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August 07, 2005
Sunday Music
This week's been all about The New Pornographer's Electric Version for me. If anyone can recommend more bands like them, I'd be stoked. When I needed a break from the indie, I got Arrested Development to belt out some tunes, namely "Fishin 4 Religion" and "Natural".
What're you spinning?
August 7, 2005 | Permalink
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» Music Monday! from DrewMiller.net
I'll be straight up - I'm actually writing this post on Tuesday, August 10th. Due to the beauty of the internet though, you're reading this on Monday the 16th or later. Ha! So much for increasing the speed of information.... [Read More]
Tracked on Dec 12, 2005 7:08:01 PM
Comments
The New Pornographers just came out with a new album -- 'Twin Cinema' -- and it's very, very good. Also grab the solo album from A.C. Newman, New Porno's mastermind. (Also, Neko Case, the divine girl singer in the NPs, does stunning solo work with more of a torch-soul, old-time-country bent. You must hear it.)
For catchy, singalong indie pop, you of course should get The Shins and Rilo Kiley, but also Mates of State, Of Montreal, Rogue Wave, The Stars, The Delgados, The Thrills, Tilly and the Wall, and the Weakerthans.
If you want to dance like you're at the best party ever, get The Go! Team.
If you want some literate singer-songwriter stuff, try Jens Lekman or Rocky Votolato.
And of coure, here I put in my weekly plug for John Legend, the R&B Star You Won't Hate (tm).
Posted by: Realish | Aug 7, 2005 4:53:07 PM
Hey Ezra,
Long-time reader, first-time commenter. I have also recently gotten into the New Pornographers, and I can't stop listening! Their new album "Twin Cinema" comes out later this month, and if you look around online you can find several tracks from it that were released by the label for promotion. Try to find the song "Bleeding Heart Show". Neko Case just shines on that track. Anyway, other good stuff lately has been Mobius Band, which is about to release their debut album, but you can find their excellent EP "City vs. Country" on iTunes. They are kind of electropop, you might say. Also check out Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! if you can. They're a new band from New York that's getting a lot of deserved "indie buzz" right now. You can find lots of mp3s and get their album from Insound. I'm loving the increased music and book commentary as a little break from the wonk (which I enjoy as well). Keep it up!
Posted by: Zef Wagner | Aug 7, 2005 4:56:38 PM
I got a used copy of Bree Sharp's Cheap and Evil Girl, which is some quality alt-pop. How can you not love "David Duchovony"?
Posted by: Nick Beaudrot | Aug 7, 2005 5:47:22 PM
Nick - "Guttermouth" is a great track, too.
Posted by: smg | Aug 7, 2005 5:53:24 PM
Yeah. I've had the album on repeat for a while now, and "Guttermouth" is definitely a favorite. But I wouldn't have bought the thing had it not been for "David Duchovony" (because it's out of print, I couldn't find samples on the internets. Alack).
Posted by: Nick Beaudrot | Aug 7, 2005 6:06:23 PM
Don't listen to us. Go to allmusic.com(all music guide. and study a while. They are very very good. "Similar bands", "influenced by", "followers". You can even listen to snippets.
What am I listening to? Besides the usual obscure 60s psych, Death Cab, The Cure, Joy Division, Anna Nalick, and the Sarah catalog.
Posted by: bob mcmanus | Aug 7, 2005 7:55:13 PM
http://www.musicplasma.com/
Driven from the Amazon.com sales data.
Posted by: Mark | Aug 7, 2005 8:12:56 PM
You need to get one Brendan Benson LAPALCO, like, right now. Pernice Brothers' DISCOVER A LOVELIER YOU is another good option.
Posted by: Chasseur | Aug 7, 2005 8:15:34 PM
If you like NP, you'll probably like Washington Social Club. Different sound, more of a Brit-pop punky kind of sound, but it's the same kind of upbeat music as the New Pornographers. And they're D.C. based (obviously), so you should check them out when you move out here, they put on a great show.
Posted by: Matt F | Aug 7, 2005 10:58:20 PM
By upbeat, I mean up-tempo. Upbeat brings to mind an "Up With People" kind of band. And that ain't my thing.
Posted by: Matt F | Aug 7, 2005 10:59:42 PM
Sufjan Stevens' Illinois. Even without Clark Kent it sounds great.
And it's rare to find songs dripping with references that aren't about ironic detachment, or even the references themselves. There's a pleasantly suprising amount of real emotion in those songs, and I like them.
Posted by: SamAm | Aug 8, 2005 12:01:00 AM
Zumpano. It's the main guy from New Pornographers and his band. You'll recognize the sound.
Posted by: Drew Miller | Aug 8, 2005 1:32:57 AM
I'll also second mates of state. You might want to look into Dressy Bessy as well.
Posted by: Drew Miller | Aug 8, 2005 1:37:40 AM
Oh, that reminds me -- for a surprisingly good sampler of the kind of music everybody's talking about, check out the Wedding Crashers soundtrack. Here's the tracklist (in particular, check out The Long Winters -- I should have mentioned them before):
1. The Sound Of Settling (Death Cab For Cutie) (2:14)
2. Love Underground (Robbers On High Street) (2:37)
3. Aside (The Weakerthans) (3:23)
4. (Splash) Turn Twist (Jimmy Eat World) (4:11)
5. Sister Jack (Spoon) (3:37)
6. Hope Tomorrow Is Like Today (Guster) (3:24)
7. In The Summertime (Mungo Jerry) (3:35)
8. This Modern Love (Bloc Party) (4:27)
9. Rock 'N Roll (The Sounds) (3:54)
10. Mr. Ambulance Driver (The Flaming Lips) (4:00)
11. Circus (The Sights) (3:07)
12. Cinnamon (The Long Winter) (4:15)
13. More Adventurous (Rilo Kiley) (3:29)
14. Shout (Matter Music Remix) (The Isley Brothers) (2:56)
15. Hava Nagilah (Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson & The Klezmer Juice Band) (1:13)
Posted by: Realish | Aug 8, 2005 2:10:54 AM
Brothers Past- This feeling's called goodbye
Posted by: Jordan | Aug 8, 2005 8:30:19 AM
Umphrey's McGee - Anchor Drops
the next generation of progressive rock.
Posted by: verplanck colvin | Aug 8, 2005 10:00:15 AM
The bands that most remind me of the New Pornographers are Elk City (the track of their's Flak Magazine had up is insanely catchy) and Saturday Looks Good To Me, which has a little more retro feel to it. I suppose Tilly and the Wall is similar as well, but with the added bonus of percussion-by-tap-dance.
Posted by: Craig | Aug 8, 2005 1:50:13 PM
Good to see another umphrey's fan in the place. They are on fire right now. I've seen them four or five times this year and they've blown me away each time. You should pick up the All Good latenight set, too.
Posted by: Jordan | Aug 8, 2005 4:13:53 PM
Well, the New Pornogs are pretty singular, but if you're into indie power pop, I'd highly recommend the Contrast, whose album Fade Back In has been in my heavy rotation for a good half a year. They're too radio-friendly for the indie kids to get into them, too obscure to actually be played on the radio, so they've lingered in neglect. But they play catchy, hook-laden guitar pop song one after another. The Rainbow Quartz site has sample tracks, and the whole album lives up to the quality.
Posted by: Chris | Aug 9, 2005 8:07:59 AM
Get Zumpano - "Goin' Through Changes." The songs are all written by Carl Newman from the New Pornos, and for my money it's still the best thing he's ever done. Every track is fantastic.
I second the Brendan Benson and Pernice Brothers recommendations, but I'd point to different albums. "One Mississippi" is my favorite by BB, and with Pernice I'd go with either "Big Tobacco" or "Overcome By Happiness."
Posted by: Ryan H. | Aug 9, 2005 10:39:57 AM
