Listening to kids these days
April 14, 2019 8:07 PM Subscribe
Can you recommend some new rock-ish music for me? I'm particularly interested in expanding my knowledge of younger and female artists, to counterbalance my natural gravitation toward '90s-early '00s dad rock (The National, Spoon, Belle and Sebastian). Some artists I would classify this way whose work I have enjoyed: TORRES, Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Courtney Barnett, maybe Mitski. Thanks for your help with my aspirations to be a Cool Musical Youth again!
Camp Cope (playing in Brooklyn this month!), Alex Lahey, Joseph, Magic Wands...
Women-led Gen-X contemporaries of the bands you mention that I've been into lately: Bettie Serveert, Neko Case, case/lang/veirs, K's Choice, Veruca Salt, Liz Phair, Cibo Matto, Garbage, Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams, the Dollyrots, Vienna Teng, The New Pornographers, Sahara Hotnights, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Ringo Shiina...
Some of those veer more into folk or pop, but they're all great!
posted by limeonaire at 8:25 PM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Women-led Gen-X contemporaries of the bands you mention that I've been into lately: Bettie Serveert, Neko Case, case/lang/veirs, K's Choice, Veruca Salt, Liz Phair, Cibo Matto, Garbage, Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams, the Dollyrots, Vienna Teng, The New Pornographers, Sahara Hotnights, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Ringo Shiina...
Some of those veer more into folk or pop, but they're all great!
posted by limeonaire at 8:25 PM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
This question appeals to me since I've been trying to stay aware of new music too (no fun just listening to what you knew when you were in high school/college). Here's what I've been listening to lately:
Billie Eilish is super popular right now. She's probably not for everyone, but if you like her work you'll really like it.
I think that Tessa Violet is great.
If you like Mitski, you might like the two above.
Some others to check out :
HAIM
FKA Twigs
Cardi B is hugely popular and definitely worth thinking about.
Hope that gets you started and you find something that appeals. Music is amazing these days, honestly.
posted by owls at 8:27 PM on April 14, 2019 [5 favorites]
Billie Eilish is super popular right now. She's probably not for everyone, but if you like her work you'll really like it.
I think that Tessa Violet is great.
If you like Mitski, you might like the two above.
Some others to check out :
HAIM
FKA Twigs
Cardi B is hugely popular and definitely worth thinking about.
Hope that gets you started and you find something that appeals. Music is amazing these days, honestly.
posted by owls at 8:27 PM on April 14, 2019 [5 favorites]
Tried to organize from most rock to most indie, but probably failed.
Slothrust - "Horseshoe Crab"
Bully - "Trying"
Summer Cannibals - "Something New"
Dog Party - "Rebel Girl"
Vagabon - "The Embers"
Hopalong - "Tibetan Pop Stars"
Great Grandpa - "Fade"
Waxahatchee - "Recite Remorse"
Also Camp Cope, mentioned above, for sure.
posted by sacrifix at 8:32 PM on April 14, 2019 [8 favorites]
Slothrust - "Horseshoe Crab"
Bully - "Trying"
Summer Cannibals - "Something New"
Dog Party - "Rebel Girl"
Vagabon - "The Embers"
Hopalong - "Tibetan Pop Stars"
Great Grandpa - "Fade"
Waxahatchee - "Recite Remorse"
Also Camp Cope, mentioned above, for sure.
posted by sacrifix at 8:32 PM on April 14, 2019 [8 favorites]
Subscribe to the KEXP Song of the Day podcast. It's not exactly what the cool kids are listening to but it will give you a good flow of new content in the genres that you mentioned enjoying.
posted by Candleman at 8:44 PM on April 14, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Candleman at 8:44 PM on April 14, 2019 [4 favorites]
Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes is an incredible vocalist. The band started out doing roots rock but their last album edged into a more modern/experimental sound.
Future People
Don't Wanna Fight
Hold On
She also had a fun musical cameo in Vice (that was unfortunately cut from the final film).
posted by Rhaomi at 8:45 PM on April 14, 2019 [3 favorites]
Future People
Don't Wanna Fight
Hold On
She also had a fun musical cameo in Vice (that was unfortunately cut from the final film).
posted by Rhaomi at 8:45 PM on April 14, 2019 [3 favorites]
Boygenius
Better Oblivion Community Center
Phoebe Bridgers
Tacocat
+1 for Camp Cope
posted by baseballpajamas at 8:55 PM on April 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
Better Oblivion Community Center
Phoebe Bridgers
Tacocat
+1 for Camp Cope
posted by baseballpajamas at 8:55 PM on April 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you like Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, then you'd probably like Phoebe Bridgers and boygenius, the project the three of them did together.
For the past couple of years my concertgoing has been more or less women and/or queer artists, and the amount of collaboration and support they provide each other is amazing and productive and so much better than the 90s. (If only they were paid 90s money.)
I saw Hand Habits last night and they were amazing. Speedy Ortiz. OHMME. Palehound. Big Thief. Anything Katie and Allison Crutchfield do. Hop Along. Madeline Kenney. Tomberlin writes exquisite sad bangers and is one of those artists you should see now in a small venue for future bragging rights.
And Mary Timony may be a GenX veteran among the millennials, but Ex Hex will rock your socks off.
posted by holgate at 9:38 PM on April 14, 2019 [6 favorites]
For the past couple of years my concertgoing has been more or less women and/or queer artists, and the amount of collaboration and support they provide each other is amazing and productive and so much better than the 90s. (If only they were paid 90s money.)
I saw Hand Habits last night and they were amazing. Speedy Ortiz. OHMME. Palehound. Big Thief. Anything Katie and Allison Crutchfield do. Hop Along. Madeline Kenney. Tomberlin writes exquisite sad bangers and is one of those artists you should see now in a small venue for future bragging rights.
And Mary Timony may be a GenX veteran among the millennials, but Ex Hex will rock your socks off.
posted by holgate at 9:38 PM on April 14, 2019 [6 favorites]
Portland-based Y La Bamba (Luz Elena Mendoza’s band), in particular the 2016 album Ojos Del Sol (full album streamable there, see also the title track video).
posted by D.C. at 2:03 AM on April 15, 2019
posted by D.C. at 2:03 AM on April 15, 2019
I always recommend my local independent radio station, WNRN. They play a fine selection of modern rock/Americana. Should get you a sense of some of the new rock coming out.
posted by kuanes at 3:56 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by kuanes at 3:56 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
My fav of the minute, which you might like a lot based on your other likes, is The Beths. Then I put them into Google play which brought me to a lot of other stuff I found I liked, too.
posted by entropone at 4:12 AM on April 15, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by entropone at 4:12 AM on April 15, 2019 [4 favorites]
Superorganism!
Sidney Gish is also great fun.
posted by pipeski at 4:12 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Sidney Gish is also great fun.
posted by pipeski at 4:12 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Superorganism: international synth pop/rock collective, three women in band including the lead singer, who is too young to be a millennial.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:16 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:16 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Beths - "Future Me Hates Me" on preview, hat tip to entropone
Haley Heynderickx - "Drinking Song"
Chastity Belt - "Seattle Party"
Jenny Lewis' new album - here's "Wasted Youth"
+1 Camp Cope!
posted by jilloftrades at 4:28 AM on April 15, 2019 [6 favorites]
Haley Heynderickx - "Drinking Song"
Chastity Belt - "Seattle Party"
Jenny Lewis' new album - here's "Wasted Youth"
+1 Camp Cope!
posted by jilloftrades at 4:28 AM on April 15, 2019 [6 favorites]
The Regrettes - Seashore
Dead Sara - Weatherman
Meg Myers - Lemon Eyes
posted by signal at 5:10 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Dead Sara - Weatherman
Meg Myers - Lemon Eyes
posted by signal at 5:10 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Atlas Genius - Trojans
Mondo Cosmo - Tonight Tonight
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:47 AM on April 15, 2019
Mondo Cosmo - Tonight Tonight
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:47 AM on April 15, 2019
Seconding KEXP Song of the Day (mentioned by Candleman above) and adding KCMP "The Current" Song of the Day (here's the RSS feed).
I don't keep most of the music I download from those sites but they've introduced me to many new favorites.
posted by adventitious at 8:17 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
I don't keep most of the music I download from those sites but they've introduced me to many new favorites.
posted by adventitious at 8:17 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Some trippier and heavier bands
Goat Girl
Heron Oblivion
La Luz / Shana Cleveland
Esben and the Witch
Exploded View
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete
posted by bendybendy at 8:48 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Goat Girl
Heron Oblivion
La Luz / Shana Cleveland
Esben and the Witch
Exploded View
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete
posted by bendybendy at 8:48 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Some more bands for you to check out:
Bat for Lashes
Diet Cig
Petal
Screaming Females
Girlpool
Angel Olsen
Let's Eat Grandma
Tirzah
U.S. Girls
posted by torridly at 8:49 AM on April 15, 2019
Bat for Lashes
Diet Cig
Petal
Screaming Females
Girlpool
Angel Olsen
Let's Eat Grandma
Tirzah
U.S. Girls
posted by torridly at 8:49 AM on April 15, 2019
Jay Som
Soccer Mommy
Waxahatchee
Lucius
posted by octothorpe at 9:03 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Soccer Mommy
Waxahatchee
Lucius
posted by octothorpe at 9:03 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
For answering the second part of your question of wanting to find new music, I was a little shy about writing this in my first comment, but please consider checking out the reviews website I write for, The Singles Jukebox . Every weekday, a group of at least six writers write short reviews for 3 new singles. We have a super inclusive list we pull from which ranges from rap, rock, experimental, country, house, super popular pop, K-Pop, and everything in between. So if you are looking for new music specifically, this is a great place to go and also where I personally find new music! (I also think we have some of the best music writing on the web as well, but I'll let you decide that in your own! I know I've done some of my best writing here so I'm pretty enthused to be a part of this website, and the amount of knowledge and insight the other writers have is staggering.)
posted by yueliang at 9:21 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by yueliang at 9:21 AM on April 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
quieter:
rosali "trouble anyway" (not to be confused with rosalia)
liz cooper and the stampede "window flowers"
louder:
thin lips "chosen family"
fatty cakes and the puff pastries (self-titled)
carefully orchestrated, straddling both 70s singer-songwriter and 80s r&b:
natalie prass "the future and the past"
kadhja bonet "childqueen"
posted by noloveforned at 10:51 AM on April 15, 2019
rosali "trouble anyway" (not to be confused with rosalia)
liz cooper and the stampede "window flowers"
louder:
thin lips "chosen family"
fatty cakes and the puff pastries (self-titled)
carefully orchestrated, straddling both 70s singer-songwriter and 80s r&b:
natalie prass "the future and the past"
kadhja bonet "childqueen"
posted by noloveforned at 10:51 AM on April 15, 2019
Jenny HVAL!
posted by Balthamos at 11:16 AM on April 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Balthamos at 11:16 AM on April 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
I’m loving Snail Mail.
Lyndsey Jordan is very cute and very cool and her lyrics hurt me in the nicest possible way. They’re definitely heartbreak/breakup songs.
GenXers will be able to hear hints of Sonic Youth and guitary New Order etc.
posted by stellathon at 12:21 PM on April 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
Lyndsey Jordan is very cute and very cool and her lyrics hurt me in the nicest possible way. They’re definitely heartbreak/breakup songs.
GenXers will be able to hear hints of Sonic Youth and guitary New Order etc.
posted by stellathon at 12:21 PM on April 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
What has fit this need for me has been the NPR Music podcast All Songs Considered. Even though most of the contributors / participants are GenX or older, they have a great eye for new music of all sorts — including many of the bands / artists mentioned in this thread. Of course they also cover new releases by older / legendary performers, but even there they try to go off the beaten path and play something you wouldn’t have come across otherwise.
Bonus: it’s a great podcast to listen to while running. They’ll never play anything you’ve heard too many times already, so even slow or ambient songs are a chance to get lost in something unfamiliar and not focus on how many miles you have left to go.
posted by sesquipedalia at 1:19 PM on April 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
Bonus: it’s a great podcast to listen to while running. They’ll never play anything you’ve heard too many times already, so even slow or ambient songs are a chance to get lost in something unfamiliar and not focus on how many miles you have left to go.
posted by sesquipedalia at 1:19 PM on April 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
The stuff I've heard from The Beaches has been pretty good.
I always find new music when I listen to the Strombo Show (Sundays on CBC Radio 2 from 8-12pm EST, you can listen online). Much of the new stuff is from established artists with new albums out but he doesn't shy away from playing new artists. It isn't all rock or rock-adjacent by any stretch though. I barely get the chance to listen to it because its on at a weird time for me and the podcast is iTunes only, which is a shame because I would listen to it during the week if I had the chance.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:40 PM on April 15, 2019
I always find new music when I listen to the Strombo Show (Sundays on CBC Radio 2 from 8-12pm EST, you can listen online). Much of the new stuff is from established artists with new albums out but he doesn't shy away from playing new artists. It isn't all rock or rock-adjacent by any stretch though. I barely get the chance to listen to it because its on at a weird time for me and the podcast is iTunes only, which is a shame because I would listen to it during the week if I had the chance.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:40 PM on April 15, 2019
I really love this AskMe, I could have posted the exact same thing. I subscribe to Apple Music and I get about a song or two a month that I really like out of my "For You" section and the "New Music Mix". Most of the time nothing really clicks, but sometimes there's a true banger.
Speaking of which, my current favorite song is Sprit FM by Bad Moves.
Also, I've really started enjoying a podcast called Punch up the Jam where two comedians tear apart a song and then "punch it up" with their improvements. At the end of each podcast they each pick a song or two that they think is "un-punchable" and I've gotten some new favorites there.
posted by ssmith at 4:12 PM on April 15, 2019
Speaking of which, my current favorite song is Sprit FM by Bad Moves.
Also, I've really started enjoying a podcast called Punch up the Jam where two comedians tear apart a song and then "punch it up" with their improvements. At the end of each podcast they each pick a song or two that they think is "un-punchable" and I've gotten some new favorites there.
posted by ssmith at 4:12 PM on April 15, 2019
I second Ex Hex, they’re incredible.
Another band that has been the top of my list is Cherry Glazerr. Lead singer/guitarist/writer Clementine Creevy is only 22 but they’ve got 4 albums out already. Recommended introductory songs: Had Ten Dollaz and I Told You I’d Be With the Guys.
posted by ejs at 7:56 PM on April 15, 2019
Another band that has been the top of my list is Cherry Glazerr. Lead singer/guitarist/writer Clementine Creevy is only 22 but they’ve got 4 albums out already. Recommended introductory songs: Had Ten Dollaz and I Told You I’d Be With the Guys.
posted by ejs at 7:56 PM on April 15, 2019
Oh, also seconding Magic Wands, and recommending Le Butcherettes and Priests.
posted by ejs at 8:19 PM on April 15, 2019
posted by ejs at 8:19 PM on April 15, 2019
B&S, Spoon, and the National are three of my favorite bands. When I became a dad to two daughters, I realized that the books that I was reading and the music that I was listening to were overwhelmingly created by men. I made a conscious effort to explore more female artists, which made me realize how much I had been missing. Many of my favorite female artists of recent years are already listed above, but here goes:
Say Sue Me
Superorganism
The Beths
Angel Olson
Soccer Mommy
Black Belt Eagle Scout
Charly Bliss
Alvvays (probably the most Belle and Sebastian group on this list)
Phoebe Bridgers (and Better Oblivion Community Center)
Sacred Paws
The Weather Station
Courtney Barnett (Who you already mentioned. The linked video features Sleater-Kinney, who are obviously far from new but reunited for a great recent-ish album)
Lucy Dacus (also listed, also agree)
Wolf Alice
St. Vincent
Sharon Van Etten
Big Thief (and Adrienne Lenker)
Snail Mail
Waxahatchee
Camp Cope
Jay Som
If you're willing to go back a little further, Allo Darlin' were a wonderful and underappreciated band.
posted by cholstro at 10:46 PM on April 15, 2019 [8 favorites]
Say Sue Me
Superorganism
The Beths
Angel Olson
Soccer Mommy
Black Belt Eagle Scout
Charly Bliss
Alvvays (probably the most Belle and Sebastian group on this list)
Phoebe Bridgers (and Better Oblivion Community Center)
Sacred Paws
The Weather Station
Courtney Barnett (Who you already mentioned. The linked video features Sleater-Kinney, who are obviously far from new but reunited for a great recent-ish album)
Lucy Dacus (also listed, also agree)
Wolf Alice
St. Vincent
Sharon Van Etten
Big Thief (and Adrienne Lenker)
Snail Mail
Waxahatchee
Camp Cope
Jay Som
If you're willing to go back a little further, Allo Darlin' were a wonderful and underappreciated band.
posted by cholstro at 10:46 PM on April 15, 2019 [8 favorites]
A pretty random, but hopefully on-topic selection of mostly UK, recent female rock acts with albums out either this year or last:
Brighton's finest, Yonaka. Not sure what you'd call this genre: slightly grime-adjacent wrestling grunge, maybe?
Another Brighton band, Our Girl.
Yet another Brighton act, the sadly defunct as of 2 months ago Estrons.
Scotland's Honeyblood. (Full-band version.)
More on the shoegazy side: from Stockholm originally, but now based in London: Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation.
Slightly more overtly shoegazy, with a real '90s vibe: London's Pumarosa.
The Smiths-obsessed, shoegaze/emo outfit, Desperate Journalist (London). (Full-band version of the song.)
A bit of West Yorkshire metalcore: Bingley's Marmozets.
And something a bit different: Ioanna Gika.
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:05 AM on April 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
Brighton's finest, Yonaka. Not sure what you'd call this genre: slightly grime-adjacent wrestling grunge, maybe?
Another Brighton band, Our Girl.
Yet another Brighton act, the sadly defunct as of 2 months ago Estrons.
Scotland's Honeyblood. (Full-band version.)
More on the shoegazy side: from Stockholm originally, but now based in London: Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation.
Slightly more overtly shoegazy, with a real '90s vibe: London's Pumarosa.
The Smiths-obsessed, shoegaze/emo outfit, Desperate Journalist (London). (Full-band version of the song.)
A bit of West Yorkshire metalcore: Bingley's Marmozets.
And something a bit different: Ioanna Gika.
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:05 AM on April 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
I was going to post but then I saw posted by cholstro at 1:46 on April 16 and will just second every single artist/band he says. The Beths and Alvvays have reached favourite band status for me up there with The National, B&S and Camera Obscura.
posted by urbanlenny at 6:06 AM on April 16, 2019
posted by urbanlenny at 6:06 AM on April 16, 2019
nthing: The Beths, Waxahatchee, Jay Som, Charly Bliss, Hop Along, Vagabon, Alabama Shakes
Adding: Laura Stevenson, Lady Lamb (f/k/a Lady Lamb the Beekeeper), Janelle Monae (more pop, maybe, but with a fair amount of rock-esque stuff)
posted by valrus at 8:12 AM on April 17, 2019
Adding: Laura Stevenson, Lady Lamb (f/k/a Lady Lamb the Beekeeper), Janelle Monae (more pop, maybe, but with a fair amount of rock-esque stuff)
posted by valrus at 8:12 AM on April 17, 2019
One more: Cayetana - "Scott Get The Van, I'm Moving"
posted by sacrifix at 10:12 AM on April 17, 2019
posted by sacrifix at 10:12 AM on April 17, 2019
I love some of those already mentioned (Phoebe Bridgers, Aldous Harding, Camp Cope, The Beths, Diet Cig) and here are some more that might fit the bill:
Fightmilk
Bad Moves
Remember Sports (previously SPORTS)
Martha
The Spook School
Also, I found this Guardian article a couple of weeks ago interesting, about young people making and discovering music on YouTube, full of people I’d never heard of. I liked a lot of it and made this Spotify playlist of them.
posted by fabius at 7:53 AM on April 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
Fightmilk
Bad Moves
Remember Sports (previously SPORTS)
Martha
The Spook School
Also, I found this Guardian article a couple of weeks ago interesting, about young people making and discovering music on YouTube, full of people I’d never heard of. I liked a lot of it and made this Spotify playlist of them.
posted by fabius at 7:53 AM on April 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks so much, everyone. Slowly working my way through all your lovely recs. So far I especially like The Beths, a suggestion many of you made! I also seem to enjoy Billie Eilish, who knew. And I forgot to mention I am already a big fan of Vagabon, saw her live last summer, in fact!
posted by ferret branca at 8:17 PM on April 28, 2019
posted by ferret branca at 8:17 PM on April 28, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by yueliang at 8:17 PM on April 14, 2019 [8 favorites]