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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Entertain Me

I used to be the girl who discovered new music artists before anyone had heard of them. I found Evanescence before they had the song on that one movie. (Great information from me, right?) I used to scour the internet for new songs, new artists, unusual music . . . now, I'm incredibly lame. I barely make it past iTunes Top 10. IF I'm lucky.

I have a new assignment at work that's going to take a very long time and some intense concentration (and hi, I'm ADD head, have you met me?), so I need to stick my new SkullCandy headphones in and listen to music and zone out of the world of my cubicle and get into research mode. The only problem is that, while i have over 8,000 songs on my iTunes, I'm sick of all of them and instead of zoning out, I spend all my time skipping songs I'm no longer interested in hearing.

All that leads me to my post title. I NEED NEW MUSIC! So I'm begging you to recommend your favorite obscure song, new artist, ANYTHING. I so badly need new music. HELP!

(And let's not let this be like last time when I asked for links and only two of you sent help. I know you guys have it in you!)

Ready? GO!

35 comments:

marisa rose said...

I really like Vampire Weekend. Though it is the worst band name probably ever.

Anonymous said...

We can provide, but you will not be satisfied! Soon you'll be skipping these songs as well. And then you'll be back begging for more. When will it end, Kate? When?

Kind of makes me think of Billy Idol: "In the midnight hour, she cried 'more, more, more!'" Just don't Rebel Yell in your cubicle. But if you do, especially don't add "MORE! MORE! MORE!" afterward. It could create a weird environment. But increase your popularity as well. So...

Brillig said...

Hi. I can't be of any help. Unless you want the latest CD from Fisher Price. Yeah... we have all of those. Or perhaps you'd like to know what I'm teaching as primary chorister these days? No? Hmmmm... sorry. That's all I got. Though Nathan has suddenly gotten really into Linkin Park lately. My little hard-core Nathy bear. hahaha. Oh! And Maddie can't get enough of that Enrique Iglesias song from that one episode of ANTM. But none of this is going to be new to you. Sorry. I feel like a big fat failure.

B2G said...

It's really hard because I don't know what kind of music you like. Right now I'm listening to Johnathan Clay, Back to Good. I love Mae, especially the Destination: Beautiful album. Lifehouse's new CD Who We Are is fabulous. Just Off Turner you've probably never heard and they rock. OneRepublic's CD Dreaming Out Loud is amazing. Boys Like Girls is great too. If you like old-school butt-rock, none of that is going to be helpful. :)

Kateastrophe said...

Just look how helpful you all are already! (except Bry and Brill. We'll talk later.)

B2G that stuff is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. I love OneRepublic and Boys Like Girls so I'm heading to check out that other stuff. And Julybug, I've heard good things about Vampire Weekend just haven't taken the time to check them out. Doing so NOW.

Kateastrophe said...

OK darling B2G I love you and need to find you! What's your site? I'm am LOVING all this music!

Luisa Perkins said...

Holy Cow. I just wrote you a super long comment and it is GONE.

Anonymous said...

I am so incredibly not a music person, but it's really funny you posted this today because I just wrote a whole recommendation for a singer I found recently and LOVE! Her name is Edwina Hayes and she's an acoustic musician from the UK. You can look her up on MySpace and listen to some of her stuff for free to see if it's your style :) I'm also a big fan of Rachel Yamagata and Madeleine Peyroux.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what kind of music you like or what you already have, but Vampire Weekend is good stuff, as previously mentioned. I also really like Tristan Prettyman, who isn't all that new, but good to listen to if you're trying to chill. Mother Hips are also very good. I more of a classic rock kinda girl (Zeppelin is my favorite), so you may like Wolfmother if you're into that. Neko Case from the New Pornographers is good if you're going for a more 'grassy' sound. I absolutely love Stars and Eric Huchinson and the Traveling Wilburys and Explosions in the Sky. But if you're more in the mood for something metal or video game soundtrack-ish, sadly enough, I'm your go to girl ;) Any other suggestions, feel free to ask!

And I'm like this all of the time. Good luck!

Luisa Perkins said...

Okay, I don’t know your taste at all except for BSM, so here goes. I like to think I have obscure, eclectic taste, but bear in mind that I am a 41-year-old SAHM who never watches TV. With that caveat:

Artists/Albums off the top o’ my head;

Bryn Terfel, especially The Vagabond (if you love BSM, you’ll love this tasty Welsh baritone)
Hem, especially Rabbitsongs
The Wailin’ Jennys, especially Firecracker
The Duhks

Resorting to my massive iTunes file for some singles:

Ben Harper: “Steal My Kisses” and “Pictures of Jesus”
Cake: “Short Skirt/Long Jacket”
Calexico: “Cruel”
Carbon Leaf: “Life Less Ordinary”
Chemical Brothers: “Let Forever Be”
The Corrs: “Breathless”
Cute is What We Aim For: “There’s a Class for This”
Deep Dish: “Sacramento”
Delays: “Nearer than Heaven”
Donna the Buffalo: “Love and Gasoline”
Dukes of the Stratosphear: “Vanishing Girl”
The Elms: “Hey, Hey”
A Fine Frenzy: “You Picked Me”
The Fratellis: “For the Girl”
Great Big Sea: “Stumbling In” and “Sea of No Cares”
Mike Doughty: “Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well”
Monsoon: “Ever So Lonely”
Nickel Creek: “Green and Gray”
The Nylons: “Up the Ladder to the Roof”
Polyphonic Spree: “Light & Day/Reach for the Sun”
The Postal Service: “Such Great Heights”
The Raconteurs: “Steady as She Goes”
Rogue Wave: “Publish My Love”
Saint-Privat: “Tous les Jours”
Shout Out Louds: “Very Loud”
Sixpence None the Richer: “Don’t Dream it’s Over” and “Kiss Me”
Stellastarr: “My Coco”
Toni Price: “Beautiful Garden”
The Veronicas: “4ever”

Let me know if any of this works for you.

The Gruwells said...

sia is the artist breath is the song... fabulous!

Katelin said...

I don't really know your music taste but just randomly scanning over my Itunes at work I would say...

Black Milk "Watch 'Em"
Ingrid Michaelson "Breakable"
Josh Kelley "Tidal Wave"

That's all I got for now, enjoy!

Kateastrophe said...

Oh Louisa I love you. I have a few of those songs and can't wait to go find more!

ALL of you are FABULOUS! I'm already rockin' (or chillin') to like fifty new tunes!

Anonymous said...

Louisa, I think you're my internet music soulmate. haha... Bryn Terfel is my favorite... his voice makes me melt! And the Duhks - fabulous. And most of the others you posted - fabulous again.

Madam Crunchypants said...

I am incredibly lame in the music department lately - I put on the sirius radio on the super shuffle channel and spend most of the day content in the knowledge that there is music on in the background.

Until recently. And now that there is snow burying my sirius antenna, I have to listen the local country station, which would be a much greater hardship if I disliked country. But I don't mind it, and they play rock as well, so I'm not complaining.

My recommendation: Arrogant Worms. They're a Canadian group. Love them.

Jewels said...

Indeed yes, Vampire Weekend is great! Also, do you like The Shins? Not sure they're you're speed, but give them a listen. Also, a band called Doves has peaked my interest, along with Cocteau Twins. I know you pretty much like everything, but I won't be hurt if you're not a fan!

HaLaine said...

check out The Cord's blog on my blog...she always finds new music and posts it on her player...

Anonymous said...

You know that I am useless when it comes to music, but my brothers seem to find all kinds of new stuff. Here is my lil' bro's music blog. Check it out
http://musictastebud.blogspot.com/

janaya said...

i'm sure you've probably got some of this music, but times like these call for the following, in my book:

aqualung
death cab for cutie
elliott smith
esthero
feist
fiona apple
frou frou / imogen heap
iron & wine
keane
madeleine peyroux
pete yorn
phoenix
radiohead
rogue wave
simon & garfunkel
snow patrol
sufjan stevens
yael naim
zero 7

all of this is great "get in the zone" music. hope this helps! :)

Canadian flake said...

Maybe surfing youtube for music videos might give you some ideas???

I have found some good stuff I like that way..

Emily said...

new-ish: lizz wright.

also love ella fitzgerald and frank sinatra. on the other hand, i love some rock now and then -- live is a great band. i also am liking one republic. let us know how it goes!

Wholly Burble said...

OK, music--like I am SO "in the groove" with this:
Sentimental Journey
I Can't Say No (Ado Annie in Oklahoma)
Moon River
Que Sera Sara (Doris Day song)
OK, had enough of my "hits"?

Looks like everyone else has you covered.
(Did I mention How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?)

Gretchen Alice said...

Okay, I agree with all of Janaya's list. Recently, I love Wilco, Mason Jennings, Josh Ritter (especially him!), The Bird and The Bee, Imogen Heap, Spoon, and The New Pornographers (dirty name, amazing group).
A must-listen is Joshua Radin.

Goofball said...

which genres of music do you like?

I bet you don't know Belgian music, so here's some good Belgian artists for you to discover:

Belgian pop/rock
* Axelle Red (very famous in Frenchspeaking world, soul, brilliant artist)
* Hooverphonic (especially album "the magnificent tree", which I bought by the way in the US)
* Ozark Henry (love his music)
* Zita Swoon
* dEUS
* Das Pop
* Vive la Fête (electro pop)
* Soulwax

Belgian chanson
* Jacques Brel (a real international legend)

Belgian folk:
* Urban Trad (I love them!)
* Laïs
* Kadril
* Ambrozijn

Belgian Jazz
* Toots Thieleman (a jazz legend)

Belgian-African
* Zap Mamma

Belgian electronic dance
* Praga Khan (toured a lot in the US in the past)
* Kate Ryan
* Milk Inc
* Ian Van Dahl
* Technotronic (you must know "pump up the jam")



Enjoy!

Girl, Dislocated said...

First, the disclaimer: I don't know if any of these are considered obscure or not (since I'm a little cut off from the world), and don't hate me if they're dumb suggestions. :)

-- Blue Man Group (I particularly like "Drumbone," "The Current," and "I Feel Love")

-- Assemblage 23 (Their best album is "Failure," which sometimes shows up under Tom Shear as the artist, rather than Assemblage 23)

-- Vnv Nation

-- The Union Underground

-- +44

-- Poe

Fourier Analyst said...

My latest are the new Josh Grobin and Annie Lennox albums. It is sad just how mainstream I have become in my old age. And in Europe we have Robbie Williams who has not made it big in the US but that's more because he doesn't want to. Talk about some great dance music!

Kristen said...

Great Big Sea. They're a Canadian folk band - upbeat and really funny! ...although a lot of their songs are about drinking. It's kinda embarrasing when your 3 year old sings "and the old black rum's got a hold on me!" in sacrament meeting...

Lisa said...

Ingrid Michaelson
Kate Walsh
Anya Marina (particularly the song Move You)
Catherine Feeny
Holly Brook (particularly the song Wanted)
A Fine Frenzy

:)

Lisa said...

They're not that obscure, but it's what I'm listening to at the moment.

Anonymous said...

i have to ditto a fine frenzy, boys like girls, and ingrid michaelson. i'd add plain white ts to that too. i have a feeling that you might also like alice smith's "dream."

definitely a swoon-worthy song is the perishers' "sway".

maybe give these a go as well?

aly & aj (i know, i know)--potential breakup song

hellogoodbye--oh, it is love

camera obscura--lloyd, i'm ready to be heartbroken

class of 98--christy's wedding

cute is what we aim for--curse of curves

jose gonzalez--crosses

the last goodnight--pictures of you

matt nathanson--car crash

graham colton--best days

woodale--here (SO good!)

i'm sure you already have most of these, but...i hope it helps.

Peterson Family Fun said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhLHvA0fYo8

You might want to check this band out, they are called TaughtMe. They are still small time stuff but so incredibly good, especially if you like bands like the late 'Format' They have a mypsace page that I believe you can get more songs on.

the rabbi's wife said...

You should give a listen to an israeli guy named Adi Ran. It's all in Hebrew, but I really like his sound.

Emily said...

so did you find some awesome new tunes or what? you'll have to tell us what you ended up liking! i have a feeling our suggestions are all over the map (musically). :)

Goofball said...

I second Emily: we are very curious now as to which new tunes you discovered!

Leelah said...

OK, so a little late than never. My absolute new favorite is "Scissors for Lefty". I've been following them for almost a year now and already have seen them in concert 5 times. Super fun indie rock from San Francisco.