Need more dirge, please
October 26, 2013 2:28 PM   Subscribe

A fiddle, a guitar, and a body in the woods. What's this style of music called and where can I find more?

I know of God Speed You Black Emperor and I suppose the Fargo soundtrack comes close. Is there a particular genre that encompasses it? Where can I find more? (Bonus points for cheap as free, as I have no money.)
posted by popcassady to Media & Arts (14 answers total) 17 users marked this as a favorite
 
"Caleb Meyer," Gillian Welch & David Rawlings might speak to you.
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:44 PM on October 26, 2013


Sinéad O'Connor doing I am stretched on your grave might be in the vein? Plaintive folk?
posted by zadcat at 5:23 PM on October 26, 2013


You should listen to the "Assassination of Jesse James" soundtrack (the movie with Brad Pitt). Score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. AWESOME. You can listen to the soundtrack on youtube.
posted by foxhat10 at 6:01 PM on October 26, 2013


I'm not sure what you mean by "this style." If you mean country/folk music involving murder or death, murder ballads are an extensively documented and currently fairly trendy genre.

But this sample sounds more like a dark movie score, not country music. For that I'm not so sure, but you could probably just find movies that have dark subject matter and use original scores as opposed to pop songs for soundtrack.
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:17 PM on October 26, 2013


Current 93 feat. Bonnie Prince Billy, Idumea
posted by drlith at 6:52 PM on October 26, 2013


You might like Balmorhea - specifically Remembrance.

You might like Danny The Dog/Danny the Dog.

You might like the Black Heart Procession The Sinking Road.
posted by fake at 7:02 PM on October 26, 2013


Check out the excellent and disturbing band Comus.
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:58 PM on October 26, 2013




The Ballad of Hollis Bown by Bon Dylan is a famous murder ballad. On my phone so I can't link, but the original has just a guitar and fiddle accompanying it - it's also been covered by everyone from Nina Simone to the Stooges. Very haunting.
posted by lunasol at 9:07 AM on October 27, 2013


There are bits of Steve Reich's Different Trains that this reminds me of, especially with the repeated vocal sample.

More generally, I'm with drjimmy11, you want soundtrack music (or minimalist concert music) and not necessarily murder ballads. The word "Appalachian" in the title of that sound clip is a bit of a red herring. There's nothing terribly folk-y about it.
posted by Now there are two. There are two _______. at 11:23 AM on October 27, 2013 [1 favorite]


Oh, dammit. Listening again I realize that the "vocal sample" is a watermark, not actually part of the piece.

Whatever, you should listen to Different Trains anyway. It's brilliant and you might like it. (Especially since you also like GY!BE, who owe a lot to Steve Reich stylistically.)
posted by Now there are two. There are two _______. at 11:25 AM on October 27, 2013


Probably anything by 16 Horsepower would fit your bill.
posted by timsteil at 3:01 PM on October 27, 2013 [1 favorite]


You may want to listen to Empyrium, Where at night the Wood Grouse Plays is a good intro. When Shadows grow Longer, for example.

Also, here's a compilation called Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings that will help you get introduced to some bands with a similar theme
posted by prufrock at 10:18 PM on October 27, 2013


Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions so far. Some close, some not so. Fake and drlith's suggestions of Current 93 feat. Bonnie Prince Billy, Idumea and You might like Balmorhea - specifically Remembrancem were closest.

I've just found another example of what I'm after: Patrick Wolf, Wind in the Wires Track 7. It's a short one though, and I prefer to listen to longform compositions.
posted by popcassady at 7:34 AM on October 28, 2013


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