# I've lost track of music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459 "2011-07-18T16:10:37Z")\ **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:** [July 18, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/1 "2011-07-18T16:10:37Z")
Musicians that I have particularly liked in the past several years: Sufjan Stevens —everything I’ve heard by him Sparks —basically everything I’ve heard, which consists mostly in songs from Hello Young Lovers The Chap —Fun and Interesting being my favorite song by them Leonard Cohen —Particular faves include The Captain and First We Take Manhattan The Shaggs —everything I’ve heard by them The album _Largo_. —Especially “Gimme a Stone” and “Freedom Ride” They Might Be Giants —Basically everything, though with a fairly strong preference for Linell songs over Flansburgh songs. (Love every track on Linell’s _State Songs_. Flansburgh’s other band–not so much.) The Postal Service Bishop Allen The Residents —can do no wrong That’s all I can remember right now. Based on this, what relatively recent music should I have been giving a listen to lately? ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/2 "2011-07-18T16:27:07Z")
I can’t give you any specific recommendations (although I love Sufjan Stevens…I just can’t think of anybody you might like _because_ you love Sufjan Stevens, too\*\*), but I highly recommend the [Pandora site](http://www.pandora.com/) if you’re not familiar with it. You can create a “radio station” based on any or all of the musicians you’ve listed, and they will populate the stations with those bands plus other bands that the Music Genome Project has determined to be similar. As a test, I created a Sufjan Stevens station, and some of the other bands they included were Iron & Wine, The Shins, Andrew Bird, Anthallo, and Fleet Foxes. \*\*Edit: I take that back. St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) has a similar vibe to the instrumentalization of her music (lots of instruments unusual in rock music) and a good hand at writing great melodies. Sufjan Stevens was originally recommended to me based on my love of Neutral Milk Hotel, so you might give them a listen, too. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/3 "2011-07-18T16:40:53Z")
I suspect you would like Arcade Fire. It’s not exactly a cutting edge recommendation (their first album came out in 2004), but they are a phenomenal band. [Here’s one off their newest album](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbcMGQ2IuV4), _The Suburbs_. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/4 "2011-07-18T16:49:17Z")
If you like Postal Service (pretty much the only band I recognize from your list), you might like other “indietronica” bands like MGMT, Two Door Cinema Club, Owl City and Phoenix. Possibly Bloc Party and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (I think it’s three “yeahs”). Cake isn’t a particularly new band, but they have sort of a similar sound to They Might Be Giants, IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/5 "2011-07-18T16:53:33Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > As a test, I created a Sufjan Stevens station, and some of the other bands they included were Iron & Wine, The Shins, Andrew Bird, Anthallo, and Fleet Foxes. Hmm, I was going to recommend [Andrew Bird](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnXCzFnkxtY) based on the mention of Sufjan Stevens, and I love [Iron & Wine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp8mXk4UvXM) (who did a great album together with [Calexico](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnXCzFnkxtY)) (and I used to like The Shins, too, but I lost track of them) so maybe there’s something to this thing… Also, perhaps [Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-8bY1qYJtU) in one of his many incarnations, or [The Decemberists](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZ3lSurNCI), and I’ll recommend Stuart A. Staples (Tindersticks’ singer) just for the lovely video to [That Leaving Feeling](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWj7IEWpcxA), and [The Mountain Goats](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bSdRizGYb0) because I always recommend them. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/6 "2011-07-18T17:49:21Z")
I have two recommendations that are not particularly in line with any of your stated tastes, but what the heck right? You seem to like good music, and [Animal Collective](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zol2MJf6XNE)makes good music so does [TV on the Radio](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1-xRk6llh4). Some more links for Animal Collective [Summertime Clothes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxhaRgJUMl8&feature=relmfu) (maybe my favorite song right now) [Peacebone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvGHQHiY70)[Grass](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqvBoFpgXQA) TV on the Radio [The Wrong Way](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga6ZAbRXR3Q) [Staring at the Sun](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHrTOQ18yzU) [Hours](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-hS9qX0JI0) [Golden Age](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wTHxUl9WdQ) [Will Do](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXLpXu9T7j0) Very different bands, neither much like what you said you like but both \*really \*worth a shot. I’ll second **Iron & Wine** , **Calexico** , **The Mountain Goats** , **Bonnie Prince Billy** , **Bloc Party** (a seriously underrated band) and **Fleet Foxes**. You might also like the now defunct **[Nickle Creek](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylslcF-fUeE)** which is technically bluegrass, but don’t let that scare you off! **The Decemberists** were great up until their last album which I didn’t care for, same with **The Shins** , and **Arcade Fire** (though each band has at least one album that is on my desert island list). In a similar vein to this list, you might like [Grizzly Bear](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjecYugTbIQ&feature=related). Good stuff there too. Lastly, and I don’t know if you will like them or not, but **[The Blackheart Procession](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwC-L_2Qe1M)** is a band that does beautiful music that is so much less well known than they deserve to be. More Blackheart [A Light So Dim](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXgBWFDer6o) [Your Church is Red](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e8n-T8KkAA&feature=related) [Blue Tears](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11ZSKfuRtFI&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/7 "2011-07-19T15:21:36Z")
Have you listened to anything we suggested yet? What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/8 "2011-07-19T15:41:50Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > If you like Postal Service (pretty much the only band I recognize from your list), you might like other “indietronica” bands like MGMT, Two Door Cinema Club, Owl City and Phoenix. Possibly Bloc Party and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (I think it’s three “yeahs”). > Cake isn’t a particularly new band, but they have sort of a similar sound to They Might Be Giants, IMHO You’ve never heard of Leonard Cohen? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/9 "2011-07-19T16:12:48Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Have you listened to anything we suggested yet? What do you think? No, not yet, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/10 "2011-07-19T16:18:42Z")
Before making some recommendations, I’ve highlighted the bands from your list I’ve spent significant time with: > [@Frylock](#): > > Sufjan Stevens > Sparks > They Might Be Giants > Bishop Allen > The Residents > > Based on this, what relatively recent music should I have been giving a listen to lately? Recommendations that might or might not be a stretch: Definitely Andrew Bird as others have said. Neutral Milk Hotel’s _In the Aeroplane Over the Sea_ Broken Social Scene’s eponymous album Dirty Projectors, _Bitte Orca_ The Notwist, _The Devil, You + Me_ A good one-off album is Tapes ‘n’ Tapes _The Loon_. I was also going to challenge you on The Residents doing no wrong. They’ve released an awful lot of albums! Which I stopped buying around 1985… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/11 "2011-07-19T21:45:08Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > You’ve never heard of Leonard Cohen? I have, but I really don’t know his music other than “Everybody Knows” and that “Hallelujah” song everybody covers. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/12 "2011-08-17T17:23:17Z")
Thanks for the recommendations, sorry it’s taken so long for me to get around to responding. I’ve only just now added all the recommended bands to a list in Spotify. (Almost all of them were there! Only one missing is Arcade Fire.) Will now just have the thing playing on shuffle in the background and the hope is that songs will strike me. I’ll let you know how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/13 "2011-08-17T17:49:09Z")
Oh, since you are here let me add recommendations for Spoon and The Hold Steady as well as a lesser known band called Ha Ha Tonka. All are on Spotify. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/14 "2011-08-17T18:59:30Z")
I would also recommend Broken Bells and the New Pornographers ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/15 "2011-08-17T19:33:21Z")
Oh, good call. If you like New Pornographers check out the solo acts that make up the group. AC Newman, Nico Case and Destroyer (Dan Bejar). They all make different types of music as solo performers than they do together as NP, but there is a striking similarity. Bejar is the most radically different being more of a folk-y Bob Dylan type, Case is an alt-country performer as a solo act, and AC Newman is very pop-y (in a good way, much more like NP than the other two). ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/16 "2011-08-17T19:42:43Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Nico Case It’s Neko Case. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/17 "2011-08-17T20:08:04Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > It’s Neko Case. 🙂 That’s the one! Nico is the wafer, right 😉 (I know I know, VU signer). ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/18 "2011-08-17T20:12:48Z")
I wouldn’t worry about it, everyone knows music attained perfection in 1974. It’s a scientific fact. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/19 "2013-01-05T13:42:08Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Thanks for the recommendations, sorry it’s taken so long for me to get around to responding. > > I’ve only just now added all the recommended bands to a list in Spotify. (Almost all of them were there! Only one missing is Arcade Fire.) Will now just have the thing playing on shuffle in the background and the hope is that songs will strike me. > > I’ll let you know how it goes. So how’d it go? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-lost-track-of-music/589459/20 "2013-01-06T09:05:45Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > So how’d it go? I had twins. 😉