The other day a friend sent me a Direct Message in Twitter asking for recommendations for new music. She sited The Swell Season and Lily Allen as her preferences. I actually get excited when someone asks for my opinion, but also get a little fearful that they'll hate everything I suggest. However, the positives to be able to share something new with someone are always more rewarding than any trepidation. Who cares if they hate it; we don't all have to like the same stuff. But, if they fall in love with at least one thing, I am happy.
I immediately started sending her a list of groups/albums off the top of my head.
I suggested:
Then, that same friend expanded on her music preferences with the following:
I've been listening to some of the artists you listed and am loving it! Tegan and Sara, Azure Ray, Adele, Amy Winehouse...are the ones I listened to mostly yesterday.
I love all types of music but my favorite is folksy, acoustic guitar kind of stuff. And pop, like ABBA. :) I've been stuck in the 60's and 70's so it's fun to be getting more current! I listen to Louis Armstrong, Loretta Lynn, Jonie Mitchel, Patsy Cline, Roberta Flack...I love old stuff! So anyway, just send me whatever you love b/c I do like everything. For some reason I tend to like listening to female singers more. Nora Jones over John Mayer. Love male and female together. I love Swell Season's Glen Hansard with Marketa. Have you seen Once? I love every song from that movie! Lies is my favorite. And Falling Slowly, sooooo beautiful.
Yael Naim, singer of New Soul. How would that be classified? Love that kind of music. I love that song. And her song Paris too. Oh a guy I like a lot is James Blunt. Some people hate him but I think he's adorable! But I'm a sucker for anyone British. :) Have you heard of Pink Martini? I love this song they did called Sympathique. It's okay, you can laugh if it's totally 5 years ago. Hee hee! Or Keren Ann Not Going Anywhere. I think I heard them in Starbucks and wrote their names down. That's what made me go, wow there is some new music that is AWESOME! I'm so missing out only listening to old tunes! But I'll always listen to Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Moon River! I want to get a record player and collect old records!
With such a detailed description of preferences, I am now on the quest to find the perfect music for her. I hope she likes what I send. If not, I hope this leads to us finding new music together. Who can't love that? =)
What would you suggest for my friend?
In the end, this is what I am giving her:
I suggested:
- Adele
- Andrew Bird
- Arcade Fire (Funeral)
- Azure Ray
- Belle & Sebastian
- Broken Social Scene
- Cat Power
- Charlotte Martin
- Chris Garneau
- Damien Rice
- David Gray
- Emiliana Torrini
- Feist
- Frou Frou (aka Imogen Heapf)
- Kings of Leon (more rock, but gd)
- Rachael Yamagata
- The Shins
- Snow Patrol
- State Radio
- Tegan and Sara
- The Ting Tings
- Vampire Weekend
- Ra Ra Riot
- Amy Winehouse
Then, that same friend expanded on her music preferences with the following:
I've been listening to some of the artists you listed and am loving it! Tegan and Sara, Azure Ray, Adele, Amy Winehouse...are the ones I listened to mostly yesterday.
I love all types of music but my favorite is folksy, acoustic guitar kind of stuff. And pop, like ABBA. :) I've been stuck in the 60's and 70's so it's fun to be getting more current! I listen to Louis Armstrong, Loretta Lynn, Jonie Mitchel, Patsy Cline, Roberta Flack...I love old stuff! So anyway, just send me whatever you love b/c I do like everything. For some reason I tend to like listening to female singers more. Nora Jones over John Mayer. Love male and female together. I love Swell Season's Glen Hansard with Marketa. Have you seen Once? I love every song from that movie! Lies is my favorite. And Falling Slowly, sooooo beautiful.
Yael Naim, singer of New Soul. How would that be classified? Love that kind of music. I love that song. And her song Paris too. Oh a guy I like a lot is James Blunt. Some people hate him but I think he's adorable! But I'm a sucker for anyone British. :) Have you heard of Pink Martini? I love this song they did called Sympathique. It's okay, you can laugh if it's totally 5 years ago. Hee hee! Or Keren Ann Not Going Anywhere. I think I heard them in Starbucks and wrote their names down. That's what made me go, wow there is some new music that is AWESOME! I'm so missing out only listening to old tunes! But I'll always listen to Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Moon River! I want to get a record player and collect old records!
With such a detailed description of preferences, I am now on the quest to find the perfect music for her. I hope she likes what I send. If not, I hope this leads to us finding new music together. Who can't love that? =)
What would you suggest for my friend?
In the end, this is what I am giving her:
- Adele - 19
- Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
- Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
- Angela McClusky - The Things We Do
- Ani DiFranco - Up Up Up Up Up Up (and some other songs)
- Arcade Fire - Funeral & Neon Bible
- Azure Ray - songs from multiple albums (and one song from Maria Taylor)
- Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in the People & songs from self titled
- Chris Garneau - Music for Tourists
- Damien Rice - O & 9
- Feist - The Reminder
- Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
- Lisa Loeb - Best of
- Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
- Page France - Hello, Dear Wind
- Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
- Rachael Yamagata - songs from Happenstance & Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart
- Stars - Set Yourself on Fire & Sad Robots - EP
- Tegan & Sara - So Jealous & The Con
- Vampire Weekend - self titled
- Various - CD of singles that didn't fit anywhere else
I received this email from Brent Smith (http://smithblogsatlanta.blogspot.com/) before I had the comments working, but it's such a great response that I had to add it here.
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I didn't see a comment section on your blog and i am not awake enough to try and fit this into 140 characters on twitter. I think giving music is one the greatest gifts out there.
If you friend likes folkys (sp?) singers, especially male and female together - why not try Alison Kraus & Robert Plant's "Raising Sand"? Not only did it win a grammy but is masterfully produced.
I totally agree with your Andrew Bird selection but she may really like "Fingerlings". I think it is his most down to earth album. It really has a simple bluegrass feel to it where his guitar work is center stage.
Beirut may be another great choice. If she is stuck in the older style music, he is a great bridge. All his music pulls from classic french and balkan music but is kept current with his 20 year old point of view. If I had to pick a favorite album, "The Flying Club Cup" is one of my favorite all time.
Emily Jane White "Dark Undercoat" would be a perfect suggestion as well. She meets all the criteria. Amazing female vocalist who specializes in guitar and paino. A littel between Cat Power and Feist. I guess she would be considered folk but she is so much more. What a talent and relatively unkonwn. Such a shame.
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins "Rabbit Fur Coat". Totally folk inspired. Great female vocalist with a classic sound. They almost fringe upon being old style country.
Anything Erlend Oye? Kings of Convience would probably be a better suggestion than Whitest Boy Alive. Although I find it very hard to descriminate against this guy. From Kings of Convience "Quiet is the New Loud" and "Riot on an empty street" are both great, quiet, guitar centered ballad albums. The Whitest boy alive is more electronic but is preformed with a band. If she likes the vocalist Oye then she may liek TWBA.
Lykke Li "Youth Novels" is one to run with if you have already suggested Feist and Cat Power. You cannot leave this girl out. Not only is she blowing up everywhere but she is an amazing vocalist. Her music just makes me smile. It is so fun and carefree. I would think it would be extremely difficult NOT to like :)
A counter suggestion to your Stars (who are brilliant) are The Go Find. They border being electronic due to their use of synthesizers but rely on live band too. They have a nack for writting great songs that make you smile. Either "Stars on the Wall" or "Miami" are can't miss suggestions.
One Final suggestion which might be a great starting point for her. The "Dark was the Night" Compilation. Not only does the purchase go towards Aids research but the track listing has almost everyone listed so far and so many more. Look at this line up! She may just really like so many others out there... Death Cab for Cutties's Ben Gibbard, Bon Iver, David Byrne, The National (who is couldn't afford to go to last night *BURN!!!*), Yeasayer, Antony from Herecules and the Love Affair and Antony and the Johnsons, Spoon (also should be your list), Yo La Tengo, The Decemberist, Iron & Wine (completely up her alley), Grizzly Bear (new album on iTunes for $4 bucks. I am going to buy it tonight. On Trent Reznor's twitter He, yes He, said it was genius. How bizarre.) 31 tracks in total. 50+ artist contributed. I just love the matching of artist like song 12 on disk two has Cat Power singing amazing grace with the accompaniment of Dirty Delta Blues.
(Adding as record only of conversation)
Brent,
Yeah, my comments section on my blog isn't working. My husband had coded the server to not accept comments awhile back because he was getting too much spam, and hasn't had time to work on it to turn it on. Working on it.
Thanks for much for the great recommendations. I really appreciate it.
I had soooooo much more I wanted to give her, but it was a long process and I only had 24 CD slots in the case, so I had to widdle it down somewhere. I will def pass on your message to her. She'll love it.
Notes from me:
I have Whitest Boy Alive...really only loved Burning (maybe I should relisten).
I almost gave her Lykke Li, but couldn't decide so I only gave her the song Tonight. Was listening in the car this morning after I received your email on my phone. I do love her voice. Have you heard her cover of Knocked Up (Kings of Leon). It's really good
I ended up not giving her Cat Power but it was on the list. Next round I guess.
I have Dark was the Night....soooooooo good! It's a really great compilation. (Have you listened to the War Child - Heroes, Vol. 1 compilation? It helps protect children in war zones. Some great songs on there too: Lily Allen covering The Clash's Straight to Hell, TVOTR covering Bowie's Heroes, & YYYs covering Ramone's Sheena Is a Punk Rocker, plus more)
Thanks again for all the music! It's nice to find kindred spirits!
(I'm going to check some of these artists out also!)
Diane