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Indie/alternative artists that keep things simple

I'm hoping that someone can point me toward some new music in a style that's somewhat hard for me to describe.

So, over the past few months I've found myself coming back to a dozen or so albums that seem to have very little in common with each other. I think what draws me back to these albums is the simplicity of the artist's approach and the quality of the storytelling that's in the songs. They're also "complete" albums in the sense that the quality is high across all the songs, with no real throw-away songs included.

Here are a few of those albums that seem to stay in regular rotation for me, in no particular order:

Case, Neko. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. Anti, 2005.

Costello, Elvis & Burt Bacharach. Painted From Memory. Mercury, 1998.

Cray, Robert. Sweet Potato Pie. Mercury, 1997.

Lang, KD. Hymns Of The 49th Parallel. Nonesuch, 2004.

Orton, Beth. Comfort of Strangers. Astralwerks/EMI, 2006.

Shins, The. Chutes Too Narrow. Sub Pop, 2003.

Young, Neil. Silver and Gold. Reprise/Time Warner, 2000.

I know that not all of these artists should be considered "indie" or "alternative" but there seems to be a lack of commercialism in these albums as well.

Can anyone suggest some other "alternative" albums that you feel the same way about?

thanks in advance for your help.
e
ethos

Showing 2 responses by bongofury

bongofury
1,160 posts
 
In this decade:

I love the new album by Neko Case, Middle Cyclone. Thought it built on the promise of Confessions. If you like pure female vocals, I can highly recommend Cat Power, Keren Ann, Maria Taylor, Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams and Jenny Lewis.

I really loved the flamengo stylings of Rodrigo & Gabriela.
Their take on acoustic metal witha Latin flair was brilliant.

I liked the roots rock feel of Calexico, Dave Alvin and M. Ward.

From England, I loved M.I.A. and Lily Allen. Original takes on global music and witty lyrics. For bands, I loved Elbow (sounds like vintage Peter Gabriel), Radiohead, Coldplay and Muse.

Brooklyn spawned dozens of great bands. Grizzly Bear, MGMT, TV on the Radio, Santogold, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Vampire Weekend stood apart and made some of the most thoughtful and clever Indie music this decade.

Here in So Cal, where I reside, we had some amazing bands as well, including Beck (Seachanges!), the Cold War Kids (Cowards and Robbers!), the Eels, the Submarines and the Silversun Pickups.
bongofury
1,160 posts
 
Second Badly Drawn Boy.
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