Recommend music similar to the Copper theme song.

August 26, 2013 10:10 AM

Mrs. Jeffamaphone and I have a long road trip coming up. We've been watching Copper and she really likes the opening music and has asked if we can listen to "music like that" on our road trip. So please recommend some?

To me it sounds a lot like the Dropkick Murphys Shipping up to Boston. I'm very familiar with DKM's catalog, but I suspect she won't like the punk vocals and other of the punky bits in a lot of their songs. I think Amadan will be a good fit for what she's looking for (but not the stuff off Pacifica which is just... disappointing).

It's a fine line between traditional celtic which can get sort of boring and the more hardcore celtic rock of bands like DKM and Flogging Molly...

posted by jeffamaphone to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

I would have suggested most of the bands you've discounted above, so I'll take a stab in the dark with something kind-of related and say maybe Ashley MacIsaac?
posted by onshi at 10:25 AM on August 26, 2013

Crossing the Briney by Ricky Skaggs perhaps?
posted by phunniemee at 10:31 AM on August 26, 2013

Ceann is a local Pittsburgh band that does a lot of Irish-inspired tunes, along with comedy songs. May be worth investigating.
posted by bfranklin at 10:48 AM on August 26, 2013

I wonder if The Waterboys would do, or if they're too dated (an occasional saxophone appears).
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:06 AM on August 26, 2013

How about digging into stuff like Fairport Convention, Pentangle, and Steeleye Span, and other traditional/modern folk-rock acts of the '70s and later? They all rely heavily on traditional British and Irish tunes, but rock pretty hard. Start with Fairport's Liege & Lief and go from there.
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:43 PM on August 26, 2013

Uilleann piper Jerry O'Sullivan plays on the show. A great introduction to traditional Irish music (not the Flogging Molly's/Gaelic Storm stuff) would be this CD. Would make for a great variation to the more modern stuff during a roadtrip. For more ensemble traditional Irish music check out Bua who are great fun.

Bua video
Jerry O'Sullivan video
posted by misterpatrick at 1:25 PM on August 26, 2013

and for a great start on the aforementioned "traditional/modern folk-rock acts of the '70s" check out Planxty and the Bothy Band. Many videos on YouTube but this gem of 70's fashion needs to be seen.
posted by misterpatrick at 1:30 PM on August 26, 2013

Enter the Haggis
posted by dudiggy at 12:31 AM on August 27, 2013

You might try Tempest or Boiled in Lead. The former is more "hard rock" and the latter more world-y and eclectic, although there was a time when the lead singer for Tempest joined Boiled in Lead and things got confusing.

Boiled in Lead: "My Son John", "Snow on the Hills"

Tempest: "Captain Ward", "Battle Mountain Breakdown"
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 2:14 AM on August 28, 2013