Comments on: Indie Pop Playlist

Question: Indie Pop Playlist

stonerose — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:21:32 -0800

I'd like to put together a collection of new (i.e., unfamiliar) music for a friend who gravitates toward the more wistful moments of Belle and Sebastian, James, et al - Brit indie pop that often falls under the dubious label "twee." Any recommendations?

By: grabbingsand

grabbingsand — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:31:43 -0800

Trembling Blue Stars. Maybe not new ... but British, indie and certainly twee.
Also, The Softies. Not new, not British, but indie and twee-er than twee.

By: Quartermass

Quartermass — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:40:00 -0800

Twee eh?
My all time favorite twee act, and longtime guilty pleasure is the husband wife team of "mates of state"

Other than that - my favorite current pop groups
The Magnetic Fields (the new one "I" is awesome, but 69 Love Songs is the classic)
Neutral Milk Hotel
Beulah
The Shins (everyone - everyone loves the shins)
The Decemberists
New Pornographers
Death Cab for Cutie
The Wrens

None will steer you wrong

By: LairBob

LairBob — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:54:47 -0800

You should also check out Stamey & Holsapple (formerly of The dBs). Not Brit, and arguably not "twee", in the bad sense, but still very good pop of a more delicate sensibility.

By: FreezBoy

FreezBoy — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:01:30 -0800

What Quartermass said, and (not necessarily Brit, but):
The Reindeer Section
Kings of Convenience
Badly Drawn Boy
Velvet Teen

By: softlord

softlord — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:13:08 -0800

One of the classic labels of the twee era is Sarah.

You might also try The La's

By: john-paul

john-paul — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:14:20 -0800

camera obscura
Aberfeldy
The Concretes

Not quite for public consumption yet as they've only released 1 limited edition 7" single at the moment but next year is going to be the year of The Magic Numbers...truly amazing band, keep an eye out for them.

By: ifjuly

ifjuly — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:16:08 -0800

Kings of Convenience, Field Mice/Trembling Blue Stars (and lots of the Sarah bands--, Mates of State maybe (?), the Eric's Trip song "My Chest Is Empty," East River Pipe maybe, The Sprites, Elephant 6 bands, Tullycraft maybe (occasionally they're sad sort of), The Unicorns...

By: ifjuly

ifjuly — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:18:44 -0800

oh, and The Fly Seville, Poole, and Sleepyhead.

also: maybe obvious, but check out all of Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields fame)'s projects, and maybe a stretch but Yo La Tengo has some wonderful boy-girl harmony wistful songs.

By: themadjuggler

themadjuggler — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:29:42 -0800

Quartermass strikes the nalil soundly on the head !

By: stonerose

stonerose — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:30:33 -0800

Wow! Fantastic suggestions, folks. Thanks so much, and keep 'em coming.

By: stonerose

stonerose — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:32:30 -0800

Also - let me throw "Aberdeen" (San Fran-based, not the NYC band) into the mix. Amazing stuff.

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:33:50 -0800

Although the melodies are not as delicate, I find the sense to be similar for The Mountain Goats. Also TMG is the best band ever.

Ever.

You might check out The Ladybug Transistor, although they are not twee and might be a bit too precious. They are for me.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:08:26 -0800

Ballboy is the closest anything has come to Belle & Sebastian for me.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:11:50 -0800

Also:
grandaddy
Oranger
Teagan & Sara
Superchunk
The Elected
Promise Ring
Luna

By: Len

Len — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:13:15 -0800

Well, since Belle & Sebastian were mentioned as a starting point, some Glasgow goodness:

The Delgados (Unversal Audio is the new one, but The Great Eastern is the one to get).
The Pastels (you want stuff labelled "twee" but that's actually great? The Pastels are your band; check out "Illumination" for sweet boy/girl harmonies and dreaming melodies).
The Vaselines (everyone thought they were twee, but they spent their whole time shagging and singing about shagging, which is about as untwee as you get).

From elsewhere:
James Yorkston & The Athletes; Just Beyond The River came out a few months ago, and is frankly great. As is anything from The Fence Collective, friends of Yorkston.
Woodbine. They've got a new album coming, I think, next month, called Best Before End. Beautiful melodies, Mo Tucker drumming, great lyrics.
(Actually Australian, but that's not the point) The Go-Betweens. Get 16 Lovers Lane and feel like a wistful 1980s dilettante student (in a good way) all over again.

Also, I'll second any recommendation for Aberfeldy, and The Concretes.

On preview: forgot about Ballboy, them too.

By: spicynuts

spicynuts — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:41:26 -0800

Nobody has mentioned the Trash Can Sinatras?? Am I the only person that actually liked them?

By: kenko

kenko — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:42:47 -0800

Third for Aberfeldy. Possibly Augie March.

By: lotsofno

lotsofno — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:53:08 -0800

If you're looking for Belle and Sebastian-esque material, Camera Obscura is definitely the way to go. They've been accused many times of having too much influence from B&S actually, even though they're a lot better.

Yeah, I said it, and I don't care what the consequences are.

By: banjo_and_the_pork

banjo_and_the_pork — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:12:19 -0800

Lots of fantastic bands have been mentioned already. I'd add Holiday Flyer.

I think I've mentioned this on another music question, but the compilation Pop American Style is chock full of twee-goodness.

By: jasonspaceman

jasonspaceman — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:26:34 -0800

I would try tullycraft. They even have a song name 'twee' available for download. (mp3 link)

By: matildaben

matildaben — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:43:53 -0800

Second the recommendations above, and:

Ivy
Stars
Broken Social Scene
Elf Power
Pernice Brothers
Rosie Thomas
Heather Duby
American Analog Set
Delays

By: mds35

mds35 — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:45:33 -0800

All good suggestions above. I would add:

Saturday Looks Good To Me

My Teenage Stride

and The Stars, (can't find site) whose cover of "This Charming Man" is pure trippy twee goodness!

By: mds35

mds35 — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:53:28 -0800

D'oh! I didn't see matildaben's post on preview. Even more good suggestions. AAS rocks! (well, in a twee sorta way).

By: lotsofno

lotsofno — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:54:39 -0800

SLGTM's "The Girl's Distracted" (mp3 link) is frickin' delicious.

By: mds35

mds35 — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:03:13 -0800

How could I not mention these guys? Television Personalities kind of started the whole indie-twee thing. Some more good recommendations on their site.

By: modofo

modofo — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:05:03 -0800

I would like to mention The Clientele here.

By: amandaudoff

amandaudoff — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:08:55 -0800

How has nobody mentione Snow Patrol. I'd also throw TV on the Radio into the mix for a bit of edgy-twee.

And Quartermass- not everyone loves The Shins. Talk about an overrated band.

Oh! Iron and Wine and the Postal Service!

By: roboto

roboto — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:21:03 -0800

Tullycraft's Beat, Surf, Fun and Tullycraft: singles get a [this is good]!

By: chaz

chaz — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:22:53 -0800

You must check out Cessna. They are so great, and pitifully unknown. There are mp3s on the record label site.

By: strangeleftydoublethink

strangeleftydoublethink — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:26:38 -0800

For some older stuff, check out Felt (B&S were influenced by them) and The Apartments.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:07:54 -0800

Adem

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 14:04:30 -0800

Quartermass, excellent taste.

I'll toss in a mention for Sondre Lerche.

By: kickerofelves

kickerofelves — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 15:06:46 -0800

Joanna Newsom is almost twee and not British, but she put out my favorite album this year and makes ethereal music, although her voice polarizes listeners.

By: gramschmidt

gramschmidt — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:02:28 -0800

Orange Juice was another purported influence on Stuart Murdoch (of Belle), for what it's worth.

Also, second or third or whatever vote for Camera Obscura.

By: pompomtom

pompomtom — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:15:47 -0800

Not super-new, but I've got to add The Sundays.

Pure twee perfection.

By: Heminator

Heminator — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 22:28:40 -0800

The Lucksmiths are just what the doctor ordered.

By: kickerofelves

kickerofelves — Wed, 22 Dec 2004 06:11:13 -0800

I heard a Sundays song this past weekend in Home Depot, it made me dig out their cd's and give them a listen. Great recommendation.