How to get EXPOSED to MUSIC??
 

Hi, I'm new here and I just wanted to ask

How do you get exposed to different kinds of music?
I feel myself trapped in this mainstream box that I can't get out of. I don't have any friends who are enthusiastic about music, nor do I have the money to be buying random records trying to hit a jackpot.

I only know the really big bands, but I want to start finding specific more obscure bands that may cater to my tastes.


My favorite band is Radiohead,
but I also enjoy Explosions in the Sky, Switchfoot, Gary Jules, B.B. King, SRV.

Sticking round here will help :D
I'd recommend some Mogwai and Archive.

You're in the right place. Also, try one of the internet radio websights like Pandora, Slacker, or LastFM. That's a really good way to find out about new artists that would be to your liking.

Do you listen to Jeff Buckley? Thom Yorke was reportedly influenced by him some. You also might like the Autumns.

Thank you Pianogirl! I saw your post just now, so I'm listening to her at the moment. Hadn't heard her before. I love the "Ghosts" song, really cool. I'm getting excited about this whole dilly. I don't know a lot of alternative artists, because I haven't put much effort in finding or researching them. But I'll have to get to it.

Album suggestions please?
 

Hello, I want to purchase several albums for a middle-aged black man originally from Atlanta. I don't know what to buy for him because I am not really familiar with the genres that he likes. I would like some help please.

The best information that I have comes from the list of albums that I see he already has. Can anybody please offer any recommendations for albums that he might enjoy based upon what he apparently already enjoys?

I would greatly appreciate it, truly. I am looking to pick up about 10-20 albums.

Here is the list of the man's current collection:

Bishop Paul S. Morton Sr. - We Offer Christ
Donald Byrd - Black Byrd
Earth Wind & Fire - Illumination
George Duke - Duke
George Duke - Face the Music
Hubert Laws - Romeo & Juliet
Kem - Kemistry
Najee - Best of Najee
Roy Ayers - Ubiquity
Roy Ayers - Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Steely Dan - Aja
Third World - Ain't Giving Up

Thank you in advance for your help! I'm really looking for the highest-quality stuff that will "wow" him!

Judging from the Third World album he has, he might enjoy these...

Steel Pulse - Handsworth Revolution
Burning Spear - Man In the Hills
Third World - 96 Degrees In the Shade
Black Uhuru - Red
Abyssinians - Arise

^Some essential, old-school reggae there.

Re: Album suggestions please?
 

Thanks Bulldog, I've got those on order. I'm wondering though if you might be an incognito salesman. Those albums were as far as I could see all on the same label! Anyhow, thanks again. What this experience is telling me is that soon, I should post what I personally like and try to get suggestions for myself as well.

Hopefully somebody can still help me characterize the other stuff on my list (from my recent post in this thread). From what I see a lot of it looks like some kind of jazz-funk / smooth jazz / R&B mix. I wonder if it can be explained better than that or likened to anything particularly comparable.

What Jethro Tull album is good to start with?

Thick As A Brick IMO.

Judging from his Earth wind and Fire album, he might like Larry Graham's GCS 2000