Album recommendations for summer playlist.
May 21, 2022 7:37 AM Subscribe
During the summer, I spend a lot of time in the woods by a river. We have a campsite there and it is a private, very peaceful spot. I am seeking folk/indie/jazz/acoustic/singer-songwriter/soft rock/old country full album recommendations to add to a long playlist to accompany our lazy days sitting by the river.
During the summer, I spend a lot of time in the woods by a river. We have a campsite there and it is a private, very peaceful spot. I am seeking folk/indie/jazz/acoustic/singer-songwriter/soft rock/old country album recommendations to add to a long playlist to accompany our lazy days sitting by the river.
The mood I am going for is easy listening, peaceful, and relaxing. I am looking for full albums I can add to my playlist that have these qualities. I would like to avoid albums that have loud, jarring songs mixed in with peaceful relaxing ones, as I do not have the time to curate this long playlist, so I would like to just add full albums in their entirety.
Some examples of artists I already have on my playlist include Gordon Lightfoot, Nanci Griffith, Nick Drake, Townes Van Zandt, Iron & Wine, Jim Reeves, Cat Power, Billie Holiday.
Any ideas would be appreciated!
During the summer, I spend a lot of time in the woods by a river. We have a campsite there and it is a private, very peaceful spot. I am seeking folk/indie/jazz/acoustic/singer-songwriter/soft rock/old country album recommendations to add to a long playlist to accompany our lazy days sitting by the river.
The mood I am going for is easy listening, peaceful, and relaxing. I am looking for full albums I can add to my playlist that have these qualities. I would like to avoid albums that have loud, jarring songs mixed in with peaceful relaxing ones, as I do not have the time to curate this long playlist, so I would like to just add full albums in their entirety.
Some examples of artists I already have on my playlist include Gordon Lightfoot, Nanci Griffith, Nick Drake, Townes Van Zandt, Iron & Wine, Jim Reeves, Cat Power, Billie Holiday.
Any ideas would be appreciated!
Muchacho by Phosphorescent, if ennui is acceptable.
posted by Candleman at 8:23 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Candleman at 8:23 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm going to put in a plug for my folkie daughter Olivia Wendel who just signed a songwriting deal.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 8:25 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 8:25 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Trinity Session album by the Cowboy Junkies is lovely.
posted by gt2 at 8:27 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by gt2 at 8:27 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anne Briggs -- The Time Has Come
The Fabulous Charlie Rich
Rose Melberg -- Homemade Ship
posted by Chenko at 8:43 AM on May 21, 2022
The Fabulous Charlie Rich
Rose Melberg -- Homemade Ship
posted by Chenko at 8:43 AM on May 21, 2022
Anything by Rose City Band (first album, most recent) hits this particular spot for me.
posted by offmessage at 9:05 AM on May 21, 2022
posted by offmessage at 9:05 AM on May 21, 2022
Johnny Flynn (maybe best known for the Detectorists theme song) reminds me a little of Nick Drake. One of many good albums is A Larum.
posted by pinochiette at 9:05 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by pinochiette at 9:05 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Laura Veirs - July Flame
posted by eponym at 9:07 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Laura Veirs - July Flame
posted by eponym at 9:07 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra is almost completely instrumental and manages to be both as easy and complex as a pleasantly flowing river.
posted by philip-random at 9:07 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by philip-random at 9:07 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
JJ Cale, Naturally - the whole album.
posted by Enid Lareg at 9:25 AM on May 21, 2022
posted by Enid Lareg at 9:25 AM on May 21, 2022
Seconding The Trinity Session and adding Michelle Shocked's The Texas Campfire Tapes and Tuck and Patti's Tears Of Joy.
posted by flabdablet at 9:45 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 9:45 AM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think you may find some good recommendations in this ask of mine. Different application but remarkably similar criteria. I'll certainly be looking at this thread for more ideas!
posted by potrzebie at 10:41 AM on May 21, 2022
posted by potrzebie at 10:41 AM on May 21, 2022
Also, to me The Blue Trees by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci is the ultimate chill summer EP.
posted by potrzebie at 10:44 AM on May 21, 2022
posted by potrzebie at 10:44 AM on May 21, 2022
Les Shelleys, Les Shelleys
Sufjan Stevens, Carrie and Lowell
Mountain Man, Made the Harbor
Sibylle Baier, Colour Green
Adrienne Lenker, Songs
posted by D.Billy at 11:34 AM on May 21, 2022
Sufjan Stevens, Carrie and Lowell
Mountain Man, Made the Harbor
Sibylle Baier, Colour Green
Adrienne Lenker, Songs
posted by D.Billy at 11:34 AM on May 21, 2022
Thirding The Trinity Session, and offering up Brightblack Morning Light's self-titled album which came to mind immediately when I read this post.
posted by /\/\/\/ at 11:43 AM on May 21, 2022
posted by /\/\/\/ at 11:43 AM on May 21, 2022
Kate Rusby, recommend the first four albums on the discography but any of them, really.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 11:45 AM on May 21, 2022
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 11:45 AM on May 21, 2022
This is where I live. My spouse actually started laughing when I read your question aloud.
Newer:
Israel Nash Topaz
The Other Favorites Fools
Beta Radio Afraid of Love
Holy Hive Float Back to You
Joshua Hyslop Westward
The Secret Sisters Saturn Return
Babe Rainbow Double Rainbow
Neal Francis Changes
Fever Dolls The Phantasm at Lake Wallenpaupack
Silvertwin Silvertwin
River Whyless Monoflora
The Heavy Hours Wildfire
Dan Auerbach Waiting on a Song
Allah-Lahs Lahs
Hudson Taylor have an upcoming album - here's the single, Golden
You might not have heard of:
Kat Mills Long Time
Lowen and Navarro Hogging the Covers, Walking on a Wire, Broken Moon, Pendulum, Scratch at the Door
Dan Navarro Shed My Skin
Japancakes The Sleepy Strange
Don Conoscenti's Paradox of Grace isn't online, but it'd be worth seeking out used. Some songs from it are Beautiful Valley, Molly, The Other Side, Drink Another Round
Older:
Kings of Convenience Quiet is the New Loud and Riot on an Empty Street
The Jayhawks Rainy Day Music
The Thorns The Thorns
Indigo Girls, of course Strange Fire, Indigo Girls, Nomads Indians Saints, Rites of Passage, Swamp Ophelia, Become You, All That We Let In
Ray LaMontagne Trouble
Josh Ritter The Animal Years
20th century:
Hearts and Flowers Now is the Time for Hearts and Flowers
Michael Nesmith (yes, really) And the Hits Just Keep on Comin' (he has other great albums, but this is the uniformly mellowest one)
Relatively Clean Rivers Relatively Clean Rivers
The Millennium Begin
Group and solo work from a few folks:
Dan Wilson Free Life and Re-Covered
Justin Currie This is My Kingdom Now
Del Amitri Waking Hours and Change Everything
Neil Finn Try Whistling This
The Finn Brothers Everyone is Here
But seriously, come over to the playlist where I dump everything - there are other artists whose single songs I've placed there that I expect you'll like too.
posted by jocelmeow at 11:49 AM on May 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
Newer:
Israel Nash Topaz
The Other Favorites Fools
Beta Radio Afraid of Love
Holy Hive Float Back to You
Joshua Hyslop Westward
The Secret Sisters Saturn Return
Babe Rainbow Double Rainbow
Neal Francis Changes
Fever Dolls The Phantasm at Lake Wallenpaupack
Silvertwin Silvertwin
River Whyless Monoflora
The Heavy Hours Wildfire
Dan Auerbach Waiting on a Song
Allah-Lahs Lahs
Hudson Taylor have an upcoming album - here's the single, Golden
You might not have heard of:
Kat Mills Long Time
Lowen and Navarro Hogging the Covers, Walking on a Wire, Broken Moon, Pendulum, Scratch at the Door
Dan Navarro Shed My Skin
Japancakes The Sleepy Strange
Don Conoscenti's Paradox of Grace isn't online, but it'd be worth seeking out used. Some songs from it are Beautiful Valley, Molly, The Other Side, Drink Another Round
Older:
Kings of Convenience Quiet is the New Loud and Riot on an Empty Street
The Jayhawks Rainy Day Music
The Thorns The Thorns
Indigo Girls, of course Strange Fire, Indigo Girls, Nomads Indians Saints, Rites of Passage, Swamp Ophelia, Become You, All That We Let In
Ray LaMontagne Trouble
Josh Ritter The Animal Years
20th century:
Hearts and Flowers Now is the Time for Hearts and Flowers
Michael Nesmith (yes, really) And the Hits Just Keep on Comin' (he has other great albums, but this is the uniformly mellowest one)
Relatively Clean Rivers Relatively Clean Rivers
The Millennium Begin
Group and solo work from a few folks:
Dan Wilson Free Life and Re-Covered
Justin Currie This is My Kingdom Now
Del Amitri Waking Hours and Change Everything
Neil Finn Try Whistling This
The Finn Brothers Everyone is Here
But seriously, come over to the playlist where I dump everything - there are other artists whose single songs I've placed there that I expect you'll like too.
posted by jocelmeow at 11:49 AM on May 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
In older music:
Grateful Dead, American Beauty album
Van Morrison, Moondance album
Carole King, Tapestry album
Boz Scaggs
Tan Mahal, eg. Giant Step album
Stephane Grapelli (see Stephane Grapelli and Vassar Clemens, Together at Last for some country swing, in addition to Grapelli’s more traditional jazz)
Are you familiar with the van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle collaboration album Together at the Bluebird Cafe?
Joni Mitchell
Oscar Peterson
In newer music:
Rosanne Cash, especially The River and The Thread, or The List, but look into her earlier albums if you’re particularly a country fan
Old Man Ludecke, Proof of Love is my favourite, but most of his albums are good
Brown Bird, eg. The Devil Dancing is my favourite album; but they may overall be slightly melancholy for the mood you’re seeking
Halfway in between:
Rani Arno and Daisy Mayhem, eg. Cocktail Swing
Keb Mo
David Grisman, Hot Dawg
Maybe some Ry Cooder? He’s done a lot of different things in various semi-related genres, from straight up bluegrass to Buena Vista Social Club and everything in between.
Bela Fleck of course is standard in the bluegrass/jazz overlap
Spyro Gyra, Catching the Sun
posted by eviemath at 1:09 PM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Grateful Dead, American Beauty album
Van Morrison, Moondance album
Carole King, Tapestry album
Boz Scaggs
Tan Mahal, eg. Giant Step album
Stephane Grapelli (see Stephane Grapelli and Vassar Clemens, Together at Last for some country swing, in addition to Grapelli’s more traditional jazz)
Are you familiar with the van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle collaboration album Together at the Bluebird Cafe?
Joni Mitchell
Oscar Peterson
In newer music:
Rosanne Cash, especially The River and The Thread, or The List, but look into her earlier albums if you’re particularly a country fan
Old Man Ludecke, Proof of Love is my favourite, but most of his albums are good
Brown Bird, eg. The Devil Dancing is my favourite album; but they may overall be slightly melancholy for the mood you’re seeking
Halfway in between:
Rani Arno and Daisy Mayhem, eg. Cocktail Swing
Keb Mo
David Grisman, Hot Dawg
Maybe some Ry Cooder? He’s done a lot of different things in various semi-related genres, from straight up bluegrass to Buena Vista Social Club and everything in between.
Bela Fleck of course is standard in the bluegrass/jazz overlap
Spyro Gyra, Catching the Sun
posted by eviemath at 1:09 PM on May 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere"? It seems pretty mellow even considering how much distortion is on it.
Beck's "Sea Change" sounds like a ransom note from the sc1entol0gists, but it is quite mellow.
posted by credulous at 10:38 PM on May 21, 2022
Beck's "Sea Change" sounds like a ransom note from the sc1entol0gists, but it is quite mellow.
posted by credulous at 10:38 PM on May 21, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by saladin at 7:50 AM on May 21, 2022