More art, less pop?
September 24, 2014 1:19 PM Subscribe
I'm in my late thirties and feeling stalled out on new music. My all time favorite musical artist is Tori Amos. I also love Morrissey and Kate Bush. More details, if needed, under the fold.
Artists I already know and love: PJ Harvey, Fiona Apple, Rasputina, Tom Waits, Loreena McKennitt, Bjork, Patti Smith, Frank Zappa. I have also greatly enjoyed 80s-influenced music like The Killers or "Somebody That You Used To Know."
I can appreciate a wonderful voice (like the vocalist for London Grammar) but if the songwriting isn't there, it won't hold my interest. In essence I am looking for artists more than performers -- I acknowledge the muddiness of those terms but I hope my intention comes through. The more passionate and boundary-pushing the better -- for instance, I became interested in Kanye West when I saw a photo of him wearing a featureless gem-encrusted mask on stage.
Corollary question: I have no reliable way of discovering new music nowadays. Is there a podcast that would play and recommend these sorts of things? I love podcasts.
Artists I already know and love: PJ Harvey, Fiona Apple, Rasputina, Tom Waits, Loreena McKennitt, Bjork, Patti Smith, Frank Zappa. I have also greatly enjoyed 80s-influenced music like The Killers or "Somebody That You Used To Know."
I can appreciate a wonderful voice (like the vocalist for London Grammar) but if the songwriting isn't there, it won't hold my interest. In essence I am looking for artists more than performers -- I acknowledge the muddiness of those terms but I hope my intention comes through. The more passionate and boundary-pushing the better -- for instance, I became interested in Kanye West when I saw a photo of him wearing a featureless gem-encrusted mask on stage.
Corollary question: I have no reliable way of discovering new music nowadays. Is there a podcast that would play and recommend these sorts of things? I love podcasts.
Best answer: Wow, we have eerily similar tastes! As such, hopefully you'll enjoy some of these:
I heartily recommend Antony and the Johnsons (the breakthrough album was 'I Am A Bird Now', and I also love the first self-titled album).
You might also like Patrick Wolf, particularly the albums 'Wind in the Wires', and his sparky juvenalia, 'Lycanthropy'.
And finally, I keep coming back to Mary Margaret O'Hara's amazing vocal...painting, is about the only way I can describe it, on 'Miss America'.
(Apologies for lack of links - I am on my phone).
posted by brushtailedphascogale at 1:39 PM on September 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
I heartily recommend Antony and the Johnsons (the breakthrough album was 'I Am A Bird Now', and I also love the first self-titled album).
You might also like Patrick Wolf, particularly the albums 'Wind in the Wires', and his sparky juvenalia, 'Lycanthropy'.
And finally, I keep coming back to Mary Margaret O'Hara's amazing vocal...painting, is about the only way I can describe it, on 'Miss America'.
(Apologies for lack of links - I am on my phone).
posted by brushtailedphascogale at 1:39 PM on September 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
You should give St. Vincent a try. She's incredible.
posted by futureisunwritten at 1:40 PM on September 24, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by futureisunwritten at 1:40 PM on September 24, 2014 [5 favorites]
Best answer: You might check out Sparklehorse (RIP Mark Linkous.)
2nding St. Vincent.
posted by usonian at 1:44 PM on September 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
2nding St. Vincent.
posted by usonian at 1:44 PM on September 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best answer: This is always a coin flip because you can never really predict who will love her or hate her, but maybe Joanna Newsom?
Definitely Neko Case and Laurie Anderson.
posted by jbickers at 1:46 PM on September 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Definitely Neko Case and Laurie Anderson.
posted by jbickers at 1:46 PM on September 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best answer: You might go either way on The Knife (not really "new" anymore and they're breaking up) but if you like the weirder parts of Bjork, you might dig them. (Karin Dreijer Andersson has also recorded under Fever Ray.)
I don't always think Susanne Sundfør's songwriting is always quite there, but she's got a gorgeous voice. Try "White Foxes."
Phildel is also sort of fun for this of music.
posted by darksong at 1:52 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't always think Susanne Sundfør's songwriting is always quite there, but she's got a gorgeous voice. Try "White Foxes."
Phildel is also sort of fun for this of music.
posted by darksong at 1:52 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
I have no reliable way of discovering new music nowadays. Is there a podcast that would play and recommend these sorts of things?
Truly, the algorithms are pretty good at music discovery. Probably better than humans, wisdom of crowds and all that. Head over to Spotify (or one of the countless other versions) and look for a Tori Amos (or whatever) radio station.
posted by dontjumplarry at 1:53 PM on September 24, 2014
Truly, the algorithms are pretty good at music discovery. Probably better than humans, wisdom of crowds and all that. Head over to Spotify (or one of the countless other versions) and look for a Tori Amos (or whatever) radio station.
posted by dontjumplarry at 1:53 PM on September 24, 2014
Seconding Neko Case. Initially, she was billed as an alt-country chanteuse, but time has shown that's about as accurate as calling Tom Waits a "jazz singer." Her songwriting has gotten more and more idiosyncratic, mixing in wildly disparate sounds with more and more abstract lyrics. There's a reason she's on Anti- Records now, along with Kate Bush and Tom Waits. She's a similar kind of wildly talented, unclassifiable genius. Her newest record, the elaborately titled The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You is one of her very best and a fine place to start. There isn't a bad track on it. Try the a capella stunner, Nearly Midnight in Honolulu.
Oddly, the other artist I was going to recommend is also on Anti- ... Joe Henry. He's another genre-defying Americana oddball. Try Stop, which was later remade by his sister-in-law, Madonna.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:58 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Oddly, the other artist I was going to recommend is also on Anti- ... Joe Henry. He's another genre-defying Americana oddball. Try Stop, which was later remade by his sister-in-law, Madonna.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:58 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Two more occurred to me (links to older projects but both are still around:)
Wilco and My Morning Jacket (although sometimes I can only take Jim James' voice in small doses.)
posted by usonian at 2:00 PM on September 24, 2014
Wilco and My Morning Jacket (although sometimes I can only take Jim James' voice in small doses.)
posted by usonian at 2:00 PM on September 24, 2014
I suggest Rufus Wainwright, particularly 2001's "Poses" and 2003's "Want One."
posted by Clustercuss at 2:05 PM on September 24, 2014
posted by Clustercuss at 2:05 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: Ooh, and try Bobby Bare, Jr. I've been playing around with an FPP on him lately. Bare is the son of 70's country legend Bobby Bare, but his own music somehow manages to draw on those sounds as well as Morrissey, the Pixies, the Beach Boys, 70s AM radio, and who the hell knows what else to make irresistible little gems of singer-songwriter goodness. There aren't many people alive who've topped the country charts at eight, had a major label alt-rock band in the 90s, written songs with Shel Silverstein, opened for GBV, fronted a Pixies cover band... He's had a life.
I see you're in your late 30's. If you've got kids, Stop Crying might change your life. Or hear his weirdly rockabilly cover of What Difference Does It Make? by The Smiths. Here's a longer performance from KEXP.
I actually like Bobby Bare, Jr. so much that I've been known to tell friends that it's fine with me if they don't like him, but they should never tell me so, as it would cause me to think less of them as people.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:11 PM on September 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
I see you're in your late 30's. If you've got kids, Stop Crying might change your life. Or hear his weirdly rockabilly cover of What Difference Does It Make? by The Smiths. Here's a longer performance from KEXP.
I actually like Bobby Bare, Jr. so much that I've been known to tell friends that it's fine with me if they don't like him, but they should never tell me so, as it would cause me to think less of them as people.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:11 PM on September 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Like Morissey?
THE DEARS
and more THE DEARS
Unrelated: god, I love THE DEARS
Re: discovering new music: I am like you, I'm perma-stuck in the 80s synth and 90s alt/euro sound. My partner is an expert at finding new stuff. So far his method appears to be: those little free music cards at starbucks, shazamming songs he hears in commercials, songza, trolling reddit, trolling itunes. And once you find a thread, keep pulling.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:13 PM on September 24, 2014
THE DEARS
and more THE DEARS
Unrelated: god, I love THE DEARS
Re: discovering new music: I am like you, I'm perma-stuck in the 80s synth and 90s alt/euro sound. My partner is an expert at finding new stuff. So far his method appears to be: those little free music cards at starbucks, shazamming songs he hears in commercials, songza, trolling reddit, trolling itunes. And once you find a thread, keep pulling.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:13 PM on September 24, 2014
You might really like Ingrid Michaelson or Amanda Palmer if your into Tori Amos. I would also suggest checking out the Grey's Anatomy playlist. My wife has pulled tons of music she enjoys (and doesn't watch the show anymore, but loves the music). It seems like you might have similar tastes.
posted by Benway at 2:25 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Benway at 2:25 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Cate Le Bon, my favorite young songwriter.
Also, along these lines, the new Esben and the Witch album is quite something.
Nina Nastasia isn't quite as active lately, but she chalked up some of the finest records of the 00s.
posted by bendybendy at 2:37 PM on September 24, 2014
Also, along these lines, the new Esben and the Witch album is quite something.
Nina Nastasia isn't quite as active lately, but she chalked up some of the finest records of the 00s.
posted by bendybendy at 2:37 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: I am here to recommend Bat For Lashes.
posted by deludingmyself at 2:45 PM on September 24, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by deludingmyself at 2:45 PM on September 24, 2014 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Have you heard of Phranc? She's not new, but maybe new to you:
M-A-R-T-I-N-A
Myriam and Esther
Amazons
Covering Bob Dylan's The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
posted by Room 641-A at 2:48 PM on September 24, 2014
M-A-R-T-I-N-A
Myriam and Esther
Amazons
Covering Bob Dylan's The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
posted by Room 641-A at 2:48 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: I've recommended her on the green before, but Zoe Keating. She was part of Rasputina during the Radical Recital and Frustration Plantation years. She's amazing. No voice, just cello.
Also Neko Case.
posted by mochapickle at 2:56 PM on September 24, 2014
Also Neko Case.
posted by mochapickle at 2:56 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: Oh, and also Ladytron (synthier). Even synthier but also poppier, Hot Chip might be up your alley if you're into 80s-influenced sound. As far as passionate... Perfume Genius is out with a new album just this month, and his old stuff cuts like a rusty razor blade (that's the best known song on that album, some of the others are darker). And then finally, although I'm less certain if you'll like them from your list, the song craftsmanship that the guys at Broken Bells turn out is one of my favorite things in the past 4 years.
posted by deludingmyself at 2:57 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 2:57 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Also, a bit of a longshot (but recommending because we share so many of the same favorites!) - Shakey Graves
posted by mochapickle at 3:02 PM on September 24, 2014
posted by mochapickle at 3:02 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: I like what you like (mostly female, sparse, energetic, occasionally experimental) (though I like more layered stuff best, going into trip-hop and metal). You may like Vienna Teng (her work before Aims tends to be a cappella or close to it), Lykke Li, Elsiane, Iko, the Knife, Ilene Barnes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs…
Subsidiary question: last.fm is pretty good at discovery and recommendations.
posted by Tobu at 3:04 PM on September 24, 2014
Subsidiary question: last.fm is pretty good at discovery and recommendations.
posted by Tobu at 3:04 PM on September 24, 2014
I like a lot of what you like. Florence + The Machine?
posted by greermahoney at 3:12 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by greermahoney at 3:12 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I love many of the acts you mention.
Check out Perfume Genius, whose new album Too Bright came out this week.
I second Cate Le Bon, who bendybendy mentioned. I Think I Knew, from her recent record Mug Museum, actually features Perfume Genius.
FKA Twig's debut album, LP1, was released last month: try Water Me or Two Weeks.
St Vincent, mentioned more than once above, is amazing. I like this recent performance on UK TV.
Anna Calvi: Eliza, from last year's One Breath album.
Angel Olsen's Burn Your Fire For No Witness is one of my favourite records this year: here's the first single from it Forgiven/Forgotten.
posted by cincinnatus c at 3:16 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Check out Perfume Genius, whose new album Too Bright came out this week.
I second Cate Le Bon, who bendybendy mentioned. I Think I Knew, from her recent record Mug Museum, actually features Perfume Genius.
FKA Twig's debut album, LP1, was released last month: try Water Me or Two Weeks.
St Vincent, mentioned more than once above, is amazing. I like this recent performance on UK TV.
Anna Calvi: Eliza, from last year's One Breath album.
Angel Olsen's Burn Your Fire For No Witness is one of my favourite records this year: here's the first single from it Forgiven/Forgotten.
posted by cincinnatus c at 3:16 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm going to recommend to you the new debut album by Lydia Ainsworth, streaming now in advance of its release, as well as everything else on that music label, Arbutus Records from Montreal. Grimes is on Arbutus who if you don't know you should also check out, I also very much like TOPS and Sean Nicholas Savage on that label as well.
posted by kaspen at 3:44 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by kaspen at 3:44 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Buke and Gase touches the same part of me that loves Björk, and you might try the Sugarcubes, Björk's most well-known band before she went solo (and which you may already know about).
I bet you'd love My Brightest Diamond -- Shara Worden's voice is just unreal -- and Neneh Cherry's last couple of records are very good. One more: Cold Specks.
Echoing the endorsements for St. Vincent and Nina Nastasia.
posted by amicus at 3:50 PM on September 24, 2014
I bet you'd love My Brightest Diamond -- Shara Worden's voice is just unreal -- and Neneh Cherry's last couple of records are very good. One more: Cold Specks.
Echoing the endorsements for St. Vincent and Nina Nastasia.
posted by amicus at 3:50 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: None of these are as theatrical as Bjork, for example, but they're all excellent musicians.
Daughter
Wye Oak
Cat Power
Feist
Sharon Van Etten
Beach House
Metric
Polica
Phantogram
Try All Songs Considered. It's much more miss than hit for me, but their batting average is still much higher than many other music discovery methods I've found.
posted by cnc at 4:34 PM on September 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Daughter
Wye Oak
Cat Power
Feist
Sharon Van Etten
Beach House
Metric
Polica
Phantogram
Try All Songs Considered. It's much more miss than hit for me, but their batting average is still much higher than many other music discovery methods I've found.
posted by cnc at 4:34 PM on September 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Oh! Tori is a long-time favourite of mine, too, and I like a lot of the other artists you listed. Here are my suggestions:
Joanna Newsom! Especially if you're into Pele-era Tori.
Fever Ray!
St Vincent!
Laurie Anderson!
posted by erlking at 6:16 PM on September 24, 2014
Joanna Newsom! Especially if you're into Pele-era Tori.
Fever Ray!
St Vincent!
Laurie Anderson!
posted by erlking at 6:16 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: Zola Jesus
Chelsea Wolfe
Maria Minerva (also with LA Vampires is a good album; Zola Jesus did one, too. So maybe check LA Vampires out as well!)
Grimes
FKA twigs
posted by jeweled accumulation at 6:42 PM on September 24, 2014
Chelsea Wolfe
Maria Minerva (also with LA Vampires is a good album; Zola Jesus did one, too. So maybe check LA Vampires out as well!)
Grimes
FKA twigs
posted by jeweled accumulation at 6:42 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: I don't know much about music, to be honest, but The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music might be a worthwhile recommendation site for you.
posted by rivenwanderer at 7:04 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by rivenwanderer at 7:04 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Regina Spektor
posted by Hatashran at 7:13 PM on September 24, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Hatashran at 7:13 PM on September 24, 2014 [4 favorites]
Absolutely Bat for Lashes and Joanna Newsom. We love exactly the same music, you could be my musical twin!
posted by Jubey at 8:27 PM on September 24, 2014
posted by Jubey at 8:27 PM on September 24, 2014
Seconding Joni Mitchell. You ARE a Joni Mitchell fan, you just don't know it yet.
posted by mysterious_stranger at 9:01 PM on September 24, 2014
posted by mysterious_stranger at 9:01 PM on September 24, 2014
Seconding Susanne Sundfør (start with "The Brothel")
Seconding Sharon Van Etten
Agreeing re: Bat for Lashes
Adding Leonard Cohen (start with the live in London dvd)
posted by edlundart at 11:43 PM on September 24, 2014
Seconding Sharon Van Etten
Agreeing re: Bat for Lashes
Adding Leonard Cohen (start with the live in London dvd)
posted by edlundart at 11:43 PM on September 24, 2014
Best answer: One more: Hanne Hukkelberg's album "Little Things"
posted by edlundart at 11:45 PM on September 24, 2014
posted by edlundart at 11:45 PM on September 24, 2014
Loads of good suggestions here already (seconding Patrick Wolfe, Bat for Lashes, Florence + the Machine, Neko Case, Regina Spektor in particular). Some others:
Tom Hickox (Let me be your lover, The angel of the North)
The Irrepressibles (In this shirt, Two men in love)
posted by gnimmel at 1:11 AM on September 25, 2014
Tom Hickox (Let me be your lover, The angel of the North)
The Irrepressibles (In this shirt, Two men in love)
posted by gnimmel at 1:11 AM on September 25, 2014
Best answer: Wet - Baby You're The best
Wet - Don't Want to Be Your Girl
posted by yeti at 7:49 AM on September 25, 2014
Wet - Don't Want to Be Your Girl
posted by yeti at 7:49 AM on September 25, 2014
Best answer: I'm here just to second on Florence and The Machine, Regina Spektor, and Joni Mitchell. I like many of the same bands you mentioned. Joni Mitchell surprised me, as I rarely like music from before the prime time of my teenage music obsession, so I would recommend her even if you feel much as I do about older bands.
posted by k8oglyph at 8:31 AM on September 25, 2014
posted by k8oglyph at 8:31 AM on September 25, 2014
Best answer: Nina Hagen
Tune-Yards
Goat (new album Commune just came out yesterday or the day before)
Yma Sumac
Blonde REdhead (also just released a new album, Barragan i believe)
His name is alive - the album "Someday my blues will cover the earth"
Jenny Toomey - "Antidote" album
posted by WeekendJen at 9:27 AM on September 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
Tune-Yards
Goat (new album Commune just came out yesterday or the day before)
Yma Sumac
Blonde REdhead (also just released a new album, Barragan i believe)
His name is alive - the album "Someday my blues will cover the earth"
Jenny Toomey - "Antidote" album
posted by WeekendJen at 9:27 AM on September 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: OH, I totally forgot Tune-Yards. Yes yes YES to Tune-Yards.
posted by erlking at 10:43 AM on September 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by erlking at 10:43 AM on September 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm a fan of Tori Amos myself (and PJ Harvey and Fiona Apple) but Veda Hille is my goddess. Her voice is so good it makes me cry and her lyrics are so poetic, interesting and inspiring.
Rykarda Parasol is also good. And she definitely has a touch of the theatric in her.
posted by dearwassily at 11:18 AM on September 25, 2014
Rykarda Parasol is also good. And she definitely has a touch of the theatric in her.
posted by dearwassily at 11:18 AM on September 25, 2014
Best answer: For anyone who loves Kate Bush I always recommend the Cocteau Twins
posted by clownschool at 1:33 PM on September 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by clownschool at 1:33 PM on September 25, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I am delighted. This will keep me busy for at least the next year. Thank you all so much.
posted by gentian at 3:21 PM on October 28, 2014
posted by gentian at 3:21 PM on October 28, 2014
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