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Fun Stuff => BAND => Topic started by: ielerol on 11 Sep 2006, 16:23
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I'm thinking of hosting a college radio show dedicated to the proposition that music influenced by American folk traditions like country and bluegrass doesn't have to suck. The only problem is that right now I don't know enough to cover an entire semester's worth of shows.
representative sample of what I plan to play:
Johnny Cash
Neko Case
Old Crow Medicine Show
The Original Brothers and Sisters of Love
Ryan Adams
The Mekons
Linda Thompson
Nickel Creek
Fred Eaglesmith
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Mekons
Bela Fleck
Okkervil River
Silver Jews
Mindy Smith
Psychograss
Uncle Tupelo
Camper Van Beethoven
what I'm looking for more of is the kind of stuff that has some country/bluegrass roots but that I couldn't necessarily track down by looking through allmusic's newgrass or alt-country categories.
also good are individual countryish songs by artists who are otherwise in different genres, like "Papa Was A Rodeo" by The Magnetic Fields and "Too Long" by Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire.
bonus points for a fast tempo, non-depressing lyrics, or appalachian fiddle.
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Wilco is an obvious one that is not on your list there, but I'll assume you already thought of it.
You might want to look into stuff by Jolie Holland, The Renderers, The Handsome Family, The Willard Grant Conspiracy, and so on.
You could also go grab some old stuff by the Rolling Stones, the Byrds or Bob Dylan.
Maybe some country-ish Primal Scream ('Country Girl') or 'Silver' by the Pixies...
Just some ideas off the top of my head, like.
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Theoretically, early white stripes counts.
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Iron and Wine.
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what they said and Fruit Bats. they are folk-pop, but they'd fit well into your show.
oh, and the song Vagabond by Wolfmother would fit as well.
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i second Bob Dylan and select White Stripes songs.
try to find the white stripes song "Lord, Send Me An Angel"
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Otis Taylor, no seriously. The dude is one of the best roots-blues song writers alive today. Get Respect the Dead first. Also Vetiver., definitely Vetiver.
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Oh yeah, and "Lord, Send Me an Angel" is great.
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The Sadies, Steve Earle, and the song "Drivin' On 9" by the Breeders.
Oh, and you have The Mekons listed twice up there. I mean, double The Mekons is no problem. Just thought you'd like to know.
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I would say throw in a little Gram Parsons and also some Whiskeytown (ryan adams original band). Also The Boy Least Likely Too they have a noticeable country influence. Some Devendra Banhart as well. Uhhh and I second that Meat Puppets suggestion. Also you could look at the Refreshments last album "The bottle and fresh horses" is at least influenced pretty heavily by country.
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The Allman Brother's band has some very obvious blues influences.
Also, Nickel Creek.
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Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo.
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you need to look for a meat puppets album called "II".
YES
Also: John Prine.
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I am so happy I came across this thread. Can someone recommend some bluegrass though? I wanted to start a thread with recommendations and this can pretty much sub for that. I want bluegrass though. No country inspired indie rock. Straight up bluegrass, children.
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For the thread starter and the poster just before this, I second the previosu Nickle Creek suggestion. Fantastic bluegrass.
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Yules, you may want to try Old Crow Medicine Show? It was mentioned earlier in the thread but I will highlight it here because it meets your specific criteria and is lots of fun.
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William Elliot Whitmore
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Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Loretta Lynn. I've only heard Van Lear Rose, but it's fantastic.
And I heartily support The Meat Puppets.
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Tom Petty if not said already;
Nirvana Unplugged. Screw you, half of it sounded bluegrass.
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I forgot to mention Blood Meridian.
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16 Horsepower, The Coffinshakers, Changes, The Reverend Horton Heat.
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Nobody mentioning the Legendary Shackshakers makes the baby Jesus weep.
To those not in the know: Bluegrass + punk attitude + songs about ass shaking and killers = awesome.
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I am so happy I came across this thread. Can someone recommend some bluegrass though? I wanted to start a thread with recommendations and this can pretty much sub for that. I want bluegrass though. No country inspired indie rock. Straight up bluegrass, children.
Nickel Creek. defintely. and go for the O, Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack. that's what got me interested in bluegrass.
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Nobody mentioning the Legendary Shackshakers makes the baby Jesus weep.
Oh bloody hell, yes! I saw them live last month and a couple of months prior and will see them again next month when they open for The Reverend Horton heat! I fucking love those guys.
Also everything Khar said
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Ahoy there, and such.
Well, they probably are in and amongst the relevant allmusic pages, but look into the Dillards if you haven't. Wheatstraw Suite is the progrssive bluegrass album (or so I understand, and it's gorgeous stuff regardless). The cover the Beatles ("I've just seen a face"), they do wonderful harmonies, and they play a mean goddamn banjo, although slightly moreso on their earlier albums (which are closer to straight bluegrass, but also good).
Anyway, I'll stop pimping them now. Good luck with the show.
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Oh also , the Dempseys (one of the best live shows I've ever seen), The Avett Brothers.. who's sticker is currently making my scanner all cool and shit. yup.
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Skibas: first thing you have to do is run, don't walk, to your local record store and pick up a copy of the Grass is Blue by Dolly Parton. I'm serious. You'll thank me.
Other bluegrass albums I love:
- Bean Blossom by Bill Monroe: a recording of around half a dozen different top-notch bluegrass bands each performing short sets at the 7th Annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in 1973.
- I've Got That Old Feeling by Alison Krauss. Krauss's more recent albums introduce more traditional folk elements, but this one is straight-up bluegrass. Wonderful musicianship, gorgeous singing.
- The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales From the Acoustic Planet, Volume 2 by Bela Fleck. Top-notch playing from all concerned.
The Mountain by Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band. Steve Earle's songwriting backed by an ace bluegrass band. Great stuff.
These are all pretty modern bluegrass albums (except Bean Blossom) - if you want a more old-style bluegrass sound check out some more Bill Monroe, or Flatt & Scruggs. Enjoy!
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Nobody mentioning the Legendary Shackshakers makes the baby Jesus weep.
Oh bloody hell, yes! I saw them live last month and a couple of months prior and will see them again next month when they open for The Reverend Horton heat! I fucking love those guys.
You didn't stand right in front, did you? Nothing's worse than going to a concert and ending up with pubes all over your face.
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Gillian Welch
Eleni Mandell's album "Country For True Lovers"
Mary Gauthier
Buddy Miller/Julie Miller/Buddy and Julie Miller
Emmylou Harris
Big Daddy Bluegrass Band
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The Sadies are another good choice.
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You didn't stand right in front, did you? Nothing's worse than going to a concert and ending up with pubes all over your face.
No, a safe distance of about 4 rows.. besides their was a big section of people dancing as well so that gave a pube DMZ for the rest of us.
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thanks for all the suggestions! I'll definitely be looking into them.
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Definitely Gram Parsons, International Submamine Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrds (circa Sweetheart of the Rodeo) They're all Gram Parsons bands
M Ward
Neil Young
Son Volt
Arlo Guthrie
Merle Haggard
Steve Earl
Rodney Crowell
The Grateful Dead
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There's a band who's cd we just got in the mail the other day at work, they're called The Duhks, and they are definately worth checking out.
www.myspace.com/theduhks I think is their Myspace; if not, I reckon a search will get you where you need to go.
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Ray Lamontagne?
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Elliot Brood, I forgot.
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Tom Waits
Robert Johnson
John Lee Hooker
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Here's another one I just remembered - Halfacre Gunroom. I don't know if they have a Myspace or anything, but I know you can find out more about them on Deathwish records' site...
www.deathwishinc.com
Don't let the fact that they're on a hardcore label fool you; they're straight up alt-folk (or something like that anyway, I don't know my labels for that sort of thing as well as some of you folks here probably do - the band is awesome, anyway!)