So in order to regale my companions for this weekend
 

I went out and purchased some CDs that a 27 year old and his wife should like
but there's no accounting for taste.

I bought Led Zep IV, Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, Bob Marley Kaya Remastered, Pumpkin Tree in Abstensia, Green Day Different Shade of Green, Oasis something or other, Jethro Tull, and for his wife James Blunt, Wisemen.

I forget how fantastic Zep IV is and was. It is a classic album that should be required listening in all music appreciation classes, though I imagine others disagree.

I don't have an MP3 or know how to modify, but I was looking at these for more contemporaries.

Any comments.

Spoon, Raconteuers, Medesk, Maftin& Wood, Widespread Panic, Government Made, The Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire, Moe, Thievery Corporation, Blonde Redhead, My Morning Jacket, Cool an dBen Harper and th Innocent Criminals.

Do you guys and gals recommend any of those?

I went to Borders and they didn't even have Fela Kuti, but I guess that's too african for a white neighborhood.

Flaming Lips are good. Not familiar with all the other bands.

Nice work Arch. There's something in there for everyone. Of the bands I'm familiar with:
Green Day and Oasis are standard fare for someone raised in the nineties.
Most anybody can appreciate Bob Marley, Led Zep, and Pink Floyd.
James Blunt is one-hit wonder girl music.
Widespread Panic and Moe are for the Jam Band fan.
Arcade Fire is a good Indie band.
Ben Harper is laid back and unoffensive.

What no classical music? May I suggest this John Rutter version of Faure's Requiem:

http://www.amazon.com/Faure-Requiem-.../dp/B0000031HB

Good change of pace if nothing else.

I do appreciate classical, but this is dude weekend, where we jam it.

I know very little about music, so I will listen to your eclectic and more refined tastes.

Ben Harper is my favorite on that list. Flaming Lips are great though. So is Arcade Fire. I don't like Green Day.

Spoon - "Gimme Fiction" or the new on "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" are both good.

The Flaming Lips - "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots" is about five years old, but excellent.

Arcade Fire - I like "Funeral" better than their new release.

Thievery Corporation - This is mellow electronica (downtempo) I have several of their tracks, it's really just chill music.

My Morning Jacket - "It Still Moves" is a classic - one of my favorites. I thought "z" was the best album of '05

For music released this year check out The White Stripes - "Icky Thump", Spoon - "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" (listed above), The National - "Boxer" or Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"

Other recommendations:

For articulate hip-hop check out the Blues Scholars
http://www.myspace.com/bluescholars

For funky Mexican/Latin electronia check out Mexican Institute Of Sound
http://www.myspace.com/mexicaninstituteofsound

For alt-country sound check out Neko Case...

http://www.myspace.com/nekocase

Or Catpower

http://www.myspace.com/catpower

I think Mike has referred these two in the past as well.

Spoon is excellent. There are at least three of their songs that most people would recognize. A truly good up and coming group. Thievery Corp is more techno as I recall, not so much my thing. Arcade Fire has a nice song entitled "Rebellion (Lies)." Flaming Lips are good: "Do you Realize" is a great track. Board mail me if you want more suggestions.

I've added most of those as well.

I still need to get Arcade Fire, but most the list I provided as also been added.