If you liked 90’s alternative you probably need to go straight to the source. Get yourself a Pixies album and call it a day.
If you want American lyrical genius pick up an one of the many Will Oldham albums (he releases them under about a dozen different monikers so wiki him or just ask and I’ll lend more direction) He is easily one of the top few living American songwriters.
No argument - I have the first one. I like the big guitar sounds, but I have no idea what Glycerine or Machine Head are about - and the lyrics are featured so much that I just start giggling and turn it off…
“Gotta Ma-chine head - better than the rest - Green to Red - Ma-chine-a Head”
Ooooh-Kay
It ends up sounding like a song parody, combining words that sound like they should mean something but don’t…
Did you suppose I knew what Gavin Rossdale said in interviews because I’m not a fan? :dubious: They were one of my favorite bands when I was in college, but I lost track of them a few years back. I think they only released one CD after that.
Knowing exactly what Bush sounds like makes it easier to recommend bands who don’t sound like them as the OP requested. I didn’t notice anyone in this thread saying “Bush is teh suxxors,” did you?
No, they have serious songs, too. The one I linked to, “Moving to New York”, was their first single in the UK, I think.
Kasabian’s first album is a good album. YMMV.
Now that’s alternative. Hell, that’s alternative to alternative!
I personally like The Sea and Cake.
One of the best drummers of current rock (John McIntire, also of Tortoise.)
You could check out Calexico, Kings of Leon or My Morning Jacket, all very distinctly American bands with unique sounds.
There are a lot of great bands signed to Secretly Canadian records, of Bloomington, IN (my hometown.) David Vandervelde, who Zebra recommended above, is one of them - I’d definitely recommend him. I saw him live and his show kicked all kinds of ass (they did a great cover of the Stones’s Cocksucker Blues. )
As for the jazz debate - there is NO music that has been more co-opted, pre-packaged, and soul-eviscerated than jazz music. There IS lots of amazing jazz out there, from past and present, but there is also (as BBVL said) tons of utter shit out there - “smooth jazz,” elevator/Weather Channel music, over-produced “funky grooves” intended as background music for commercials - lots of complete utter trash. The notion that jazz is the only music that has any soul left is absurd.
This site is pretty good.
I’m rather fond of Zulu, Their stuff is sort of Smashing Pumpkins/Nirvana-esque IMHO.
Consider Wilco seconded. They’re actually the greatest. Their earlier albums (A.M., Being There) have more of an alt-country sound, whereas newer albums (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost is Born) are a little more rock oriented, but with much in the way of sound experimentation.
I also like Interpol.
Get thee to your computer and check out the CBC Radio 3 music podcast with Grant Lawrence.
No Arcade Fire recommendations yet? I am surprised.
Sigur Ros are awesome. They’re an Icelandic group, pretty alternative. Give 'em a try, you might like it.
Arcade Fire = Canadian.
And if you like Sigur Ros, check out Amiina who have toured with them and share some of the same aesthetics.
Really? Oh, fair enough. For some reason I had an idea they were from Texas.
Speaking of being from Texas…
This song is from their second album (the Trials of Van Occupanther).