Help me find new music for my wife...

[nobody]

I'm a fan of new music coming out, but my wife doesn't generally share my enthusiasm, although she does like music a lot. I'd like to find something she would get into besides mining the same old ground over and over. I'll tell a bit about her tastes and hopefully somebody will have some ideas for her to try out.

She's a huge Smiths fan, likes a lot of 80s new wave, but isn't really into Joy Division and the like. She's more into Jimmy Summerfield and such, likes The The a lot. She is fond of a lot of 70s rock. She's a big fan of classic punk stuff, Ramones, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys and all that, but hasn't heard a newer punk band she's ever really liked, although she thinks Green Day and Rancid are OK. She was a huge industrial fan during the Wax Traxx days. She likes Tricky and Massive Attack OK, but generally doesn't go for the electronic stuff.

The garage rock stuff is real hit and miss with her, she likes the catchier stuff, but doesn't really get into it as a whole. White Stripes are OK to her, but mostly she just likes their poppier stuff like Fell In Love With A Girl. Alt-Country is pretty much out, allthough more Bluegrass stuff she likes when in the mood. Rockabilly is great with her, but she's covered most of that ground. Reverend Horton Heat is probably her favorite currently going band. Psychobilly appeals to her, and suggestions of good records in that genre would be appreciated. The last music that she really took to was Grunge, but she's been turned off by most of the more recent Grunge influenced stuff. She's still a Courtney Love fan, as am I and I actually enjoyed her latest. No jazz. A little Chet Baker and Billie Holiday, but putting on jazz generally gets her to leave the room.

Maybe that gives somebody an idea of something that would appeal. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

[Davey]

Not much left to say since it's already been talked about lovingly and heavily comped here for the last 3 years. If you don't have it, get it. Great combination of pop/rock/punk/grunge with catchy riffs, great melodies and solid vocals. Click on the cover and read some of the customer reviews at amazon if you don't already have an opinion....

[Dave_G]

1) Oingo Boingo - Nothing to Fear

2) The Fixx - Phantoms

3) Icehouse - Icehouse

4) Big Country - The Crossing

5) Ultravox - Quartet


Regards,

Dave

[Dusty Chalk]

Auf der Maur -- coming out soon
Bad Religion - Process of Belief (from two years ago)
Buzzcocks - Modern
Garbage?

I really don't know what to do with this statement:

She was a huge industrial fan during the Wax Traxx days. She likes Tricky and Massive Attack OK, but generally doesn't go for the electronic stuff.

[nobody]

It was two only vaguely connected statements. I guess I find it odd that she was heavily into Industrial music, and into New Wave, but is turned off by electronic music coming out these day. It's reasons like that that I have trouble finding things she'd go for. What makes sense to me doesn't always make sense to her.

She may have summed up our differences when she pointed out that I like sounds while she likes songs.

Oh...and thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. I see a few things I think look like good things to get for her.

Keep the suggestions coming.

[Stone]

She may have summed up our differences when she pointed out that I like sounds while she likes songs.

Even before I read this, I was thinking it sounds like she likes melody. I'd recommend The Wrens - The Meadowlands or if you're looking for something with more bite, Mclusky -Mclusky Do Dallas. Speaking of the Smiths, you guys have any Kirsty MacColl?

Maybe also some pop stuff like Beulah or power pop like Paper Airplane Pilots or Ted Leo's The Tyranny of Distance.

Stone

[nobody]

Yeah, she's got a couple Kristy MacColl CDs. She's also got an old cassette with some tracks of her singing Smiths songs on it that I'd love to find on vinyl or CD some day.

She likes about half the McLusky CD, probably along with Electric Six one of the few newer ones she does like some of.

Sh kinda likes Ted Leo, at least the Rude Boys song that sounds like Thin Lizzy they used to play on the college station. I've been meaning to pick that one up.


List is growing...

right now thinking maybe:
Ultravox
Spoon
Auf der Mar
Ted Leo

More suggestions always welcome. Looks like I'll have plenty of things for her to try out. I'm thinking after she leaves town, I could maybe get her together a musical care package.

[Slosh]

Les Savy Fav - Inches
Enon - High Society
The Dismemberment Plan - Emegency And I
Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
The Black Heart Procession - Amore del Tropico
Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump

Even if she doesn't like all of them you will

[r3Wind]

Doves - The Last Broadcast One of my favorite CDs in the last couple of years, sounds sort of like U2 and Pink Floyd jamming at a rave...

London Suede - Dog Man Star "Coming Up" is a good CD too, but Dog man Star is my fave from them.

Ian Brown - Golden Greats The singer from Stone Roses, some great groovy stuff here...

Now here's two in the rockabilly/blues vein:
The Blue Hawaiians - Savage Night Great CD, sort of noir/loungy guitar oriented stuff, some of it sounds like it's right out of a 60's spy movie. These guys also do the music for Spongebob Squarepants

The Paladins Dave Gonzalez is one of the most bad-ass guitar players on the planet (think Stevie Ray Vaughn with his pants on fire). Their first two CDs are pretty much straight up rockabilly, some of the middle ones get more bluesy, then their latest ones tend to be more rockabilly/country sounding. They tour constantly, so if you happen to see them playing in your area, don't miss them!!! They're one the best live bands you'll ever see...

[Dusty Chalk]

It was two only vaguely connected statements. I guess I find it odd that she was heavily into Industrial music, and into New Wave, but is turned off by electronic music coming out these day. It's reasons like that that I have trouble finding things she'd go for. What makes sense to me doesn't always make sense to her.

No, that's exactly what I meant -- if your wife had said that to me, I would have been stumped for suggestions. I pride myself on being able to figure out someone's taste, and being able to come up with a recommendation no matter what. It's sort of a game with me. Some people take me a little longer to figure out than others. But that one would have sent me into an infinite loop.

She may have summed up our differences when she pointed out that I like sounds while she likes songs.

Yeah, I noticed that too. From what you say of her, she definitely likes strong songwriting. From what I know of your tastes, they're more "abstract" (whatever that means) (that's okay, mine can be, too).

Let me guess: she hates Four Tet?

[DariusNYC]

Maybe she'd like it if you didn't worry about it and didn't try to get her any music at all. A lot of our womenkind just feel pressured by us music geeks continually suggesting that they'd like this or that, even if they're generally music fans.

(If that doesn't convince you, then I think Air's new album, Talkie Walkie, is pretty darn likeable.)

But you need to hear Kanye West's College Dropout if you haven't yet. My favorite new album in several months.

[Mike]

For something with a hint of 70's rock try The Darkness - Permission to Land or what about something from Oasis - Definitely Maybe - What's the Story Morning Glory or Be Here Now

For indie/pop rock try these Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power, Beulah - Coast is Never Clear or The Glands - The Glands

Oldies but goodies from the new wave era for me are The Church, The Cure, or what about Prefab Sprout not often mentioned around here but pretty good in their day.

Cheers
Mike

[Stone]

How about Billy Bragg? And if she's already a fan, I'd recommend The Lucksmiths - Why That Doesn't Surprise Me.

[unleasHell]

Here's a few:

The Wild Swans: Bringing Home the Ashes. Good luck finding it (ebay = $70+) Myself and Jim Clark have copies. They are more melodic (with less edge) than the Smiths but their lyrics are in the same vien. Great songs, nearly every one of them is great. They are a mix between (early) Tears for Fears and Smiths.

The Wake: Harmoney (and Singles). Don't confuse this Wake with the USA Goth band, this was a Factory Band whose first album is a LONG LOST GEM. I bought it two months ago and it has not left my car since. Heavy bass (ala JD) guitars (ala early Cure) Vocals (weak/soft but grow on you). Songs are excellently crafted. The stuff does not sound dated, one song "Here Comes Everybody" (also the title of their second album) could be a hit today with the right marketing. HIGHLY reccommended. As for a discription, a mix of (early) New Order, (early) Cure and (early) Tears For Fears.

Tenpole Tudor: (2) CD set (I forget the title) contains BOTH of their albums. These guys are zany and fun! The have a slight rockabilly feel, but imagine a mix of Stary Cats, Ramones Adam Ant and Madness, YES they are that kind of FUN!

[ToddB]

She may have summed up our differences when she pointed out that I like sounds while she likes songs.

Let's see if that's true.

Dressy Bessy - Dressy Bessy : Power-pop. Play it loud...
Curve - Come Clean : Techno-metal and dark as hell...
Archers Of Loaf - Icky Mettle : Irreverent and intelligent college rawk...
Fruit Bats - Mouthfuls : Quirky, laid-back folk-pop. She's got to rest sometime...
Uncle Tupelo - Anthology : Alt-country as played by a punk band. Make her listen...
Face To Face - How To Ruin Everything : Very, very good punk-pop...
Pixies - Doolittle : She likes the Pixies, doesn't she? Everyone should like the Pixies...
Echobelly - On : Brit-pop through an amp stack...
Ann Beretta - Three Chord Revolution : Very, very good punk-pop...
Hum - Downward Is Heavenward : Grunge? Did somebody say grunge? He, he, he...

That Wrens disc is great. Definitely pick that up.

[dld]

As if I'm an expert on new music, but here goes:

New Pornographers, Electric version. Very catchy Power Pop. I'm gonna spring it on Mrs. Nasty tomorrow. Here's hoping

The Coral, S/T. A little indy rock melded with 60's pop. Cool stufff

Polyphonic Spree, The Beginning Stages Of... Pretty darned wife friendly, which means mine doesn't turn tail and run when I spin it

Older stuff:

Lets Active, Cypress/Afoot. 80's New Wave(?). I don't know what to call it. It rocks tho. You can order it off the interent in a new remastered version. Fairly wife friendly, I think, have not spun it with better 1/2 yet.

Wilco, Being There. CD # 1 is awesome and 2 ain't bad either. My wife simply loves it.

Roy Orbison, Mystery Girl. Huge at my house. Played to death by the missus. Not yer everyday run of the mill "Crying" stuff. Some strong rockers, and a few plaintive ballads and some MOtR rock (I say that in a good way).

Sonny Landreth. Very poppy for a blues artist and some good straight ahead rockers. Only one or two of what I would call real blues songs. Extremely accessible. The wife says she likes it. I think shes telling the truth.