Going back through this blog, I've noticed that the focus has been mainly on extensions of punk and alt-rock. Loud, hard, noisy, depressing stuff. Here is a video montage of some amazing weird modernish folky rock. It's a genre that's recently consumed most of my interest, and I'm not sure why I haven't acknowledged it in this blog.
Now, a few things are appealing about this stuff. First of all, I've always been a sucker for anything acoustic. Second, and more importantly, it seems like the lyricists in these bands are better at telling stories than their darker rock counterparts. Those of you who are writers, take note of these lyrics as poetry, as short stories, or as whatever you wish them to be. Use them to your advantage.
Neutral Milk Hotel - "Holland 1945"
mewithoutyou - "The King Beetle on the Coconut Estate"
Mountain Goats - "This Year"
Manchester Orchestra - "Sleeper 1972"
Lauren O'Connell - "White Noise"
Kevin Devine - "Jesus Christ" (Brand New cover)
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Sorry the videos are all cut off and weird. Youtube is a jerk and won't let me resize them.
ReplyDeleteNo problem--this is how we learn. Nice variety!
ReplyDeleteNeutral Milk Hotel and Manchester Orchestra= My saviors. Okay maybe not that extreme, but their use of lyrics and their musicality is so brilliantly constructed.
ReplyDeleteI think that is what makes folk music so appealing...they seem to always try and tell a story or let the lyrics shine.
Haha Manchester Ochestra played a weird free show in the basement of Boston University's cafeteria last year. There were maybe 50 people there? The band just kind of insulted the kids at the school and talked about how ridiculous it was that they were there. Which I'd give most bands shit for, you know, they're lucky to have anyone listening at all blah blah blah. But they were really funny.
ReplyDeleteNice picks.
ReplyDeleteI love the White Noise song.
Yeah, Lauren O'Connell is amazing. Please go buy her album on iTunes or from http://www.myspace.com/irishloc
ReplyDeleteShe's a totally independent artist doing some really cool shit.
I really like Neutral Milk Hotel and you picked a good song. Have you ever heard "Destroyer?" It's the solo work from one of the guys from "The New Pornographers" try the album "Destroyer's Rubies." My favorite.
ReplyDeleteI think it's hilarious that even when writing about folk music you can't avoid bringing Brand New into the picture. The Brand New cover, the "sucker for anything acoustic" (Mix Tape reference?)
ReplyDeleteHave you listened to any Phosphorescent? They're my latest favorite folky type artists.