Comments on: Long-forgotten band. Joggle my memory perhaps?

Question: Long-forgotten band. Joggle my memory perhaps?

Planet F — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:08:17 -0800

Can you name this band? note: very sparse details inside. I was introduced to this amazing band about 4 years ago, but I can't remember for the life of me what their name was. Sadly, to add to it, the only two songs I had of them were on my old-old-old-old computer which is sitting somewhere in my parents' house on the other side of the country, and completely inaccessible.

Here's what I remember:

-They are a rock band, sort of indie rock, I believe, but have a fair amount of notoriety with more than 4 cds released.

-The band includes a classically trained piano player and a classically trained guitar player, but they have drums in some of their songs, so I'm pretty there are at least 3 members

-One of the songs I had was about 10 minutes long, and included many key and time signature changes, and showed a true understanding of all things music-oriented. It was also sort of space-sounding (kind of sci-fi in a way with synthesizers, but the synths were used in a very skilled way)

-The second piece was purely electric guitar, and it started out really slow, and then built and built to a great climactic finish.

I know these are sparse details, but I also know that if I SEE the name, I'll recognize it immediately. So please, just throw band names out! Thanks :)

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:20:35 -0800

The mention of funny time signatures suggest you could conceivably find their name here

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:24:01 -0800

Do you remember if it was a Canadian band, a US band, from a particular region? Do you remember where you heard of them?

By: loiseau

loiseau — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:30:17 -0800

Questions:

Are they instrumental? or male or female singer?
Drums in only some of their songs?
When you say "only electric guitar" do you mean ONLY electric guitar, no vocals?
Can you compare them to any other bands?

By: Planet F

Planet F — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:41:19 -0800

ok um... male singer, I believe the whole band is male

drums in MOST of their songs, but as i said, there were classically trained musicians, so they had some solo songs

I heard about it from a Canadian, but I think they're probably American (definitely N.A. though)

Can't really compare them to other bands, because I've never heard ANYTHING like them before.. Mind you, i tend to listen to classical music so that might have something to do with it.

By: Planet F

Planet F — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:43:51 -0800

and aubilenon: I don't think they're math rockers... They just had a really good understanding of music, so knew how to incorporate the rhythms without intentionally saying "i'm going to write a piece of music in 7/8!" Also, I didn't see any name I recognized on that page :(

By: Bella Sebastian

Bella Sebastian — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:00:59 -0800

Bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor! and Mogwai do great instrumental numbers that build to climaxes. Not sure about the classically trained pianist part, though. The 10-minute long song made me think of the epic Elbow number "Newborn" (including an organ solo!) but they're from the UK, not North America.

By: extramundane

extramundane — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:14:48 -0800

Just a guess: Ester Drang

Or maybe The Six Parts Seven?

By: zaphod

zaphod — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:04:39 -0800

Blonde Redhead?

2 of whom went to Berklee together, but they're 2 lads and a lady and I don't think they've any 10 minute songs.

By: Jon Mitchell

Jon Mitchell — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:05:10 -0800

Is it The Album Leaf?

By: pilibeen

pilibeen — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:47:39 -0800

Oh man, that's broad...but:

Yo La Tengo?

By: missjenny

missjenny — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:52:45 -0800

Menomena?

By: krautland

krautland — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:29:23 -0800

you are not talking about steely dan, are you?

By: davey_darling

davey_darling — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:49:55 -0800

longshot: The Tea Party?

By: goo

goo — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:22:30 -0800

This might help: List of post-rock bands.

Your description of the music sounds like it may be The Necks, but they don't fit most of the other details you remember.

By: goo

goo — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:23:14 -0800

God, might. I need coffee.

By: benzo8

benzo8 — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:35:41 -0800

My guess: Battles...

By: freya_lamb

freya_lamb — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:11:48 -0800

Muse?

By: iconomy

iconomy — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:26:06 -0800

First band I thought of was Mogwai, second was Guillemots, even though neither completely fits the description.

By: futility closet

futility closet — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:39:33 -0800

Can you remember any lyrics?

By: Mach5

Mach5 — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:33:31 -0800

estradasphere?

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:10:37 -0800

Fiery Furnaces?

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:12:03 -0800

Dresden Dolls?

By: docpops

docpops — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:49:23 -0800

Explosions In The Sky?

By: docpops

docpops — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:58:15 -0800

Sorry - you said singer, and as far as I know there's no one in EITS singing.

Radiohead, I know, consists of classically trained musicians, and are known for their unusual time signatures, but aren't a US band, of course.

By: lookoutkitty

lookoutkitty — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:02:03 -0800

I don't have any band names to suggest, but I'm interested enough in the topic, and the band names being suggested that I'm going to give a listen to some. I wonder if posting the question on MOG might help.

By: SuperSquirrel

SuperSquirrel — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:02:14 -0800

Alejandro Escovedo? He's got some classical influences, although his Orchestra had more than three people.

By: lizzicide

lizzicide — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:04:40 -0800

Jump, Little Children?

By: hybridvigor

hybridvigor — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:09:23 -0800

Perhaps Sigur Rós?

"Icelandic post-rock band with melodic, classical, experimental, and minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound and lead singer Jónsis falsetto voice."

By: JamesMCS

JamesMCS — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:25:59 -0800

Is it Zelda Pinwheel? their drummer is always asked if he is classically trained, although he isn't. They have several songs that exceed 10 minutes, and are from New Jersey, a hotbed of post rock.

By: Planet F

Planet F — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:52:33 -0800

Thanks for all the suggestions, but sadly ... nothing :( (i've faithfully tracked down each suggestion too, so that I could rule it out) I knew it was a long shot, but I thought I'd try anyways.

If there are any more suggestions, please keep them coming, and I'll hopefully find it!

By: DJWeezy

DJWeezy — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:56:48 -0800

WEll they arent a us based band but they do have alot of synths and keyboards and guitars, check out dragonforce.

By: extramundane

extramundane — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:20:53 -0800

More guesses: Macha, Film School, Dreamend, Gregor Samsa

By: ihope

ihope — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:29:04 -0800

Tortoise, Slint, .... longshot: Built to Spill ?

By: (alice)

(alice) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:02:52 -0800

Calcutta?

By: Planet F

Planet F — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:10:38 -0800

OK I FIGURED IT OUT!!!!!
extramundane, your suggestion of dreamend was almost perfect. The band is Dream Theater and the 10 minute song (actually just over 11 minutes) is "learning to live"

THANK YOU so much guys, and especially extramundane for getting me on the right path.

By: extramundane

extramundane — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:23:01 -0800

Glad to have helped, Planet F :)

By: loiseau

loiseau — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:38:11 -0800

Planet F: The band is Dream Theater

Dude!?!?! "Indie rock"??? I feel so misled.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:29:21 -0800

Yeah, FYI, Dream Theater are what's usually called prog rock.

By: Planet F

Planet F — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:34:10 -0800

HEY i didn't say "indie rock" i said MAYBE :P as in I've never heard them on mainstream radio stations (sorry loiseau!)

and I've never heard of prog rock, so thanks ludwiv_van for that title... that will help me find similar sounding stuff.

By: nevercalm

nevercalm — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:35:28 -0800

Yeah, that's about as far from indie.....congrats, tho, and great job everyone!

By: Planet F

Planet F — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:41:00 -0800

or, rather, i said "sort of"... BIG difference... in my world... in my head... if I hadn't said indie, would it have made a difference in the answers?

By: Sys Rq

Sys Rq — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:43:59 -0800

if I hadn't said indie, would it have made a difference in the answers?

Yes.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:13:10 -0800

if you like long, noodly, songs from classically trained folks, sort of in a rockish vein, you'll love: prog rock. (for "progressive")

By: ihope

ihope — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:05:48 -0800

gg.