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gass cook up their own brand of humor laced acoustic rock full of immaturity, food, and heavy metal. They have two albums, one is the soundtrack to the stoner gem The Pick of Destiny. Jack Black can hit the high notes with gusto while Kyle Gass is a classically trained guitar player.

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Part electronic, part post rock, part psychadelia goodness. All the members play actual instruments in every recording.

[Deadly-Shadow]

Combichrist is easily one of the best recent bands I've heard. Their music is a more aggresive and dark style of EBM called aggrotech. I especially like their newest album Today We Are All Demons.

I was also going to say Mindless Self Indulgence, but I'm not sure if they're really recent. Their first real album came out in 1999, but a lot of people only started listening to them in recent years. The band is still as good as ever, but their fanbase has become annoying.

[All-American-Badass]

At 7/6/09 10:04 PM, TehSlapHappy wrote: Heart.

They will come back.

Heart is overrated. A real good band is In This Moment

[Luxury-Yacht]

At 7/6/09 09:58 PM, Aigis wrote:

Nope, I think music is better now than it ever was.

There are only a few bands that I really like from the way back in the long long ago, but there are a huge number of great bands out now.

I'm really, really picky about my music, and most bands I hear today do not consistently meet my standards. I'm picky with old stuff as well, but I typically have better luck finding older stuff I like.

My experience with most modern stuff that is actually good usually goes like this:
STEP 1: I hear a song by the modern band. I find that I enjoy certain aspects of it.
STEP 2: I look them up to try and find more.
STEP 3: I end up listening to a bunch of their other songs and not really liking them at all, and I realize that I had only just happened to hear the best song they've made thus far in the beginning.
STEP 3, Vol. 2: I look them up, and their other songs have something about them that prevents me from liking them. Maybe shoddy instrumentals, an irritating singer, etc.

So yeah, this happens to a lot of modern bands I look up. I often go through the same process with older bands, but I usually have better luck with them.

[MetallixTheKnight]

Most recent band I like is Powerglove.

A sample for ye. Their best song IMO.

[Luxury-Yacht]

At 7/6/09 10:45 PM, yurgenburgen wrote:

Susumu Yokota.
Ruins.
Ruinzhatova.
Yura Yura Teikoku.
Zola Jesus.
Ufomammut.
Torturing Nurse.
Rothko.
Sunn O))).
Shinjuku Thief.
Shitdisco.
Selfish Cunt.
Ryoji Ikeda.
Melt-Banana.
OOIOO.
KTL.
Asobi Seksu.

At least 5 of those sound like they're Japanese.

[Slinging-Blood]

Misery Signals

[zach8109]

At 7/6/09 09:57 PM, C-Doodlez-Man wrote:

Wow, someone did there research. And as long as they are still playing and making songs they are modern. They dont have to be bands that were recently made.

I guess that makes AC/DC and Metallica modern.

[Jercurpac]

The Parlor Mob - [1] [2] [3] - They do the same kind of 70s throwback rock as Wolfmother, but think less Sabbath, more Zeppelin, and the influences are a hell of a lot more subtle so even though the influences are still obvious they have their own sound and style that feels modern.

Valient Thorr - [1] [2] [3] - Hard rock that kicks you in the balls and keeps on kicking. Don't look for a ballads or a slow moment here. This is the kind of music you blast until the cops come to your house.

Queens Of the Stone Age - [1] [2] [3] - Everyone knows who they are, but I figured I'd post them because they are modern and they are awesome. The way things look they might be the the last good hard rock band to enjoy any kind of extended success. Easily my favorite band of the last decade.

[Idiosyncratic]

Pelican A post metal band that combines soaring guitar melodies with heavy and crunching riffs with a ton of relaxed atmosphere. They got progressively softer and more melodic as their albums were released, so if you prefer a more relaxed atmosphere go for their later works.

God is an Astronaut These guys are in the same vein as Pelican as they have no vocals and rely on a relaxed atmosphere, however they lean more towards the alternative rock sense rather than a metal sense. They never let up and are absolutely never boring. Their live show is pretty swell as well.

Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses These guys are truly one of a kind in terms of what music they play. It's a mix of old cabaret music from Europe and Vaudevillian tunes from the American 1920s. I can't honestly do this band justice just by talking about them, so just listen and enjoy the music.