"all these expectations/i'm so afraid i've got nothing to prove/its not a new sensation"

I think the greatest compliment I ever got on my musical taste was meant as a dig. It went something like "Jacob only likes bands no one has ever heard of before". Its a point of pride for me; I don't consider myself a music snob by any means (most of those would just look down at my taste as pedestrian), but I love love love turning friends on to new music or going to a show knowing that a band is going to break it open in a year or two and sharing that experience with some friends that had never heard of them.

My friends know this and I'll get emails asking for recommendations - enough so that retyping the same list over and over became a pain. So I made a list that I would forward on and am now sharing here. I do this with only one request - that if it helps, you share your music with me as well.

Without further adieu:
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Here are some bands that I think are a little easier to get into. I figure just naming bands can be a little overwhelming, so here are some songs to check out - if you like, you can always check out the band further - enjoy!

1. Singer-Songwriter: Aimee Mann's remake "One" - from the Magnolia soundtrack
2. Classic : The Smiths - "Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want" - from Hatful of Hallow
3. Modern British: Bloc Party - "This Modern Love" - from Silent Alarm
4. R&B Soul: Alice Smith - "Woodstock" - from For Lovers, For Dreamers, And Me
5. My Favorite East Coast band not named Pela: The Wrens - "Everyone Chooses Sides" - from The Meadowlands
6. The Best Sad Breakup Song Ever: The Jayhawks - "Blue" - from Tomorrow the Green Grass
7. The Best Angry Breakup Song Ever: The Mountain Goats - "No Children" - from Tallahassee
8. My Favorite NY band that has since broken up: Rainer Maria - "Lost, Dropped, and Canceled" - from Look Now Look Again
9. Newest discovery: Priscilla Ahn - "I Don't Think So" - from A Good Day
10. Favorite Live Band: The Frames - "Lay Me Down" - from Setlist
11. Favorite Seattle hip hop: Blue Scholars - "The Ave" - from Blue Scholars
12. 90's era indie pop: Luna - California (All the Way) - from Bewitched
13. Favorite album to listen to this last year: Cloud Cult - "Living on the Outside of Your Skin" - from Advice from a Happy Hippopatumus
14: Unique sounding: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" - from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
15. New Zealand band: Cut Off Your Hands - "Expectations" - from Shaky Hands
16. Taken too soon: Jeff Buckley - "Last Goodbye" - from Grace
17. Taken too soon: Elliot Smith - "Angeles" - from Either/Or"
18. Favorite band of the last 2 years: Pela - "Lost to the Lonesome" - from Anytown Grafitti

Bands that I'm just now getting into, but don't know enough about:
wolf parade - "disco sheets" - discovered by Modest Mouse, from Quebec
kasabian - "Club Foot" -  British rock, one of their songs is used for a car commercial so you've probably heard it before.
ass ponys - "astronaut" - twang rock
The replacements -"Alex Chilton" - classic 80's alternative forefather

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by the way, here are a couple music sites to check out if you want to hear more:

Three Imaginary Girls
KEXP

Comments

[Jayson McIvor]

Still going through the list, but had to comment on the Wrens... Second favorite out of the east coast? A little too down trodden for me. Rather listen to the Posies, but I am old school.

Pela is cool though, glad you introduced us Seattlites.

[Jon Palmer]

Nice Kasabian ... one of my favorite to listen to on the treadmill.