Lord Huron -
Strange Trails (2015) - 67pts
Fellow MAD31ers and participants in song drafts will not be surprised by this. I have been a huge fan of this album since it came out. I remember hearing Meet Me in the Woods and being instantly hooked and started listening to this album a ton. My wife and I saw them live with Nathaniel Rateliff and despite liking the showmanship of Rateliff, it solidified that we both were drawn to Lord Huron's music much more. A blend of rock and folk, lots of songs of lost loves and connections, all while evoking a sense of a cosmic plan and manipulation. It is not a concept album, but all their albums beg to be played from start to finish as the songs blend and flow together. It originally was conceived of as a movie or a series of movies (which is very much reflected in the videos they made for the album and their stage presentation) Obviously one of my favorite albums of the 21st century. I have recommend this album and band to so many people, and since I didn't think it was on the countdown it was going to be album #1 on my recommended listening list at the end of the countdown for anybody who hasn't tried it. I was going to go with a deeper track, but unless
@shuke has a stronger pull for a song, I will go with the obvious
Meet Me in the Woods since it was the one that started my love for this fantastic band.
Nice writeup. This has been my wife's favorite band since she heard "Ends of the Earth" in a movie she was watching with my son about 10-12 years ago. So naturally they've really grown on me. We've seen them 10 times now in 6 different states. This Friday will be our 11th.
Great choice for the playlist, it's one of my favorite songs by any band to see live.
Prices coming down a bit maybe I can talk the wife into going last minute (still like $110 or more but if I can get us in under $250 I’d probably do it)
Problem is I have about 400 sq ft of vinyl flooring to lay that day. If I make good progress and I’m not exhausted maybe I can make it work
Hoping to at least catch one of these this month
Lord Huron
NIN
Black Keys / Gary Clark Jr. (im more in it for Gary but wife mentions black keys so easier sell)
long shot : Coheed and Cambria. Same night as NIN don’t know anyone who likes them though. They opened for Slipknot years ago, very proggy metal stuff but I don’t really like the singers vocals. I can tolerate them in small doses though but it’s too…(whiney maybe?) for me
It’s interesting though basically their entire discography is a series of concept albums telling an overall story. I’ve never really paid attention to the lyrics but I might have to start from the beginning. There’s also comics and novels I guess?
My wife is going to NIN in a few weeks in Minneapolis without me. I hesitated because in general concerts aren't 100% my thing. I love going because that is usually our date night, but in general I hate crowds and hate people on their phones in crowds. I connect with music much more with my headphones on and relaxing while playing an album, where she feeds off of and needs that connection with the artists. Anyway, I haven't loved much from NIN in years so I wasn't sure I wanted to participate in that one. I will just stick with my memory of seeing them on the Downward Spiral tour and being blown away.
I'm kicking myself a little for not pulling the trigger on Dinosaur Jr. tickets, but they also seem to play songs that aren't my favorites so again I waffled and decided not to go.
we’re opposites. I’d go see live music every night. I can probably get my wife to 25% of the shows I’d like to see (she’s an introvert/ hates leaving the house)
Needs to be someone she likes (fair enough)
Standing room only venues are a tough sell (leaves out a lot of smaller bands).
Lawn is a no go (im not a fan myself)
Then add in any crowds, people standing up, weirdos next to us, too long of a show, etc
She’s still a trooper though and get her out enough
My kids super into metal (he reinvigorated my love for it). He’s introduced me to a lot of good stuff . Wish he’d branch out a bit though and go to some other shows the wife won’t. Pretty limited to metal / punk right now
Hopefully creating some good memories taking him to shows, but he’s getting old enough to go on his own. Let him drive downtown on his own the other day for a small club show
We say WTF was going on in the 70s with Shields, but it was also right under our noses as we were coming of age as well. Maybe we are improving a little out in the open, but there are still examples I seen in the 2020s that makes me think we haven't that much from the oversexualizing of girls in pageants and dance teams to weird incestual trends in "adult entertainment" (don't you all pretend you don't know what I am talking about!) to big cases like Weinstein and Epstein. I often feel we are a culture that talks out of both sides of our mouths on this issue - it is truly bizarre to me.
when doing my theme countdown. My first version of my Opeth31 was going to have that as the first song to reel in the masses.
