New bands to listen too...

CyberDave

I seem to have exhausted myself in the search for new and interesting sounds of late. My taste is very acoustic/folky/lo-fi based. Among my favourite artists are 'Iron and Wine', Bon Iver, Lisa Hannigan, Calexico, Fionn Regan, Bowerbirds, Decemberists, Handsome Family to name but a few.

Anybody got any tips for new bands/artists that fit into this acoustic/lofi category that I might have missed? Thanks.

JæKæ

Try
Sean Hayes - Big Black Hole..
Bonnie Prince Billy - I See A Darkness

For Lo-fi, but not folk, try:
Gruff Rhys - Yr Atal Genhedlaeth

CyberDave

Yeah. I have a few Bonnie Prince Billy albums. His latest one is good. It doesn't neccessarily have to be folk, as long as it's mellow and laid back. I'll give those other guys a listen. Thanks.

Xavi6

Have a listen to Roddy Woomble's solo stuff. He's the guy from Idlewild. 'My Secret is My Silence' is a fantastic folk-y album.

Creamy Goodness

Harry Nilson ftw!

AnonoBoy

Smog.
Joanne Newsom (Smog's current Missus I gather)

Menomena. (not necessarily lo-fi but damn good)

Placid_Casual

The Fleet Foxes album should be right up your alley.
Sufjan Stevens perhaps.
Also, some of Ryan Adams' albums e.g. Heartbreaker, 29.

insinkerator

you're bound to know him already but Jose Gonzales

lordgoat

insinkerator wrote: »

you're bound to know him already but Jose Gonzales

Not really sure if this is what the op is after, i'd call this pop and a million miles from lo-fi, maybe i'm mistaken though.

Try Tindersticks or the Mountain Goats.

insinkerator

id connect him with Bon Iver though

Ekels

Try No Age- Nouns. Lo-fi, but leaning more in the punk direction. Plenty of folk involved too. Maybe a bit too hardcore lo-fi than the stuff you've mentioned.

I won't even go near Times New Viking.

CyberDave

Most of these I have in my collection but there are a couple of new ones in there. Cheers.

Spider_Baby

How about The Guggenheim Grotto?
They are quite folk-y and really good

Morzadec

I have similar tastes in music, and would HIGHLY recommend Fleet Foxes as another poster already has.

Also (you've probably listened to these guys already) Nick Drake and John Martyn? I know they're not contemporary but as far as acoustic guitar work and songwriting these guys are the best. Any Nick Drake album would be advised, and as for John Martyn he's spanned just about every genre, but his best album must be Solid Air its really a perfect record (he mixes it up with folk, jazz/blues, quiter acoustic songs it has everything really). As I say you probably know all this already but just in case!

Also, dunno if hes really in any of the genres you listed, but Andrew Bird is well worth a listen.

Musoabuso

I'm into your kinda music,

Try camera obscura www.myspace.com/cameraobscura

or She & Him www.myspace.com/sheandhim

or me:-) www.myspace.com/markosullivan

CyberDave

Morzadec wrote: »

I have similar tastes in music, and would HIGHLY recommend Fleet Foxes as another poster already has.

Also (you've probably listened to these guys already) Nick Drake and John Martyn? I know they're not contemporary but as far as acoustic guitar work and songwriting these guys are the best. Any Nick Drake album would be advised, and as for John Martyn he's spanned just about every genre, but his best album must be Solid Air its really a perfect record (he mixes it up with folk, jazz/blues, quiter acoustic songs it has everything really). As I say you probably know all this already but just in case!

Also, dunno if hes really in any of the genres you listed, but Andrew Bird is well worth a listen.

Drake and Martyn are excellent. I have a few of their albums. Got the Fleet Foxes albums. I have been listening to them in the car recently. I have tried listening to Andrew Bird, but I find it hard to lsiten to him for too long.

"Iron and Wine" are definitely right up your street if you like Drake and Martyn.

Musoabuso

Yeah Ill second that, John Martyns Solid Air is a must....

lordgoat

insinkerator wrote: »

id connect him with Bon Iver though

As one being really good and the other not?


On topic, Nick Drake is excellent, and i enjoy Andrew Bird alot too, i understand why he can be difficult to listen to at times, but when in the mood he's great.
Give drak matter a listen to!

..... i became obsessed with operation....

CyberDave

Musoabuso wrote: »

I'm into your kinda music,

Try camera obscura www.myspace.com/cameraobscura

or She & Him www.myspace.com/sheandhim

or me:-) www.myspace.com/markosullivan

I like your stuff, much more than the other two you have mentioned. Keep up the good work. I'll definitely buy your new release comes out in Spring.

On the other stuff people have posted, I'm liking Gruff Rhys, Roddy Woomble, Tindersticks and Guggenheim Grotto. I can't believe I haven't heard of them before. Thanks for the pointers.

padraig_f

I recommend Phosphorescent

CyberDave

padraig_f wrote: »

I recommend Phosphorescent

Yeah, Got one of their albums. They're good, sound like Bon Iver!

Birneybau

+ 1,000,000 for Nick Drake especially "Bryter Layter".

Check out Lambchop.
"Nixon" and "Oh (Ohio)" are f'ing lovely and a bit off kilter.

CyberDave

Birneybau wrote: »

+ 1,000,000 for Nick Drake especially "Bryter Layter".

Check out Lambchop.
"Nixon" and "Oh (Ohio)" are f'ing lovely and a bit off kilter.

I have a few Lambchop albums. I like some of their songs, but I find some of them a bit hard to listen too and your man Kurt Wagners delivery very muffled or something.

Morzadec

Cheers Cyber Dave - yeh must check out Iron and Wine, I know that song 'Naked As We Came' and I must say its really great, and is very similar to my guitar style so probably a few songs of his worth learning.

Just thought of one you might not know, an Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery? I wouldn't rave about him but he is certainly well worth a listen, definitly something a bit different to the other stream of Irish singer-songwriters out there. His lyrics are very good, kinda tells stories with his songs.

Also have you ever listened to Kings of Convenience? Its fairly quiet and poppy/lighthearted, can be compared to Simon and Garfunkel but they're songs are certainly very nice, some real nice hamrnonies.

I must check out all these other bands that are being recommended when I get the time.

CyberDave

Morzadec wrote: »

Cheers Cyber Dave - yeh must check out Iron and Wine, I know that song 'Naked As We Came' and I must say its really great, and is very similar to my guitar style so probably a few songs of his worth learning.

Just thought of one you might not know, an Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery? I wouldn't rave about him but he is certainly well worth a listen, definitly something a bit different to the other stream of Irish singer-songwriters out there. His lyrics are very good, kinda tells stories with his songs.

Also have you ever listened to Kings of Convenience? Its fairly quiet and poppy/lighthearted, can be compared to Simon and Garfunkel but they're songs are certainly very nice, some real nice hamrnonies.

I must check out all these other bands that are being recommended when I get the time.

Have a listen to Trapeze Swinger from Iron and Wine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raVzi_y6XWI
It's his best song and he has never released it on any of the albums it's off a soundtrack. Beautiful. I seen him live in Galway and he played it first. Even better in the flesh.

I have heard Mick Flannery on the radio and had a listen to his other songs, which I was delighted to find, were quieter and kind of story songs, like you say. I haven't got his album yet, but I will. It's on the list of with Lisa Hannigans and Guggenheim Grotto.

I have the two Kings of Convenience albums. They tick all the boxes for me.

Going a little off topic. There is this good documentary just over on BBC Four called Folk Britannia, tracks the history of British Folk Music. Tonight was the second episode. It was good. I recommend watching it for any other folkies out there.

JæKæ

Dead Mans Shoes soundtrack
That has Smog, Adem, Calexico, Bonnie Prince Billy and a bit of Aphex Twin for good measure

CyberDave

JæKæ wrote: »

Dead Mans Shoes soundtrack
That has Smog, Adem, Calexico, Bonnie Prince Billy and a bit of Aphex Twin for good measure

Yeah. Just going through them there. Im liking Clayhill and The Earlies off that soundtrack.

Morzadec

Unfortunately don't have BBC 4 which is a pity because I would love to watch it. Let me know if they mention an old folky by the name of Steve Ashley, he's my uncle, never 'made it' as such but was prominent enough in the folk circles in the late 60s/ 70s and played with all the same sessionists as Drake and Martyn (Danny Thompson, Rich Thompson, Dave Mattacks and the like).

Checked out that Iron and Wine song i love it

CyberDave

Morzadec wrote: »

Unfortunately don't have BBC 4 which is a pity because I would love to watch it. Let me know if they mention an old folky by the name of Steve Ashley, he's my uncle, never 'made it' as such but was prominent enough in the folk circles in the late 60s/ 70s and played with all the same sessionists as Drake and Martyn (Danny Thompson, Rich Thompson, Dave Mattacks and the like).

Checked out that Iron and Wine song i love it

They talked about Martyn and Drake a lot alright. Called them Davy Graham 'Deciples'. Lot's of footage from 60 folk clubs in London, if you seen the footage you might have recognised your uncle if indeed he was in the footage. I haven't checked, but maybe you can watch the episode on the BBC 4 website. Interesting stuff.

Good you like Trapeze Swinger. The first Iron and Wine song I ever heard was "Free Until They Cut Me Down" on Folk Alley (website/radio station). I was blown away.

Rockshamrover

HAve a list to City and Colour.

Rockshamrover

That's, have a LISTEN to City and Colour.

CyberDave

Rockshamrover wrote: »

HAve a list to City and Colour.

Yeah. They sound good. Cheers

Kold

I can't believe no one's suggested Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

CyberDave

Kold wrote: »

I can't believe no one's suggested Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

I have them in my collection already. They're good.

yevveh

Musoabuso / Goatboy, your tunes are great. Looking forward to your next release!

OP, I'd heartily recommend Grizzly Bear's "Yellow House", you'll love it. Check out 'Knife' or this version of 'Shift' from the Friend EP - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxJBG8m-iik

CyberDave

Yep. I have them in my collection as well. Came across this guy last night. He sounds good, Benoit Poulard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MhyS5_afV8

anti-venom

CyberDave wrote: »

Came across this guy last night. He sounds good, Benoit Poulard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MhyS5_afV8

+1 on Poulard. His 'Précis' album is fanrtastic.

Dennis the Stone

Benoit has a new album out now, I don't like it as much as Précis though. It's still good anyway!

Dennis the Stone

Check out Milosh

yevveh

how could i forget Erik Mongrain? Despite being known for that one song (Airtap / PercusienFa) his other material is excellent. 'Equilibrium' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNpIoCuvHfg

Dennis the Stone

Try Arthur Russell, there's a few bits on Youtube and they've collected more of his old recordings for a new album, it's brilliant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO2F48JKIlo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK1mGrsm0yw

CyberDave

yevveh wrote: »

how could i forget Erik Mongrain? Despite being known for that one song (Airtap / PercusienFa) his other material is excellent. 'Equilibrium' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNpIoCuvHfg

This guy is good. Very much along the lines of Michael Hedges or Preston Reed.

anti-venom

White Denim - Workout Holiday. These guys are going to be massive pretty soon.

CyberDave

anti-venom wrote: »

White Denim - Workout Holiday. These guys are going to be massive pretty soon.

They don't sound either folky, lo-fi, acoustic or mellow to me. Not really my thing. Thanks for replying.

Ekels

CyberDave wrote: »

They don't sound either folky, lo-fi, acoustic or mellow to me. Not really my thing. Thanks for replying.

Is it a requirement of everything you listen to that they must be folk, lo-fi, acoustic or mellow? So, basically, you want a roll call of more or less every US alt-folk, NMH-inspired group on the go at the moment?

nervous_twitch

I second Andrew Bird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV-IDVdDx78

CyberDave

Ekels wrote: »

Is it a requirement of everything you listen to that they must be folk, lo-fi, acoustic or mellow? So, basically, you want a roll call of more or less every US alt-folk, NMH-inspired group on the go at the moment?

Well those are just some of the tags common to most of the music I like. I will give anything a listen, but generally don't like the louder/rock bands, so I think naming those tags is the best way to get people to post up bands I would like. For example, Band of Horses wouldn't be what I wouldn't fit into any of the tags mentioned but I still like them.

lordgoat

nervous_twitch wrote: »

I second Andrew Bird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV-IDVdDx78

For the Andrew Bird fans ( and Cadence Weapon fans and Final Fantasy fans...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqIsZg3ldtM

Ekels

CyberDave wrote: »

Well those are just some of the tags common to most of the music I like. I will give anything a listen, but generally don't like the louder/rock bands, so I think naming those tags is the best way to get people to post up bands I would like. For example, Band of Horses wouldn't be what I wouldn't fit into any of the tags mentioned but I still like them.

Well, to be fair, Band of Horses lean very, very much in the folk direction, I think it's fair to say.

Try Death Cab for Cutie's We Have The Facts and We Are Voting Yes, if you're looking for some lo-fi and mellow indie.
Have you ever dabbled in proper lo-fi stuff like No Age? Worth trying them out to see if you're proper lo-fi.

Morzadec

Hey CyberDave-

Just remembered I put a couple of songs up on bebo last year! Both put together and recorded in one night so a bit rough round the edges, but have a listen if you're interested. One original track and one fionn regan cover.

http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=6461038968

alexkintner

Try gene clark (The Byrds) - White Light and Echoes both superb.

Also Animal Collective - try sung tungs and prospect hummer ep (with Vashti bunyan)