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Turn Me On


swt61

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Oh don't freak out, I'm talking about music. :)

As many seem to do as they get a bit older, I seem to be getting a bit stale as to new artists.

I thought a thread where people could toss out some recommendations might be handy.

As for my musical taste... as far as genres, nothing's really off the table. I'm not a big fan of Rap, but there are exceptions of coarse. I think the Bluegrass-Rap that opens up the series Justified is brilliant.

I love, love, love great female vocalist. Alison Krauss, Nora Jones, Alison Moyet, Billie Holiday etc...

I also love great male vocalist. Buble, Brian Ferry, Tony Hadley, Freddie Mercury, Ray Price etc...

I like Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock, Alternative, Country (especially classic country, Cash etc...), even some Bluegrass. Classical music is on the table, but on a more limited basis for me, as I love lyrics, and a good story. Though Spanish guitar is always welcome.

When I do sit down to listen to music I generally want to be soothed, so really Heavy Rock is not really my thing. Just to clarify, I don't put Zep., Priest, or Ozzy into that category.

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I think Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (Will Oldham) would fit with you taste. Sort of folk/country/punk, generally really relaxed.

There are a lot of albums. "The Letting Go" and "Lie Down in the Light" are both pretty great. Master and Everyone is a little older, and also really great. "Sings Greatest Palace Music" is a bunch of his stuff, rerecorded by him with a traditional Nashville sound, and as someone who hates Nashville, I think this is one of my favorites, but maybe not the best initial introduction. M&E might be the best first listen. The Wonder Show of the World has also been in my playlist recently.

He wrote the song I See a Darkness that Johnny Cash covered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h04I5MtuOMw&feature=related

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http://www.marecordings.com/main/default.php

On might be inclined to think "new age" and they would be wrong. World music would be the closest genre definition I could come up with but these are gifted artists and the sonics are pretty spectacular IMHO, on par or better than the EMC stuff which I like as well. Some of the Argentine musicians take some time to get used to, unless of course you spent some time hanging out at Plaza Florida in Buenos Aires, but they make really cool music and it will turn you on.

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You may have heard of a few or all of these but given

Iron & Wine (Sam Beam), my favorite is "In The Reins" a collaboration with Calexico and a close second is a solo live recording at Wheaton college (If you or anyone else can't find this let me know and I'll find a way to get you a copy). But really any Iron & Wine is good, earlier stuff is more sparse whereas the last couple of albums his sound has branched out and become a bit more experimental.

Bon Iver (Justin Vernon), is out of a similar vein as Iron & Wine. "For Emma, Forever Ago" was an instant hit with me and it took me awhile but I think his latest "Bon Iver, Bon Iver" may even be better.

Hayden, I've been listening to "In Field & Town" quite a bit ever since I saw them open for Feist.

Nathan Wiley is a local PEI artist who I've been listening to for years now. I'm still a big fan of his first album "Bottom Dollar" but all are good.

Morphine is an interesting blues/jazz influenced rock band that's heavy on sax and bass and Mark Sandman's seductive vocals. Personal favorites are "Cure For Pain", "Yes" and "The Night".

Off the beaten path would be The Tiger Lillies, I can't adequately describe them but here's a blurb from their website that does a decent job "The Tiger Lillies are an extraordinary three piece band with a large cult following in London. They are fronted by singer Martyn Jacques who trained himself as an opera singer with a castrati style voice of heartbreaking beauty, whilst living alone above a strip joint in Soho for seven years. Accompanied by drummer Adrian Huge, whose appearance was described by David Byrne as James Joyce on drums, and double bass player Adrian Stout, Jacques plays accordion and sings savage and passionate songs about prostitutes, drug addicts and losers, his voice soaring and growling like a man possessed."

I don't usually listen to country but Lucinda Williams is an exception, I quite like "West".

If you haven't already you might try Fionna Apple and Joss Stone as well.

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One country-oriented female vocalist I've always recommended, and about whom received generally good feedback, is Tift Merritt. There's one song I love by her that takes country and dabbles it in classic 60's soul.....Good Hearted Man

She also has some nice versions of another song I like, Stray Paper, on youtube.

I just recently picked up the Alison Brown CD "Stolen Moments." Similar at times to Alison Kraus, but also delves into some jazzier sounds, and is a great listen.

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You would like a lot of what http://blog.largeheartedboy.com/ recommends in his new music releases every week. He is big on singer-songwriters and alt music that is not too edgy.

Here are some relatively random options to throw into the mix, some of which you no doubt already know.

Spanish guitar/vocals:

Manitas de plata is my favorite flamenco guitarist and MdP and Friends is a wonderful recording available all over the 'net.

Ottmar Leibert is a modern flamenco style.

Diego El Cigala has an amazing voice. Lagrimas Negras with Bebo Valdes is awesome and his new one Cigala & Tango is cool too.

Country-ish:

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. He's a former Drive By Trucker. Saw them for a few minutes this weekend and they rocked.

Wilco has a good new album.

Felice Brothers

Vocals/Alt/whatever:

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan. Sunday at Dirt Devil, Hawk and others.

Feist. New album tomorrow is much anticipated (by me at least).

The Dirty Projectors.

St. Vincent

Lambchop. OH (Ohio) is a cool album. Can't remember others I liked.

Bangles have a new release for the first time in forever, even though the coolest one -- Michael Steele on bass -- is not in the band anymore.

Charlotte Gainsborg

Cat Power

Kaki King. I actually like her instrumental albums better than the more recent ones with vocals, but all are pretty good.

The Negro Problem / Stew. Great music from both the band and its leader, Stew, on his own. Fantastic lyrics with humor and wit.

Jazzy:

Trombone Shorty. His last album Backatown is fun as hell. His new one out last week, For True, is more rocking on one listen, but still plenty fun.

Hugh Laurie's New Orleans blues album Let Them Talk. What the hell, he's House!

Almost classical:

Zoe Keating. Cello + Mac = Cool stuff.

Edited by Voltron
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Lambchop. OH (Ohio) is a cool album. Can't remember others I liked.

That's a good record. Aw C'mon is good, too.

And, if you like Lambchop, you'll love Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, which is similar but more rootsy. Everyone I know who like one (which is everyone I know) likes the other, too.

Papa M is another similar artist to those two.

Edited by dsavitsk
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Imiliana Torrini.

That's Emiliana Torrini. Also see Keren Ann, which is great. Also maybe Anja Garbarek, though that's getting far afield from the original request -- sort of a Bjork-lite.

And, while we're at it, it is hard to go wrong with Emmylou Harris. Roses in the Snow is probably the definitive record.

Edited by dsavitsk
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That's a good record. Aw C'mon is good, too.

And, if you like Lambchop, you'll love Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, which is similar but more rootsy. Everyone I know who like one (which is everyone I know) likes the other, too.

Papa M is another similar artist to those two.

I'll check out Aw C'mon. I like Bonnie Prince Billie and have seen him perform a couple of times. I was trying not to repeat recommendations. :)

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Wow, some really good suggestions here! Now I'm busy researching.

Al, thanks for the tip and that link!

Dan, I've been a Junkies fan since '90 or '91. Got turned on to them while commercial fishing, by a busty blonde that would've knocked you off your feet.

Skully, Tift Merritt is awesome! I'm her newest fan as of this moment. Will research all the other tips.

Doug, I've seen that guy somewhere before, but forgot about him. Cool stuff!

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