Fuzzy Low-Fi Fun
February 12, 2010 2:36 AM Subscribe
Music Nerds! I need help finding fuzzy, low-fi pop gems.
Recently, I've been listening to a lot of fuzzy, low-fi pop music, examples being Night Control, Washed Out, Neon Indian, and some of Ariel Pink's more coherent stuff.
The overlying theme seems to be straight-out pop songs, but with low-fi production values and weird synths- something like My Bloody Valentine meets Alexander Robotnick.
Given that I like these bands, what other music should I check out?
Recently, I've been listening to a lot of fuzzy, low-fi pop music, examples being Night Control, Washed Out, Neon Indian, and some of Ariel Pink's more coherent stuff.
The overlying theme seems to be straight-out pop songs, but with low-fi production values and weird synths- something like My Bloody Valentine meets Alexander Robotnick.
Given that I like these bands, what other music should I check out?
Whoops - they have weird synths but are a bit more produced than perhaps you were looking for.
Never mind, check them out anyway!
posted by greenish at 3:35 AM on February 12, 2010
Never mind, check them out anyway!
posted by greenish at 3:35 AM on February 12, 2010
Black Tambourine
The Aislers Set
Henry's Dress
Swirlies
The Vaselines
Slowdive
posted by timshel at 3:36 AM on February 12, 2010
The Aislers Set
Henry's Dress
Swirlies
The Vaselines
Slowdive
posted by timshel at 3:36 AM on February 12, 2010
You mentioned fuzzy and lo-fi in the one sentence, so what you really meant was Elephant Six. Try Apples in Stereo's Velocity of Sound, or The Gerbils' 'Are You Sleepy?'
posted by scruss at 4:15 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by scruss at 4:15 AM on February 12, 2010
His Clancyness is pretty awesome - myspace, HypeMachine.
posted by carbide at 4:18 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by carbide at 4:18 AM on February 12, 2010
Broadcast
and finally the first few Stereolab albums & compilations:
Peng
Transient Random Noise Bursts with Announcements
Refried Ectoplasm
Mars Audiac Quintet
These are all in the spirit of what you're looking for, in one way or another.
posted by timshel at 4:20 AM on February 12, 2010
and finally the first few Stereolab albums & compilations:
Peng
Transient Random Noise Bursts with Announcements
Refried Ectoplasm
Mars Audiac Quintet
These are all in the spirit of what you're looking for, in one way or another.
posted by timshel at 4:20 AM on February 12, 2010
Lo-fi and fuzzy.
The Thermals Album "More Parts Per Million" has a great lo-fi production
The entire Guided By Voices catalog
Saturday Looks Good to Me
The Sonics
posted by orville sash at 4:45 AM on February 12, 2010
The Thermals Album "More Parts Per Million" has a great lo-fi production
The entire Guided By Voices catalog
Saturday Looks Good to Me
The Sonics
posted by orville sash at 4:45 AM on February 12, 2010
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, especially the first three or four albums.
posted by aparrish at 4:59 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by aparrish at 4:59 AM on February 12, 2010
Best answer: Crystal Stilts
and...scene!
posted by timshel at 4:59 AM on February 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
and...scene!
posted by timshel at 4:59 AM on February 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
And yeah, if your list doesn't include The Mountain Goats, Beat Happening, Olivia Tremor Control, and a bunch of Jewelled Antler Collective stuff (Skygreen Leopards, maybe?) then I don't know what you're doing.
posted by aparrish at 5:07 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by aparrish at 5:07 AM on February 12, 2010
I came in to say Stereolab's first few albums so instead I'll second timshel and raise you a My Bloody Valentine and a Sonic Youth.
posted by merocet at 6:36 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by merocet at 6:36 AM on February 12, 2010
Find What You Get by Bang Gang
Hey...Ok! by Sarah Hepburn
posted by chillmost at 7:00 AM on February 12, 2010
Hey...Ok! by Sarah Hepburn
posted by chillmost at 7:00 AM on February 12, 2010
Guided by Voices
posted by downing street memo at 7:03 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by downing street memo at 7:03 AM on February 12, 2010
Best answer: R. Stevie Moore, "I like to Stay Home"
Wikipedia
Seriously, this dude is awesome.
posted by DeltaForce at 8:15 AM on February 12, 2010
Wikipedia
Seriously, this dude is awesome.
posted by DeltaForce at 8:15 AM on February 12, 2010
Kleenex Girl Wonder, specifically Graham Smith is the Coolest Person Alive. Jesus. How is that album 10 years old.
posted by clockwork at 8:37 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by clockwork at 8:37 AM on February 12, 2010
James ("unrepentant thief") Ferraro's Lamborghini Crystal project - Cool Runnings and Dial 747-Creepazoid. Grab them off of a blogspot.
posted by porn in the woods at 8:54 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by porn in the woods at 8:54 AM on February 12, 2010
Pretty much any time someone says "fuzzy" and "lofi pop", I immediately think of the whole first Raveonettes record. Here's Noisy Summer. I don't know if they use a whole lot of synths, tho.
posted by bitterkitten at 9:43 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by bitterkitten at 9:43 AM on February 12, 2010
I highly recommend Of Montreal. They were part of the aforementioned Elephant Six. Two albums in particular: The Sunlandic Twins and Satanic Panic in the Attic. Their later work is less poppy and lo-fi (and not as good IMHO, though this is very contentious).
Passion Pit.
The Strokes song "12:51."
You might like the Fiery Furnaces. They're really weird, not for everyone, so I don't know if they're "straight-out pop" enough for you. But give them a listen.
If you're interested in instrumentals, The Octopus Project would be right up your alley. (Some of their later work has vocals, I think, but I haven't really listened to it.)
Prince's album Purple Rain. (!!!)
posted by Jaltcoh at 9:46 AM on February 12, 2010
Passion Pit.
The Strokes song "12:51."
You might like the Fiery Furnaces. They're really weird, not for everyone, so I don't know if they're "straight-out pop" enough for you. But give them a listen.
If you're interested in instrumentals, The Octopus Project would be right up your alley. (Some of their later work has vocals, I think, but I haven't really listened to it.)
Prince's album Purple Rain. (!!!)
posted by Jaltcoh at 9:46 AM on February 12, 2010
Lo-fi fuzzy pop gems? Phil Elverum.
Not just The Microphones
and Mount Eerie
and Old Time Relijun
but all the stuff he produced too like Mirah and Calvin Johnson and Karl Blau and and and
Um, basically just go look at his credits.
Also, hopefully Ryland Buchard is still making music as The Robot Ate Me. I recommend starting with the 'They Ate Themselves' album and seeing how you like it from there.
posted by carsonb at 10:50 AM on February 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Not just The Microphones
and Mount Eerie
and Old Time Relijun
but all the stuff he produced too like Mirah and Calvin Johnson and Karl Blau and and and
Um, basically just go look at his credits.
Also, hopefully Ryland Buchard is still making music as The Robot Ate Me. I recommend starting with the 'They Ate Themselves' album and seeing how you like it from there.
posted by carsonb at 10:50 AM on February 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are The Dirtbombs fuzzy & lo-fi enough? They do some great Motown covers, and are never without a healthy sampling of fuzz guitar.
If nothing else, they ooze cool.
posted by Turkey Glue at 10:56 AM on February 12, 2010
If nothing else, they ooze cool.
posted by Turkey Glue at 10:56 AM on February 12, 2010
OH CRAP I POSTED A LINK THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!
Here are The Dirtbombs. For real.
posted by Turkey Glue at 10:58 AM on February 12, 2010
Here are The Dirtbombs. For real.
posted by Turkey Glue at 10:58 AM on February 12, 2010
Best answer: In the vein of R. Stevie Moore, Gary Wilson.
posted by carsonb at 10:58 AM on February 12, 2010
posted by carsonb at 10:58 AM on February 12, 2010
Dude, you need The Olivia Tremor Control.
They are the greatest band ever to make "lo-fi" pop, though when we interviewed one of the members on the radio, he said that low fidelity is actually kind of a misnomer. It's more like music that is recorded with "an interest in fidelity."
posted by solipsophistocracy at 11:31 AM on February 12, 2010
They are the greatest band ever to make "lo-fi" pop, though when we interviewed one of the members on the radio, he said that low fidelity is actually kind of a misnomer. It's more like music that is recorded with "an interest in fidelity."
posted by solipsophistocracy at 11:31 AM on February 12, 2010
Sebadoh. Lou Barlow pretty much invented fuzzy lo-fi pop. Okay, not really, but... yeah, really. I'd go with 'Rebound' and 'Ocean' for pop gemminess. If I had to choose one Guided by Voices song that might fit the sound you're looking for it'd be 'Game of Pricks'.
posted by Mael Oui at 9:03 PM on February 12, 2010
posted by Mael Oui at 9:03 PM on February 12, 2010
How about...
Heavy Times ...sort of like a non-wanky version of wavves
Or Reading Rainbow ...Surf / Girl band / lo-fi sort of sound. Have a listen to their new song 'restless' for a start.
posted by brisbane at 10:13 PM on February 17, 2010
Heavy Times ...sort of like a non-wanky version of wavves
Or Reading Rainbow ...Surf / Girl band / lo-fi sort of sound. Have a listen to their new song 'restless' for a start.
posted by brisbane at 10:13 PM on February 17, 2010
I heard this Rogue Wave song yesterday and immediately remembered this question. The real goodness kicks in at about a minute.
posted by peep at 8:54 AM on March 24, 2010
posted by peep at 8:54 AM on March 24, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mew_(band)
Your first stop should be the song "Mica" if possible - distilled pop genius.
posted by greenish at 3:24 AM on February 12, 2010