Image: Marco Bellucci from Scandicci, Italy (Question mark) via Wikimedia Commons
Questions, I get questions. People often ask where I find the music that’s featured on the blog.
You know -- the fishin' ditties in the Fish for Dinner posts; and the singer-songwriter-y tunes in the Sweet Bites and Savory Bites posts; the crank-it-up playlists for the Cookbook Road Tests; and who can forget the Afternoon Dance Breaks.
Short answer: All over.
Better answer: I’ve got a pretty extensive music collection of my own, although it probably leans towards oldies, er ... classics.
Labels don’t bother me much though, not when it comes to music. It’s all about what resonates -- whether old or new, fast or slow, major or minor -- how you feel, what moves you and grooves you.
You know -- the fishin' ditties in the Fish for Dinner posts; and the singer-songwriter-y tunes in the Sweet Bites and Savory Bites posts; the crank-it-up playlists for the Cookbook Road Tests; and who can forget the Afternoon Dance Breaks.
Short answer: All over.
Better answer: I’ve got a pretty extensive music collection of my own, although it probably leans towards oldies, er ... classics.
Labels don’t bother me much though, not when it comes to music. It’s all about what resonates -- whether old or new, fast or slow, major or minor -- how you feel, what moves you and grooves you.
But I like to keep up, so there are a couple of new music sites I make a point to visit regularly – Daytrotter and BandCamp. They both include some music from established, household-name artists, but this is where I come to find the new-to-me music that I love to share with you.
Whaddya know, here’s some now. I’m really enjoying this jazz-meets-electronica trio and hope you do too. They’re GoGo Penguin from the U.K., and I found them on BandCamp.
Whaddya know, here’s some now. I’m really enjoying this jazz-meets-electronica trio and hope you do too. They’re GoGo Penguin from the U.K., and I found them on BandCamp.
I think Daytrotter is especially cool. From their website:
“Daytrotter gives you something special … exclusive, re-worked, alternate versions of old songs and unreleased tracks by some of your favorite (and soon to be favorite) bands, recorded live, that capture the heart of their music at that moment in time - dirty and alive.”
They prohibit posting their songs directly into other sites or blogs which is why you haven’t seen them mentioned by name in many of my posts until now, but for years they've been my primary source for new music and interesting musicians who I then sought out from other shareable sources. Please do go and check them out.
Spotify is a great source for up-to-the-minute popular music, especially in genres that are a little less familiar to me (such as EDM or world beats). I use this a lot for the Afternoon Dance Breaks.
SoundCloud is a great platform for sharing playlists and I’ve found some exciting new music here too. There are a lot of DJ remixes there -- interesting listening but not really what I’m sharing on the blog these days.
I also want to share the love for these websites that I enjoy for listening and/or reading about music:
Turntable Kitchen – Music and recipes. Hmm, sounds like a familiar format … I also do music and recipes but will never be as cool as Matthew and Kasey, plus our styles are pretty different. I think it’ll be okay if you like us both.
The A.V. Club – They cover a wide range of topics and have some interesting think pieces as well as TV, film and music reviews. I like reading their writers’ reviews and have picked up some good tips from these smart people.
Pitchfork – I don’t know if I read Pitchfork to gain insights or to smirk at the sometimes pretentious reviews. Why not both?
Sound Opinions – This weekly radio show with an internet/podcast presence has this to say about itself:
SoundCloud is a great platform for sharing playlists and I’ve found some exciting new music here too. There are a lot of DJ remixes there -- interesting listening but not really what I’m sharing on the blog these days.
I also want to share the love for these websites that I enjoy for listening and/or reading about music:
Turntable Kitchen – Music and recipes. Hmm, sounds like a familiar format … I also do music and recipes but will never be as cool as Matthew and Kasey, plus our styles are pretty different. I think it’ll be okay if you like us both.
The A.V. Club – They cover a wide range of topics and have some interesting think pieces as well as TV, film and music reviews. I like reading their writers’ reviews and have picked up some good tips from these smart people.
Pitchfork – I don’t know if I read Pitchfork to gain insights or to smirk at the sometimes pretentious reviews. Why not both?
Sound Opinions – This weekly radio show with an internet/podcast presence has this to say about itself:
“Sound Opinions is your source for smart and engaging music criticism and conversation. Each week on the show, nationally respected rock critics Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis interview artists, talk about pop culture and music industry news, review new record releases and give trends a historical context.”
“CHIRP is a volunteer-driven, online community radio station that focuses on music, arts, and culture. We are live and local … in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, and the city we live in is a key part of everything we do. CHIRP Radio plays a wide mix of local, independent, lesser-heard, and just generally good music from a variety of genres and eras. CHIRP DJs are true music fans who love to share their discoveries, new and old, with listeners."
And of course, going out to hear live music is always the best. You’re probably going to hear something new – maybe an opening band you never heard of, or new inflections in the headliner's songs that lead you to explore something new. A new sound. And then you share it.
Where do you go to find new music? Please share in the comments.
Where do you go to find new music? Please share in the comments.
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