entreatment for music--please give me your suggestions!

[chickenscratching]

Hmm. I've been out of the musical loop for a bit, and now have nowhere to turn. I need new sounds, or if possible, better sounds.
Here is a bit of what I enjoy to help with your suggestions. Any help is appreciated with a fine bouquet.


What do I like?

Recently my listening has been mostly centered on the following artists:

the magnetic fields, the murder city devils, ween. ummm..garsh...
ok, violent femmes, cat stevens, the police, nwa, the cure...fuck(thinking..thinking...)...bowie, eno, roxy music, liz phair, mason jennings, pedro the lion, doris day, stevie wonder, the inkspots
etc.

Ok, I think what I'm looking for is folk music for this summer. or something sunny, but not too trite...i dunno, just give me some ideas

thank you,
cscratch
on edit: classical recommendations are a plus, anything along the lines of chopin, beethoven, vivaldi , bach or schumann is rockin

on 2nd edit: also anything along the lines of manu chao or sweet reggae sounds is good

[MuseRider]

1. My son just turned me

on to the John Butler Trio. My son described it as Ben Harper meets Incubus (I know nothing about Incubus). Some slide guitar makes it seem very much to me like outlaw cowboy but it is a bit celtic at times and rockish. I really like the CD I have. They are Austrailian and I have no idea how long they have been out there. I find it interesting and fun music.

[chickenscratching]

2. awesome-thank you for getting my list started!

:hi:

[Lannes]

4. An oldie but a goodie

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001DH5/002-9171088-3583224?v=glance


Big Bill Broonzy sings folk songs.Its more Folk mixed with Blues but it has a bunch of uplifting songs.




http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/53196/ref=pd_ap_sr/102-4794775-2798502


Dont know if you are familiar with Paco de Lucia he is considered the best Flamenco guitarist in the world.You may have heard his live album with Al Dimeola and John McLaughlin which is amazing.

[chickenscratching]

5. perfect!

those sound excellent.
welcome to DU! :hi:

[Lannes]

Thanks chickenscratching

Here are some more suggestions.

Anthony Hamilton.Old school soul mixed with hip-hop.The real deal.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000AGWFA/qid=1116521089/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-4794775-2798502?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

Freedy Johnston.Great album.Also check out "Can you fly"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002HFN/qid=1116521158/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4794775-2798502?v=glance&s=music




Paul Weller.Originally with The Jam.Big in the UK not well known here.Big influence on Oasis among other brit bands."Paul Weller",Wildwood,and "Stanley Road" are my favorites.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001FH8/qid=1116521587/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/102-4794775-2798502?v=glance&s=music

Kasey Chambers.Country singer from Australia.Good Stuff her latest album is good too.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004Y6ND/qid=1116521487/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/102-4794775-2798502?v=glance&s=music

If you like Stevie Wonder check out Donnie Hathaway.amazing singer who died too young.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002IPG/qid=1116521674/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/102-4794775-2798502

And last but not least Jill Scott.Amazing Soul and R&B singer.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=dp_sr_00/102-4794775-2798502

[chickenscratching]

3. hopeful kick

[MuseRider]

7. How about trying

some Mahler for classical. It might be a stretch, I found I had to listen hard to Mahler but others find it wonderful right away. I have just recently started on a Mahler kick so that is why I thought of him.

Dvorak is also very nice, easier to listen to IMO. Romantic style with lots of folk music within.

Just a couple of ideas. There is a classical group you might be interested in in the groups, that might help a lot. I could give you thousands of recommendations but there are two that might fit into your liking.

[Moriarty]

6. Neutral Milk Hotel

I'll put my entire ~20 post reputation on the line here and say you cannot go wrong with NMH's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea". Its difficult to put their sound into words but there are certainly elements of folk, indie pop, noise and even a marching band with a handful of Brian Wilson "Pet Sounds" magic powder.

Jeff Magnum has a simple voice but makes up for it with an emotional range that can go from tender to desperate at a moments notice. His lyrics, while impenetrable to decipher, are emotionally accessable. Many times you won't know what it is he's singing about, but that's not important, what is is how those lyrics filter into your mind and the emotional responses they elicit from you. The album opens with a wistful acoustic number that sets you up for the explosive second track while settling into a thematic center involving a carnival sideshow and Anne Frank.

I'm telling you, buy this album. You won't be disappointed.

[chickenscratching]

8. consider it done

you sold me!

and welcome to DU! :hi:

[Moriarty]

10. YES! Today the music recommendation...

tomorrow THE LOUNGE!!!

Let me know what you think of it, I always get nervous when recommending music to people :)

[chickenscratching]

11. no problem

i'll probably be picking up music this weekend, and then i shall let you know! :hi:

[Tyrone Slothrop]

14. I'll back that one up n/t

[Magrittes Pipe]

18. It's very possibly my favorite album ever.

Too bad everything else I've heard from Magnum sucks.

[MuseRider]

9. Another option

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. I love them. Little jazzy, little world music, little bluegrass and just original fun. Instrumental with lots of unique guest artists and instrumentation on their CDs.

[LynzM]

12. If you're looking for folk music or something folk-y,

Check out the duo Atwater & Donnelly, and Dar Williams... not sure if you'll like them, but worth a listen! A&D you may not be able to find other than buying a CD or two. Drop me a PM if you're going to do that, and I'll give you a couple suggestions!

[dean_dem]

13. I recommend the following bands:

The Arcade Fire
The Wrens
Grandaddy
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

You should check them out. And if you like Classical, you should track down a copy of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, or Piano Concerto no. 3.

edit: fixed the links

[Jessica]

15. A couple suggestions ....

Wilco - Their cd Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is awesome. Also, Mofro is really great. They have this funky, southern, bayou "front porch soul" kind of sound. Their cd Blackwater is unbelievable. I listen to some of it almost everyday on my iTunes. Both bands have new releases that I haven't checked out yet, but I know the oldies are goodies.

http://www.mofro.net/

http://www.wilcoweb.com/

:)

[Tyrone Slothrop]

16. The perfect summer, folk-y band: The Decemberists

If you haven't heard them, check them out.

I'm not exactly sure how best to describe them, but I'll give it a shot. The songs are very well written with a sort of late 19th century feel (and vocabulary) to them, and the accompanying music is, at turns, dark and atmospheric or light and jubilant depending on the song's requirements.

Best enjoyed on a warm, sunny porch with a smoke...

[mvd]

24. Seconded

Their album Picaresque and Keren's Gone have both grown on me since I posted my grades for them. The Decemberists effectively mine the 60s for their folk sound, but they add their unique stamp. Many of the lyrics are old-fashoned, though "16 Military Wives" seems to be an anti-Iraq war song. I love the description of the anchorperson going "La de da de da." That's what they do when something related to the Republicans or the war goes bad!

Also, for pure folk, I recommend Fisher's The Lovely Years.

[Magrittes Pipe]

17. An eclectic bunch:

Bassholes, Burning Spear, The Carter Family, The Fiery Furnaces, Gaunt, The Gun Club, Skip James, Love, Mighty Sparrow, The Monks, Mott the Hoople, Neutral Milk Hotel, Vertical Slit, Doc Watson, Bukka White, Wire, others too numerous to mention....

[chickenscratching]

22. oh lord, that list is overwhelming

merci, mon petit chou!

[redqueen]

19. Andrew Bird and Mogwai

My two latest loves...

I need to check out Magnetic Fields

[dean_dem]

21. A big second for Mogwai

Have you ever caught them live? They put on one of the best shows I've ever seen.

[chickenscratching]

23. you wont be disappointed

try 'the lonely highway strip' or '69 love songs' is a nice compilation of craziness.

[CBHagman]

20. A mixture here.

Classical:

Madrigal History Tour by The King's Singers. A fabulous album of madrigals from multiple areas of Europe (the British Isles, Italy, etc.) by one of the leading male vocal ensembles.

On a different note, look for Magnificat by Chanticleer (another male vocal group). Sacred music from various composers and traditions, including Russian orthodox. So beautiful it will break your heart.

Instrumental:

Gil Shaham, violinist. A true artist and a downright nice guy, from what I've heard. Consider his Schubert for Two (It's guitar and violin) or maybe his Barber and Korngold violin concerto recordings (with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra).

Jazz:

Look for various Verve recordings. Maybe Ella Fitzgerald's The Best of the Songbooks: The Ballads. Frankly, I love her songbook albums -- Kern, Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwins, Cole Porter.

Folk or similar:

Carrie Newcomer. Betty's Diner: The Best of Carrie Newcomer. Love that voice (It's a warm, rich alto) and her progressive-friendly songs. Newcomer is hard to classify, rather like Mary Chapin Carpenter, and has definite crossover appeal.

Kate Rusby. Underneath the Stars. Romantic, cheeky, and borderline antiwar.

Rock:

Peter Bruntnell. The Ends of the Earth. Rather Tom Petty-ish in sound. Love that song "Tabloid Reporter," with the lyric: "You try to ruin good people's lives. I wish you a long, miserable life." I'd like to play that outside Rove's house 24/7.