What are the coolest bands you know of, that not many people know about?
After following the "Music Recommendations for Coffeehouses" thread on here, one common denominator kept coming up. Bands that are so small, so indie or not mainstream, that people all over may not have heard of them. I am not talking about bands like Death Cab for Cutie, and although I like them, most people have heard of them by now. I am talking about bands like Dear and the Headlights that Bryan Reynolds on here opened me up to. I was listening to it today thinking, "I would have never even known about this great band had it not been for him posting it on his bX profile." So, what are the best bands you know of, that most people may not? (Ex. One band I saw several times in the other thread was Ratatat. I listened to it on iTunes, great stuff!) And this is music I would play in my car or at home, not just your shop.
I'll start it off:
Mute Math. Easily one of the best bands out there now, and one of the best live shows you'll ever see.
The Cinematics. A band from Scotland I saw open up for Mute Math. Great energy.
Derek Webb. One of our generation's straight from the hip songwriters.
Disappointed by Candy. I have some friends in a band called Jars of Clay, these guys play in their touring band. The stuff on their CD is fresh and great.
Eisley. A pair of sisters and a brother formed this TX band, and even toured with Coldplay. Very good.
Fair. This Pacific NW band is fronted by Aaron Sprinkle, who has been around a while since his old band Poor Old Lu, but this CD is very solid. (Eisley also backs up one of the songs.)
Mat Kearney. I love this cat's style. Smooth flows.
The Sheeps. This Austin-based band is fronted by Wes Whitener, previously head of one of Athen's finest bands, Rock and Roll Summer. He played at my coffeehouse there several times, and was always great.
Seabird. One of my favorite EPs of last year. Short, but sweet.
I'll start it off:
Mute Math. Easily one of the best bands out there now, and one of the best live shows you'll ever see.
The Cinematics. A band from Scotland I saw open up for Mute Math. Great energy.
Derek Webb. One of our generation's straight from the hip songwriters.
Disappointed by Candy. I have some friends in a band called Jars of Clay, these guys play in their touring band. The stuff on their CD is fresh and great.
Eisley. A pair of sisters and a brother formed this TX band, and even toured with Coldplay. Very good.
Fair. This Pacific NW band is fronted by Aaron Sprinkle, who has been around a while since his old band Poor Old Lu, but this CD is very solid. (Eisley also backs up one of the songs.)
Mat Kearney. I love this cat's style. Smooth flows.
The Sheeps. This Austin-based band is fronted by Wes Whitener, previously head of one of Athen's finest bands, Rock and Roll Summer. He played at my coffeehouse there several times, and was always great.
Seabird. One of my favorite EPs of last year. Short, but sweet.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dave White on
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It is my preference and I am a little biased but I think up pace acoustic music works well in a cafe environment. There is a whole new set of "old-time" bands these days that are breathing new energy and life into traditional American music.
Here are some off hand I can think of... Some of which I have on my profile I think
Crooked Still
Uncle Earl
Abigail Washburn
The Be Good Tanyas
Reeltime Travelers
The Tall Boys
Joy Kills Sorrow
Crooked Jades
I'll stop there but I know there are more...
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Permalink Reply by Sean on
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Figured I'd share some audio sensation...
Hope for a Golden Summer. [indie folk]
Godspeed You! Black Emperor. [post-rock]
Mogwai [post-rock]
Explosions in the SKy [post-rock]
Cloud Cult [just listen...]
Why? [lyrical emphasis = A - mazing.]
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Permalink Reply by Mitch Buckner - Bella Caffe on
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A few new ones I've found recently.
Sharon Little (Does the theme song for the show The Cleaner)
Teddy Thompson (new boy singing old country; Richard & Linda Thompson's Son)
The Avett Brothers
She & Him (this is M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel)
My Morning Jacket
Trailer Bride
And for a bit of fun in the shop; Flight of the Conchords!
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You know someone a little more well known but still not alot of radio play. Lucinda Williams. Great coffeeshop stuff. You'll may have to make your own mix as a few of her songs have a little bit of language if you dont want superlatives going across your loudspeakers. But only about 1 song per album. Shes an incredible writer & its just a deep gritty style of alt-country. One of my favorite songs of hers is I Changed the Locks which Tom Petty covered for a movie once. Both versions are great. Look for her 2 Disc Live at the Fillmore set that came out a couple of years ago for a great mix & her most recent CD West is incredible. She's got a new one coming out this month or next.
A few others to note:
Damien Jurado
Old Crow Medicine Show
Andrew Bird
Jimbo Mathus & His Knockdown South
Michael Knott
A few older bands that arent around or even easy to find but worth a listen:
Dimestore Prophets
Black Eyed Sceva
A few well known Christian artists that go very well overhead in Coffee Shops:
Third Day
Jars of Clay
If you keep magazines around the shop make sure you subrscribe to Paste Music
Awesome magazine with alot of little known artists. Each issue comes with a full length CD usually with at least 20 artists. Perfect CDs to play overhead. Great way to find new music & some wonderful reading in the magazine. Not just music anymore, lots of movie reviews, books, art, food & drinks, etc. What I would consider a coffee house magazine!
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Permalink Reply by Jesse_Aram on
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Loving Sean's post rock suggestions...also in that category Mono and Caspian are delicious nuggets...other groups I'm rotatin'...
Jsan and the Analogue Sons
Elliott Martin
Wax Poetic
Golden Palominos & anything by Bill Laswell
My Morning Jacket (hometown heroes of Louisville)
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Permalink Reply by lindsaytron on
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i don't know if it's just where i live/work or whatever, but everyone loves ladytron when i play them, but no one seems to have known them before i put them on...
...they're chill indie-electronica, pretty much perfect for coffeehouses and in my opinion, one of the best bands around right now.
i really really like the dresden dolls, also amanda palmer's solo work- if you've got alot of stronger or spooooky women-types in your shop, the dolls will go over pretty well. and amanda's got an amazing amount of talent and is one of the coolest people alive.
if you want a more upbeat kinda feel- the epoxies and theSTART are both popular poppy bands i play alot of. the epoxies are kinda synthpoppunk and theSTART's newer stuff is pretty dancy, older stuff a little more rock.
and some pals of mine are in a great synthpoppunk band from baltimore called karmella's game and they're always a hit, too
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Permalink Reply by Ben Helfen on
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Octane has a Last.fm too! It is here. Our computer is down, though, so it hasn't been updated in a few weeks...
FinerGrind said:Jason, check out www.last.fm - my page is http://www.last.fm/user/FinerGrind/ - I've discovered more new artists there than any other site. What is innovative about it is it takes the songs and artists you listen to, compares it to other artists of similar catagory. What is unique is it builds a "neighborhood" of other listeners who have similar tastes. I nick tracks from their playlists all the time. It will build a server-side playlist, and there is a client-side app you can play music streamed from the server, or it will take iTunes or Windows Media Player playlists and songs, and "scrobble" what you are listening to (log it, so stats can be generated).
It's one of the most interesting social network sites I frequent.
Woody
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Permalink Reply by Joe Smith on
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My favorite bands to play in my shop are.
Tangerine Dream: oldschool electronic rock from the 70s
Boards of Canada: Really chill music, just check it out.
Brian Eno: the album i like to play by him is called "another green world"
Nine Horses: they only have one album it's called "snow born sorrow" and I personally think it should be staple at every coffeehouse
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Permalink Reply by Chris Weybright on
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How could you rep Philly without mentioning:
Ugg Grilz
Banana Factory
Tacos Ricos
Geno's Hot Stain
??????
Charlie Biando said:Philly represent'n': -Normal Love -Hermit Thrushes
-Ben Schachter
-Miraclefeet
-Kurt Rosenwinkel
-Vincent Persichetti
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Permalink Reply by Mike Cannon on
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I downloaded Grand Archives album today that'll sound great in our cafe. Certainly way more upbeat than Carissa's Weird, and far less guitar driven than Band of Horses.
Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes still rule my mornings.
And I'm a fan of Ravens and Chimes. They're kind of a diet pop Arcade Fire, maybe, via Funeral not Neon Bible. Creative band, I think they have a good future ahead of them.
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