What album was this?
May 13, 2019 8:51 AM Subscribe
I recently lost my collection of music and cannot recall the name of a particular rock / indie rock artist and album that I very much enjoyed.
I would expect it to have been released no later than 2016, possibly earlier but not in the 90s.
I think the album art was black and white, and aggressively hand drawn. (But maybe not.)
The vocalist was male and not particularly melodic. Think the Decemberists, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, though less poppy than either of those.
Someone really into classical music and melody might say things like "noise" or "harsh" or "grating" for the vocals and the music.
The album was themed around religion and a journey. But those search terms have been useless for me, because they return religious songs and albums, which this most definitely was not. It may have been released around the time of Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's self-titled album, or maybe I just listened to it around then.
It was a small album from a small band (I think), and would have been reviewed on Pitchfork. Indie rock is the closest genre.
I would expect it to have been released no later than 2016, possibly earlier but not in the 90s.
I think the album art was black and white, and aggressively hand drawn. (But maybe not.)
The vocalist was male and not particularly melodic. Think the Decemberists, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, though less poppy than either of those.
Someone really into classical music and melody might say things like "noise" or "harsh" or "grating" for the vocals and the music.
The album was themed around religion and a journey. But those search terms have been useless for me, because they return religious songs and albums, which this most definitely was not. It may have been released around the time of Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's self-titled album, or maybe I just listened to it around then.
It was a small album from a small band (I think), and would have been reviewed on Pitchfork. Indie rock is the closest genre.
Do you recall the record label, or where the band was from (which country, possibly which region of the country)? Any salient details about the performances, eg. did it sound like a standard guitar-based rock band, or were there synthesizers, or acoustic instruments of some kind?
posted by ardgedee at 9:09 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by ardgedee at 9:09 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
would love some more info on the sound of the music, any lyrical snippets you can remember, etc.
The first black and white hand drawn cover that came to mind was Centro-matic "The Static and the Strings Volume 1." But there are so many album covers that fit that description! A ton of Jeffrey Lewis stuff, for example.
posted by adastra at 9:13 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
The first black and white hand drawn cover that came to mind was Centro-matic "The Static and the Strings Volume 1." But there are so many album covers that fit that description! A ton of Jeffrey Lewis stuff, for example.
posted by adastra at 9:13 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Okkervil River's Black Sheep Boy? (Super long shot.)
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:25 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:25 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Was it Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (2004)? The cover art is a goose with wings outspread, drawn in black and white, with the name of the artist and album written in cursive. Lots of religious themes in the album but it's not overtly "praise" music.
posted by Pfardentrott at 9:26 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Pfardentrott at 9:26 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Wow, it really sounds like you're talking about The Hold Steady's Separation Sunday which ticks most of those boxes, but was released in 2005.
posted by elmer benson at 9:31 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by elmer benson at 9:31 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Menomena - Friend and Foe ?
posted by Behemoth, in no. 302-bis, with the Browning at 10:12 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Behemoth, in no. 302-bis, with the Browning at 10:12 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I know you say not the 90s, but
Screaming Trees "Dust"?
posted by jillithd at 10:39 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Screaming Trees "Dust"?
posted by jillithd at 10:39 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
the national popped in my mind for some reason. fully half their albums are black and white covers and the musical description fits to some extent too.
posted by chasles at 10:46 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by chasles at 10:46 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: The Hold Steady is a good pull for the vocals (and the album art etc.), but a miss.
Afghan Whigs aren't right, but I like them so thanks! Same for Dust. The vocals in particular are a miss w/ Dust.
Menomena (whom I also haven't heard of, and whom I also like) has a similar energy.
I love Okkervil River, but they are "prettier," more pop, less noisy than the album I can't remember.
Rock-style electric guitar is present in the album. There is distortion. It's definitely *not* religious IIRC. It uses the energy and some symbolism of the old testament and tent preaching, but they are not songs of praise and might be a bit offensive to a True Believer (TM).
Sufjan Stevens is way too pretty, clear, and melodic.
The vocals in at least one song sort of go into a mini-rant / sermon where the vocalist talk / sings / shouts something along the lines of, "We are going on a journey. We don't know where we are going, but we will know when we get there." It is a handful of lines, and is a standout bit of that song.
I looked through Subpop's catalog from 2016 to 2005 on their website, and I didn't see it but I may have glossed over it or not recognized the name/cover when I saw it.
posted by Number Used Once at 11:06 AM on May 13, 2019
Afghan Whigs aren't right, but I like them so thanks! Same for Dust. The vocals in particular are a miss w/ Dust.
Menomena (whom I also haven't heard of, and whom I also like) has a similar energy.
I love Okkervil River, but they are "prettier," more pop, less noisy than the album I can't remember.
Rock-style electric guitar is present in the album. There is distortion. It's definitely *not* religious IIRC. It uses the energy and some symbolism of the old testament and tent preaching, but they are not songs of praise and might be a bit offensive to a True Believer (TM).
Sufjan Stevens is way too pretty, clear, and melodic.
The vocals in at least one song sort of go into a mini-rant / sermon where the vocalist talk / sings / shouts something along the lines of, "We are going on a journey. We don't know where we are going, but we will know when we get there." It is a handful of lines, and is a standout bit of that song.
I looked through Subpop's catalog from 2016 to 2005 on their website, and I didn't see it but I may have glossed over it or not recognized the name/cover when I saw it.
posted by Number Used Once at 11:06 AM on May 13, 2019
Response by poster: I would guess the band was American, but they were for sure from an English-speaking country.
posted by Number Used Once at 11:07 AM on May 13, 2019
posted by Number Used Once at 11:07 AM on May 13, 2019
Another guess: The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
* Vocals kind of like The Hold Steady
* Distorted electric guitars
* Biblical themes, but not songs of praise, probably a bit offensive to believers
* A favorite of Pitchfork
* Some of the lyrics might roughly be a fit for the journey theme
posted by umber vowel at 11:18 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
* Vocals kind of like The Hold Steady
* Distorted electric guitars
* Biblical themes, but not songs of praise, probably a bit offensive to believers
* A favorite of Pitchfork
* Some of the lyrics might roughly be a fit for the journey theme
posted by umber vowel at 11:18 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Doesn't match black and white, but Liars have a couple albums that sort of meet that description - "They Were Wrong So We Drowned" and "Drums Not Dead".
posted by LionIndex at 11:19 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by LionIndex at 11:19 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Hopewell & The Birds of Appetite, perhaps?
posted by Black Cordelia at 11:28 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Black Cordelia at 11:28 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Found it!
Today More Than Any Other Day by Ought.
It's not as noisy and distorted as I recall but that is the song and the album. And while the art isn't hand-drawn... it does show hands.
The journey / religious connection came from this bit:
(Note: Found it by doing a google image search of pitchfork black-and-white images year by year and recognized the album cover when I saw it.)
Thanks for the suggestions. If you can think of any other rock / punk / post punk band that almost fits, please continue to post them so I can find new things to listen to.
posted by Number Used Once at 11:32 AM on May 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
Today More Than Any Other Day by Ought.
It's not as noisy and distorted as I recall but that is the song and the album. And while the art isn't hand-drawn... it does show hands.
The journey / religious connection came from this bit:
The name of this song is "Today More Than Any Other Day"I think there's a 10% chance there is another band / album / song that I conflated with this one and that I would also love to recall, but this was the primary thing rattling around in my skull.
Parts 4 through 43, so open up your textbooks or a magazine
Or a novel; any kind of reading material will do
Okay, here we go
One, two, three!
Well, today, more than any other day, I am excited to feel the milk of human kindness
And today, more than any other day, I am excited to go grocery shopping
And today, more than any other day, I am prepared to make a... (etc.)
(Note: Found it by doing a google image search of pitchfork black-and-white images year by year and recognized the album cover when I saw it.)
Thanks for the suggestions. If you can think of any other rock / punk / post punk band that almost fits, please continue to post them so I can find new things to listen to.
posted by Number Used Once at 11:32 AM on May 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
"We are going on a journey. We don't know where we are going, but we will know when we get there."
Since the lyrics you quote don't seem to quite fit that, maybe there was some conflation with the Mountain Goats' The Life of The World to Come, whose fairly rock "Psalms 40:2" contains the line: "Head down towards Kansas/we will get there when we get there/don't you worry!"? Anyway it might be an album you'd be interested in--despite the title it is not explicitly religious, more a series of songs based on Biblical texts as narratives or jumping-off points.
posted by praemunire at 12:47 PM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Since the lyrics you quote don't seem to quite fit that, maybe there was some conflation with the Mountain Goats' The Life of The World to Come, whose fairly rock "Psalms 40:2" contains the line: "Head down towards Kansas/we will get there when we get there/don't you worry!"? Anyway it might be an album you'd be interested in--despite the title it is not explicitly religious, more a series of songs based on Biblical texts as narratives or jumping-off points.
posted by praemunire at 12:47 PM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I see you've identified the artist, but if you are looking for stuff that scratches a similar itch, you might like Saintseneca. They definitely do the whole folky-rock-with-occasional-biblical-energy-without-being-religious thing, and the lead vocalist often brings to mind the Decemberists (and occasionally, the Violent Femmes).
posted by aecorwin at 12:09 PM on May 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by aecorwin at 12:09 PM on May 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kbbbo at 9:08 AM on May 13, 2019 [1 favorite]