Smith Westerns are GO!
September 1, 2012 5:13 AM Subscribe
Looking for the next Indie Beatles!
I just discovered this band called the Smith Westerns and want more of something similar in sound. I'm also a huge fan of early Of Montreal (i.e. pre-Prince fixation), the 3 O'clock, etc. Basically any indie band that gets why the Beatles sounded so good on their later stuff.
Things I'm not a huge fan of: Beach House and/or overly reverbed anything.
I just discovered this band called the Smith Westerns and want more of something similar in sound. I'm also a huge fan of early Of Montreal (i.e. pre-Prince fixation), the 3 O'clock, etc. Basically any indie band that gets why the Beatles sounded so good on their later stuff.
Things I'm not a huge fan of: Beach House and/or overly reverbed anything.
How about The Len Price 3 (and another track)? They're actually more Kinks/Who, but I think still the vein you're looking for if you like the jangle of Smith Westerns and the 3 o'Clock.
posted by dayintoday at 6:09 AM on September 1, 2012
posted by dayintoday at 6:09 AM on September 1, 2012
Best answer: Does it have to be new? You might dig Adrian Belew's solo stuff from the 1980s and 90s.
On (From Op Zop Too Wah, 1996)
Everything (Link is to an acoustic piano version from 1998, there's a full band arrangement on Inner Revolution from 1993)
posted by usonian at 6:21 AM on September 1, 2012
On (From Op Zop Too Wah, 1996)
Everything (Link is to an acoustic piano version from 1998, there's a full band arrangement on Inner Revolution from 1993)
posted by usonian at 6:21 AM on September 1, 2012
Best answer: Kishi Bashi - Bright Whites (specifically about 1 minute in).
posted by belau at 6:36 AM on September 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by belau at 6:36 AM on September 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: OH MY GOD the BRIGHT WHITES. What an amazing sound. Exactly what I'm looking for in this thread. (Not to say the other suggestions weren't great, also - but not what I'm in the mood for with this post. Like 'em all!)
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:31 AM on September 1, 2012
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:31 AM on September 1, 2012
Response by poster: Or, er. um Kishi Bashi that is. heh.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:32 AM on September 1, 2012
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:32 AM on September 1, 2012
You've probably heard Dr. Dog, but if you haven't listen to their early stuff especially, very Beatlesy.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:40 AM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:40 AM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The Minders - Hooray For Tuesday!
Beulah - A Good Man Is Easy To Kill
posted by carsonb at 8:08 AM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
Beulah - A Good Man Is Easy To Kill
posted by carsonb at 8:08 AM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh and the new Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is pretty Magical Mystery Tourish.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:09 AM on September 1, 2012
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:09 AM on September 1, 2012
How about The Unicorns? There's been a pretty decent evolution since they broke up/morphed/whatever, fun to explore.
posted by carsonb at 9:50 AM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by carsonb at 9:50 AM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
The R's are a fantastic Italians-singing-English band that is similar to Dr. Dog but somehow more adorable. First track off of their 2011 album De Fauna Et Flora: On Our Minds.
posted by xueexueg at 11:19 AM on September 1, 2012
posted by xueexueg at 11:19 AM on September 1, 2012
Response by poster: Yes! The Minders! Awesome thread so far, kids - love this song.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 1:38 PM on September 1, 2012
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 1:38 PM on September 1, 2012
If you like The Minders, Dressy Bessy (f'rinstance: Just Once More) have a formal link.
posted by scruss at 1:55 PM on September 1, 2012
posted by scruss at 1:55 PM on September 1, 2012
If you want a great pseudo-Beatles circa Sgt. Pepper era, there is a reissue of a very rare album from the 60s, Lazy Smoke, Corridor of Faces. It's like Sgt. Pepper without McCartney's music hall affectations done on a budget of a dollar and ninety-eight cents. It's lo-fi by a great lost 60s psych band who never knew what lo-fi was and never got past their own garage.
posted by jonp72 at 6:10 PM on September 1, 2012
posted by jonp72 at 6:10 PM on September 1, 2012
Best answer: Here's Dr Dog reference number three, with a link so their sound is only a click away. You'll love! I swear!
Here's Olivia Tremor Control's "NYC-25" which made me cry *before* its author died, and now I can't listen to it. But you should. This is a band who truly does, as you say, "get why the Beatles sounded so good." These musicians (and Of Montreal) were part of a larger collective called Elephant Six. If you find you like what you hear here, you might want to explore the other related bands and peripheral projects further (e.g., Apples in Stereo, even earlier Of Montreal).
If you don't mind something a bit older and a bit noisier (which you won't once you start listening to it) I can give you the answer to the question: What if Paul McCartney had been born in Dayton, OH in the late 50s? Answer: That's easy, it already happened, only his name is Robert Pollard. Grab Guided By Voices' album Alien Lanes and make it a part of you. Here's "Game of Pricks" which is 1:33 of some of the best pop ever written ever ever. It should really be heard in the context of the rest of the album, too, though, so please do that.
I'll add more as I think of 'em.
posted by tapesonthefloor at 8:24 PM on September 2, 2012 [2 favorites]
Here's Olivia Tremor Control's "NYC-25" which made me cry *before* its author died, and now I can't listen to it. But you should. This is a band who truly does, as you say, "get why the Beatles sounded so good." These musicians (and Of Montreal) were part of a larger collective called Elephant Six. If you find you like what you hear here, you might want to explore the other related bands and peripheral projects further (e.g., Apples in Stereo, even earlier Of Montreal).
If you don't mind something a bit older and a bit noisier (which you won't once you start listening to it) I can give you the answer to the question: What if Paul McCartney had been born in Dayton, OH in the late 50s? Answer: That's easy, it already happened, only his name is Robert Pollard. Grab Guided By Voices' album Alien Lanes and make it a part of you. Here's "Game of Pricks" which is 1:33 of some of the best pop ever written ever ever. It should really be heard in the context of the rest of the album, too, though, so please do that.
I'll add more as I think of 'em.
posted by tapesonthefloor at 8:24 PM on September 2, 2012 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: tapesonthefloor - keep 'em coming. I definitely know about E6 already - mainly through Of Montreal and Beulah, etc.
And GBV is one of my all-time favorite bands.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 2:44 AM on September 4, 2012
And GBV is one of my all-time favorite bands.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 2:44 AM on September 4, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
(and that's not early of Montreal; this is early Of Montreal ...)
posted by scruss at 5:35 AM on September 1, 2012 [3 favorites]