[djgustashaw]

Now that I have every album that the Verve has recorded plus a few others, I'd like to find some other artists who are similar because I've found something that really strikes a chord with me. However, I'm not looking for stuff similar to their early shoegazing style. I'm more interested in the lyrics, stuff that's introspective like Ashcrofts' works on UH. I actually dig depressing stuff. David Usher is another similar introspective songwriter that I know of, his works deal with feelings similarly to Ashcroft.

I've been thinking about getting into The Smashing Pumpkins because "1979" is similar to later Verve stuff. Is most of their stuff like this?

I'm open to any suggestions. My birthday is coming up in a few days so I can get a number of CD's with my parent's money

. I'm sorry I can't find a way to be more specific about what I'm after... it's hard for me to pin down what I like about this stuff. Overall, though, I guess I'm after mellow stuff with good lyrics, but NOT acoustic singer-songwriters! I've had enough of that genre

. I like the mellow, oceanic sound of later Verve.

 

[lifeinabox]

Some of these are somewhat dissimilar in sound to the Verve, but they all do tend towards introspection:

Starsailor
Elbow
South (haven't heard them)
Death Cab for Cutie
Bright Eyes
Mercury Rev
My Morning Jacket

 

[zoboomofo]

I'm really LOVING the newest Vines. I've had it for at least 3 weeks, and I still come home running to hear it - well almost. It's funny you mention Smashing Pumpkins, because this album "Winning Days" has a mid nineties rock feel. It feels like music from the days when the Pumpkins, Beck, and REM were big. There are a few roaring moments on this cd, but it's surprisingly laid back. The vocal harmonies are nice at first, but later are just damn fine. The sound is very sweet and tubey, and the drummer is kick drum happy. I love that. This is my favorite sounding rock cd, and it has well crafted songs to boot!

 

[zoboomofo]

P.S. This album should be new enough to be available at the listening booth. Please do try that first. I don't want this to be another A Northern Soul for you

.

 

[bong]

hey djgustashaw. i can recommend these as they are also introspective and sometimes mellow but epic and grand sounding. but perhaps this time you might want to try some audio clips at amazon before buying these albums...

Starsailor - Love is Here (highly recommended. i think the recording is fantastic and there is an amazing sense of space and acoustics. James Walsh is an excellent songwriter but his voice might take a little getting used to.)

Elbow - Asleep in the Back (very grand, epic, and melancholy.)

Doves - Lost Souls (i see you love "There Goes the Fear," so i'm assuming you have The Last Broadcast. Lost Souls is decidedly more mellow.)

Travis - The Man Who (OK, some songs aren't really introspective; "Turn" is even uplifting and gleeful, but others fit this catagory with lots of acoustic guitars and introspection.)

James - Laid (besides the title track, which was a surprise US hit, the rest of the album offers lush, mellow soundscapes and Tim Booth's intelligent lyrics. highly recommended.)

have fun!

 

[DarkAngel]

Wait Bong.........what about:

MANSUN - Grey Latern

Wouldn't this be a natural fit for fan of Verve-UH?
I also think JAMES is good choice, but I would start with generous "best of James" CD which is more diverse than "laid"

How about CURE "faith" "pornography" "disintegration" for our somber minded friend.

On a completely different note sounds like you may like some of the 4AD dream pop artists like:
Cocteau Twins
This Mortal Coil
Dead Can Dance

Also how about MAZZY STAR.......try the first album "she hangs brightly"

 

[Davey]

Radar Brothers And The Surrounding Mountains. Almost like some ambient type Pink Floyd mixed with Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Slow paced and seemingly each song is another fragment of a strange story that's never completely told. Very compelling, something I often might listen to once and then hit play again. It's become one of my favorites of the last few years. Very warm sound, yet so epic and powerful. It starts out sorta resembling the sound of the Beatles on Hey Jude. I remember one reviewer describing it in somewhat disparagingly terms as Lambchop eats the Handsome Family, but that honestly isn't a bad description. It does have some of that metropolitan country sound of Lambchop with the strings and pianos, and also has some rather twisted tales of death and salvation hiding beneath the innocently delivered lyrics like the Handsome Family. Or maybe a mix of Meddle era Pink Floyd and After the Gold Rush Neil Young. Oh well, I wasn't really intending this to be a review - there's plenty of raves at amazon or other places online if you wanna get more info. Lots of other ideas that might fit, but this one came to mind first.

 

[djgustashaw]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Lots of this stuff sounds great.

Quote:

Please do try that first. I don't want this to be another A Northern Soul for you .

It's funny you say that, because I'm listening to ANS almost all the time now. I still can't relate to the lyrics as well as I can with UH, but ANS has some kickass guitar riffs

.

Quote:

Starsailor - Love is Here

I picked this one up a few years ago at FYE for six bucks. I was buying a lot of music at the time and it got lost in the shuffle. Time to listen to it again!

Quote:

Doves - Lost Souls

This is one of my favorite albums. Even though "There goes the fear" is my favorite song by Doves, I think Lost Souls is a much stronger overall effort. I love the nocturnal feel.

Travis is one of those bands I've been meaning to listen to for awhile. The only track I've heard by them is "Sing." Good song.

I'll be checking out all this stuff at AMG tonight, but for now, I have to go and write an AP essay for lit... egh...

 

[djgustashaw]

Ah, ok, the essay is done. I've been going through AMG for awhile now. Can you guys give me a good album to start with for Mercury Rev? Thanks.

 

[lifeinabox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by djgustashaw Ah, ok, the essay is done. I've been going through AMG for awhile now. Can you guys give me a good album to start with for Mercury Rev? Thanks.

All Is Dream

An intro to Death Cab that isn't too much $ is their EP Forbidden Love.

You might want to check out The Shins as well.

 

[zoboomofo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by djgustashaw ...I'm listening to ANS almost all the time now. I still can't relate to the lyrics as well as I can with UH, but ANS has some kickass guitar riffs .

"Yes! Yes! uhhhhhh huh huh huh huh huh"
-Butthead

Mercury Rev albums in no particular order:

Deserters' Songs

-chamber music meets rock - intriguing stuff. It feels like Smashing Pumpkins' Tonight Tonight with slower, heavier drums.
Favorite Song: Opus 40

All Is Dream

-similar to above, but more upbeat, rocks harder, poppier.
Favorite Song: Hercules

Yerself Is Steam

-early nineties alternative: loud distorted guitar, dreamy and psychedelic
This lineup features Dave Baker on vocals. He's creepy and nuts, and I love it.
Favorite Song: Syringe Mouth (vocals: Donahue)

Boces:

-not as crazy as Yerself... but more adventurous and fun. You'll hear more wind instruments
Favorite Song: Meth Of A Rockette's Kick

 

[bong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Wait Bong.........what about: MANSUN - Grey Latern Wouldn't this be a natural fit for fan of Verve-UH? I also think JAMES is good choice, but I would start with generous "best of James" CD which is more diverse than "laid" How about CURE "faith" "pornography" "disintegration" for our somber minded friend. Also how about MAZZY STAR.......try the first album "she hangs brightly"

hay DarkAngel, good call on Mansun. their name is based on a Verve song after all.

i didn't even think about "Attack of the Grey Lantern," i think the textures and arrangements (if a bit more electronic) compliments "Urban Hymns" very nicely. however, "Grey Lantern" is more proggish than introspective...

heh... you know i can always go for The Cure, they're so easy to recommend!

i think djgustashaw would like "Disintegration" and "Faith" a lot, although it's not quite like "Urban Hymns" though. definately best in somber music though.

i think djgustashaw would like James too. i love how "Laid" is so laid back, with textural musical landscapes and introspective lyrics. i do agree with "The Best of James" for a more diverse mix of songs though, i also think they were one of the best Madchester bands.

wow... Mazzy Star, i havn't seen them mentioned in quite a long time. i remember liking "So Tonight That I Might See," and i would always follow it up with "Blind" by the Sundays. great, acoustic tinged music with nice, ethereal breathy female vocals. time to dig these two up.

djgustashaw, Travis is also a good band, but i would recommend "The Man Who" over "The Invisible Band" (the one with "Sing" on it) because it is a much stronger album.

i think you might like Starsailor's "Love is Here." there are a bunch of amazing, slow tempo, introspective songs in there ("Tie Up My Hands," "Way to Fall," "Fever," and the title track). let me know how you like it after you dig it up.