Recommendations for swampy fringe folk/americana music?
December 23, 2014 11:07 PM Subscribe
Looking for music recommendations (particularly instrumental recordings) that capture the mythically haunted swampy vibe of the American gulf coast. Older/obscure/authentic tracks are welcome, but I'm also interested in contemporary americana tunes that capture the spirit of the Louisiana swamps.
Musicfilter: I'm looking for any and all recommendations for contemporary as well as old/obscure tunes that are from or capture the vibe of the Gulf Coast, Mississippi Delta, Louisiana swampland, for background for a performance piece set in that region.
Recommendations in the ballpark of The Handsome Family (whose 2003 "Far From Any Road" served as the title theme to HBO's "True Detective" series - which has the visual aesthetic I'm looking for a musical counterpart to) are welcome. For that matter, Jeff Beal's excellent score to the also-HBO series "Carnivàle" feels in the ballpark of what I'm looking for, without really having any explicit connection to the gulf coast region. I keep falling into a hole where I listen to nothing but this and Tom Waits for several hours and forget that any other artists exist - throw me a rope?
Musicfilter: I'm looking for any and all recommendations for contemporary as well as old/obscure tunes that are from or capture the vibe of the Gulf Coast, Mississippi Delta, Louisiana swampland, for background for a performance piece set in that region.
Recommendations in the ballpark of The Handsome Family (whose 2003 "Far From Any Road" served as the title theme to HBO's "True Detective" series - which has the visual aesthetic I'm looking for a musical counterpart to) are welcome. For that matter, Jeff Beal's excellent score to the also-HBO series "Carnivàle" feels in the ballpark of what I'm looking for, without really having any explicit connection to the gulf coast region. I keep falling into a hole where I listen to nothing but this and Tom Waits for several hours and forget that any other artists exist - throw me a rope?
Look at Dr. John, starting in the late 60s.
posted by persona au gratin at 1:05 AM on December 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by persona au gratin at 1:05 AM on December 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
I was going to say Dr John too. His first album really nails this spooky, cartoony bayou vibe - and "walk on gilded splinters" is just an incredible song
posted by Ted Maul at 1:31 AM on December 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Ted Maul at 1:31 AM on December 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
You are looking for Tony Joe White.
And Daniel Lanois.
posted by Chitownfats at 3:01 AM on December 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
And Daniel Lanois.
posted by Chitownfats at 3:01 AM on December 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
For new stuff in this vein, this CDBaby search helps.
posted by yclipse at 4:30 AM on December 24, 2014
posted by yclipse at 4:30 AM on December 24, 2014
No explicit bayou connection, but Michael Hurley's first album First Songs (possibly re-released as Blueberry Wine) has this vibe for me.
posted by scruss at 4:56 AM on December 24, 2014
posted by scruss at 4:56 AM on December 24, 2014
How about Kevin Gordon?
Or this gem from Session Americana?
posted by SobaFett at 5:01 AM on December 24, 2014
Or this gem from Session Americana?
posted by SobaFett at 5:01 AM on December 24, 2014
16 Horsepower's really good and might fit the bill.
I Seen What I Saw
posted by hadlexishere at 5:21 AM on December 24, 2014
I Seen What I Saw
posted by hadlexishere at 5:21 AM on December 24, 2014
I was about to recommend 16 HP as well.
Spooky as *shit*.
posted by notsnot at 5:36 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Spooky as *shit*.
posted by notsnot at 5:36 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Check out Ramsay Midwood. He plays some great dirty Delta blues.
posted by essexjan at 5:54 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by essexjan at 5:54 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
The Zozo Sisters has Linda Ronstadt singing some really amazing Cajun-ish stuff.
posted by joyceanmachine at 7:03 AM on December 24, 2014
posted by joyceanmachine at 7:03 AM on December 24, 2014
contemporary americana tunes that capture the spirit of the Louisiana swamps.
Steve Earle, "Meet Me In The Alleyway"
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:06 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Steve Earle, "Meet Me In The Alleyway"
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:06 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Ry Cooder's soundtrack to the film Southern Comfort.
posted by CincyBlues at 7:11 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by CincyBlues at 7:11 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Southern Gothic is a good search term for this. 8tracks is a decent place to start.
posted by yasaman at 7:45 AM on December 24, 2014
posted by yasaman at 7:45 AM on December 24, 2014
I like Trailer Bride and Delta Rae.
This older thread on haunting Southern rock and gospel might be helpful, too.
posted by jaguar at 7:55 AM on December 24, 2014
This older thread on haunting Southern rock and gospel might be helpful, too.
posted by jaguar at 7:55 AM on December 24, 2014
American Routes episodes sometimes focus on locations or artists that may be right down your alley.
posted by mr. digits at 9:14 AM on December 24, 2014
posted by mr. digits at 9:14 AM on December 24, 2014
Lucinda Williams has a great version of this vibe...check out the album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.
posted by griseus at 10:03 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by griseus at 10:03 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Songza has great blues playlists. Try Swamp Blues or African American Songsters from Smithsonian Folkways.
posted by wrabbit at 11:22 AM on December 24, 2014
posted by wrabbit at 11:22 AM on December 24, 2014
If you're open to a slightly artsier approach from some Canadians, there's Timber Timbre.
Lay Down in the Tall Grass
Grand Canyon
Trouble Comes Knocking
Bad Ritual
Demon Host
posted by maudlin at 4:02 PM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Lay Down in the Tall Grass
Grand Canyon
Trouble Comes Knocking
Bad Ritual
Demon Host
posted by maudlin at 4:02 PM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Anything on Excello Records. Start with Slim HArpo.
posted by Che boludo! at 10:37 AM on December 27, 2014
posted by Che boludo! at 10:37 AM on December 27, 2014
Check out Country Funk (and the sequel, Country Funk II), it's got some of what you're describing.
Also I saw Heartworn Highways and it grabbed me from the opening scene (on that note, check out Larry Jon Wilson).
Oh and take a look at Aquarium Drunkard, fantastic blog (their year in review in particular is a great roundup) - not swampy fringe folk exclusive but certainly swampy fringe folk friendly.
posted by cybertaur1 at 7:35 PM on December 27, 2014
Also I saw Heartworn Highways and it grabbed me from the opening scene (on that note, check out Larry Jon Wilson).
Oh and take a look at Aquarium Drunkard, fantastic blog (their year in review in particular is a great roundup) - not swampy fringe folk exclusive but certainly swampy fringe folk friendly.
posted by cybertaur1 at 7:35 PM on December 27, 2014
If you're willing to take a walk on the metal side, Black Tusk does this wonderfully.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 12:16 AM on December 28, 2014
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 12:16 AM on December 28, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 12:15 AM on December 24, 2014 [1 favorite]