Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

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aliendawg
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Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by aliendawg » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:07 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMaf_IJBI8w - Sufjan Stevens - Enchanting Ghosts


I'm in love with this song! I've been searching for something similar. Smooth acoustic with occasional piano and guitarwith nice vocal melodies. Sounds kind of lo-fi. It's hard to explain. I'm going through YouTube's related tracks but wanted to know if you guys have anything for me

Of course I've been listening to more stuff from Sufjan, found some good John Frusciante songs, Neil Young too.

What else would be similar?
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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:35 pm

That sharp electric guitar is making me itch.

If you like this song and like Neil Young I highly recommend Songs For A Blue Guitar by Red House Painters.

For more modern acoustic vocal stuff I also love Kings of Convenience.

And of course you should check out Nick Drake if you haven’t already as noted above.

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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by shadowplay » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:42 pm

marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:35 pm
That sharp electric guitar is making me itch.
I've never been able to get on with Sufjan Stevens, he's way too Starbucks for me and I imagine that once you hear Vashti or Nick drake you never listen to him ever again. I heard them before so he never got over my wall in the first place.

OP there's been loads of talk about folk on here if you search it out.

D
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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:46 pm

shadowplay wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:42 pm
marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:35 pm
That sharp electric guitar is making me itch.
I've never been able to get on with Sufjan Stevens, he's way too Starbucks for me and I imagine that once you hear Vashti or Nick drake you never listen to him ever again. I heard them before so he never got over my wall in the first place.

OP there's been loads of talk about folk on here if you search it out.

D
Same. I’d much rather get all the way weird and listen to Howe Gelb or if I want the Starbucks thing but done better. KoC.

OP, you might also like Calexico. Not a ton a variety in their catalog but they do their particular thing pretty well.

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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by aliendawg » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:46 pm

Nice! I'm listening to every single one of them. Those are exactly what I'm after. I can't talk in depth about Sufjan, but I don't get the "hate" since I found this song to be particularly beautiful... I guess the Starbucks thing has got it's value

Also didn't know it was folk, I thought folk was more fast paced stuff
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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by shadowplay » Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:59 pm

aliendawg wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:46 pm


Also didn't know it was folk, I thought folk was more fast paced stuff
this book is a good place to start; Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music by Rob Young

The list I gave you is a good starter that pre internet would have taken me years to put together, it's light on the more Child Ballad and Rouds side of UK folk but your example was less trad so I went another way. This stuff is as deep or as shallow as you want.

D
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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by higgsblossom » Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:37 pm

Howe Gelb has a new album and it’s the same as always, so... weird, good.
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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by dc » Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:58 pm

marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:35 pm
If you like this song and like Neil Young I highly recommend Songs For A Blue Guitar by Red House Painters.
YES -- also the excellent "Lost Verses Live" album released as Mark Kozelek solo, back before he completely lost his mind -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klX48Cy ... 9tIeX9Qbyf
in the coldest night / huddled 'round the dying embers

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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Mar 12, 2019 7:04 pm

dc wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:58 pm
marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:35 pm
If you like this song and like Neil Young I highly recommend Songs For A Blue Guitar by Red House Painters.
YES -- also the excellent "Lost Verses Live" album released as Mark Kozelek solo, back before he completely lost his mind -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klX48Cy ... 9tIeX9Qbyf
Yeah. He definitely lost it. :(

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Re: Looking for song recommendations (A Sufjan Stevens song as reference)

Post by DesmondWafers » Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:00 pm

I like my folk to be a little more, for lack of a better word, clean. However, if you like that style, I would give Elliott Smith a listen as I'm sure guys like sufjan worship him.

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