americana/bluegrass (???)

[amy]

is anyone familiar with Old Crow Medicine Show? (if not, they're great!)

I actually first heard them on NPR, and now I'm trying to find similar artists, which is kind of impossible especially since none that look any good are on limewire. I've heard them described as americana, alt-country, folk, and bluegrass - most of the songs they play are traditonal ~WWII songs like Blackeyed Susie and Down South Blues. They don't use electric instruments either (it's mostly guitar, drums, fiddle, banjo kinda thing)

can anyone recommend any music kind of like this? (I don't like country as in shania twain country-station country.) or has anyone even heard of this? o__o sorry I know this is pretty weird and out of A-E radar. Thanks! <3

[Belial]

I listen to bluegrass from time to time, but usually only when I can find it on the radio or such. WDET use to play bluegrass quite often, but then they changed their lineup like bastards.

I've got to go to class now, but when I get back I'll see if I can find anything to recommend.

[amy]

!!! last night I found a very similar and also amazing artist. Hackensaw Boys - another string band like OCMS, from Virginia. They have lots of tracks up here, i especially like Scarlet Girl.

no pressure to find recommendations btw, just if you have anything to say, plz offer! And if not, listen to the music

[Belial]

Love the Alabama Shamrock track by those Hackensaw Boys, Amy.

[Belial]

On a related note Bluegrass covers of Alt-rock and Pop-Punk bands are great. I'm currently listening to Modest Mouse and Green Day bluegrass tribute albums, and they're grand. Its funny because those bluegrass guys refuse to curse.

[Mithrandir]

Hmm... you'd probably like Béla Fleck.

Also the early album work of the Grateful Dead has a blue-grassy folky feeling (namely the albums "Working Man's Dead" and "American Beauty").

[amy]

thanks, i'll definitely check them out. (i think i'd like bela fleck too! at least from his wikipedia page)

[ROCKSTEADY]

if you want bluegrass, BILL MONROE is pretty much the only name you have to know. check out your local folk music festivals for more local groups, they're usually great.

[Belial]

Wilco has a couple tunes that are very bluegrassy, though most of their stuff is just Alt. Country-Rock

[margot]

Have you considered indie folk? I know you like Bright Eyes and they're indie folk. I suggest Joanna Newsom and Devandra Banhart (very popular nowadays). But it might be too "trendy", I mean I know what image you have in mind when you say americana/bluegrass. Otherwise I suggest

Andrew Bird, Squirrel Nut Zippers, The Boy Least Likely To

I really like The Boy Least Likely To lately. http://www.myspace.com/theboyleastlikelytouk

Maybe they're too cutesy for you?

[amy]

totally agree on local music. i pay absolutely no attention to it, I didn't even know we had a folk station until today. o_o

not so much a fan of wilco, i find him... "plain"

!!! Is that "twee pop"? It has a really cute image. <3 I wouldn't say "cutesy" but listening to it would probably tire me out.

I don't like Bright Eyes enough to listen to anymore, emo =P; Are they really called folk? I'm limewireing Joanna Newsom and Devandra Banhart now, thanks for the suggestion! All folk is good, I need to branch out. They don't seem trendy at all judging from how many songs are up.

[margot]

totally agree on local music. i pay absolutely no attention to it, I didn't even know we had a folk station until today. o_o

not so much a fan of wilco, i find him... "plain"

!!! Is that "twee pop"? It has a really cute image. <3 I wouldn't say "cutesy" but listening to it would probably tire me out.

I don't like Bright Eyes enough to listen to anymore, emo =P; Are they really called folk? I'm limewireing Joanna Newsom and Devandra Banhart now, thanks for the suggestion! All folk is good, I need to branch out. They don't seem trendy at all judging from how many songs are up.

Yes, the boy least likely to is very twee. I mostly recommended them to you because they use banjos and stuff. Most twee isn't so poppy though, it's really more like Belle & Sebastian..sometimes much more slow and kind of sad. Basically twee just means pop music that has simple and cute lyrics.

Did you listen to them (Joanna Newsom and Devandra Banhart?) :D

Yes, technically bright eyes would be folk, not emo, going to the true definition of emo and not the "losers complaining about their girlfriends" "emo" there is today. ;)

[margot]

She's very talented.

[amy]

i was going to wait to reply here until i'd looked at all suggestions, but I really like both Joanna Newsom (The Book of Right-On is the favorite song out of 4 or 5 i have. her voice only took me like 5 or 6 songs to get used to.) and Devandra Banhart. I thought he was too hippie-ish at first and i still don't like all the songs, but I have had the "little yellow spider" song in my head all day, it's really sweet. It's nice to hear a single artist playing their own instruments as well as songs by bands.

the next time I go on limewire I will download moar of Newsom, Banhart, and I will look up Doug Martsch!

[ROCKSTEADY]

My parents just went and saw 'The Wailin' Jennies' 3 piece female vocal outfit. they have a real bluegrassy feel to them.

I may have mentioned it before but, Gillian Welch's 'hell among the yearlings' has some fantastic appalachian mountains bluegrass songs. I highly recommend her, even if its alterna-grass

[amy]

Ohh I like Gillian Welch! xD I'm excited I finally know someone mentioned.

will check out the Jennies too. Lindsay was mentioning in RT how she can't get into female bands/single artists and I am the same way, only I really want to, especially if they're bluegrass.

[ROCKSTEADY]

i actually have all the gillian welch CDs (as of 2002), i should probably up them at some point.

[Belial]

Not bluegrass, but I'm going to recommend it anyway, since its definitely uniquely American.

The Blues.

I bet you would love old Robert Johnson, Leadbelly and others.

[ROCKSTEADY]

My blues reccomedations are as follows:

Keb Mo'

Buddy Guy

Guy Davis

(OLD) johnny lang

I've actually seen the last three in concert. Buddy Guy was amazing, he would just walk into the crowd and just blues riff through the crowd of people. He got this huge train of people following him while he just wailed away on his fender, one of the best concerts i've ever seen.

[Ceraziefish]

Robert Johnson

On my list of the best people to ever live Robert Johnson is very high.

[margot]

i've been thinking you might like klezmer and wannabe klezmer music. try beirut and a hawk and a hacksaw.

well suzanne and i have been really into it.

[Juxtapose]

Three Legged Mule, Three Legged Mule, Three Legged Mule, Three Legged Mule!!

......>O They....are AMAZING. Though their stuff is.....a bit hard to get. BUT.....you can send an email to them via their site and you can order a CD from them.

[Ceraziefish]

i've been thinking you might like klezmer and wannabe klezmer music. try beirut and a hawk and a hacksaw.

well suzanne and i have been really into it.

Man, klezmer music is so cool.

Awhile back someone (I've been trying to remember who forever) uploaded an album by Firewater and they are sweet.

[ROCKSTEADY]

Not bluegrass, but I'm going to recommend it anyway, since its definitely uniquely American.

I bet you would love old Robert Johnson...

Only Two photos of him are known in existence, my avatar is one of them ( i think)

[Belial]

Only Two photos of him are known in existence, my avatar is one of them ( i think)

Yes.

Also there are only two dates in his life that can be verified, and its the two times he recorded. His birth, death, and every other event of his life is pure legend.