The "Where do I start?" thread

[LemonMelon]

Stole this from another board. What you do is name a band you're interesting in getting into, and someone else names their best/most accessible starting point, which can either be individual songs or albums. This will give people a chance to share new music and recommendations without starting a new thread for the particular artist they want to discuss.

Porcupine Tree...where do I start?

 

[HolyMeximofoJoe]

Bjork and REM

 

[LemonMelon]

Bjork and REM

Bjork - Albums
Homogenic
Debut

Bjork - Songs
"All Is Full Of Love"
"Venus As A Boy"
"Army Of Me"

REM - Albums
Murmur
Automatic For The People

REM - Songs
"What's The Frequency, Kenneth"
"Finest Worksong"
"Strange Currencies"

 

[BonosLil'Pal94]

For REM I'd look at their album Out of Time first, but that's just my opinion.


Nirvana - of course I know Smells Like Teen Spirit and a few others, but any other songs I should listen to?

 

[LemonMelon]

Nirvana - of course I know Smells Like Teen Spirit and a few others, but any other songs I should listen to?

Personally, I'm not a huge fan, but to me, their best song has always been All Apologies. I it.

 

[corianderstem]

Bjork - Albums
Homogenic
Debut

I find Homogenic a little cold. I love the song "Bachelorette" on it, but I much, MUCH prefer her album Post, which came after Debut and before Homogenic.

I guess it depends on how you like your Bjork. More accessible, or weird?

I like Lemon's REM suggestions; I don't think Out of Time is very indicative of their overall sound. If you want to explore what REM is all about, go back to the 80s and get a good dose of their jangly Rickenbacker pop.

If that's the point of exploring REM, I'd start with Reckoning and Life's Rich Pageant. My personal favorites are Life's Rich Pageant, Automatic For the People, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

 

[the tourist]

Porcupine Tree...where do I start?

I like their Deadwing album. But it's the only one I've heard.

 

[bono_man2002]

Porcupine Tree...where do I start?

Stupid Dream was where Axver mentioned I should start.

I really like that album!

 

[Axver]

Porcupine Tree...where do I start?

It really depends. Without knowing your preferences, Stupid Dream is probably the best suggestion. It brings together most aspects of all of their eras. It's progressive, but within the context of quite focused songwriting.

However, if you like Animals/WYWH Pink Floyd a whole lot, then The Sky Moves Sideways is probably the place to be. In Absentia is often considered to be their masterpiece, but perhaps not the place to start unless you're receptive to a heavier influence approaching metal; that influence is essentially absent pre-In Absentia (Stupid Dream came two albums before it).

 

[cobl04]

The Who, Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, Bruce Sprinsgteen

 

[Axver]

To answer a couple of others ...

Roger Waters: don't. That goes for David Gilmour too. I find their solo albums to both be pretty unexciting affairs. Damnit, PF, reunite already!

REM: Document, Fables of the Reconstruction, and Reckoning are the three I enjoy in full. I seem to be unconventional in my tastes when it comes to REM though. For example, I think Automatic For The People is really only worth it for 4 or so songs.

 

[U2isthebest]

For The Who I would definitely start with 'Who's Next' It's probably their most famous album, it has "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes", and it's a brilliant album from start to finish.

For the Stones, I would start with 'Let It Bleed', simply because it's my personal favorite, which is not a reason that actually means anything. Words cannot describe the awesomeness of this album. It flows perfectly from start to finish, and showcases how fantastic the Stones were in their day. (I am a much bigger fan of their later work, though, then most people. Some of my favorite Stones song are from the latter parts of their career.)

For Springsteen, definitely start with "Born To Run." There's not one filler track on that album. It's like a story to me. It just describes how life is for everyone, but especially those of us in early adulthood.

 

[U2isthebest]

The Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam

 

[joyfulgirl]

Hawksley Workman. I like every song I've ever heard but there are so many records I don't know where to start.

 

[DaveC]

Smashing Pumpkins

If you want to start with entire albums, I'd say go for either Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, or Siamese Dream to start with. But I would check out a few of these songs to start with, cause some of the songs on the albums will probably make you want to shut them off.

Songs to check out:
1979
Soma
Rhinoceros
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Today
Zero
Tonight Tonight
Disarm
Cherub Rock
Mayonaise

Get those ten, see what you think of 'em. If you like those, get back to me and I'll keep you going.

I'll leave Pearl Jam to someone else, but basically: Ten.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I find Homogenic a little cold. I love the song "Bachelorette" on it, but I much, MUCH prefer her album Post, which came after Debut and before Homogenic.

I guess it depends on how you like your Bjork. More accessible, or weird?

I agree. I'd start with either Debut or Post.


R.E.M.:
Life's Rich Pageant
Automatic for the People

 

[LemonMelon]

The Who, Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, Bruce Sprinsgteen

The Who - Albums

Live At Leeds (Deluxe)
Who's Next
Meaty, Beaty, Big, And Bouncy

Rolling Stones - Albums

Sticky Fingers
Let It Bleed
Beggar's Banquet

People like Exile On Main Street, but it's not for beginners.

Don't know much about Springsteen, at least not entire albums...

For Waters, at least get Pros And Cons Of Hitch-Hiking. Great plot, and Eric Clapton plays guitar on the whole album.

 

[phillyfan26]

Bruce Sprinsgteen

"Born to Run" (the album) is a classic for a reason: every song kicks major ass. Get that album.

After that, I recommend "The River" and "Magic."




For me, I'm getting into David Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Dave Matthews Band. Thoughts?

 

[LemonMelon]

David Bowie

Ziggy Stardust, by all means. Hunky Dory, Low, they're all good. Station To Station is in my top 10 all-time, but it's not for beginners. Definitely an acquired taste.

 

[cobl04]

David Bowie - A great starting point would be either Ziggy Stardust or Hunky Dory. I only have four albums, but they're both pretty accessible. Hunky Dory has Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars, Queen Bitch and Ziggy Stardust has Starman, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, and Five Years.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Depends on whether you want to go for their earlier, funkier stuff or the more recent stuff. Personally, I think By the Way is a great place to start, that's how I got into them. Californication is great, and Blood Sugar, while I don't like it as much, launched them and is kind of a bridge between their older, funkier stuff and their newer work.

 

[cobl04]

The Who - Albums

Live At Leeds (Deluxe)
Who's Next
Meaty, Beaty, Big, And Bouncy

Rolling Stones - Albums

Sticky Fingers
Let It Bleed
Beggar's Banquet

People like Exile On Main Street, but it's not for beginners.

Don't know much about Springsteen, at least not entire albums...

For Waters, at least get Pros And Cons Of Hitch-Hiking. Great plot, and Eric Clapton plays guitar on the whole album.

Well I was in JB the other day, and I went for Exile, though I woulda have got Beggar if it was there.

Cheers !

 

[liamcool]

Get Amused To Death by Waters. Fucking amazing album.

 

[Saracene]

Cocteau Twins
Screaming Trees
Metallica

 

[Axver]

Get Amused To Death by Waters. Fucking amazing album.

Pfft. It bored the crap out of me.

And I thought you were going to be far from civilisation with no Internet?

 

[liamcool]

Cocteau Twins
Screaming Trees
Metallica

For Metallica, get Master Of Puppets.

Pfft. It bored the crap out of me.

And I thought you were going to be far from civilisation with no Internet?

You also have no music taste.

I took a laptop and managed to find somewhere with some internet while everyone else is asleep.

 

[DaveC]

Get Amused To Death by Waters. Fucking amazing album.

Download it instead.

It's good for a few listens, but not worth paying full price for.

 

[Axver]

For Metallica, get Master Of Puppets.

Yeah, and anything after And Justice For All is a complete waste of time.

You also have no music taste.

I took a laptop and managed to find somewhere with some internet while everyone else is asleep.

You're the one who didn't want Several Species to win Ummagumma.

And cool.

 

[liamcool]

You're the one who didn't want Several Species to win Ummagumma.

And cool.

The Narrow Way for the win.

I doubt you'll see me much though.

 

[Axver]

The Narrow Way for the win.

I doubt you'll see me much though.

Too busy mourning Pigs' demise in the PF Survivor?

 

[the tourist]

Pearl Jam

Vs., Yield, or Binaural