Punk songs for a folk lover?

June 6, 2012 11:48 AM

I normally listen to bluegrass/folk/classical, but I recently found out I really love Bad Religion's "Sorrow". What other punk tracks might I enjoy?

I don't think I care particularly about the "soft"/acoustic sound of much of the music I listen to, so I'd love to branch out to include some harder stuff that shares the same basic musical underpinnings. As far as I can tell, what I'm looking for are songs that have, in descending order of importance:

-- Conspicuous sung harmonies
-- Strong moving bass line
-- Strong melody
-- Relatively traditional overall structure
-- Interesting, thoughtful lyrics

What other songs in the punk/post-punk line should I be checking out?

posted by Bardolph to media & arts (25 answers total)

Social Distortion
posted by entropicamericana at 11:55 AM on June 6, 2012 [4 favorites]

The Distillers - particularly Coral Fang!
Ramones - although not so much on the thoughtful lyrics. ;)
posted by pazazygeek at 11:58 AM on June 6, 2012

Check out the Mekons, particularly their albums that blended post-punk with a country vibe, like Fear and Whiskey and The Mekons Honky-Tonkin'.
posted by seldomfun at 12:02 PM on June 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

The Pogues - Start with Rum Sodomy and the Lash. They re-work a lot of older folk tunes.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 12:05 PM on June 6, 2012

Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly sound like they'd be right up your alley.
posted by erst at 12:12 PM on June 6, 2012

How about some fast folk/bluegrass punk? Try Larry & His Flask and Old Man Markley.
posted by xtine at 12:12 PM on June 6, 2012

This bike is a pipe bomb!
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 12:14 PM on June 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

and old Against Me!
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 12:16 PM on June 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Also, Bad Religion has been around for over 30 years and have a massive discography. You might want to try listening to more Bad Religion as well.
posted by erst at 12:17 PM on June 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

Another vote for the Mekons, as well as their spin-off band, the Waco Brothers.
posted by scody at 12:19 PM on June 6, 2012

Your want of melody, bass line, and good lyrics makes me thing you might enjoy Operation Ivy, too. Also, all of the other recommendations so far in this thread are great.
posted by broadway bill at 12:34 PM on June 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Maybe try the Devil Makes Three? Kinda punky, kinda bluegrass. Samples available too.
posted by that's candlepin at 12:35 PM on June 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh, also, Ramshackle Glory is really fun, and they basically are a punk band playing bluegrass/folky stuff. I can't link to youtube right now, but check out them and OP IVY both!
posted by broadway bill at 12:36 PM on June 6, 2012

I can link after all!

Operation Ivy
Ramshackle Glory
Fucked Up
posted by broadway bill at 12:39 PM on June 6, 2012

Joey Ramone - What a Wonderful World.

Social Distortion, specifically: Ring of Fire, Story of My Life, and Ball and Chain.

Rise Against - Savior, Swing Life Away (an acoustic interlude), and Life Less Frightening
posted by colfax at 12:41 PM on June 6, 2012

LA punk band X plays at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, usually in their only-slightly-different incarnation The Knitters. I think both fit most or all of your criteria.
posted by rtha at 12:50 PM on June 6, 2012

Coming at it from a different direction: Uncle Tupelo.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:12 PM on June 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'll open with some Rancid, because your list perfectly describes them (and they have one of the best bassists in the business).

Then I'll raise you Against Me!*

*Ben Lee covered the entirety of Against Me!'s New Wave and released it for free by download.
posted by General Malaise at 1:35 PM on June 6, 2012

The Levellers, listen to One Way or Julie (I'd link but I'm on my phone).
posted by fshgrl at 1:52 PM on June 6, 2012

> Another vote for the Mekons

And from me (those are some of the greatest records of the '80s, if you ask me). And try Meat Puppets II (e.g., "Lost").
posted by languagehat at 3:00 PM on June 6, 2012 [4 favorites]

This question made me smile. Great suggestions so far.

More Bad Religion, especially "Into the Unknown" which is very different from most of the band's other albums.

New Model Army
Fugazi
The Dickies
Misfits
Toy Dolls
The Clash
Husker Du/Bob Mould/Sugar
Guided by Voices
Sleater Kinney
Electric Six
Mates of State
The Thermals.

I've ventured beyond strictly punk a bit there, but I could go on for days.
posted by humboldt32 at 4:31 PM on June 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness put out a fantastic solo album in 1999 that I think you'd love - it's heavily folksy, with some country and rock thrown in.

Some of my favorites:

Ballad of a Lonely Man
If You Leave Before Me
Don't Think Twice (Dylan cover)
posted by raztaj at 5:23 PM on June 6, 2012

The Fall*

*only punk you'll ever need
posted by lhude sing cuccu at 6:50 PM on June 6, 2012

Try Low sometime. They're not especially loud/hard, but they can be and claim a significant punk influence. Later albums like Trust and the Great Destroyer, or songs like California, Canada, and Monkey.
posted by K.P. at 7:09 PM on June 6, 2012

Social Distortion-- YES. I'll definitely be checking into all the other suggestions (including lots more Bad Religion) over the next few weeks, though, and will mark more best answers as I go along. Thank you so much for all the answers, everyone!
posted by Bardolph at 11:15 AM on June 12, 2012