Music that has been moving me lately

[ericcoleman]

I have been trying to listen to nothing but new music, and music that is new to me. All that music that I have been listening to for years, that I know backwards and forwards, it’s time to give it a rest and get some new stuff into my life. So here is an idea of what I have been listening to lately. Take a look, and if you have something you think I might like, point me towards it.

Hanggai - They take Mongolian folk music, throat singing, and instruments and meld it with western rock. The Hu have more money in back of them so they get all the notice, but these guys were doing way before them, and IMNSHO way better. This is where I first heard them.
https://youtu.be/rJFq-a9-oyc?si=S_5C0Hp-9Kr2sMQz

Amy MacDonald - Her voice makes me giddy. Her songwriting makes me happy. There is a bit of jangle, a but of driving beats, and massive hooks in her songs.
https://youtu.be/iRYvuS9OxdA?si=fHVeyc3iUurWS3OU

DM3 - I am always in for good power pop. These guys are among the best. I’m sorry that I didn’t get into them until years after they split. This song has my vote for one of the top 5 power pop songs of all time. Try to not bounce around the room while you’re listening to it.
https://youtu.be/waKbbgjN1HM?si=dVvYjeekWV2lGmRM

Nightwish - The last five years or so I have listened to a lot of symphonic metal, and this is the band I keep going back to. Tarja? Annette? Floor? I tend towards the latter, since she is not so much a singer as a force of nature, but all versions of the band are great. There is going to be a new album coming out early next year, I can’t wait.
https://youtu.be/y3wa6DvcOdw?si=A53OSSOislGn8djR

Tiger Moth Tales - Amazing modern Prog. Peter Jones is a genius. Anyone who can play either of the instruments he plays so well, guitar and keyboards, amazes me. That he does both at the same time, keyboards with his right hand, tapping leads on a guitar mounted on his keyboard, makes it otherworldly.
https://youtu.be/HwusJy0N8i4?si=DcuC6fMbQjXFHXgK

Ladyhawke - A wonderful combination of modern pop, dance, and power pop. I have just started listening to her, but wow it’s good stuff.
https://youtu.be/X_bFO1SNRZg?si=8rKq250z9EImTIaG

Grai - Another amazing band that takes folk music from their country and melds it with hard rock and heavy metal. Really melodic, really heavy. I don’t listen to them enough.
https://youtu.be/9vLupooVhsc?si=Mt_qKBNtF9VMOe91

My Baby - Massive grooves, minimalistic songs. It’s like Motorik filtered through soul music and funk. The singer is amazing, one of those whip cord voices that I love so much. Another recent discovery, and I have to explore more. Here is a complete show with a link to a specific song.
https://youtu.be/0cKzYaTCemU?si=9YvTGAgPHP8D2GZ5&t=598

Spirits Of Leo - Of course I am not happy unless I have some dreamy post punk in my life. This is amazingly lovely. Another new favorite. It’s based on so much music I loved in the 80s, but it’s still really modern.
https://youtu.be/6NKay7VywDc?si=jfvd0z7zNwbHhkPt

The Warning - Three sisters from Mexico playing great pop metal. They started when they were 13, 11 and 9. Their first EP was released when the bass player was 11. As good as they are now 10 years later, I don’t think we have seen yet how good they are going to get.

Comments

[kjn]

Finnish fan and musician Juha Jyrkäs? He used to write for and collaborate with Korppiklaani and several other Finnish neo-folk / metal / pagan bands. A nice guy too, talked with him at Finncon. https://juhajyrkas.bandcamp.com

If you really want rock/metal/folk fusion, don't miss Swedish group Kebnekajse, who did great stuff already in the 70s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_e7r0ABEHA

I should probably mention some Joik artists, but I don't know enough about that scene to give worthwhile recommendations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joik

[ericcoleman]

I kinda like Kebnekajse, but is it all instrumental?

[kjn]

Kebnekajse is all instrumental, yes.

[ericcoleman]

I like Korppiklaani. I need to dig more into their music

[kjn]

Oh! Mörkrets tid is a death metal concept album based on a classic 80s Swedish RPG campaign, with all the lyrics written by the original writer of said RPG campaign. The (one-man) band tooks its name, Svavelvinter, from the campaign too https://svavelvinter.bandcamp.com/album/m-rkrets-tid

[ericcoleman]

I like it until they start singing about cookies, then they lose me.

[kjn]

No cookies are eaten in that album.

[ericcoleman]

But the vocals are definitely Cookie Monster.

[we_are_spc]

If you like good ren faire and filk music Look up both The Harper and the Minstrel and Merry Mischief. Warning, the bearded fellow in some of their earlier stuff is no longer in the physical.

I like both bands, but then again I'm biased because all three people (The singer left from MM and both folks in H&M are personal friends of mine. Harper and Minstrel are also a husband wife pair, which makes even more fun. Jay himself on the harp is magical.

PS: Jay is also elven. *happysigh*

-T~