Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Sputnik Music

So I've actually had more going on on the written webpage musicwise than I've had either viewing or listening to music. My latest passion is a webpage called Sputnik Music at www.sputnikmusic.com. It's not new, but it is new to me.

I've been looking for a decent site for new alternative music, and this one is pretty good. I read Pitchfork, but I find that I completely disagree with their taste -- albums that they say are great I usually find so-so, and invariably new albums I love are either not reviewed or given mediocre-to-negative ratings.

I like Sputnik Music largely because it's a little like Wikipedia -- it has a staff, but it's largely viewer maintained. Community members have the opportunity to write reviews and rate albums they like (or don't like). Members also have the ability to add albums to the site, and while there's a concentration on new music, they cover music going back to the '60s.

I've been adding artists previously missing from the site, like The Good Rats, Priory and Antigone Rising, and adding missing albums for bands like Future Bible Heroes and Quarterflash.

I'll probably put some reviews up for a few of the artists I've been working on. The site has been running a little slow for the last few days, though, so I'll wait until it gets up to speed.

These days, there are a couple of ways I find new music. I subscribe to Alternative Press, which is a little punk- and hardcore-heavy for my taste, but I usually find some interesting bands there. I also find good stuff on the satellite radio station Alt Nation (which Denise subscribes to), and on the Music Choice Alternative channel on my cable TV. And I keep up with new releases on Amazon.com, especially releases from bands I've already heard good stuff from in the past. (I really miss the annual Good Times Long Island Music Festival as a means of finding new local bands, though, although I do still find some interesting local bands in Good Times).

In the meantime, I've finally got some tickets for some upcoming live shows to look forward to, but I'll wait to post them until after the fact (so you don't all rob my house).

I missed out on the recent Twenty One Pilots show at Madison Square Garden. Denise bought tickets for the kids, but I passed because I wasn't that familiar with the band. Then, after she bought the tickets, I got to hear their "Heathens" song from the Suicide Squad soundtrack and decided I really liked it. Oh well. You snooze, you lose. (I also missed out on Mutemath as the opening act because we didn't know they were part of the show until D. and the kids got there). Anyway, they all loved the concert, although they didn't love having to stand for an hour and a half on the LIRR all the way home. So boo, LIRR. You guys suck.

Best CDs of the year that I'm enjoying so far are the self-titled album from Andy Black (otherwise known as Andy Bierstock of Black Veil Brides fame), and the new full-length album by promising young Poughkeepsie band Against the Current.

'Til next time ...