Near-Future day (I love music part 3)

Near-Future Day (I love music part 3)
By Jon Slone





So I said in a post back on November fifth, that I would talk more about music in the near future. Guess what, today is, Near-Future Day!

With regards to musical groups and/or solo artists, here are my top-ten of all time, in order, from ten to one, also a small bit of comment to go along:


Dave Barnes
Keane
John Mayer
The Manhattan Transfer
The Beatles
James Taylor
Steely Dan
Paul McCartney
Chris Rice
Chicago


Dave Barnes: Christian artist. Great voice (Raspy, soulful). Funny guy. Super talented. Writes all of his own material. Typically plays guitar. All around great sound.

Keane: If sad is beautiful…if melancholy makes for mind-blowing, ear-confection, then this group is who you want to figuratively snack on. If music is suppose to make you feel something, anything at all. Affect you powerfully, then this group does all of the above for me, can’t say enough praise-worthy things about them.

John Mayer: He’s taking his first steps down a willowy swath that was blazed by a Mr. Sweet Baby James.

The Manhattan Transfer: They sing every style imaginable and pull it off with staggering aplomb and comfortable ease.

The Beatles: Really? You guys don’t need to hear what I think, but since you are combing my blog,…I grew up liking the early stuff like, “I wanna hold your hand” and “I saw her standing there.” Now, as an adult, I’m blown away by their latter body of work like, The White Album, Revolver and Abby Road. Best song writing duo ever! Genius in simplicity! Remarkable!

James Taylor: To me, he does it all. His playing is spot-on. His arrangements and progressions on the guitar are detailed and difficult and yet he plays then with such ease as to make the listener think them simple. His voice is rainy-day-goodness! And his lyrics are pure uncut poetry! He is one of few artists that when he puts out a new CD, I first read his lyrics before hearing them set to music.

Steely Dan: Don’t even know where to begin with these guys. Funky, cool, slick, awesome, dope, bad to the bone, dark, cryptic, JAMuhlicious, mind-numbing! If that sounds like your cup of tea, run quickly to purchase no fewer than four of their albums: Can’t buy a thrill, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho. I can easily say that the best discovery I’ve made in the last ten years was finding and spending time with, “The Royal Scam!” Side note: If you love drums and bass, the very best that the 70’s and 80’s had to offer are on Dan albums! Also, the best sound-recording of their seminal work is captured here. In other words, you won’t ever hear drums and bass sound better than on a Steely Dan recording!

Paul McCartney: The most excellent Beatle! He could have retired in 1970 and still been called one of the greatest ever. Instead, he went on to give us, “Silly Love Songs” “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” “Maybe I’m Amazed” “No more lonely nights” “C Moon” “My Love” “The Pound is Sinking” “Take it Away” the entire Band on the Run album….must I go on? He is literally the greatest song writer ever with over forty smash hits recorded post Beatledom…..are you frickin’ kidding me!

Chris Rice: Christian artist. This is one of few artists that I would like to be best friends with. This guy writes stuff that makes me go, “Wow!” Great voice, great sound, retardedly deep and promethean lyrics. He once put the word Prestidigitator in a song…..nuff said! Album to buy: Smell the Color Nine!

Chicago: The best! Especially from 1969 to either 1978 (When Terry Kath died) or arguably 1984 (When Peter Cetera left). 25 or 6 to 4……a song about not being able to write a song………brilliant! When Terry was alive these guys could do no wrong. They were as hard as Led, as soulful as Ray, as wild as Jimi, as smooth as….uh, well……..(Something really smooth)!

If you want to know my top 20 or top 50, just let me know.



Jon 25 Slone