Who are some current female singer-songwriters who seem to be stuck in the 90s?
July 9, 2012 6:34 PM Subscribe
I am looking for current "alternative" music by obscure female singer-songwriters that sounds like it could have come out in the mid-late 90s. Who are some out there who currently write in that style, even now that it is the 2010s?
The kind of stuff I'm talking about is 90s era Tori Amos/Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple (who still fits the bill currently), Lisa Germano, stuff like that. Often dark and painful stuff. An issue I have with a lot of the music that comes out now is it seems so glossed over and harmless, or written with licensing in mind so it's just kind of generic and overly focused on hooks that repeat again and again, or it sounds pretty but the lyrics are either banal or incomprehensible.
I'm not so much looking for artsy and self-consciously quirky/cute (e.g. pretty much anything that's been in an iPod/iPhone commercial, or that sounds like it could fit in one or might get played at a Starbucks) as I am looking for really personal, introspective songs where the singer isn't afraid to sound vividly angry or perhaps troublingly depressed, and the music is compelling musically and melodically. Lyrics that are thoughtful, that you can really chew on. Stuff that also doesn't have the life sucked out of it from over-production and over-polish and where the singer's voice isn't autotuned.
I would like it to be music released within the last three years. Age of the singer doesn't matter. The more obscure the better, as then it is more likely I haven't already heard of them.
Yeah, I'm really picky, but I hope there's more of this kind of music out there than I am aware of.
Anyone?
The kind of stuff I'm talking about is 90s era Tori Amos/Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple (who still fits the bill currently), Lisa Germano, stuff like that. Often dark and painful stuff. An issue I have with a lot of the music that comes out now is it seems so glossed over and harmless, or written with licensing in mind so it's just kind of generic and overly focused on hooks that repeat again and again, or it sounds pretty but the lyrics are either banal or incomprehensible.
I'm not so much looking for artsy and self-consciously quirky/cute (e.g. pretty much anything that's been in an iPod/iPhone commercial, or that sounds like it could fit in one or might get played at a Starbucks) as I am looking for really personal, introspective songs where the singer isn't afraid to sound vividly angry or perhaps troublingly depressed, and the music is compelling musically and melodically. Lyrics that are thoughtful, that you can really chew on. Stuff that also doesn't have the life sucked out of it from over-production and over-polish and where the singer's voice isn't autotuned.
I would like it to be music released within the last three years. Age of the singer doesn't matter. The more obscure the better, as then it is more likely I haven't already heard of them.
Yeah, I'm really picky, but I hope there's more of this kind of music out there than I am aware of.
Anyone?
Austra or Katie Stelmanis' solo stuff. Anna Calvi, perhaps.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:40 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by crush-onastick at 6:40 PM on July 9, 2012
I like Ane Brun. 10 seconds. Don't Leave. Changing of the Seasons.
posted by cashman at 6:55 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cashman at 6:55 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
You might like Agnes Obel, Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton, Amy Millan, Anais Mitchell, Lotte Kestner, Bosque Brown, Feist, First Aid Kit, Antje Duvekot, Deb Talan, Neko Case, Chris Pureka, and Sharon Van Etten.
posted by acridrabbit at 6:56 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by acridrabbit at 6:56 PM on July 9, 2012
Amanda Palmer.
posted by erst at 7:00 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by erst at 7:00 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Mirah?
Tegan and Sarah?
Seconding Neko Case and Sharon Van Etten.
posted by Sara C. at 7:17 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Tegan and Sarah?
Seconding Neko Case and Sharon Van Etten.
posted by Sara C. at 7:17 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Thao Nguyen?
posted by Sara C. at 7:40 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sara C. at 7:40 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Bat for Lashes.
posted by John Cohen at 7:48 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by John Cohen at 7:48 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Digital Daggers.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 7:54 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by Nimmie Amee at 7:54 PM on July 9, 2012
I almost want this answer to be anonymous, but I really dig this youtube poster. I bought her EP off iTunes because it reminded me of the stuff I listened to 20 years ago.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:05 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 8:05 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yes Amanda Palmer. Check out this one she just posted today. (nsfw)
posted by yellowbinder at 8:25 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by yellowbinder at 8:25 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, but Ms. Hogan is more of an interpreter, although she has written a few songs.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:28 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by hydrophonic at 8:28 PM on July 9, 2012
Thea Gilmore.
posted by Meep! Eek! at 8:29 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by Meep! Eek! at 8:29 PM on July 9, 2012
Best answer: Rachael Yamagata, Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer, Sarah Blasko, Holly Throsby, and Clare Bowditch.
And Brandi Carlile is more folky than you might like, but she's awesome, so I thought I'd throw her in there.
posted by snorkmaiden at 9:13 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
And Brandi Carlile is more folky than you might like, but she's awesome, so I thought I'd throw her in there.
posted by snorkmaiden at 9:13 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm surprised she hasn't been suggested yet - Regina Spektor is who you are looking for.
posted by Terheyden at 9:19 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by Terheyden at 9:19 PM on July 9, 2012
Stephanie Dosen. I can't find the track on YouTube, but look for "Death and the Maiden."
posted by hermitosis at 9:23 PM on July 9, 2012
posted by hermitosis at 9:23 PM on July 9, 2012
Love Outside Andromeda's first album seems to fit this bill. I'm at work where youtube is blocked but heres Gonna Try to be a Girl, and Something White and Sigmund to give you a taste.
posted by Admira at 9:41 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Admira at 9:41 PM on July 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
give Mal Blum a try. probably a bit too quirky for what you're talking about, but she's got some good lyrics that have nice moments of introspection.
posted by dogwalker at 2:39 AM on July 10, 2012
posted by dogwalker at 2:39 AM on July 10, 2012
She is technically from "back in the day" but Sinead O'Connor--whose first album I bought along with Sarah McLachlan's second--just put out a new album that might appeal. Her cover of John Grant's Queen of Denmark should be right up your alley. (If you were looking for male singer/songwriters I would absolutely recommend his most recent album as well.)
posted by immlass at 7:09 AM on July 10, 2012
posted by immlass at 7:09 AM on July 10, 2012
I'm loving Isobel Campbell's recent collaborations with Mark Lanegan.
I also was recently introduced to Anya Marina who has some lovely, catchy tunes and a beautiful voice. I met her in person and she really is the same as she is on the CD. Although she may fit into the "artsy and self-consciously quirky/cute" category.
Have you listened to PJ Harvey's newest Let England Shake. Lots of intellectual mind candy to chew on there.
And, holy, Ani Difranco's newest ¿Which Side Are You On? is where she basically takes the gloves off regarding any political discussion.
posted by jillithd at 7:12 AM on July 10, 2012
I also was recently introduced to Anya Marina who has some lovely, catchy tunes and a beautiful voice. I met her in person and she really is the same as she is on the CD. Although she may fit into the "artsy and self-consciously quirky/cute" category.
Have you listened to PJ Harvey's newest Let England Shake. Lots of intellectual mind candy to chew on there.
And, holy, Ani Difranco's newest ¿Which Side Are You On? is where she basically takes the gloves off regarding any political discussion.
posted by jillithd at 7:12 AM on July 10, 2012
Maybe Ida Maria? (link goes to her VEVO page on YouTube)
posted by urbanlenny at 8:34 AM on July 10, 2012
posted by urbanlenny at 8:34 AM on July 10, 2012
Not exactly obscure, but Beth Orton, maybe? Worms is not dark or painful but it is particularly Fiona Apple-esque, for instance. Stars All Seem to Weep is my favourite though.
Susanna and the Magical Orchestra from Norway is radically slow but very, very, very, very awesome and apart from a Grey's Anatomy soundtrack, is as obscure and dark as it gets.
posted by procrastinator at 8:37 AM on July 10, 2012
Susanna and the Magical Orchestra from Norway is radically slow but very, very, very, very awesome and apart from a Grey's Anatomy soundtrack, is as obscure and dark as it gets.
posted by procrastinator at 8:37 AM on July 10, 2012
Are you looking for current because you want a very current sound or are you looking for current because you've pretty well exhausted the 90's artists and still want more?
I ask, just in case you missed Heather Nova and Tracy Bonham back in the 90's.
posted by crush-onastick at 8:40 AM on July 10, 2012
I ask, just in case you missed Heather Nova and Tracy Bonham back in the 90's.
posted by crush-onastick at 8:40 AM on July 10, 2012
Maybe Mia Doi Todd, Nina Nastasia, or Erin McKeown? Kaki King's guitar work is amazing and sometimes she sings!
Also I was just looking at the playlists for some radio show out of Portland and saw a lot of the same names people are mentioning here. Might be some good finds to be had there.
posted by aka burlap at 3:08 PM on July 10, 2012
Also I was just looking at the playlists for some radio show out of Portland and saw a lot of the same names people are mentioning here. Might be some good finds to be had there.
posted by aka burlap at 3:08 PM on July 10, 2012
Response by poster: Are you looking for current because you want a very current sound or are you looking for current because you've pretty well exhausted the 90's artists and still want more?
The latter. I've been digging deep into this genre for about 15 years, and have listened to Heather Nova's Oyster many, many, many times. :P
posted by wondermouse at 4:57 PM on July 10, 2012
The latter. I've been digging deep into this genre for about 15 years, and have listened to Heather Nova's Oyster many, many, many times. :P
posted by wondermouse at 4:57 PM on July 10, 2012
Best answer: Sarah Jaffe? I can't recommend Suburban Nature or Even Born Again enough. Her songs have great lyrics. "Swelling" is particularly haunting.
I kind of want to be Sarah Jaffe when I grow up.
posted by topoisomerase at 4:58 PM on July 10, 2012
I kind of want to be Sarah Jaffe when I grow up.
posted by topoisomerase at 4:58 PM on July 10, 2012
oh, yeah, forgot about Sarah Jaffe but I'll second the recommendation. She opened for Lou Barlow a couple summers ago and almost stole the show (and Lou was really, really good - combined it made for my favorite concert of 2010!)
posted by mannequito at 5:56 PM on July 10, 2012
posted by mannequito at 5:56 PM on July 10, 2012
Best answer: Kris Delmhorst..
I'm still evaluating Jesca Hoop -- I just discovered her in the last two weeks, so as much as I've got a crush on her work, I'm not *sure* it's not just a crush. But there appears to be some really solid songcraft involved.
posted by weston at 7:02 PM on August 16, 2012
I'm still evaluating Jesca Hoop -- I just discovered her in the last two weeks, so as much as I've got a crush on her work, I'm not *sure* it's not just a crush. But there appears to be some really solid songcraft involved.
posted by weston at 7:02 PM on August 16, 2012
Response by poster: I marked my personal favorites that I didn't already know about. Clare Bowditch, Jesca Hoop, Sarah Jaffe, and Sarah Blasko were ones who really caught my ear, so I bought albums by them. In case anyone is interested, some recommended artists that I already knew of and love include Stephanie Dosen, Marissa Nadler, Sharon Van Etten, and Lotte Kestner. A lot of good stuff here. Thanks all!
posted by wondermouse at 6:59 PM on September 16, 2012
posted by wondermouse at 6:59 PM on September 16, 2012
I'm getting to this discussion a bit late, but am a big fan of Jill Cagney
posted by hick57 at 7:17 AM on April 14, 2013
posted by hick57 at 7:17 AM on April 14, 2013
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posted by box at 6:36 PM on July 9, 2012