[soMn]

I recently found (separately and quite by accident) Adem and Sean Hayes. where they're similar is what I'm interested in finding more of: spare neo-folk with interesting lyrics and a unique vocal style. Adem's "Homesongs" and Hayes's "Flowering Spade" are the best of their respective albums, and anything similar to that would make me very happy.

If anyone else is interested, Hayes definitely has the edge over Adem. In fact, referring to Adem as folk is a little misleading, as he's really kind of spare acoustic pop. but whatever, it's the kind of album where I liked every song the first time through, so that's what really matters. Hayes really is folk, and I had a similar experience the first time I listened to "Flowering Spade," but the real difference is that Hayes has some really genius, original lyrics, whereas Adem falls to the cliche (though never trite or banal) a little too often.

 

[Davey]

Don't know Adem, but Sean Hayes is very similar to Devendra Banhart, so would get grouped under that freak folk label that got pretty popular a few years ago. I'm partial to his "Rejoicing in the Hands", but haven't heard them all. He also does some work with Vetiver, another similar band. Early Will Oldham, aka Palace Music, is another one I really like. Just listened to "Viva Last Blues" yesterday. Great record. Nice honest recording by Steve Albini too. Both Devendra and Will are a little more off-kilter than Hayes, but not too much of a stretch. Cat Power hit a bit of that sound during the "What Would the Community Think?" phase, along with "Moon Pix", both excellent. Iron and Wine is another similar band. One of my favorites, Califone, mixes that psychedelic folk sound with some Exile-era Stonesy gospel-blues and some Eno-esque electronic textures into a pretty compelling stew. Maybe check out "Roomsound" as their most accessible, or go back to their Red Red Meat days and check out "There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight" if you want a record that'll take a long time to explore and soak up. Lots more, including some of the greats of the past, like "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake. Here's a past thread, that leads to another thread, that leads to ...

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1387803

 

[soMn]

excellent, thanks!

I have Devendra Banhart's "Cripple Crow," and while I like it a lot, I feel there's something lacking in it that I can't put my finger on. I have a couple Nick Drake albums that I've about worn out, and a few Iron and Wine as well, but you've suggested a ton of stuff here that I'll have to look into. and I never would have connected Steve Albini to this kind of stuff, but his fingerprints on an album are enough to make curious. looks like I have some work to do ;>

 

[jonnyhambone]

^ good recs!
I'd also throw out Jose Gonzales 'Veneer', a little softer but great lyrics/voice and a folky but very contemporary sound. Also Jolie Holland. I esp. like 'Catalpa' - it sounds a little more lost-in-time than her newer stuff.
Check out Tyrannosaurus Rex if you don't know 'em...before Marc Bolan glam-rocked it with T Rex, he created the blueprint for Devendra Banhart with a couple great releases. A good one is 'My People were fair and had sky in their hair but now they're content to wear stars on their brows' (yea, it was the sixties...)

 

[soMn]

so far I've picked up Palace Music, "Viva Last Blues" and Jose Gonzalez, "Veneer" and while both are awesome albums, the latter is exactly what I was looking for. Listening to it right now and it's just beautiful. still a lot of stuff that both of you suggested, but this will keep me happy as I go through the rest.

 

[soMn]

I had to dig this thread back up so I could respond to myself when I said (of Devendra Banhart's Cripple Crow) that "I feel there's something lacking in it that I can't put my finger on". I don't know if I just wasn't in the right mood the first couple times I listened to it, but this is really a great, and fun, album. so well done, and with a beautiful atmosphere to it. definitely looking into more of his stuff.