Tropical Island Music Artist Draft - FINIS

[RookieOfTheDay]

With this pick I draft, Soundgarden.

The last of the big-4 Seattle grunge bands to get drafted here but the second best of the pack to me, coming in just behind Alice in Chains. Combine one of the best rock singers and songwriters ever in Chris Cornell with Kim Thayl’s gloomy Black Sabbath inspired riffs, and Matt Cameron’s spectacular drumming and you get a powerful, majestic sound.

They have loads of great singles but their albums are also packed with lots of hidden gems. Badmotorfinger and Superunknown are two of the best albums of the 90s.

 

[SacKings7]

Both on my radar. Great picks

 

[William Blake]

Let's go kraut:

Can (1968- sort of active)

Favourite Album: Soundtracks (1970)
Sample Song: Mushroom(from Tago Mago, 1971)

Wild, tribal, funky, experimental. In the early 70s Can were way ahead of their time and they continue to be a direct source of inspiration even in recent days (e.g. Radiohead), they produced some of the most evocative and challenging music I've ever heard and a had string of five consecutive amazing albums, from their first LP Monster Movie to Future Days. Their rythmic section, topped by Damo Suzuki's primitve vocals is on of my favourite things in music.

 

[jalfa]

Okkervil River (1998-active)

Pretty!

 

[Bricklayer]

Let's go kraut:

Can (1968- sort of active)

Favourite Album: Soundtracks (1970)
Sample Song: Mushroom(from Tago Mago, 1971)

Wild, tribal, funky, experimental. In the early 70s Can were way ahead of their time and they continue to be a direct source of inspiration even in recent days (e.g. Radiohead), they produced some of the most evocative and challenging music I've ever heard and a had string of five consecutive amazing albums, from their first LP Monster Movie to Future Days. Their rythmic section, topped by Damo Suzuki's primitve vocals is on of my favourite things in music.

Okay, you topped yourself with that one.

 

[William Blake]

Okay, you topped yourself with that one.

That was a mainstream pick compared to what I'm going to draft in my last two slots

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Okay, you topped yourself with that one.

At least I've heard of Can and am familiar with them to some degree. Who the heck are Okkervil River, though? Granted I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to modern indie rock/pop, but still.

 

[Dime Dropper]

I was going to go in a different direction with this pick as I think they won't last another 2 rounds, but decided against it simply because I like this artist better, and would be much more upset if I lost him.

Michael Buble


Closest thing to a modern day Frank Sinatra there is? Anyhow, I love his voice, and he has many, many songs that I really like. I'm not sure he would have even been drafted here, but didn't want to take the chance.

 

[jalfa]

Well, I set myself up for the double whammy, so I might just as well go through with it, even if other names have started creeping up in my mind.

Propagandhi
dance and laugh and play.
ignore the message we convey.
it seems we're only here to entertain.
a rebellion cut-to-fit.
i refuse to be the soundtrack to it.

First Album: How To Clean Everything
Favourite Album: Potemkin City Limits
Why I Started Listening: Because of the Weakerthans, actually. Before founding them, John K. Samson was bassist and singer in Propagandhi. This got me thinking I should check them out, especially since my friends all told me that, next to NoFX Propagandhi was *the* punk band to listen to. Again, I concur. After Samson left, the sound became a lot louder, which actually suits me fine, since that is also something I feel a need for quite often.

again with the language->again with the spoilers.

Spoiler

 

[GoGoGadget]

Alright, for my next two picks, I am going to take some blues based rock... blues in black and white...

I would have done exactly this, but differently. That's all I'm saying without spoilers.

 

[Henkel]

Love the Soundgarden and Bosstone picks. Two of my favorites growing up.

I've never heard of Propagahndi but based on their name alone it's a great pick.

 

[Spike]

With this pick I draft, Soundgarden.

The last of the big-4 Seattle grunge bands to get drafted here but the second best of the pack to me, coming in just behind Alice in Chains.

Love this pick. I thought they would go shortly after AIC went. Superunknown is one album I still listen to start to finish, although I like most of Badmotorfinger as well. Broke apart too soon, but Cornell went off to do his own thing (and I'll have words with anyone who doesn't think he is one of rock's top voices.)

 

[Spike]

Some more thoughts:
Allman Brothers Band
They've grown on me as I've grown older:

Not so much a fan of Buble, but my kid really likes:

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Love this pick. I thought they would go shortly after AIC went. Superunknown is one album I still listen to start to finish, although I like most of Badmotorfinger as well. Broke apart too soon, but Cornell went off to do his own thing (and I'll have words with anyone who doesn't think he is one of rock's top voices.)

Did you know they're back together and working on a new studio album?

 

[Spike]

I did, but as with all reunions, I'll believe it when I hear it. It'll be great to hear what new directions they've taken.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

With the last of the big 4 grunge bands I think its time for me to go with my pick out of the PacNW, legendary garage rockers The Sonics.

One of the main reasons I think music would have been ok if the Beatles never surfaced is because the PacNW was doing some amazing stuff in garages from Portland to Seattle in the years pre-dating them. For my money the Sonics are the best of the lot. Performing a mixture of the standard garage rock staples (Louie, Louie, Have Love Will Travel, etc) and some fantastic originals, these guys played hard and fast with a unique sound that lent itself to their low budget recording techniques and the ferocious vocals of Gerry Roslie these guys were arguably the world's first punk rock band.
Faves:

Also check:
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Shot Down, Jenny, Jenny, Have Love Will Travel, Louie, Louie,

 

[William Blake]

Great pick, but speaking of garage rock I'm more into revivalists than originals.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Great pick, but speaking of garage rock I'm more into revivalists than originals.

I can't really say I don't feel the same way but for me the Sonics are still probably tops just by virtue of doing it when they did it. A lot of the really great stuff from that period was just like one or two song wonder stuff, and some of it quickly drifted into the psych stuff I don't care for.

 

[William Blake]

I can't really say I don't feel the same way but for me the Sonics are still probably tops just by virtue of doing it when they did it. A lot of the really great stuff from that period was just like one or two song wonder stuff, and some of it quickly drifted into the psych stuff I don't care for.

That's why I'd be more comfortable drafting a compilation rather than a complete catalogue. Anyway there's at least another band who, like the Sonics, did it for an entire album.

 

[uolj]

Still not in front of a real computer yet, so real quick the pick is...

Air Supply

Maybe it was all the years sitting in the car with my mom listening to 92.5 but I can't help it, I love the cheese. Unlike with Genesis, the only point to choosing these guys is to get the long list of 80s soft rock tunes. They all kind of sound the same, so I don't really have a favorite, but there will be quite a few that get a lot of airplay on my island.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

That's why I'd be more comfortable drafting a compilation rather than a complete catalogue. Anyway there's at least another band who, like the Sonics, did it for an entire album.

We had a compilations draft long ago. I think I drafted one of the big Nuggets boxes but what I really wish for is a huge Pebbles box, on vinyl.

But back on planet reality podcasts seem to suffice.

Whoah Air Supply? I almost served them up as a joke in round 1 or 2... Ok, their two big US hits are so bad they're awesome and the video for All Out of Love is even more supremely badly awesome, but still. I honestly don't know whether to score this pick a 0 or a 10.

 

[uolj]

Haha. There's definitely a "so bad they're awesome" aspect to this pick. But you just can't help singing along at the top of your lungs when you hear them, no?


Feel free to think of this however you need to get to a 10.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Yes, I sing along. That's why I'm torn. Do something to make me laugh the day rankings are being submitted and I'll probably be kind.

 

[Bricklayer]

Whoah Air Supply? I almost served them up as a joke in round 1 or 2... Ok, their two big US hits are so bad they're awesome and the video for All Out of Love is even more supremely badly awesome, but still. I honestly don't know whether to score this pick a 0 or a 10.

Hey now, I just checked, and they had no less than EIGHT big Top 5 hits in the U.S.. Gotta give credit where credit is due and all that.

 

[uolj]

I caught the them doing an infomercial for a time life soft rock compilation a few years ago. That was hysterical. Maybe I'll try to find it and post that on voting days.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Hey now, I just checked, and they had no less than EIGHT big Top 5 hits in the U.S.. Gotta give credit where credit is due and all that.

Apparently they all sounded like the same song then

 

[Jespher]

There are times for noise, there are times for blues, and sometimes there are times for just being mellow, man. This artist's catalog may be considered modern day elevator music to some, but it strikes the right kind of creativity cord for me that makes it repeatable, and very enjoyable time after time. My son is a big Curious George fan, and I always attribute this music with my children, and their fun loving innocence. With my 12th round choice, I select:

Jack Johnson

Spoiler

[yt=Imagine]MHCPfs6EGCA[/yt]

More: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-johnson-p468749

 

[SacKings7]

Figured you would pick him. This is my favorite Jack Johnson: [yt="Banana Pancakes"]OkyrIRyrRdY&feature=related[/yt]

 

[Bricklayer]

There was another way I thought of going here, but I decided this occupied a more unique niche for me:

10,000 Maniacs

A band that ironically was struck down just at the moment of its greatest triumph, acheiving mainstream success via MTV's Unplugged series after a decade of being alt/indie/college darlings, just in time to lose its greatest weapon, Natalie Merchant, to fame and fortune (she had already told them she was leaving before their breakthrough). They tried to carry on with a good singer in her own right (Mary Ramsey) in her stead, but could never replace the uniquely rich timbre of Merchant's voice that made her a star, and when they lost their main songwriter to a tragically early death a few years later, they largely quit recording. At their peak though they produced lush pop music behind a remarkable lead singer, and their Unplugged appearances were perhaps the best designed that series ever produced, as the band recreated its lush sound by bringing in half a dozen extra musicans to form a small orchestra behind Merchant.

Ironically my favorite song of theirs wasn't theirs at all, it was Because the Night, a Springsteen cover earlier sung by Patti Smith -- I was alarmed when Henkel belatedly decided to add the youtube of Smith's version when he picked her last round, but fortunately he hid it beneath a Spoiler tag. Anyway, Natalie does it better:

 

[NoBonus]

There was another way I thought of going here, but I decided this occupied a more unique niche for me:

10,000 Maniacs

A band that ironically was struck down just at the moment of its greatest triumph, acheiving mainstream success via MTV's Unplugged series after a decade of being alt/indie/college darlings, just in time to lose its greatest weapon, Natalie Merchant, to fame and fortune (she had already told them she was leaving before their breakthrough). They tried to carry on with a good singer in her own right (Mary Ramsey) in her stead, but could never replace the uniquely rich timbre of Merchant's voice that made her a star, and when they lost their main songwriter to a tragically early death a few years later, they largely quit recording. At their peak though they produced lush pop music behind a remarkable lead singer, and their Unplugged appearances were perhaps the best designed that series ever produced, as the band recreated its lush sound by bringing in half a dozen extra musicans to form a small orchestra behind Merchant.

Ironically my favorite song of theirs wasn't theirs at all, it was Because the Night, a Springsteen cover earlier sung by Patti Smith -- I was alarmed when Henkel belatedly decided to add the youtube of Smith's version when he picked her last round, but fortunately he hid it beneath a Spoiler tag. Anyway, Natalie does it better:

Now were talking 90's! Great pick! Merchant was always a villain in my mind for leaving.