Modern Freakish Folk recommendations

Junior

I've recently been really getting into these modern folk singers and their slightly off kilter releases. Almost all of them are depressing in one form or another but they seem to be building up to be my commuting music for the summer.I've adored Joanna Newsom since first hearing her and a friend who has since moved to Iceland (which seems kind of appropriate for this style of music) put me onto:

• Bon Iver
  
• Superwolf
  
• Samamidon
  
• Grizzly Bear
  

All of which I've enjoyed to various degrees and I was also introduced to Neutral Milk Hotel (thanks G*****) which, although orbiting in a different sphere, I'm feeling as well.Having spent most of the last 15 years avoiding anything with even the slightest suggestion of acoustic style rock and facial hair I'm kind of lost where to go next so was hoping that people on this board may be able to recommend some other artists in a similar vein to check out? I'm aware it's a wide net but happy to try anything once.Please feel free to tell me to take this to pitchfork.com but be aware that it's never pretty to watch a grown man cry.Thanks.

Okem

Espers are amazing IMO. Although most of their stuff is now expensive to turn up on vinyl.

I also like Fern Knight who share a member or two with Espers.

Voice Of The Seven Woods and his various pseudonyms are/is cool if you like guitar folk.


Honest Jons (the shop mainly but the label also) are really good for this kind of stuff.

Junior

Cheers MOke. God, haven't been to Honest Jon's in a long time so this is probably the motivation I need to get up to portobello again.

Have never heard of any of those bands so that's a good start to my quest. Will let you know how I get on....

Okem

Their website is good also, if you want to waste some time at work. Although it's a little thin on sound samples.

Most of the bands I mentioned can be found on Myspace along with other similar/related acts/labels in their friends.
Which I find, can be a good way to dip your toe into new musical genres.

jimey

dirty projectors - bitte orca

and try pitchfork.com for more info

mickalphabet

this guy just got a new album coming out on warp
pretty good

http://www.myspace.com/mrbibio

hungovermulatto

marissa nadler's voice is sounding sweeter everyday, and some of the stuff on the ecstatic piece label is aiight.

hungovermulatto

oh, and check for sir richard bishop and also take a look at the locust page for more things of that ilk: http://www.locustmusic.com

gravelheadwrap

Cosign on Bibio, Voice of the Seven Woods, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear..

Dungen
Woods
Nobody & The Mystic Chords of Memory
Jane Weaver

bennyboy

Also check for Tunng, their eralier stuff is s'nice.

And check out Come On Feel The Illinoise by Sufjan Stevens, much good stuff on there.

ketan

I second the Espers recommendation. If you're looking for a starting point, I always come back to The Weed Tree.

AKallDay

Cosine on espers,yay philly. I also like devendra banhart, I think if you like joanna newsom you'll definitely like marissa nadler. And my favorite sound that is blowing minds everywhere is edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros, which my brother in law Nico Aglietti produced. I will post some of their stuff later- no bias here, its honestly wonderful.
Oh and I like Bonnie prince billy too, and his collaboration with matt sweeney.

kitchenknight

My wife just picked up Jose Gonzalez, and I threw it on in the car this morning, as I hated all my music.

Very good; more produced than most of the names I see on here, but fits in well.

Cosine on Bon Iver, devendra banhart, and Bonnie Prince etc.

ketan

You may even want to check out the first Brightblack Morning Light album. They've got a different take on the genre...more jam band-esque...more modern blues-y (???). I don't listen to it much anymore, but it's quality stuff.

I haven't heard the new album at all. Anyone have a review to share?

Duderonomy

Various Productions have done a few slightly folk-ish things that could be worth checking out.

vitasoy

I'm not too knowledgeable about this stuff either but what about: The Dutchess and the Duke?

Junior

Thanks everybody, loads of excellent suggestions up in here. I'd forgotten about Sufjan, did pick up that album at the time and liked a lot of it - thought he was meant to be doing one for each state?

Heard quite a bit about Devandra but foolishly google imaged him before listening and the amount of facial hair on show prevented me from actually checking out his music. I have learnt from this mistake.

Think I need to get on myspace and start checking these out.

AKallDay

ok like i said, i would post some edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros. it comes out officially in july. initially they were on a small imprint owned by the late heath ledger but now i forget who they are with.
here is an excerpt of them shot in the desert by my brother, like i said no bias, they are just awesome. this one has a more merry pranksters vibe.

DrWu

twoply

The Bowerbirds might be your thing.

On_the_Red_Clay

I'd forgotten about Sufjan, did pick up that album at the time and liked a lot of it - thought he was meant to be doing one for each state?

He was, but then reality happened. See almost each "first part" it seems, EG the second installment of Badu's Amerykah was gonna be released before the end of 2008...

b/w

Sufjan Stevens is not freakish folk in my book, more like orchestral pop!

kitchenknight

Sufjan is kinda ... ehh... too may. I feel like his output got ahead of his talent, and all his shit started sounding the same. Plus, each of his albums is like 70 minutes.

Dude... Edit.

ennui

cosign:
Dutchess & the Duke
Bon Iver
try:
Fire on Fire
The Mumlers
Akron/Family

clint_torez

You should check out Thee Ohsees. Their new record "help" is a beautiful piece of garage rock but their other records are very folky time based fx, lovely stuff.

kitchenknight

Thee Ohsees

Some of their earlier work as OCS is great... and, for those who dig Thee Breakz, they do a great cover of "Get Thy Bearings".

zlatorog

also from Philly, Kurt Vile :
"Slow Talkers"

"Freeway"


http://www.myspace.com/kurtvileofphilly

dwyhajlo

Feathers are pretty good, Larkin Grimm and Chris Bozzone might hit the spot as well, but they're not for everyone.

Cosmophonic

onetet

Dan Higgs' solo records on Holy Mountain should fit the bill nicely.

http://www.holymountain.com/artists/daniel-higgs/

MadtownFunkHound

My wife really digs this sort of stuff and lately she's been all about Brown Bird and M.Ward.

parsec

All of M. Ward's records are top notch imo. Dutchess and the Duke are amazing.

Vetiver
Jack Rose
MV/EE Medicine Show
Meg Baird
Josephine Foster
Six Organs of Admittance
Nick Castro