# Please recommend some music (Part the umpteenth) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246 "2008-11-11T21:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246/1 "2008-11-11T21:25:51Z")
This one may be tricky, because I don’t have a lot of data points to start with. Let’s give it a try anyway. One of the albums I’ve been listening to a lot recently is Bruce Springsteen’s _The Seeger Sessions_. I was not intimately familiar with most of the songs on that album, so it was a nice brief education in some Americana. What really captured my interest, however, was the sound of the band. It sounded just like a bunch of guys that got together in someone’s living room and banged out a bunch of songs they all knew (which isn’t too far from the truth. It was, indeed, recorded in Springsteen’s living room. Except for the horns, who had to stand in the hall). They sound really loose, and like they probably recorded in one take. There’s something about it that just makes me turn it up and sing along. The only other music I own that seems similar is Eric Clapton’s recording of _San Francisco Bay Blues_ from the _Unplugged_ album. The rest of the album is too mannered and precise, but that track sounds like they just decided to have some fun, and it’s (in my opinion) the best track on the album because of it. His studio version of _Living on Tulsa Time_ comes pretty close to this. His album _From the Cradle_, which seems like it should fit the bill (recorded on old equipment, minimal takes, etc.), misses the mark for some reason. It doesn’t come off as spontaneous enough. So - can anyone recommend some recordings that would appear to be in the same vein as the songs I’ve described? I suspect that there are a lot of live albums that would meet these criteria, but it’s not a requirement. I’m more interested in a free-wheeling sound, whether it come from a live performance or a studio recording. I’m thinking I’m probably looking in the blues/roots rock/country genres, but will certainly take other suggestions. Like I said, not a lot of data points to work with, and I suspect that I haven’t explained myself suitably, but let’s give it a try. I’ll try to chime in based on any replies, so maybe we can refine the search a little. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246/2 "2008-11-12T01:30:03Z")
If you haven’t heard either The Band’s [Music From Big Pink](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_from_Big_Pink) or Bob Dylan & The Band’s [The Basement Tapes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Basement_Tapes), please do yourself a favor. Even if you think you don’t like Dylan. (The Band’s [self-titled album](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Band_(album)) is even better than _Music from Big Pink_, but is also slightly more polished.) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246/3 "2008-11-12T01:42:44Z")
If you like Springsteen, you might also like indie rock band The Killers. You might also like “jammy Americana” type bands like Counting Crows, The Black Crows, Blues Traveler, Dave Mathews Band, O.A.R. (their older stuff. Their new Top 40 “Snow Patrol Clone” sound sucks), The Wallflowers. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246/4 "2008-11-12T02:45:16Z")
I’d recomend Robert Earl Keen. He’s a folk/rocky/Americana music type. Singer songwriter. A youtube of what has become my family’s Christmas song: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/P37xPiRz1sg/hqdefault.jpg "Robert Earl Keene's Merry Christmas from the Family") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P37xPiRz1sg) He’s more well known as the writer of the song _The Road Goes on Forever…And the Party Never Ends_. I have the a cd by Wayne the Train Hancock (the one with Johnny Law on it) that in the liner notes says they got every cut in one take. I couldn’t find a good version on Youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246/5 "2008-11-12T04:25:53Z")
Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty” was recorded in hotel rooms, the bus, back stage, and also a few live cuts. It is one of my favourite albums: in fact, a masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-music-part-the-umpteenth/472246/6 "2008-11-12T04:34:20Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty” was recorded in hotel rooms, the bus, back stage, and also a few live cuts. It is one of my favourite albums: in fact, a masterpiece. MTEW: (Missed The Edit Window) The entire album, not just the song. Buy this album. It’s exactly what you’re looking for.