S&S, they also have album reviews at www.allmusic.com. The reviews aren’t always useful in a general sense, but they’re good to see which album is best by a particular band.
You might also like The Shins. They’re another band with brilliantly poppy songs.
I only recall Mr Kovacs as the comedian who said “Television: A medium - so called because it is neither rare nor well done.” If his musical stylings were as iconoclastic as his TV work then possibly Australia’s The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band may provide some joy if they are available. They were a lunatic Melbourne-based ensemble played a uniquely zany brand of jug-band blues, spiced with jazz, swing, popular standards, cabaret, sideshow chutzpah and vaudeville routines including slapstick, tap dancing, juggling, magic and even fire eating. Leader Mic Conway most recently had The National Junk Band who performed a strange mix of stuff including a half jug band version of the Sex Pistol’sa God Save The Queen. My favourite nod to the past with a touch of modern sensibilities remains the work of Mr Leon Redbone (From Branch to Branch particularly) on a rainy afternoon with a good cup of tea.
In relation to gypsy type entertainments I can recommend Taraf De Haidouks heartily. After seeing them earlier this year I began a thread stating that they were the most enjoyable band I had ever seen where I knew none of their names, none of their songs or anything they said onstage. They ranged in age from maybe early 20s to 70s or 80s, wandered on and off stage at will and were absolutely enchanting. They can be seen in the movie Latcho Drom which I have on video but I’m sure it must be available on DVD. If you aren’t familiar with the movie I strongly recommend that you track it down. The gypsy music is awesome but it is a very fine piece of movie making as well.
Oh by the way congratulations on a most fruitful thread. Especially good because I read the OP and thought “who is he kidding” and he kiddeth not. Good one.
No kidding. Seeing the thread title I was expecting this guy to be a jerk with crappy taste in music, but I was wrong.
S&S, if you like Death Cab, you’re almost guaranteed to like All-Time Quarterback!, which was Ben Gibbards’ lo-fi solo album. You might also want to look for Kind of Like Spitting, which is headed by John Vanderslce’s guitarist.
Rasputina is a string quartet (i think), all women, with some of the same sound. It is still very different, with drums and vocals usually.
Nightime: I’m listening to High Land, Hard Rain right now. I love it.
If I wanted to simplistically describe it, I’d call it a happier version of The Cure. But that wouldn’t really do them justice.
The closest I know to what you’re looking for is Therion and Lacrimosa.
Where do I start? Well, for one, it’s kind of annoying that you sound like you want to reform your brother’s taste instead of being helpful and getting him some music he might like. There are some great bands represented by the label ‘classic rock’ (even though I hate the term), but the static-ness and of the whole thing is awful, the reverence can be annoying, and the radio stations are the worst. If he’s listening to that, even though I do the same sometimes, I do pity you because you never get outside the 3-5 most famous songs by each band. If you can keep your lunch down, can you give a clearer picture of who he likes? If not, I hope he enjoys torturing you.
I have to admit that I actually like some of Bob Seger’s stuff :o
I love “Old Time Rock and Roll” and the live version of “Turn the Page”.
Okay. What I’m wanting here is ambitious, pompous, bombastic, majestic, even arrogant alternative/indie rock. Muse’s “Absolution” comes pretty darn close to what I’m looking for here.
As does Radiohead’s “OK Computer”, of course.
You should listen to Porcupine Tree’s In Absentia.
Here’s one for you, Freejooky, or for anyone else who knows: I really like the psychedelic metal I’ve heard from Alchemist, Neurosis, and Isis. I’m looking for more stuff like that. I’m not necessarily against Kyuss-influenced stoner metal, but I’m more interested in stuff that sounds like the three artists I mentioned before. Any thoughts?
Kantalooppi, check out The Flaming Lips. Their last two albums,“The Soft Bulletin” and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” are both excellent.
They also have an album called Zaireeka that has four cd’s, and you need to have four cd players going at the same time to listen to.
Also check out The Polyphonic Spree. They have over 20 members!
Freejooky, is there no hope for me ever listeninging to music from this century, or did you just miss me? I got some help on zydeco, but I’m still lost in the 70’s for most of my music. Please help me, I don’t want to be an old fogey. Would it help if I said I love Evanescence?
You should check out Lacuna Coil. A buddy of mine who heard them for the first time last night said they sound like Evanescence, but more pensive.
I saw Rodney Crowell on Letterman not long ago. Anything on him and similar artists?
Hmm. I’ve only recently (well, in the past four years or so) really started getting into music. Lemme give you my typically preferred stuff, see if I can get other recommendations:
-Yello
-David Byrne/Talking Heads
-Air
-Thievery Corporation
-Tom Waits
-Pink Floyd
-Beck
-George Acosta
-Momus
-Franz Ferdinand
-Curtis Mayfield
-Creedence Clearwater Revival
-Earth, Wind, and Fire
What say the music gurus, here? What else should I delve into?
And where’s freejooky? Needed a weekend off?