What do these songs have in common, and where can I find more like them?

October 7, 2012 10:25 AM

I'm an huge Everlast fan. Finding others songs or artists that are like his rap-heavy songs is easy; please help me find more like his acoustic guitar-heavy songs.

These examples have something -- or things -- in common. I really don't have the musical vocabulary to describe what that is except the acoustic guitar and the fact that they grooooove hard, so I'll let the music speak for itself:

To start, lets use Today (Watch Me Shine) is the platonic ideal

Here's a slower example: Black Coffee

Black Jesus has a heavier metal sound and is a little more...spare?

What It's Like isn't purely acoustic, but it's simpler than the other examples. And maybe the drums?

God Wanna leans more towards funk and rap.

So basically more of that. And feel free to go down the Everlast collaboration rabbit hole.

What I'm not looking for: acoustic versions of songs, power ballads, and other purely hiphop artists that share that part of his sound

These songs would definitely be marked best answer, but they're still missing that je ne sais quoi that the Everlast songs have:

Soundgarden - Burden In My Hand

David Bowie - Moonage Daydream

Love & Rockets - No New Tale To Tell

If you don't know of any songs but can drop some musical terms that describe what I'm talking about that would also be helpful, e.g., syncopated to describe "salsa dancing drumming".

Thanks!

posted by Room 641-A to media & arts (9 answers total)

I don't know who Everest is, but Pandora's whole purpose for existence is to take one song or one band and find similar stuff. Just create a channel and listen and take notes on what you hear and like.
posted by crapples at 1:49 PM on October 7, 2012

Thanks funny. Right before I hit post I deleted this:

Not to be un-dude, but please, no Creedence. When I've tried this with Pandora they always want me to listen to CCCR so there must be some musical connection I'm not hearing that they are.

That's why I finally asked here.
posted by Room 641-A at 2:23 PM on October 7, 2012

You might like Citizen Cope. Big crunchy reggaeish beats, lots of acoustic guitar, dark melodies, laid back.
posted by TheRedArmy at 2:34 PM on October 7, 2012

If you're a Spotify user you should check out 'Salvation' from the 2002 self-titled album, that's the song that got my attention.
posted by TheRedArmy at 2:38 PM on October 7, 2012

Have to be honest that I can't see the common theme running through all this - you seem to be looking for acoustic hip hop metal?

I know Everlast and when I think of similar artists, Sublime, Dispatch, and (some) 311 comes to mind. Maybe even some of The Roots stuff - try their first album, Do You Want More!?, or 2002's Phrenology.

Hadn't heard of Citizen Cope but they sound interesting too.
posted by mannequito at 4:06 PM on October 7, 2012

I agree with the Citizen Cope rec. In general I would look to stuff from the late 90s-- I think Everlast has this sort of backpack rap mixed with jam band thing going on that reminds me a bit of Beck or even Dave Matthews Band, and is very much a product of that era.
posted by threeants at 5:30 PM on October 7, 2012

You might like JP Corwyn
posted by drzoon at 5:51 AM on October 8, 2012

Citizen Cope is fantastic! Since they both have worked with Carols Santana I'm going to explore that road. I'd forgotten about Sublime but that's a good call, too.

I guess my musical taste stopped evolving in the late 90s, which makes me kind of sad.

Have to be honest that I can't see the common theme running through all this

I'm starting to think I'm the one with the tin ear and not Pandora....

Thanks everyone!
posted by Room 641-A at 8:42 AM on October 9, 2012

hey, this Atmosphere song came on last night and made me think of this question again.
posted by mannequito at 11:28 AM on October 9, 2012