1. 

   spikewilbury
   Member

   I thought people might like to suggest bands that fans of Blitzen Trapper might like. I would start off by saying the Moondoggies from Seattle.

   Posted 7 months ago #
2. 

   GrangerLang
   Member

   Great topic, Spike! Good call on The Moondoggies, they're fantastic.

   Fleet Foxes--Just in case anyone hasn't given them a listen yet. A whole lot folkier, obviously, but I think there's a similar spirit to the music.
   http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes

   The Cave Singers--They kind of inhabit a middle ground between the Foxes and the Trappers. Really fantastic songs that draw from a lot of different kinds of Americana sounds. And cool dudes.
   http://www.myspace.com/thecavesingers

   The Bees--From the UK, they've got kind of a 60s folk-tinged psychedelic pop sound (some places in the US you'll have to look them up under 'Band of Bees', as a US band called 'The Bees'--who've now changed to 'The Silver Seas' existed when they tried to start releasing their music over here)
   http://www.myspace.com/thebeesofficial

   The Black Keys--Dirty blues-rock that should definitely appeal to the funky southern-rock that crops up here and there in Trapperland.
   http://www.myspace.com/theblackkeys

   The Whigs--Amazing garage rock trio from Georgia. They will rock your faces off. I dug these guys from first listen, but after I saw them last year...holy crap. They lay it all out there.
   http://www.myspace.com/thewhigs

   Mt St Helens Vietnam Band--If you dig the more frantic frezied off-kilter rock that BT throws down, you definitely need to give these guys a listen. Their album is electric.
   http://www.myspace.com/mtsthelensvietnamband

   Menomena--I guess we'll call it indie rock, as a catch-all. What it really is...is thick with sounds...songs jam packed with everything including the kitchen sink, in a way that probably *should* be overwhelming, but isn't. Their songs aren't reliant on the noise, either, and stand just as well stripped down to acoustic instruments, as you can see (hear?) here: http://bit.ly/luJcv
   http://www.myspace.com/menomena

   Timber Timbre--Dark, stark, backwoods folk. Fans of 'Black River Killer' would do well to check out the album "Medicinals"
   http://www.myspace.com/timbertimbre

   Dr Dog--Quite like the band Spike above mentioned, the Moondoogies. Very laid back 60s & 70s-reminiscent soulful poppy rock jams.
   http://www.myspace.com/drdog

   Posted 7 months ago #
3. 

   marty
   Trapper

   If you haven't heard Midlake you should go listen to Van Occupanther right now. Other groups we love include Beach House, Vetiver, the Jicks, and Alela Diane.

   Posted 7 months ago #
4. 

   yomcmikec
   Member

   Megafaun, Blind Pilot

   Posted 7 months ago #
5. 

   Brubeedoobee
   Member

   Drive-by Truckers.

   Posted 7 months ago #
6. 

   MorningCoffee
   Member

   Double A-awesome topic

   A LOT of great artists listed already. Vetiver, Fleet Foxes, Dr. Dog, Bees, Black Keys, Cave Singers, Moondoggies are all artists that I've been following for quite some time now. Highly recommend them all!

   Few more getting a lot of iPod playtime lately for me:
   Akron/Family
   The Felice Brothers
   Grizzly Bear

   Posted 7 months ago #
7. 

   Matt
   Key Master

   Yeah, definitely enjoying this thread! Gotta say I'm especially happy to see the Bees made the cut. Those guys are pretty great and way under-appreciated in the US.

   I might also throw out Deerhoof. Their albums are kind of uneven, but when they're on they are ON. They've got some of that same combo of really wonderful melodies and inventive arrangements that makes me love BT. Also, they've got a kind of hidden classic rock influence... see them live and it comes out more. There are some epic, hug-the-stranger-next-to-you riffs in there. I know a lot of the BT guys are huge Deerhoof fans. We've definitely rocked it in the van on the occasions that I've ridden along.

   Oh, and DUNGEN! Definitely.

   And maybe Os Mutantes? For me at least. OK, digressing now...

   Posted 7 months ago #
8. 

   spikewilbury
   Member

   Speaking of Deerhoof, I would add Deer Tick to the list. I really like the new album.

   Posted 7 months ago #
9. 

   steve mock
   Member

   Alright. Great topic. Good nuggets to pursue for sure.

   I'm gonna' throw one down from the wayback machine: Game Theory. (The band, not the record.)

   When I first got hip to BT, very evocative of GT they were to me. Super fine melodies and arrangements. Great rhythms and instrumental work. Similar vocal timbre and stylings. Beautiful. These guys came out of the "Paisley Underground" scene of 80's LA and eventually hooked up with Mitch Easter and the Athens, GA jangle-pop gang.

   If you can find it (long out of print), the '87 double LP "Lolita Nation" is a masterpiece. (I swear I hear traces of Lolita on Wild Mountain Nation.) Also, "Tinkers to Evers to Chance" is a great compilation.

   Posted 7 months ago #
10. 

    ALady
    Member

    Good call on the Moondoggies. I wish they would tour outside the Pacific Northwest sometime!

    Midlake just sent out a message to their mailing list saying their new record is being mixed now. Great news.

    I think The Acorn might appeal to BT fans.

    Posted 7 months ago #
11. 

    GrangerLang
    Member

    I'm pretty amped other people have heard of The Bees, let alone dig 'em!

    A couple more that popped into my head:
    Black Whales http://www.myspace.com/blackwhales
    Guggenheim Grotto http://www.myspace.com/guggenheimgrotto

    Posted 6 months ago #
12. 

    spikewilbury
    Member

    The Maldives from Seattle

    http://www.myspace.com/themaldives

    Posted 6 months ago #
13. 

    MorningCoffee
    Member

    I saw The Acorn play with Calexico in Tarrytown, NY...went because the gf at the time was big on Calexico, but I came away with a new fondness for The Acorn...good call ALady :)

    Posted 6 months ago #
14. 

    Beth
    Member

    I have fallen in love with The Moondoggies!! Thanks for all the suggestions...still checking some of them out. Some I may need to give a few listens before I can make the final call. My music taste is all over the place but some of my all time faves are: Dave Matthews Band, Cowboy Junkies, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Blue Rodeo, Neil Young...I could go on and on. I know those bands might be pretty mainstream but to me it is good stuff.

    Posted 6 months ago #
15. 

    nooneastern
    Member

    maybe Apollo Sunshine ?

    Posted 6 months ago #
16. 

    ALady
    Member

    Alberta Cross, maybe.

    Posted 6 months ago #
17. 

    spikewilbury
    Member

    Since everybody seems to be digging the Moondoggies, I thought I'd post this video. This is Kevin Murphy from the Moondoggies performing "Undertaker" acoustic at the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle.

    Posted 6 months ago #
18. 

    lover
    Member

    Fionn Regan
    

    Bon Iver
    

    Northern Howl
    

    Beirut
    

    Andrew Bird
    

    Posted 6 months ago #
19. 

    Fan of GreatWavesOfChange.org
    Member

    - enya...okay, just kidding. om down...

    -George Harrison-All Things Must Pass album
    -Alison Brown Quartet see: http://compassrecords.com/alison-brown 9.11. & 9.13 in Bend, OR
    -Grant Lee Buffalo--Mighty Joe Moon album -- just listen, this is SO fuckin' good
    -Grant Lee Phillips--Virginia Creeper album -- ditto
    -William Elliot Whitmore

    -American Analog Project
    -Thee More Shallows
    -Viva Voce (maybe doesn't count--another PDX band, 2 piece, groove albums, rockin' live)

    -Air
    -Mike Gordon-Green Sparrow album is my fave, also 2 with the god, Leo Kottke
    -Stuart Davis
    -Grateful Dead-studio: American Beauty & Workingman's Dead, live: vault releases early 70s and late 80s - early 90s
    -Peter Gabriel-Big Blue Ball-good world beat & Up is good

    -Axiom of Choice-Unfolding & Niya Yesh albums-middle eastern--check out the polyrhythmic drums & soaring female vocals on these uplifting wolrd tracks
    -Buddy Guy & Junior Wells (early 70s live tracks especially), Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, R. Johnson, Fenton Robinson--great rockin'/chill blues
    -James Brown-cold sweat/get on the good foot era shit
    -Eddie Vedder-Into the Wild soundtrack w/ Kaki King

    -Ravi Shankar--anything live, nearly all studio stuff, Chants of India is so nice--classical Indian of course
    -Brian Eno's ambient stuff like track "An Ending (Ascent)" good place to start
    -Marconi Union-ambient that builds to a more dub sound--Under wires and searchlights album
    -Nick Drake--probably a 'duh'
    -Yo La Tengo- same

    -DJ Cheb I Sabbah
    -(the) Faces--Rod Stewart era, w/ Ronnie Wood & Ronnie Lane shit
    -Kardes Turkuler-world, turkish
    -Townes Van Zandt
    - Bonnie "Prince" Billy-The Letting Go
    -BILL HICKS-greatest standup comic ever, Seinfeld, Leno, Shandling, & many others got rich off watered down versions of his material made palatable for the masses.
    albums: Rant in E Minor, Arizona Bay, Dangerous, Relentless, Salvation, etc.
    Also any live DVD album, phenomenal talent, insightful social and human commentary, a must hear.

    Posted 6 months ago #
20. 

    Beth
    Member

    Give "Hoots & Hellmouth" from Philly a listen.

    Posted 6 months ago #
21. 

    albie
    Member

    I'm in a band called Magnetic Flowers. We're from South Carolina. We get lots of comparisons from others to Bright Eyes, Arcade Fire, Okkervil River, and Wilco. However, I like to thing we'd fit in with The Band, BT, and Dr. Dog. Listen and see! We've got a new record out; should be available soon on itunes, emusic, the usual...

    http://www.myspace.com/magneticflowers

    - Albie.

    Posted 6 months ago #
22. 

    yetifriend
    Member

    haha I was reading this and wondering when Okkervil River would appear in this list. I'd also suggest Phil Ochs...he's not around anymore, but he has some folky stuff, a lot of acoustic. lyrically and politically not for everyone I guess, but he's good. I'd also put Elliot Smith up there...some of BT's soft, acoustic songs are in the same mix as his stuff.

    Other bands I'd compare to BT

    - Angus & Julia Stone
    - JF Robitaille (again quiet acoustic stuff)
    - believe it or not, Foo Fighters do some quiet stuff too; they have a great acoustic album called In Your Honor (Disc 2)
    - Normanoak
    - (not that similar) but I totally recommend The Bats
    - Good Old War
    - Wreckless Eric
    - Voxtrot

    I can't wait to check out all the bands people are suggesting!

    Posted 6 months ago #
23. 

    Sloshed
    Member

    Sleepy Driver:
    

    Posted 6 months ago #
24. 

    nooneastern
    Member

    a couple of (slightly) older artists:
    The Mother Hips (new album soon!)
    Bill Fox
    The Court & Spark (and the singer's new band Hiss Golden Messenger)
    Mike Coykendall (his solo album and his band Old Joe Clarks...i think he also actually worked on Furr)

    Posted 6 months ago #
25. 

    nooneastern
    Member

    a few more interesting artists:
    Golden Boots
    Beachwood Sparks
    Fruit Bats
    The Slip
    Giant Sand
    Tyler Ramsey
    Karl Blau

    Posted 6 months ago #

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