Music (ethereal, beautiful, dreamy - for a rainy day)
For those who enjoy new music tips: my latest musical obsession is the hauntingly beautiful indie chamber music group Rachel's. You can download French Gallease free at the always entertaining www.epitonic.com.
In the same ethereal and beautiful vein, people who haven't discovered Sigur Ros yet can check out two of their songs here.
Here's a gorgeous Blonde Redhead song, Misery is a Butterfly.
Kristin Hersh's music has become even more exquisite since Throwing Muses broke up. On this page I especially like Echo.
And the Ida song, Blizzard of '78, is fun.
Henry Cowell's Exultation is cute, stylishly peppy piano...
Terminal 4 does bad-ass things with cello improv...
Finally, I'm afraid that the Pretenders song offered here, Complex Person, does more to sum up my personal psychological pathologies than I ever thought possible in a pop song...
Notice that I did not mention Enya even once here. I'm very proud.
Anybody have any recommendations?
posted by zzzzzoe at 1:20 PM
5 Comments:
Cocteau Twins! Pretty much anything off the 4AD label, actually...
Not quite in the same genre but I recommend Rainer Maria to everyone.
Slowdive - Souvlaki Space Station or Alison (or really, anything on 'Souvlaki')
Pale Saints - Sight of You (on 'Mrs. Dolphin')
and, um...MBV, obvi.
Not only is it exciting to see another Epitonic user, but also being a fan of Rachel's myself, I simply could not pass up the invitation to suggest music within a similar vein.
To me it seems you prefer an ethereal, dream-like sound, heavy with strings. Noticing this, I wouldn't hesitate to suggest that you listen to Tarentel (one of my all-time most listened to bands). You can find their music through the MP3 page of their website at http://www.tarentel.com/mp3s.html.
Stand out tracks include: "Popul Vuh" (located on their Epitonic page), "Fear of Bridges part II" (on their MP3 page), and "Wheel Within a Wheel".
Tarentel, although abstract, still have deep roots in the post-rock movement, while still retaining a sense of unfamiliarity with each listening. If you enjoy Tarentel, I would highly suggest other bands such as: Tristeza, The Album Leaf, and Labradford. (All of which can be found on the Epitonic website).
If I could recommend one group higher than any other, it would probably come down to two bands, that are pretty incongruous when it comes to aural characteristics.
Godspeed You Black Emperor! (found at Epitonic, or the Brainwashed website: http://www.brainwashed.com/godspeed/) is a group from Montreal, Canada that employs everything from screwdrivers on guitars to a cello and violins in order to orchestrate what can sound like both the end of the world, and the birth of the universe at the same time.
Both hauntingly violent and angst-ridden, yet whimsical and dreamlike at times, the music is consistently beautiful. Their ideals, which I will not discuss here out of consideration for the length of this comment, are something I think you would find very worthwhile reading about. http://www.brainwashed.com/godspeed/text.html
Godspeed You Black Emperor!'s standout tracks (argh, its so hard to choose, but I will choose the dreamier, more heavenly tunes) include: Motherf*cker=Redeemer pt. II, Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, and pretty much everything else. You can find MP3's for these tracks on the Epitonic site, and clips on their own site.
If you like GYBE!, I would suggest checking out: Set Fire to Flames (very highly reccomended), Elders of Zion, and A Silver Mt. Zion.
However, if there is only one group that you so much as consider listening to, it should be Stars of the Lid. I cannot put into words how melodic this music is. It is as if this is what nebluae would sound like if they made music. With nothing more than sweeping, lush soundscapes, sparse ethereal vocals, and twinkling piano work, this music is not safe to listen to while doing anything other than reading or sleeping.
Any track off the Epitonic page (http://www.epitonic.com/artists/starsofthelid.html) should be enough for you to think seriously about purchasing a CD.
I am a big fan of Sigur Ros, but an even bigger one of Stars of the Lid.
If you prefer sleepy, zero beat, ambient music, then I would have to suggest: Aphex Twin's "Selected Ambient Works vol II", anything done by Brian Eno, and Farfield's "The Edges of Everything".
Sorry this was so long, but I could go on even longer still. I just get a little anxious with suggestions when I find someone who parallel's my musical enjoyment.
Hope you find something you like.
Wow, thanks so much for the suggestions, Joe! Yes, I've already discovered Tarentel off Epitonic - they're amazing. I'll be so happy to check out your other suggestions.
You might also like the Animal Collective's Sung Tongs and Efterklang (a new, vaguely Sigur Ros-ish Icelandic band). Also Miranda Sex Garden.
So much good music in the world!
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