Looking for dark pedal steel guitar
September 20, 2015 5:22 PM Subscribe
I really like a certain (non-distorted) electric guitar sound which makes use of pitch bend (often pedal steel, but sometimes just a tremolo bar) to create a gothic/apocalyptic mood. It's often heavily reverbed, giving the overall impression that the band is playing wasted at the bottom of a cistern. I'd like to find more songs like this. Examples inside.
I've never been a country fan, but this Neko Case song is a perfect example of the sound I'm talking about, in its more lush and theatrical form. You know after hearing two notes of that song that someone's two-thirds of the way through a bottle of whiskey, and that "fast train" in the lyrics isn't going to meet a good end.
You sometimes hear it in older gothic rock—Cranes used it quite a bit on their album Loved, for example.
It can be more subdued, too, as heard in this Red Sparowes track.
I was sure I had more examples than that, but I was wrong.
But, based on the above, perhaps you can recommend some other tracks that use pedal steel (or a similar bendy, reverby/lush/swimmy guitar sound) to evoke a dark/menacing/melancholy mood. Again, country is not really my cup of tea—but I do love that Neko Case song, so I'd be willing to give some good alt-country a spin, if it meets the criteria.
I've never been a country fan, but this Neko Case song is a perfect example of the sound I'm talking about, in its more lush and theatrical form. You know after hearing two notes of that song that someone's two-thirds of the way through a bottle of whiskey, and that "fast train" in the lyrics isn't going to meet a good end.
You sometimes hear it in older gothic rock—Cranes used it quite a bit on their album Loved, for example.
It can be more subdued, too, as heard in this Red Sparowes track.
I was sure I had more examples than that, but I was wrong.
But, based on the above, perhaps you can recommend some other tracks that use pedal steel (or a similar bendy, reverby/lush/swimmy guitar sound) to evoke a dark/menacing/melancholy mood. Again, country is not really my cup of tea—but I do love that Neko Case song, so I'd be willing to give some good alt-country a spin, if it meets the criteria.
Oooohhh you haven't listed Hungry Ghosts (the Australian one) which means you're probably in for a major treat:
Hungry Ghosts Alone, Alone (full album) on YouTube.
It's the bendy, reverby, swimmy guitar sound, not pedal steel. I often feel like I'm wasted at the bottom of that cistern with them.
Here is their Bandcamp where they have a number of other albums, but not Alone, Alone because it's on its own label.
Also do you like the Dirty Three?
posted by xueexueg at 8:36 PM on September 20, 2015
Hungry Ghosts Alone, Alone (full album) on YouTube.
It's the bendy, reverby, swimmy guitar sound, not pedal steel. I often feel like I'm wasted at the bottom of that cistern with them.
Here is their Bandcamp where they have a number of other albums, but not Alone, Alone because it's on its own label.
Also do you like the Dirty Three?
posted by xueexueg at 8:36 PM on September 20, 2015
Guitar nerd here; perhaps some of these fit the bill?
Just about every Black Angels song; I love these guys. If you ever want to head out to the Mojave and freak out, they'd be a solid choice.
Young Men Dead
Bad Vibrations
Eilen Jewell- Hallelujah Band (link goes to guitar solo)
posted by EKStickland at 9:15 PM on September 20, 2015
Just about every Black Angels song; I love these guys. If you ever want to head out to the Mojave and freak out, they'd be a solid choice.
Young Men Dead
Bad Vibrations
Eilen Jewell- Hallelujah Band (link goes to guitar solo)
posted by EKStickland at 9:15 PM on September 20, 2015
It's melancholy, but probably not as dark as you're looking for. Still, I can't help but recommend checking out Matthew Sweet's album "In Reverse". Just about every track has either Theremin, Pedal Steel, backwards-recorded guitar or eBow guitar. (I thought there was some violin on the record too, but Google disagrees.) In any case, it's fun trying to figure out which pure-toned, legato sounds are coming from what instruments.
posted by Anoplura at 1:06 AM on September 21, 2015
posted by Anoplura at 1:06 AM on September 21, 2015
The Cowboy Junkies were the first time I heard that kind of sound. Ellen Jewel's Codeine Arms also has that sound, very similar to the Neko Case song you link to my ears.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:16 AM on September 21, 2015
posted by Dip Flash at 5:16 AM on September 21, 2015
Oh man, Daniel Lanois, I needed to find that!
Seconding Ry Cooder, especially the Paris, Texas soundtrack.
If you're open to instrumental slide guitar instead of just pedal steel, the American Primitive sound seems like it has a pretty rich vein of lush, gothic slide steel. Maybe give some John Fahey a try? If you like this, a good copy of the same concert is available as "georgia stomps, atlanta struts, and other contemporary dance favorites".
posted by hackwolf at 11:23 PM on September 24, 2015
Seconding Ry Cooder, especially the Paris, Texas soundtrack.
If you're open to instrumental slide guitar instead of just pedal steel, the American Primitive sound seems like it has a pretty rich vein of lush, gothic slide steel. Maybe give some John Fahey a try? If you like this, a good copy of the same concert is available as "georgia stomps, atlanta struts, and other contemporary dance favorites".
posted by hackwolf at 11:23 PM on September 24, 2015
I'm way late to the party, but I wanted to mention Luke Ducet's guitar in Whitehorse for your consideration: Devil's Got a Gun. Achilles' Desire.
posted by booth at 11:13 AM on December 18, 2015
posted by booth at 11:13 AM on December 18, 2015
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posted by three_red_balloons at 5:33 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]