Starving for gorgeous gravitas
January 15, 2007 1:57 PM Subscribe
OK, audiophiles. What other/new music would you suggest I check out if all you know about my tastes is that I like Keith Jarrett solo, Rickie Lee Jones, John Fahey and Jane Siberry?
Joanna Newsom, Ys. Kate Bush, Bjork.
posted by matildaben at 2:07 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by matildaben at 2:07 PM on January 15, 2007
Brad Meldhau, Bill Charlap.
posted by rossination at 2:08 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by rossination at 2:08 PM on January 15, 2007
You may very well end up loving the Magnetic Fields, but they don't have much in common with the artists you mention. I like them, but if you're going in that direction I'd start with Young Marble Giants or something like that. A bit more timeless, I'd imagine.
You would probably really like Karen Dalton, who only recorded two albums (both now on CD.) She lived an utterly tragic life and was one of the few artists of the 60's folk revival to actually have something like a "real" folk background. The 20 songs she recorded over the two albums are all nearly perfect. Her voice is a bit like Billie Holiday's, but her music fits into a nice plane between the third Velvet Underground album, Fred Neil and something magical and mysterious.
I love Rickie Lee Jones, but it would be fair to say that RLJ would probably consider Dalton one of her idols.
Despite the fact that Karen Dalton is (and was) pretty obscure, there have (incredibly) been two clips of her posted on youtube.com - you owe it to yourself to check them out.
They're kind of shaky, and she's already started losing her teeth, and one of them's just a fragment of an otherwise-unrecorded "God Bless The Child," but they'll give you a tasting. Her albums are a bit more interesting, but still . . .
You may also like John Hartford, at least his material on RCA (I think they're all available from Camden Deluxe UK pretty cheaply.) He played banjo and guitar and sang some of the time. There's a John Fahey quality to his music, though Hartford comes across as more good-natured.
I'll send some short MP3s if you want.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 2:21 PM on January 15, 2007
You would probably really like Karen Dalton, who only recorded two albums (both now on CD.) She lived an utterly tragic life and was one of the few artists of the 60's folk revival to actually have something like a "real" folk background. The 20 songs she recorded over the two albums are all nearly perfect. Her voice is a bit like Billie Holiday's, but her music fits into a nice plane between the third Velvet Underground album, Fred Neil and something magical and mysterious.
I love Rickie Lee Jones, but it would be fair to say that RLJ would probably consider Dalton one of her idols.
Despite the fact that Karen Dalton is (and was) pretty obscure, there have (incredibly) been two clips of her posted on youtube.com - you owe it to yourself to check them out.
They're kind of shaky, and she's already started losing her teeth, and one of them's just a fragment of an otherwise-unrecorded "God Bless The Child," but they'll give you a tasting. Her albums are a bit more interesting, but still . . .
You may also like John Hartford, at least his material on RCA (I think they're all available from Camden Deluxe UK pretty cheaply.) He played banjo and guitar and sang some of the time. There's a John Fahey quality to his music, though Hartford comes across as more good-natured.
I'll send some short MP3s if you want.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 2:21 PM on January 15, 2007
Have you tried plugging your musical likes into Pandora?
posted by Joleta at 2:33 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by Joleta at 2:33 PM on January 15, 2007
Leo Kottke
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 2:44 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 2:44 PM on January 15, 2007
Hard to say, but I like all of the artists you've mentioned so maybe you'll like these (or at least some of what they do): Innocence Mission (Glow). Anour Brahem (Le Pas du Chat Noir) maybe some Cassandra Wilson or Juana Molina. And out of left field, maybe you'd also like In the Heart of the Moon by Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate.
posted by nnk at 2:51 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by nnk at 2:51 PM on January 15, 2007
Aside: an audiophile is "a person who is especially interested in high-fidelity sound reproduction." It doesn't mean someone who is really into music. You'd address audiophiles if you were asking a question about headphones or a stereo system or something.
posted by ludwig_van at 2:54 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by ludwig_van at 2:54 PM on January 15, 2007
M. Ward. Lots of Fahey influence in the guitar-playing, plus he's handy with a tune. Oh, and gorgeous singing.
posted by alexfw at 2:55 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by alexfw at 2:55 PM on January 15, 2007
Lucinda Williams!! Her most commercial stuff is blah ("Passionate Kisses") but she does some really dope shit.
And you know, I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest Laura Veirs. She does singer-songwriter stuff, but with obvious intelligence, and lyrics that reflect her university education in geology.
posted by loiseau at 3:00 PM on January 15, 2007
And you know, I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest Laura Veirs. She does singer-songwriter stuff, but with obvious intelligence, and lyrics that reflect her university education in geology.
posted by loiseau at 3:00 PM on January 15, 2007
2nd - Lucinda williams, Laura Veirs, and Joanna Newsom. But try her first cd, the milk eyed mender.
the newsom works on an audiophile level too.
Joshua Judges Ruth by Lyle Lovett.
Hounds of Love by Kate Bush.
Beautiful Vision - Van Morrison
posted by vronsky at 3:10 PM on January 15, 2007
the newsom works on an audiophile level too.
Joshua Judges Ruth by Lyle Lovett.
Hounds of Love by Kate Bush.
Beautiful Vision - Van Morrison
posted by vronsky at 3:10 PM on January 15, 2007
The Rachel's. Tortoise. The Sea and Cake. Sam Prekop. Pizzicato 5. Brian Eno. The Feelies. Mark Eitzel. Belle and Sebastian.
That's slightly random, but I like most of your list of likes, and I feel like these put me in a similar headspace, less the performers other folks here have suggested.
posted by ardgedee at 3:19 PM on January 15, 2007
That's slightly random, but I like most of your list of likes, and I feel like these put me in a similar headspace, less the performers other folks here have suggested.
posted by ardgedee at 3:19 PM on January 15, 2007
Adding to the crop of excellent finger pickers already mentioned, I'd suggest Kaki King. She's a real whippersnapper -- Leo Kottke meets Stravinsky.
posted by JohnFredra at 3:29 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by JohnFredra at 3:29 PM on January 15, 2007
Nick Drake
vinyl, of course
the remastered cd's are also good, done by John Wood, the original Tonmeister.
posted by Substrata at 3:52 PM on January 15, 2007
vinyl, of course
the remastered cd's are also good, done by John Wood, the original Tonmeister.
posted by Substrata at 3:52 PM on January 15, 2007
RE: Fahey
Check out Gastr Del Sol or Bosco and Jorge.
posted by pfafflin at 3:53 PM on January 15, 2007
Check out Gastr Del Sol or Bosco and Jorge.
posted by pfafflin at 3:53 PM on January 15, 2007
Which RLJ albums? It makes a big difference — she's drifted quite a bit since the 70s.
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:59 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:59 PM on January 15, 2007
Response by poster: Wonderful! Many thanks, music-lovers and audiophiles alike... Lots to explore, and already fascinated by Pandora; what a cool idea (after I straightened out the algorithm that was giving me Bette Midler on my RLJones/JFahey station, it actually started to teach me stuff...admittedly, I have lots to learn).
And, please, don’t let my praise stem the flow; more suggestions most welcome.
(I bet I’d dig Magnetic Fields if the vocalist was Rickie Lee Siberry...)
Thanks again; great stuff....
posted by dpcoffin at 5:09 PM on January 15, 2007
And, please, don’t let my praise stem the flow; more suggestions most welcome.
(I bet I’d dig Magnetic Fields if the vocalist was Rickie Lee Siberry...)
Thanks again; great stuff....
posted by dpcoffin at 5:09 PM on January 15, 2007
Many of my suggestions already mentioned, but how about Leonard Cohen? Emmy Lou Harris? Laurie Anderson?
I am really enamoured of Meryn Cadell, who until tonight I thought was a female Canadian artist, but according to Wikipedia, is now a man. Huh. Still, the three albums that Cadell has out are quite interesting.
posted by thebrokedown at 5:17 PM on January 15, 2007
I am really enamoured of Meryn Cadell, who until tonight I thought was a female Canadian artist, but according to Wikipedia, is now a man. Huh. Still, the three albums that Cadell has out are quite interesting.
posted by thebrokedown at 5:17 PM on January 15, 2007
Response by poster: As for RLJ albums, I liked Ghostyhead every bit as much as Pirates, so I guess she’s drifting my way:)
posted by dpcoffin at 5:26 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by dpcoffin at 5:26 PM on January 15, 2007
I didn't mean to say "still" up there, I am still just in a little bit of shock. The albums that Cadell has out are good and interesting. Period.
posted by thebrokedown at 5:29 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by thebrokedown at 5:29 PM on January 15, 2007
Response by poster: FYI: In addition to tunes by artists mentioned here, here’s my so far just heard and enjoyed today on Pandora, playing a RLJ/JS/Joanna Newsom (WOW!) station (so, yeah, I’ve been out of touch...):
Ani Difranco
Keri Noble
Marti Jones
Save Ferris
Indigo Girls
The Levelers
Anais Mitchell
Diane Cluck
Kate Rusby
Anna Ternheim
Patty Griffin
No shortage of what I need; nice!
posted by dpcoffin at 6:55 PM on January 15, 2007
Ani Difranco
Keri Noble
Marti Jones
Save Ferris
Indigo Girls
The Levelers
Anais Mitchell
Diane Cluck
Kate Rusby
Anna Ternheim
Patty Griffin
No shortage of what I need; nice!
posted by dpcoffin at 6:55 PM on January 15, 2007
Leo Kottke has personal and musical connections to both John Fahey and Rickie Lee Jones. He plays on her Traffic in Paradise record, and she produced and collaborated his recording called Peculiaroso.
Leo is like John Fahey (fingerstyle guitar) but with more elaborate arrangements and technique, and less drone-based tunes.
posted by umbú at 7:37 PM on January 15, 2007
Leo is like John Fahey (fingerstyle guitar) but with more elaborate arrangements and technique, and less drone-based tunes.
posted by umbú at 7:37 PM on January 15, 2007
Richard (and Linda) Thompson, Laura Nyro.
When I saw Rickie Lee Jones over 10 years ago, she told a couple Leo Kottke stories. So, that counts for something. Also, as umbu notes, they've palled around some.
Other Jones collaborators you might like: Lyle Lovett, Walter Becker, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos.
posted by ibmcginty at 7:55 PM on January 15, 2007
When I saw Rickie Lee Jones over 10 years ago, she told a couple Leo Kottke stories. So, that counts for something. Also, as umbu notes, they've palled around some.
Other Jones collaborators you might like: Lyle Lovett, Walter Becker, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos.
posted by ibmcginty at 7:55 PM on January 15, 2007
Check out the Imaginational Anthem albums here for many artists like John Fahey.
posted by book at 8:44 PM on January 15, 2007
posted by book at 8:44 PM on January 15, 2007
Bill Dixon
Jack Rose
Robbie Basho
Joseph Spence
Morton Feldman
Polwechsel
Burkhard Stangl
The Roches
Maybe a couple longshots, eh.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:11 AM on January 16, 2007
Jack Rose
Robbie Basho
Joseph Spence
Morton Feldman
Polwechsel
Burkhard Stangl
The Roches
Maybe a couple longshots, eh.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:11 AM on January 16, 2007
If you like Keith Jarrett you might also like Bill Evans' piano work.
posted by Area Control at 8:54 AM on January 16, 2007
posted by Area Control at 8:54 AM on January 16, 2007
try the Joanna Newsom Bridges and Balloons pocket mix here
http://www.music-by-pocket.com/
posted by vronsky at 1:13 PM on January 16, 2007
http://www.music-by-pocket.com/
posted by vronsky at 1:13 PM on January 16, 2007
Response by poster: Thanks once again, all.
Just wanted to say that my life has been forever altered by Monkey & Bear.
O’M’god...EVERYTHING looks different now...gasp.
posted by dpcoffin at 5:50 PM on January 16, 2007
Just wanted to say that my life has been forever altered by Monkey & Bear.
O’M’god...EVERYTHING looks different now...gasp.
posted by dpcoffin at 5:50 PM on January 16, 2007
I agree with the MWard and Nick Drake suggestions, and I would add the recent Josh Ritter cd to that list. If you like Leo Kottke, might also want to check out Ry Cooder. Bitter:Sweet do some nice jazzy numbers that I think you would find appealing because of the female singer, and Dr. John is a good male compliment to Rickie's new orleans sound. Nouvelle Vague and Charlotte Ginsburg are french artists--check them out. Surprised no one mentioned Joni Mitchell--she has a new album coming out this year. And Rickie Lee Jone's new album is out next month - the title cut is playing at MySpace.
posted by DudeAsInCool at 8:38 PM on January 22, 2007
posted by DudeAsInCool at 8:38 PM on January 22, 2007
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posted by Methylviolet at 2:00 PM on January 15, 2007