What music should I be listening to, given my current obsessions?

October 28, 2008 6:52 PM

What music should I be listening to, given my current obsessions?

Maybe this is a waste of a question, but I don't care, because I've heard some great stuff thanks to other AskMe questions like this one.

I've been listening to a ton of Mike Doughty, Sufjan Stevens, and Badly Drawn Boy lately. That's all I'm listening to. Given that knowledge, who else should I be into? What am I probably missing?

posted by Optimus Chyme to media & arts (33 comments total)

Pandora?
posted by k8t at 6:56 PM on October 28, 2008

Iron & Wine.
posted by jessamyn at 6:58 PM on October 28, 2008

Seconding Iron and Wine. Sam beam is a genius. The last one, Shepherd's Dog, took three listens to grow on me, but it's great.

Slightly less twee, but Clem Snide makes some really artful stuff with some fantastically weird lyrics.

And I'll use this soapbox to pimp my faves, Calexico. More Mexicali space-junk jazz-rock than experimental folk, but excellent nonetheless. I literally wore out my CD of their album Feast of Wire.
posted by notsnot at 7:02 PM on October 28, 2008

The Weary Boys.
posted by dpx.mfx at 7:07 PM on October 28, 2008

Since Calexico + Iron & Wine have already been recommended, I'll just mention that they made a totally amazing album together called "In the Reins".
posted by kavasa at 7:09 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Islands' Return to the Sea

Elliot Smith

The Mountain Goats
posted by carsonb at 7:20 PM on October 28, 2008

Give a listen...

The New Pornographers
(I like 'Bleeding Heart Show', and 'Go Places')

Mates of State
(Anything from the album 'Team Boo', but 'All Day' is really good too)

Bright Eyes
(Not a big fan, personally, but you might like em...)

Hope you enjoy!
posted by photomusic86 at 7:21 PM on October 28, 2008

Beirut

The Silver Jews

Lambchop
posted by carsonb at 7:26 PM on October 28, 2008

Nada Surf (brilliant songwriting, very different from their top ten hit)
Mirah
Ray Lamontagne
posted by kimdog at 7:37 PM on October 28, 2008

Not really in the same vein, but bands that sit well with me when I'm in a Mike Doughty/Badly Drawn Boy mood are Built to Spill, Aloha, and Beulah.

And please please please go look at Mike Doughty's top 27 myspace friends. It's like Christmas all over again.
posted by soma lkzx at 7:39 PM on October 28, 2008

I got into Doughty because I was a huge Soul Coughing fan (Doughty was their lead singer/songwriter), so if you don't have their albums, I'd get those. You'll get new (to you) versions of a lot of songs that Doughty now does solo.

Also, for a while, I listened to Haughty Melodic alternated with Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. They just seemed to go together somehow.
posted by decathecting at 7:47 PM on October 28, 2008

The Shins.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 7:52 PM on October 28, 2008

midlake: van occupanther
posted by tristero at 7:52 PM on October 28, 2008

euro goodness ala sufjan:
beirut
chad van gaalen
jens lekman

the golden days:
guided by voices
built to spill
jawbreaker

worthy whippersnappers:
john vanderslice
the national
voxtrot
posted by ashabanapal at 7:54 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sounds like you'd enjoy Josh Ritter and Joshua Radin.
posted by non sum qualis eram at 7:55 PM on October 28, 2008

Seconding the Pandora because I have a Sufjan station....very good.
posted by captainsohler at 8:47 PM on October 28, 2008

Andrew Bird.

If you'd like to tap into another hive mind, try the last.fm similar artists radio for each of those three. For instance, here's Sufjans.
posted by PueExMachina at 8:58 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Joseph Arthur
Mary Lou Lord
Ron Sexsmith
posted by extrabox at 9:09 PM on October 28, 2008

Andrew Bird
Danielson Famile (Sufjan guests on some of their stuff)
Rosie Thomas
Mates of State
Iron & Wine
M. Ward
posted by mattholomew at 9:13 PM on October 28, 2008

Chris Bathgate
Matt Jones
Frontier Ruckus
Great Lakes Myth Society
posted by timsteil at 9:19 PM on October 28, 2008

If "avant-rustic" sounds like something that might be up your alley, check out Califone, quickly!.
posted by scody at 10:35 PM on October 28, 2008

Maybe more experimental, but Songs Ohia has some incredible stuff.
also: Six Organs of Admittance
also: David Sylvan
posted by OrangeDrink at 10:40 PM on October 28, 2008

Seconding a lot of stuff I've seen mentioned:
M. Ward
Iron & Wine
Andrew Bird
Clem Snide
Jens Lekman

Some not mentioned yet:
Anathallo (complex, baroque pop)
Fleet Foxes (earthy harmonizing)
Castanets (country soul made by a free-jazz madman)
Damien Jurado (semi-acoustic alt-country with a vicious streak)
Denison Witmer (we used to call stuff like this "sad bastard music" at my old radio station)

You might also be interested in side projects from people in Sufjan's band, like:
St. Vincent (if Sufjan was an angry girl who played violin)
Half-Handed Cloud (if all of Sufjan's songs were extra-happy and less than three minutes)
or some of the bands on Sufjan's label, Asthmatic Kitty. There's a free release of some works-in-progress from some new artists here.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:50 PM on October 28, 2008

Woodpigeon, Canadian Sufjan-ish folk pop. Via Sweden, you might also like José González.

Also Will Oldham/Bonnie Prince Billy, who is similar to Iron & Wine. My Brightest Diamond, who has worked with Sufjan, is also good, but might be a little too Kate Bush.
posted by melissam at 2:46 AM on October 29, 2008

For sure the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album "The Letting Go".
posted by hydatius at 3:35 AM on October 29, 2008

This is super awesome. Thank you all for your suggestions and I will be marking "best answers" once I manage to listen to everything posted. :)
posted by Optimus Chyme at 3:48 AM on October 29, 2008

Alfie
posted by minifigs at 4:27 AM on October 29, 2008

Surprised we've made it this far without Alexi Murdoch.

I think the latest Iron & Wine is the finest thing he's done.
posted by mykescipark at 9:24 AM on October 29, 2008

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but I'd like to throw out a rec for Grandaddy. If I'm totally off on this, feel free to beat me about the neck and shoulders.
posted by owtytrof at 9:57 AM on October 29, 2008

Samamidon
posted by NemesisVex at 11:58 AM on October 29, 2008

This has been a orgy of great music I had no idea existed. Still checking everything out; there's a lot to listen to so it will take me a while. Thanks again.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 4:53 PM on October 30, 2008

Listen to me carefully: the two people who recommended Clem Snide are *almost* there, but you absolutely must go one step further. If you even begin to care about your musical taste or your ears, then please, PLEASE, go find two albums by Clem Snide's now-solo singer, Eef Barzelay.

Is that a weird name? Yes. Is his music amazing? Also, yes.

Two albums, both available on iTunes: Ballad of Bitter Honey - slowed down, melodic, intellectual lyrics, and his voice and the way he sings "Well" and "Thanksgiving Waves" on this album will MELT YOUR FACE.

Second album: Lose Big - Eef went back to a full band now, and, honestly, this album took me three listens to really like. But now it's all over my iPod's Top 25 most played.

Oh, what's that? You'd like some free live downloads to listen to? Great. He just did an interview with Daytrotter with mp3s of songs. Daytrotter

Go. Go right now! Then feel free to come back and mark this the best answer because Eef will make it so.
posted by cheeken at 10:50 PM on October 30, 2008

- Ari Hest, specifically the "Someone To Tell" album. Thank me later.
- The Weepies
- Sun Kil Moon (though its a little more depressing than the two bands you mentioned)
posted by softlord at 2:36 AM on October 31, 2008