Topic: Math Rock Recommendations (Read 13179 times)

Scandanavian War Machine · « **on:** 21 Jan 2009, 15:25 »

so i've been listening to alot of math rock lately and i need more. recently it's mostly been Shapes Like Dinosaurs and Them, Roaring Twenties. both of these bands' cds can be found on sordomusic so check 'em out if you haven't heard them. i guess it's pretty similar to stuff the Kinsellas have done but i couldn't really say since i've never listened to their stuff.

so recommend away!

note: recommendations don't necessarily have to fall into this specific type of math rock, i'm very open to pretty much anything, i just thought i should give you an idea of what i've been listening to and what i like at the moment.

oh and also, any links you can give would be appreciated but aren't necessarily...necessary, since i can probably find most anything if i know what i'm looking for specifically.

TheFuriousWombat · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 15:29 »

FARAQUET

michaelicious · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 15:45 »

Them, Roaring Twenties would be way better if they never ever had vocals. Since you said you've never listened to anything by a Kinsella you should probably get your hands on a copy of Owls' self-titled album. Preferably, right now.

I would recommend you give the following instrumental bands a shot:

Lone Wolf and Cub
Pele
Auto!Automatic!!
Ghosts & Vodka

Let me know what you think of these and I can come up with some different suggestions.

ViolentDove · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 15:47 »

What the devil is math rock?

Man, genres.

Scandanavian War Machine · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 15:54 »

Quote from: michaelicious on 21 Jan 2009, 15:45

Them, Roaring Twenties would be way better if they never ever had vocals.

that's what i thought at first too but then i forced myself to look beyond the whiny singer and listen to what's actually being said by him and man, it's fucking hilarious. plus the music is sweet. (edit: apparently, the singer recently quit the band)

also, thanks for the suggestions; i'm listening to Faraquet now (sweet) and downloading some Lone Wolf and Cub (hopefully sweet).

bonus question: anybody know of any psychedelic math rock bands? i love psychedelic sub-genres so this type of thing (if it exists) would probably be right up my alley.

Christophe · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:07 »

Faraquet is pretty rad.

As far as anything Kinsella-related goes I enjoy me the fuck out of Make Believe.

Also whenever Math Rock is ever mentioned I have the urge to scream "JUNE OF 44" at the top of my lungs. It's not as spazzy as most Math Rock is these days but it's definitely angular with time signature-fuckery.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:13 »

Uh, definitely Polvo. Everyone will tell you to listen to Cor-Crane Secret, but I really love Today's Active Lifestyles.

(I am pretty sure they are math rock.)

Christophe · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:18 »

Today's Active Lifestyles is the better album but for me, I like the raggedness and shambolicness of Cor-Crane Secret better.

I think Exploded Drawing is also a good album.

TL;DR get some Polvo.

Elk · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:20 »

I kind of sort of like Giraffes? Giraffes!

Ghosts and Vodka

And I really enjoy The Redneck Manifesto.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:23 »

Giraffes? Giraffes! are pretty sweet but Tera Melos are better. He should already be listening to Tera Melos, though.

DarkAvenger · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:25 »

You've probably already listened to Don Caballero (Their first five albums are generally what you want to hear, the latter two aren't as good. In my opinion that is) but if you haven't I'd get on that. Immediately.

I second the Owls recommendation, and Rodan (I guess they're considered Math Rock) and US Maple (More noise, but definitely Mathy).

Christophe · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:28 »

I second Rodan and US Maple as well.

Also, NoMeansNo, especially their album Wrong. It's very punk, but the level of instrumentation is closer to Math Rock. They're often cited as a "secret influence" on the genre as a whole.

Chad K. · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 16:39 »

My previous post in this extensive thread- http://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,13983.msg424114.html#msg424114

"Math rock is a pretty widely used term. Some of these bands will be more song structure oriented, and some are pretty much only for musicians into hearing other musicians do weird, albeit annoying, things with music. I will guarantee, however, that all of these bands employ compound rhythms, stop/start riffs, and odd-meter timing in their song writing. So here goes-

Shiner- Try "Lula Divinia". It's their masterpiece. "The Egg" is pretty damn amazing, too. Great, catchy songwriting that's the size of a steamroller.

Jawbox- "For Your Own Special Sweetheart". In a similar vein as Shiner, but poppier.

Burning Airlines- "Mission: Control!" Basically Jawbox, with a few members changed.

Ring, Cicada- "Good Morning, Mr. Good" From the jazz-rock school. I love these guys.

Table- "Table". Short lived Chicago band. Good luck finding this one. It's great though.

Dazzling Killmen- "Face of Collapse"- Noisy, jazzy, aggressive, stop/start stuff that's annoying and wonderful all at once.

Grand Ulena- Darin Gray from Dazzling Killmen's new band. These guys are just plain nuts. Their songs have a logic all their own. It sounds like chaos with sudden bursts of a song that comes together all at once. Not for the faint of heart. There's an amazing youtube video of these guys. Listen to the whole thing before you dismiss it.

Yowie- St. Louis folks in the vein of Grand Ulena. They use micrtonal tunings and also sound like controlled chaos. They lack the aggressiveness of a band like Grand Ulena, and sort of remind me of what it would sound like if circus clowns started a math-rock band.

Don Caballero- "American Don". Damon Che. 'Nuff said.

Seven Storey Mountain- "Dividing by Zero". Sort of in the Shiner, Jawbox vein.

The Casket Lottery- Past members of Coalesce go all emo with stop start songs and sudden timing and tempe changes.

31 knots- Defintely in the jazz-rock vein. These guys are great.

Houston- Closest to Shiner, these guys write BIG riffs. They were a great live band.

Faraquet- "The View From This Tower". I know it's already been mentioned. I'm mentioning it twice, that's how good it is.

Hope that gets you started."

And, three years since that post... hope that gets you started.

michaelicious · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 17:25 »

Quote from: imapiratearg on 21 Jan 2009, 16:13

Uh, definitely Polvo. Everyone will tell you to listen to Cor-Crane Secret, but I really love Today's Active Lifestyles.

(I am pretty sure they are math rock.)

Quote from: Christophe on 21 Jan 2009, 16:18

Today's Active Lifestyles is the better album but for me, I like the raggedness and shambolicness of Cor-Crane Secret better.

I think Exploded Drawing is also a good album.

TL;DR get some Polvo.

Celebrate the New Dark Age, you cunts.

Scandanavian War Machine · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 17:29 »

don't worry, everyone! thanks to the surplus of excellent recommendations you gave i am now sick of math rock.

i'm going to go listen to Akron/Family.

sean · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 17:33 »

Quote from: TheFuriousWombat on 21 Jan 2009, 15:29

FARAQUET

Lets see what else now...

LITE is some insanely technical instrumental math rock. There's another band I would like to say but I am planning on making a thread about them soon (i am ill so it will be actually soon since i now have nothing better to do), so they can wait. Sharks Keep Moving has mathy tendencies but they are more free-jazzy or something like that. They would be good if you prefer calm to spastic.

greenMonkey · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 18:59 »

As far as Don Caballero goes, I'd have to say that What Burns Never Returns is their overall best, but Don Caballero 2 is right up there with it, especially if you like your math rock with intense distortion.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 19:41 »

Quote from: michaelicious on 21 Jan 2009, 17:25

Celebrate the New Dark Age, you cunts.

I haven't spent enough time with it yet, but it is pretty awesome.

Quote from: Scandanavian War Machine on 21 Jan 2009, 17:29

i'm going to go listen to Akron/Family.

Yessssssss. I should have seen them when they came 'round here. I can't remember what I did instead. I think I didn't want to go by myself and I had no money.

suitupletsgo · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 20:06 »

definitely a lot more metal-y, but I suggest checking out Botch if you can. they were such an amazing fucking band. specifically We Are The Romans or American Nervoso. the guitarist is now in Minus the Bear, actually.

boneykingofnowhere · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 21:21 »

Battles.
Thank me later.

onewheelwizzard · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 21:57 »

Is Turing Machine math rock? They are cool.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 22:11 »

Where the hell is Rush on this list?

Christophe · « **Reply #22 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 22:28 »

Dude.

No.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #23 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 23:10 »

Meh, 80% of my music is pre-1980.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #24 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 23:29 »

june of 44
90 day men
atombombpocketknife

Koremora · « **Reply #25 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 23:49 »

Rush is really, really not math rock. At all. That being said, I do like Rush; as long as you don't take them TOO seriously I don't see what everyone's beef is with them.

Elk · « **Reply #26 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 00:33 »

Quote from: Zingoleb on 21 Jan 2009, 23:10

Meh, 80% of my music is pre-1980.

You should correct this.

Also, I have just checked out a atombombpocketknife, and I am very much enjoying it.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #27 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 06:01 »

Quote from: Zingoleb on 21 Jan 2009, 22:11

Where the hell is Rush on this list?

wat

spoon_of_grimbo · « **Reply #28 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 09:12 »

check out "Pomeroy" by Jardin De La Croix. the band uploaded it for free (and legal) download HERE.

also, "Lava Land" by Piglet. really light airy and cheerful mathrock instrumentals.

and if you count Drive Like Jehu as mathrock, then they oughta be at the top of this list.

valley_parade · « **Reply #29 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 09:21 »

Quote from: imapiratearg on 21 Jan 2009, 16:23

Giraffes? Giraffes! are pretty sweet

So "math rock" is code for "quirky, weird sounding bullshit"?

michaelicious · « **Reply #30 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 09:34 »

That's a pretty reductive assessment.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #31 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 12:48 »

Quote from: Elk on 22 Jan 2009, 00:33

Also, I have just checked out a atombombpocketknife, and I am very much enjoying it.

Awesome, they were originally from Knoxville and I used to run into them at house parties a lot. Very cool guys.

MrBlu · « **Reply #32 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 22:50 »

Man, I have a hard as hell time keeping track of what bands go by which genres.

I know I listen to some good Math Rock, but I'll be damned if I could tell you.

Oh, hey, Shibuya-Kei. Let's all listen to some Shibuya-Kei.

Charliemagne · « **Reply #33 on:** 23 Jan 2009, 17:49 »

Math rock seems to encompass an awfully large range of music. I saw someone mention Botch and that seems like what comes to mind when I think the words "math rock."

For anyone interested in some serious Math Metal go for Carbomb - "Centralia."

Brutal. Wicked light show, to boot.

AnonymousNoob · « **Reply #34 on:** 26 Jan 2009, 18:50 »

ZAZEN BOYS
ZAZEN BOYS

^
Fill your ears.

MusicScribbles · « **Reply #35 on:** 27 Jan 2009, 15:43 »

I second this Zazen Boys recommendation.
Also, I'm here to tell you that not too many pages ago I uploaded their second album to the Mediafire thread.
Give it a shot. (Also get Number Girl. It isn't math rock, but they were the earlier project and carry just as much of a legacy.)

barista.babe · « **Reply #36 on:** 31 Jan 2009, 00:03 »

i would suggest either holy fuck or giraffes?? giraffes!! i was really into both last year... those are two of my faves.

also... i love love love faraquet.

Vidya · « **Reply #37 on:** 31 Jan 2009, 22:18 »

Why has no one mentioned Botch?

Their album We Are the Romans is so beautifully heavy.

doombilly · « **Reply #38 on:** 02 Feb 2009, 06:30 »

Polvo

suitupletsgo · « **Reply #39 on:** 02 Feb 2009, 08:59 »

Quote from: Vidya on 31 Jan 2009, 22:18

Why has no one mentioned Botch?

Their album We Are the Romans is so beautifully heavy.

I did.

see to wards the beginning of the thread.

Be My Head · « **Reply #40 on:** 02 Feb 2009, 11:46 »

Math rock before math rock existed

Vidya · « **Reply #41 on:** 02 Feb 2009, 19:24 »

Quote from: suitupletsgo on 02 Feb 2009, 08:59

Quote from: Vidya on 31 Jan 2009, 22:18
Why has no one mentioned Botch?

Their album We Are the Romans is so beautifully heavy.

I did. see to wards the beginning of the thread.

oh ho. my bad. but I suppose it never hurts to mention a good band twice.

Chad K. · « **Reply #42 on:** 02 Feb 2009, 20:04 »

Quote from: Be My Head on 02 Feb 2009, 11:46

Math rock before math rock existed

See also Brubeck, Dave. esp. "Take Five", "Blue Rondo a la Turk", "Unsquare Dance".

valley_parade · « **Reply #43 on:** 03 Feb 2009, 07:17 »

Frig, see his entire "Time Out" album.

BankHoldUp · « **Reply #44 on:** 03 Feb 2009, 10:42 »

Quote from: Chad K. on 02 Feb 2009, 20:04

See also Brubeck, Dave. esp. "Take Five", "Blue Rondo a la Turk", "Unsquare Dance".

I love Brubeck, his arrangments are irritating as hell to learn but well worth the effort.

I would also suggest Darius Milhaud, if you're looking for pre-math rock or math pre-rock...whatever, its good.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Math Rock Recommendations (Read 13179 times)

Zingoleb

Zingoleb

Charliemagne

AnonymousNoob