# Given my present tastes, tell me what new music to listen to **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597 "2004-10-11T07:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/1 "2004-10-11T07:18:06Z")
I have never really gone out to _look_ for good music, but I do enjoy listening to music and have found there are some groups I enjoy and many (most) which I don’t. Those which I continue to play on long drives include: They Might Be Giants REM The Residents (some) Ween The Postal Service (some) Weezer Moby That’s All I Can Remember Right Now Given that I like all these guys, and given that I am interested in finding out what’s new and interesting in _newer_ music, please aid me w/ whatever information you have on these matters. Thanks. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/2 "2004-10-11T07:37:35Z")
If you like TMBG, you might enjoy Moxy Fruvous. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/3 "2004-10-11T07:58:27Z")
I suggest the Shins. They’re on sub pop, and have pretty much blown up in the past year (even netting some product placement in “Garden State”), but do a sort of pure, multi-hook indie pop that’s been lacking since the Elephant Six crew took a hike and Beulah started making crap and then broke up. ---
**Author:** ![Hot\_Buttered\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Hot\_Buttered\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hot_Buttered_Toast)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/4 "2004-10-11T08:28:38Z")
You could try listening to the New Pornographers if you like The Postal Service. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/5 "2004-10-11T08:42:00Z")
> [@Hot Buttered Toast](#): > > You could try listening to the New Pornographers if you like The Postal Service. Although it should be noted that they sound absolutely nothing alike. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/6 "2004-10-11T09:02:45Z")
Sounds like you share a lot of the musical tastes of me and my ex. Based on that, I reccomend DEVO. And maybe Kraftwerk. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/7 "2004-10-11T12:16:08Z")
Seconding _The Shins_ and _New Pornographers_. Excellent stuff. Also try _Modest Mouse_ and _Stereolab_. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/8 "2004-10-11T12:57:10Z")
This all sounds like good Power Pop - I really enjoy the New Pornographers and have also heard the Shins. I would recommend: **Fountains of Wayne** - Welcome Interstate Managers - brilliant stuff **Grandaddy** - Sumday Both thoughtful, melodic pop that is very accessible but also worth many listens… ---
**Author:** ![cryptic\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/9 "2004-10-11T13:27:20Z")
Not sure if these are available in the US yet - - but you should be able to source them from teh Internet… I recommend two new UK group’s **Razorlight** - Up All Night – ( I have heard a few people label these as the new Beatles - - not sure if I agree completely - but it is definitely the best new pop-rock I’ve heard recently ) and **Franz Ferdinand** - Franz Ferdinand - (good tunes, sort of a mix between the Divine Comedy and a more rock band) of course I could recommend my own group - **organized rhyme** - - but that’s hip-hop, which I guess you wont be in to… ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/10 "2004-10-11T14:39:11Z")
One more vote for Moxy Fruvous (why isn’t everyone on the SDMB listening to them?), the New Pornographers, and the Shins! You might like Rilo Kiley, since they share some members with the Postal Service. They’re more of an indie-rock/alt-country sort of thing, but don’t freak out at the use of the word “country.” Give them a chance. A friend who got ME into the Postal Service also introduced me to Pale Saints and Tindersticks, and I can sort of see how fans of one might like all the others. Finally, if you like the weirdness, eclectic musical styles, and irreverence of Ween, you might want to investigate Frank Zappa. He has a huge body of work that appears quite daunting for a new listener, but maybe some other Dopers can help you narrow it down some. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/11 "2004-10-11T16:14:05Z")
Check out the Talking Heads. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/12 "2004-10-11T22:01:03Z")
**Hawksley Workman** -(Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves **John Southworth** - Mars, Pennsylvania **John Wesley Harding** -Adam’s Apple **P.J. Olsson** - Words For Living ---
**Author:** ![Cuthbert\_Allgood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Cuthbert\_Allgood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuthbert_Allgood)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/13 "2004-10-11T22:11:09Z")
The Manic Street Preachers Franz Ferdinand Placebo ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/14 "2004-10-12T01:13:13Z")
I second the nods for **Fountains of Wayne** and **Moxy Fruvous** , and also suggest **The Odds.** ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/15 "2004-10-12T02:22:07Z")
Given Ween and TMBG, I recommend Chomsky, which are often compared to XTC. Given R.E.M., you might try catching up on the whole No Depression scene, or at least the rock-ier elements (Old 97s, Whiskeytown; Ryan Adams is formerly of Whiskeytown). A couple of female singer-songwriters come to mind as probably to the liking of anyone who really likes R.E.M. (or at least Michael Stipe as a songwriter): Amy Rigby and Mary Lorson, with Rigby being more country-tinged. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/16 "2004-10-12T05:15:48Z")
Check out the new\*\* A C Newman\*\* album-[_The Slow Wonder_](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/n/newman_ac/slow-wonder.shtml). It’s bloody fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/17 "2004-10-12T05:18:30Z")
Come to think of it, any one who likes **The New Pornographers** should check out _The Slow Wonder_. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/18 "2004-10-12T05:58:59Z")
Driving music? A recent suggestion to me is O.A.R. (Of A Revolution). They’re a mix of reggae and Dave Matthews-ish music. _34th & 8th_ was my introduction, and I strongly recommend it. Plenty of 6+ minute songs, for the long drives, including an awesome 17 minute version of _That Was a Crazy Game of Poker_. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/19 "2004-10-12T06:06:43Z")
Check out **David Byrne** and the **Talking Heads**. Another vote for **Franz Ferdinand**. And, finally, give the **Scissor Sisters** a glance… awesome stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597/20 "2004-10-12T06:26:32Z")
[And then there’s the inevitable recommendation of KEXP…](http://www.kexp.org) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-my-present-tastes-tell-me-what-new-music-to-listen-to/268597.md?page=2)