Fuzzed out keyboard bands?
December 1, 2010 1:24 PM Subscribe
Looking for poppy indie bands/songs that use fuzzy or heavily distorted keyboards.
I really love Mates of State, especially when they use heavily distorted keyboards like in this song (and many others). Another example of these keyboards can be found in the intro of this Death Cab song.
I'm not just looking for any keyboards (Sorry Matt and Kim), they have to be kind of raw and distorted like in the above examples for me to get my fix. Ideally these suggestions would be two-piece bands: fuzzy keyboard+drums. I really love when there are no bass/guitars and a band can make do by just playing the bass and lead parts of a song on a distorted keyboard, and it almost sounds like a fully formed band like Mates of State tends to do. But I'd be open to hearing 4 or 5-piece bands like the Death Cab example, as long as the keyboard is the central/prominent instrument.
Thanks all!
I really love Mates of State, especially when they use heavily distorted keyboards like in this song (and many others). Another example of these keyboards can be found in the intro of this Death Cab song.
I'm not just looking for any keyboards (Sorry Matt and Kim), they have to be kind of raw and distorted like in the above examples for me to get my fix. Ideally these suggestions would be two-piece bands: fuzzy keyboard+drums. I really love when there are no bass/guitars and a band can make do by just playing the bass and lead parts of a song on a distorted keyboard, and it almost sounds like a fully formed band like Mates of State tends to do. But I'd be open to hearing 4 or 5-piece bands like the Death Cab example, as long as the keyboard is the central/prominent instrument.
Thanks all!
Response by poster: Sorry, I should have clarified some things - and I do think Neon Indian is awesome - but I'm looking for music with more of a rock/punk aesthetic than a dancey/electronic one. So live drums are definitely required. Sorry for sounding so picky. Just trying to fulfill my craving.
posted by windbox at 1:31 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by windbox at 1:31 PM on December 1, 2010
It's going back a few years, but perhaps The Charlatans or Inspiral Carpets?
posted by scody at 1:36 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by scody at 1:36 PM on December 1, 2010
Best answer: A whole lot of Quasi songs are just fuzzed-out keyboards and drums (and vocals).
posted by lisa g at 1:48 PM on December 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by lisa g at 1:48 PM on December 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: A whole lot of Quasi songs are just fuzzed-out keyboards and drums (and vocals)
Whoa - I had always heard of Quasi but never bothered to listen. This song is a perfect example of what I'm looking for. Keep them coming!
posted by windbox at 1:53 PM on December 1, 2010
Whoa - I had always heard of Quasi but never bothered to listen. This song is a perfect example of what I'm looking for. Keep them coming!
posted by windbox at 1:53 PM on December 1, 2010
Suicide invented this sound. I'm on a phone so posting a link is a hassle, but check them out on Youtube - ghost rider and diamonds, fur coats, champagne are two really good songs.
posted by Ted Maul at 2:12 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by Ted Maul at 2:12 PM on December 1, 2010
Give The Black Diamond Heavies a try. I heard about them via komara, who got it from ghharr. I don't know if it's the sound you're looking for, but any MeFi love child is worth listening to. Recommended first track (organwise): Everythang, everythang.
posted by ouke at 2:15 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by ouke at 2:15 PM on December 1, 2010
Glad you liked Quasi -- maybe start with Featuring 'Birds' for more of that sound, though they often have guitar as well, and recently added a bassist.
I can't think of too many other bands that sound quite like Quasi ... of course Yo La Tengo have some fuzzy keyboard moments among all of their sounds. And like Ted Maul said above, try early Suicide ... they often get called "synth pop" (because what else would you call a keyboard-vocal duo in 1977?), but are pretty aggro and generally unclassifiable.
posted by lisa g at 2:19 PM on December 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
I can't think of too many other bands that sound quite like Quasi ... of course Yo La Tengo have some fuzzy keyboard moments among all of their sounds. And like Ted Maul said above, try early Suicide ... they often get called "synth pop" (because what else would you call a keyboard-vocal duo in 1977?), but are pretty aggro and generally unclassifiable.
posted by lisa g at 2:19 PM on December 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Devo's Redye express has a great distorted keyboard - this is a live version that doesn't quite have the same distortion as the studio version, but a great clip anyway
posted by the noob at 3:08 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by the noob at 3:08 PM on December 1, 2010
You're looking for No Age. From their album Nouns: Miner, Teen Creeps
posted by namewithoutwords at 3:50 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by namewithoutwords at 3:50 PM on December 1, 2010
Response by poster: Oh My God is definitely along those lines. Black Diamond Heavies fits the bill too, except I have a hard time getting in to the Tom Waits vocals (that's just me, though - props for finding something along the lines of what I was looking for).
posted by windbox at 6:38 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by windbox at 6:38 PM on December 1, 2010
First thing that comes to my mind is Butter 08, for example the song Butter of 69.
Keyboard starts about halfway through, if you're impatient. Check out their other stuff too.
posted by KenManiac at 8:23 PM on December 1, 2010
Keyboard starts about halfway through, if you're impatient. Check out their other stuff too.
posted by KenManiac at 8:23 PM on December 1, 2010
reggie and the full effect!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wBx_2dluD4
posted by wuzandfuzz at 8:55 PM on December 1, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wBx_2dluD4
posted by wuzandfuzz at 8:55 PM on December 1, 2010
And perhaps totally stating the obvious: early to mid-'90s Stereolab?
posted by lisa g at 9:29 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by lisa g at 9:29 PM on December 1, 2010
What about The Rentals? (Asshat pre-roll commercial. Sorry.)
posted by littlerobothead at 10:16 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by littlerobothead at 10:16 PM on December 1, 2010
Clinic has been mentioned, but what about their minor-hit "Walking With Thee"?
posted by bardic at 12:43 AM on December 2, 2010
posted by bardic at 12:43 AM on December 2, 2010
Suicide did not invent this sound.
What I meant was, they were the first band to consistently use JUST keyboards and drum (machines) with vocals. You can't say that about the Velvets or Modern Lovers, who were guitar bands first and foremost. OP did say "Ideally these suggestions would be two-piece bands: fuzzy keyboard+drums".
I guess this kind of nitpicking isn't very helpful to OP, so here's a cool live video.
posted by Ted Maul at 2:32 AM on December 2, 2010
What I meant was, they were the first band to consistently use JUST keyboards and drum (machines) with vocals. You can't say that about the Velvets or Modern Lovers, who were guitar bands first and foremost. OP did say "Ideally these suggestions would be two-piece bands: fuzzy keyboard+drums".
I guess this kind of nitpicking isn't very helpful to OP, so here's a cool live video.
posted by Ted Maul at 2:32 AM on December 2, 2010
Just to continue on the Stereolab vibe: a couple more (live) examples.
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:49 AM on December 2, 2010
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:49 AM on December 2, 2010
Oh, and Cul de Sac does this too. (It takes about 3 minutes for the keyboards to come in in that clip, but when they do ... boy, are they distorted and fuzzed out ...)
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:58 AM on December 2, 2010
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:58 AM on December 2, 2010
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posted by aheckler at 1:28 PM on December 1, 2010