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In need of non-mainstream music reccomendations


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Old 03-10-2008, 19:56
Imogen M
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I've not followed the mainstream music industry properly for years but I feel like I've truly turned my back on it lately, and why not! Absolute cack, almost all of it. Commerical radio is an utter nightmare...just the same handful of songs on a constant loop, usually some hip-hop pap all with too-similiar beats and lyrics for me to be able to tell one song from the next. If it's not that, it's some saddo "boyband" like Boyzone or New Kids On The Block jumping on the Bands Reunited bandwagon and reminding me too much of slightly drunken uncles at a wedding for me to be able to take them seriously.

So. Because modern chart music does nothing but depress the crap out of me, can people please reccomend me some non-mainstream artists? I realise music is very subjective so it's probably hard to rec stuff for others, but I listen to almost anything apart from country and rap/hip-hop, so throw some names at me and there's a big chance I'll end up checking them out. I'm looking for artists who are relatively unknown to the mainstream Radio One type listening public - people who write their own songs are always a gem in my opinion. I'm a big fan of female vocalists so any recs for them in particular would be nice.

Come on guys. Help me in my quest to completely turn my back on the mainstream. I'm almost there but I need more.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:05
chitarivera
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Havent listened to Radio one for years so I don't know whether this lass has had airplay or not, but she writes her own stuff and I think has a lovely voice..........
Dunno if it's what you like but here's a couple off her debut album....
Beth Rowley.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyE5lbXiDg

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7h1w4OgdYeA&feature=user

There are some covers on the album too.
Hope you like her.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:15
chitarivera
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And if you're not averse to some ladies who have been around awhile, can I suggest you take a listen to these, you may hate them, but you never know.

Amanda Marshall - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5kFwS-LG5SY

Sass Jordan - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EokYII...eature=related

Lee Aaron [does rock and jazz] - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JVIFVU...eature=related

And of course there is always 'Heart' - the fabulous Wilson sisters.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:15
Neck_Romancer
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For female vocalists try.....

Aimee Mann
Sarah Mclachlan
Imelda May

If you like arty music try Cocteau Twins (female singer) and M83 (occasional female vocals)
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:20
Imogen M
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Thanks! I've heard of some of these. I adore Beth Rowley - have her album, and I love Sarah Mclachlan and Aimee Mann too.

I've not heard of the others mentioned though so I'll check them out.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:26
Stal
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All different styles of bands with female-vocalists. You'll probably hate 'em but they don't really fall in with the 'Radio One' crowd.

Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer - Mean Old Coot

Krakovia - Summer Road

Yum!Yum!ORANGE - Precious Days
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:28
chitarivera
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Thanks! I've heard of some of these. I adore Beth Rowley - have her album, and I love Sarah Mclachlan and Aimee Mann too.

I've not heard of the others mentioned though so I'll check them out.
My suggestions are old timers now, and the Lee Aaron one is a bit dated but if you like that kind of music, they all have pretty good pipes!

Is it mainly female vocalists you like?

If not, there is a nice album called The Nightfly by Donald Fagen, which you MAY like, if you like Beth Rowley.
As you say, it's so hard to recommend stuff to other people when you don't know them.
But it's fun sharing.
I have found a lot of artists this way, and I would never have heard of them otherwise.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:28
Gneiss
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I'm a big fan of female vocalists so any recs for them in particular would be nice.

Come on guys. Help me in my quest to completely turn my back on the mainstream. I'm almost there but I need more.
A subject close to my heart

Well you could spend an entire lifetime on just the "golden oldies", and there are some fantastic female singers to choose from, the list really is endless, and thanks to the likes of Youtube you now have access to recordings dating back to the 1890s should you choose

But arguably the best showcase for the female voice is opera - for me the soprano roles in particular. Although some of it is probably an acquired taste it's not nearly as heavy going as most people imagine

Take the drinking song from La traviata for example... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48ILusosl5w
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:32
Turquoise
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Well, here are some female vocalists and female led bands I either like myself or have heard good things about. A couple of them are fairly mainstream or were a few years back, but none of them are all over the charts like rashes.

Emily Haines
Bat for Lashes
Dirty Harry
Daisy Chainsaw/Queenadreena
Bikini Kill
Sleater-Kinney
Tarja Turunen
PJ Harvey
Nerina Pallot
Danger Gang
Nightwish
Skunk Anansie
Cocteau Twins
Bjork
Heart
The Gossip
Blondie
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Regina Spektor
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:33
IndieLove92
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If you like arty music try Cocteau Twins (female singer) and M83 (occasional female vocals)
Both suggestions seconded. Other female artists/bands with female singers you could try are Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, Camera Obscura and Bat For Lashes. Other bands which feature female vocals are Fields and Stars.

Edit: Just remembered other band I've just recently discovered who have lovely female vocals, called School of Seven Bells.

Also, if (like me) you're partial to male voices with effeminite qualities then I'd suggest Delays, Geneva and Puressence.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:34
Alrightmate
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One alternative is to have a look at film soundtrack music.

I just recently looked into it as a genre and was very surprised to find some great music which I'd never heard before in my life.
There's so much of it out there as well and there is a network community of online blogs devoted to it.

You may have heard of Ennio Morricone, he's a good place to start as he's written the scores for over 500 films. There's bound to be a lot of brilliant stuff there which you have never even heard of before.

Obviously as with any music you're going to find things you don't like so much as well as music which you do. But the thing with film soundtrack music is that it isn't designed to be marketed as the latest fad of teeny pop music for 14 year old girls with more money than common sense, not for the most part anyway. It's more often than not designed more to affect your emotions along with the respective film for which it is created. So you often get music which is created by people who really want to create good music which affects you, as opposed to knocking out disposable formulaic tunes conceived with a children's market demographic in mind.
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Old 03-10-2008, 20:57
Gneiss
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There's always the "crossover artists" such as these young ladies.... http://www.allangelsofficial.com
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Old 03-10-2008, 21:00
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CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT CLIENT

(hence the name)
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Old 03-10-2008, 21:07
Pepperoni Man
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For female vocalists try

Bic Runga
Anika Moa
Lene Marlin
Racheal Yamagata
Sophie Zelmani
leona Naess
Anna Nalick
Sophie Koh
Lisa Loeb
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Old 03-10-2008, 21:13
rawr
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Carina Round
The Duke Spirit

And I second PJ Harvey.
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Old 03-10-2008, 21:39
kimindex
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I'd recommend Karen Dalton (Katie Cruel, Something on Your Mind etc)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Dalton

I don't know if Natalie Merchant is mainstream or not but I'd recommend her too.
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Old 03-10-2008, 21:43
spiker
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Non-mainstream music isn't a genre and nor is mainstream.
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Old 03-10-2008, 21:49
IndieLove92
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Non-mainstream music isn't a genre and nor is mainstream.

Don't be so narrowminded
Not genres, no. But I don't think the OP said they were...
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Old 03-10-2008, 22:06
Turquoise
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Not genres, no. But I don't think the OP said they were...
You're right, he/she didn't.


The OP just wanted some reccomendations for music that wasn't in the charts. He/she also said that he/she normally followed that charts, but was finding them rubbish ATM. How's that narrow-minded?
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Old 03-10-2008, 22:12
kimindex
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Also Bright Eyes, Fleet Foxes, Beirut. I sure you've heard of Ry Cooder but also Ry Cooder and Gram Parsons (who you've also probably heard of, but just in case).
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Old 03-10-2008, 22:36
jenzie
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mine .....

POWDER
A
BILLY TALENT
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Old 03-10-2008, 22:48
IndieLove92
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YES.
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Old 04-10-2008, 00:18
Gorky
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Try these very catchy albums. It's what mainstream music would sound like if it was good:

My Morning Jacket - "Z"
The Decemberists - "Picaresque"
The Shins - "Chutes Too Narrow"
Spoon - "Kill the Moonlight"
Iron & Wine - "The Shepherd's Dog"
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Old 04-10-2008, 00:37
Joolzratbag
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You say you don't like hip-hop (neither do I) but what about trip-hop? (I like a lot of it) - many trip-hop bands have female vocalists.. you can find some recommendations here.

Do you like electronic music or not? Netlabels are a fantastic way to legally download heaps of free music and decide what you like before you buy..
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Old 04-10-2008, 01:20
Carmen Queasy
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I don't "do" radio, so here you go:

- Bat For Lashes (amazing and I second her to listen to - completely great!): www.myspace.com/batforlashes
- Sigur Rós (although had recent success in the album chart): www.myspace.com/sigurros
- CSS (imagine pure pop which doesn't fit on the radio): www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy
- Björk (need I say more? She doesn't do commercial but is really successful - Ignore Oh So Quiet: www.myspace.com/bjork
- To My Boy: www.myspace.com/tomyboy - Simple electro
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs: www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs
- theSTART - a bit electro/indie/rock: www.myspace.com/thestart - Kind of Garbage but better.
- Siobhan Donaghy - OK, so she used to be a Sugababe, but her solo stuff is really great. Kate Buch meets Coctua (sp?) twins - www.myspace.com/siobhandonaghyparlophone


Not completely "non commercial" but great nonetheless.

There's a band called 'Tilly and the wall' who I am checking out at the moment. I love their song 'Beat Control': http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sd3G3i0QBq0

Check out Goldfrapp's albums "Black Cherry" and "Felt Mountain" which are electro funkiness gone amazing, especially Felt Mountain.

My favourite band is Skunk Anansie (solo singer Skin who is amazing) so check them out.

By the way, trip hop is GREAT! Check out Mezzanine bt Massive Attack and Corporate Cannibal (single) by Grace Jones.

</drunk>
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