Album recommendations for songwriting influence.
I never listened to Pink Floyd but was thinking they might be a good influence on my songwriting. what do you guys think? And what other epic rock records out there should I listen to? thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Colin McBride on -
Ok. Pink Floyd can be pretty epic, see "Echoes" off of Meddle. But how about some "epic" indie bands?
One of my all time favorite bands is Sunny Day Real Estate. They can most definitely be epic! Their first record, Diary, came out the same year as Blue. Sunny Day's first two records are sort of an amalgam of Post Hardcore D.C. bands (Rites of Spring, Embrace, Shudder to Think) and U2. Those are great records, but my recommendation would be for you to check out their 3rd LP How It Feels To Be Something On. By 1998 lead singer Jeremy Enigk's orchestral/sixties pop influence had woven it's way into their trademark post hardcore sound, making for an epically amazing album. It is in my top ten, along with Pinkerton.
Have you ever listened to Slint? Their record from 1991, Spiderland, it is the definition of epic. My favorite song off that record is "Washer", and for example the record's final track "Good Morning, Captain" is Pitchfork's #148 best song of the 90's. It's definitely not as universal lyrically, or musically as Say It Ain't So is, but still a very powerful song. from a really powerful record.
Interestingly, Sunny Day Real Estate Diary, Slint Spiderland, and Pinkerton are all, or at least were, considered seminal "emo" records. They sound nothing alike, and none of the bands ever considered themselves emo either. They all mean the WORLD to me.
Hope you get a chance to check these records out. I love DTFM, especially Trampoline!
Geezer out! -
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Permalink Reply by threechordme on -
The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle
The Wedding Present - Bizarro
Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
Orange Juice - Rip It Up
Hefner - Breaking God's Heart
Pulp - Different Class -
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Permalink Reply by UWbadgers16 on -
Just a fun album, with good hooks.
- The Cars - The Cars
Two predominantly instrumental albums. Great composition though, and very well blended.
- The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place - Explosions in the Sky
- Fang Island - Fang Island
Fairly good lyrical depth.
- Deja Entendu - Brand New
Just basically rocks in most facets.
- Siamese Dream - The Smashing Pumpkins -
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Permalink Reply by G.Wicks on
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Pink Floyd requires a lot of patience to be appreciated, and I feel weezer songs try to pack in a lot more riffs and giggles per second for the sake of the ADD generation. However, I would highly approve of future weezer music that, like Floyd, had reoccuring melodic themes throughout albums. It's something I enjoyed about Pinkerton (the end of the bridge of the good life has a riff that has always reminded me of tired of sex's chord progression) and it really ties an album together, even if it's just a riff that slightly resembles another.
Some rock opera/concept albums I've enjoyed that you may find interesting:
Queensryche - "Operation Mindcrime"
Mew - And The Glass Handed Kites <---simply cannot be recommended enough! Melodically beautiful album! Look out for a cameo from J. Mascis!
Meat Loaf - "Bat Out Of Hell"
Mastodon - "Crack the Skye" and their album "Leviathan" which is much more traditionally metal
Ben Folds Five - "Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner"
Husker Du - "Zen Arcade" worthy of all the praise it gets
The Black Mages - "The Black Mages" prog metal covers of final fantasy music by the games' composer himself (Japan-only and also iTunes available album of very metallica meets trans-siberian orchestra meets emerson lake and palmer influenced music, check out the track "those who fight further", it's quite energizing)
Foo Fighters - In Your Honor (acoustic disc... lush and beautiful)
And of course, as I'm sure Mr. Cuomo has already heard many times and appreciates:
Green Day - American Idiot
I also have heard rumors about some album called "Songs from the Black H***" but rumor is it was never finished :)
I realize this list is very metal oriented, and I honestly don't listen to that much metal but the genre seems to love reocurring themes, both lyrically and melodically. Crack the Skye by Mastodon is, although a departure from their usual sound, an excellent example of a well paced concept album. The last track "The Last Baron" has a bridge that is so highly influenced by Yes that it should make any prog lover squeal like a pig.
The albums listed that I feel would be a great influence on the weezer sound, since they fall into the realm of weezer's sense of melodic themes and dynamic song structure without abandoning fans' love of pop, would be green day's american idiot, mew, foo's in your honor, and most of all ben folds five's reinhold messner.
Rivers, you got the skills to pay the bills. I wanna see what kind of concept albumy-epic-ass rock you can come up with. I know you can do it, because Greatest Man That Ever Lived is the best thing you've written in years. Seriously wonderful. Don't ever stop pushing yourself to the creative edge :)
I know that will manifest itself in different ways, but I'd love to see you do so in a more grandiose-sense. Only Rivers can write weezer songs. -
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Permalink Reply by runnersdialzero on -
Edit: Nevermind.
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Permalink Reply by danup on -
Destination Failure by the Smoking Popes. It's the reason Blue and Pinkerton are my second and third favorite albums of the nineties. Wonderful melodies (especially "Megan" and "Follow the Sound"), great guitar solos, and perfect vocals, which reminds me of another band I like.
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Permalink Reply by G.Wicks on
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GAH! I totally forgot about Guided By Voices! Good call, mate! Awesome awesome awesome band. Every song is a gem in its own right!
ItsBimblyBitch said:The thing to take away from Pink Floyd would be their guitar solos, and even then... it's something I shy away from. Anything I'd suggest is probably territory already well mined.
Led Zeppelin 2, 3, 4 - for the band interplay. I know LZ is a key influence in Pat's writing as a drummer. Their band dynamics are unparalleled. Presence is amazing as well.
Black Sabbath - Masters Of Reality. Love, love, love melodic vocals against heavy music.
Pixies - Trompe Le Monde.
The Breeders - Pod, Splash, Mountain Battles.
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything, Loveless. Kevin Shields is an amazing writer, strange timing, incredibly unique chord progressions and 60s melodies. The guitar sound is out of this world.
Cheap Trick - eponymous. Loose production, amazing tunes, singer is one of the best ever.
Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes.
Shotgun Jimmie - Still Jimmie. Funny lyrics, sloppy playing, wonderful songwriting.
The Zombies - Odyssey and Oracle. Very smart songs.
Neil Young - Le Noise. The guitar sound is incredible, especially on a song like 'Angry World'.
Requiem by Mozart.
You no doubt know all of these bands inside and out (save for Shotgun Jimmie). Oh well. -
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Permalink Reply by comicbookkiddo on -
This isn't exactly old school or anything and it's totally a different road but Jack White.
His Third Man Productions, Dead Weather, good stuff. Really experimental and full of emotion. -
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Permalink Reply by LiNX on -
The Airborne Toxic Event by The Airborne Toxic Event
Weezer by Weezer
Trust me -
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Permalink Reply by James A. Brown on -
Rivers, this is awesome.... Here's some of my favorite bands and albums you should check out...
King's X "Gretchen Goes To Nebraska".
King's X "Faith, Hope, Love".
King's X "Self Titled".
Cave In "Jupiter"
Cheap Trick "Self Titled" '77
Failure "Fantastic Planet".
The Posies "Amazing Disgrace".
The Nixons "Foma".
Local H "As Good As Dead".
Local H "Here Comes The Zoo".
Big Wreck "In Loving Memory Of".
Dream Theater "Awake".
Earl Greyhound" Suspicious Package".
Helmet "Meantime".
Hum "You'd Prefer An Astronaut".
Hundred Reasons "Quick The Word, Sharp The Action".
Ken Andrews " Secrets of The Lost Satellite".
Nine Black Alps "Everything Is".
Pelican "City Of Echoes".
Rush "Permanent Waves".
Thornley "Tiny Pictures".
The Toadies "No Deliverance".
Urge Overkill "Exit The Dragon".
Weezer "Blue Album".
Weezer "Pinkerton". -
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Permalink Reply by reconrose on -
Beach Boys: Pet Sounds and Smile material
Pixies: Everything up to Bossanova
Ben Folds Five: Self-titled and Whatever and Ever Amen (not what i would call "epic rock albums", but id say they both have really powerful moments and great songs)
Death Cab For Cutie: We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes (i put this one here because it has a really great overall tone and emotion throughout the album)
And also anything at all by The Space Twins -
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