# Suggest some good alernative music for me! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728 "2003-06-14T02:37:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/1 "2003-06-14T02:37:03Z")
I’m not sure if alternative is the best term to use, as I have widely varying musical tastes, but I am feeling stagnant with my music choices, and I need some new fresh music to listen to. Here’s a list of the bands/performers I have been listening to lately, and maybe you can see some order in the chaos! Cake Beulah Beck Dropkick Murphys Reel Big Fish The Offspring Starlight Mints New Order Cracker Hot Hot Heat Burning Brides I really value a good melody and musical range in a song, as well as good grinding power chords, and I am a fan of simple music instead of complicated solos. I also really like a good rhythm and some sort of progressive beat. If you can’t think of anything, just let me know what you’re listening to right now. I am up for trying any kind of music, I just need some new tunes! ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/2 "2003-06-14T06:24:03Z")
I recommend the Faint. They’re sort of like a techno-punk-rock band thing. Kind of. Also I have to plug the band of this guy I know, because they just rock and sound sort of like a cross between the Faint and Hot Hot Heat, even though they don’t have a CD out yet. They’re called [The Spotlight Syndicate](http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/536/the_spotlight_syndicate.html) Also, you could try AFI on the punker side of things; the Offspring covered one of their songs and Dexter does back up vocals on some of their albums. And they fit most of your qualifications, I think, just don’t listen to any of their earlier stuff. Black Sails in the Sunset and up only. God Called in Sick Today is my favorite song. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/3 "2003-06-14T12:59:38Z")
At the moment, I’m really into !!! who are doing the whole punk disco thing. Also, check out Ben Kweller and Weezer, who both have great melodies, power chords and simple music. _Wasted and Ready_ and _Commerce, TX_ by Ben Kweller and _El Scorcho_, _Buddy Holly_, _No One Else_ and Tired of Sex\* by Weezer should start you off. Also, if you’re looking for something like Hot Hot Heat that’s a bit emo, try The Get Up Kids or Jimmy Eat World. And because I always want to promote Australian bands in these things, on the punk side of stuff, I’ll mention Frenzal Rhomb and hardcore group 28 Days. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/4 "2003-06-14T13:02:27Z")
Oh, sorry, forgot to mention: extend your eighties knowledge further by visiting Joy Division, The Smiths and The Cure. You like New Order, you’ll like these guys. ---
**Author:** ![Mith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mith)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/5 "2003-06-14T13:14:50Z")
hot snakes rocket from the crypt ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/6 "2003-06-14T13:20:36Z")
Sounds like you would like Machine Gun Fellatio. They are rool good. Try the album “Bring It On”. Anyone second the motion? ---
**Author:** ![Quack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e99b99/32.png) [@Quack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quack)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/7 "2003-06-14T18:00:51Z")
Yeehaw, a Dropkick Murphys fan! Some other good bands you might try out: Rancid Operation Ivy MxPx Red Hot Chili Peppers Weezer ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/8 "2003-06-14T23:09:05Z")
Some good alternative music eh? Well, I’m going to use a fairly wide definition of “alternative” in my recommendations. For some newer / current bands… **The Detroit Cobras** - Detroit style garage rock with a sexy lady singer. They play mostly covers of old Motown songs, but in a souped up rock n roll manner. Check out _Left, Love and Leaving_… you won’t be disappointed. **The New Pornographers** - great pop-rock band with many talented members including Neko Case. They have two fine albums out, the newer one _Electric Version_ hasn’t been out of my CD player since I got it. **Spoon** - An indie type band with lots of imagination and and some kind of undercurrent of new wave and funk simmering under the surface. _Kill the Moonlight_ might be a good place to start. **The White Stripes** - You should be well aware of these people by now. They’re riding the rock revival wave, but they do it way more justice that most of the pretenders out there. Their new album _Elephant_ is really good… get it if you don’t already have it. **The Flaming Lips** - Modern day psychedelic pop. Actually these guys have been around for quite a while, but have enjoyed renewed popularity due to their recent stint as Beck’s backup band. _Yoshmi Battles the Pink Robots_ (their new album) is really good, and I also recommend _Soft Bulletin_ **The Now Time Delegation** - more good garage punk from Detroit, again with the excellent female singer. They have one album, _Watch For Today_. **The Sadies** - If Ennio Morricone and Link Wray joined the Byrds, it would sound something like these guys. Their new album _Stories Often Told_ is really good, but I would say, go with _Tremendous Efforts_, its a good introduction to their music. For “classic” alt-rock, here’s some essentials **The Minutemen** - These guys emerged from the So-Cal punk scene in the early-mid 80’s… although “punk” is only one of the words that would describe their music. Tragically, their singer/guitarist, D. Boon perished in a car accident just as they were really hitting their stride. _Double Nickels on the Dime_ is one of my all time favorite albums. **The Rezillos** - Crazy fast fun new wave circa 1980. Male and female singers… kinda like a more rock version of the B-52’s. They only put out one album under the name Rezillos (they had some personel changes and renamed themselves, the Revillos… still pretty good, but they lost just a bit of the magic somewhere)… _Can’t Stand The Rezillos_. **The Meat Puppets** - Punk rock from Arizona… but again not really “punk”. They probably took too much peyote and have too many prog rock influences to really be classified in that manner. They enjoyed a certain amount of fame when they became associated with Nirvana. Check out _Up On The Sun_. **The Fastbacks** - Some of the best music to listen to while driving around in you car on a sunny day. A great female fronted rock band. _…And His Orchestra_ shows them at their best. **The Young Fresh Fellows** - an incredibly fun pop rock band also from Seattle. At one time they were, for my money, the best live band you could see. _The Men Who Loved Music_ or _Sounds of the Pacific Northwest_ would be equally good starting places. **Big Star** - these guys were writing beautiful pop music in the early 70’s… but not too many people noticed. They’ve enjoyed a bit of a revival in the last couple of years, helped no doubt by the fact that one of their songs is used as the theme song to That 70’s show. You can buy a CD that has their first two albums (_#1 Record / Radio City_) on it… that’s what you should probably do. Some better known alternative bands that you would probably already know about, but I feel as though I should mention anyway… **The Breeders** - _Last Splash_ **Camper Van Beethoven** - _Telephone Free Landslide Victory_ **Devo** - _Q: Are We Not Men?_ **Morphine** - _Cure For Pain_ **The Pixies** - _Surfer Rosa_ **The Pogues** - _Rum, Sodomy and the Lash_ **Ramones** - _Road to Ruin_ **The Replacements** - _Tim_ **Johnathan Richman** - _The Original Modern Lovers_ **The Soft Boys** - _Underwater Moonlight_ **The Stooges** - _Fun House_ **Velvet Underground** - _White Light, White Heat_ **X** - _More Fun in the New World_ ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/9 "2003-06-15T02:35:16Z")
Some great bands their **vl\_mungo**. We should add: **Big Black** - Songs about Fucking **Butthole Surfers** - Locust Abortion Technician **Beasts of Bourbon** - The Axemans Jazz **Sonic Youth** - Daydream Nation **Birthday Party** - bithday party **Scientists** - Blood Red River. For historical interest - where the whole grunge thing started. All are indie classics. S’pose you know all about **Mudhoney** and **Dinosour Jnr**. All are indie classics. ---
**Author:** ![Bedrosian\_Bixby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@Bedrosian\_Bixby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bedrosian_Bixby)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/10 "2003-06-15T03:06:35Z")
Currently enjoying **Idlewild** …their song “Modern Way of Letting Go” is a keeper. A few bands I’ll throw out, might find something amusing in here: **Tegan and Sara** digging these sisters…on the lighter side **Caesar’s Palace** kinda of funky…good song “Jerk It Out” **Marah** I’m forever touting these guys as the saviors of rock and roll…if it’s more of a Replacements meets Springsteen with a pinch of Steve Earl you’re looking for…these guys are it. **Brighteyes** considered emo to some…regardless, _Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground_ is a truly sublime album…and I highly recomend it. **Catpower** Oh baby…does this chick have skills or what? Her new album _You Are Free_ is a dark, brooding yet intoxicating 14 song vacation from the mundane. ---
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/11 "2003-06-15T05:18:58Z")
Great suggestions! Keep 'em coming! I have heard of (not heard music of) a lot of the bands mentioned, so I will check them out, since apparently they’re worth it. Big fan of the Pixies, Pogues and The Cure, among others. Thanks everyone! ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/12 "2003-06-15T11:22:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by antechinus_ > Sounds like you would like Machine Gun Fellatio. They are rool good. > > Try the album “Bring It On”. > > Anyone second the motion? Are you kidding? I second, third and fourth this motion. Machine Gun Fellation are great. Paging Mr Strike, their second album is good, but I have to go with antechinus’ recommendation of _Bring It On_. Great album. Nothing beats Pinky Beecroft belting out “100 Fresh Disciples”. ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/13 "2003-06-15T11:22:57Z")
**The Breeders** latest album _Title TK_ is excellent. ---
**Author:** ![GUINNESS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@GUINNESS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GUINNESS)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/14 "2003-06-15T13:31:30Z")
…new jerseys finest…BOUNCING SOULS!!! ---
**Author:** ![NightRabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@NightRabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NightRabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/15 "2003-06-15T13:53:35Z")
**Alkaline Trio** - Good Mourning **Taking Back Sunday** - Tell All Your Friends **Saves the Day** - Stay What You Are **Starting Line** - Say It Like You Mean It **Something Corporate** - Leaving Through the Window ---
**Author:** ![skin2skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@skin2skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skin2skin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/16 "2003-06-15T14:56:19Z")
**Wheatus** They sound sort of like a pop version of Nirvana, in the sense that they start off soft and finish hard. Just click on tracks at the following site. [http://www.wheatus.com/index2.html](http://www.wheatus.com/index2.html) I suggest trying, in the following order: Teenage Dirtbag Hump’em ‘n’ Dump’em Mr.Brown Love is a mutt from hell ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-good-alernative-music-for-me/181728/17 "2003-06-15T17:36:53Z")
How about a band called [Year of the Rabbit](http://elektra.fanpimp.com/yotr/index.html?fuseaction=tools.invlink&u=Mondrian&linkID=9) ? It is a band made up of former members of Failure, On, National Skyline, Shiner and Castor. It’s great stuff! …and if you haven’t heard of the bands I listed…try them too! Another stuff to listen to: Matt Sharp and Self One of the best places to go when you want to try something new is [www.cdbaby.com](http://www.cdbaby.com) . They have loads of great music at inexpensive prices.