Dunno. What about The Gun Club?

Try "Satisfied Mind" by The Walkabouts.
It's a cover album, with both traditional folk and country songs, and modern stuff (Nick Cave, John Cale...) turned 'traditional'. I find it one of the best folk albums I've ever heard.

Have you heard Violent Femmes' second album, "Hallowed Ground"? That could do, too.

Wow - Great thread. I'm a longtime fan of the Handsome Family but I didn't know this was a genre unto itself. Thanks for all the recommendations to check out.

http://exclaim.ca/images/brood1.jpg

Continuing going slowly through the bands in this thread I got Days Into Years by Elliott Brood. The first couple times I tried to listen to it I wasn't in the right mood, but today I was. Very good stuff.

It took me longer to get into Days Into Years than I anticipated, but I do like the progression of their sound across their 3 studio albums. Mountain Meadows still has to be my favorite of the three and largely because it seems to largely abandon the darker imagery in the songs and makes room for something more. I mean the album is pretty dark as it's a reference to the mountain meadows massacre, but the songs weren't just rehashes of the first half of Ambassador.

I'm glad you're enjoying it though. Apparently a lot of the inspiration for the album came from visiting monuments and graveyards for WW1 and WW2 soldiers in France.

Quick reply to say how glad I am to have found this thread, I love this style of music and am working my way through some of the recommendations. I'm only up to page 6 so I have a way to go!

I really wish 16 Horsepower would do a reunion tour, it's almost been 10 years since they broke up and I'm so in love with their music right now it's borderline psychotic.

Has Murder By Death by mentioned in this thread yet? If not, they are definitely worth checking out.

I'm going to have to browse through this thread for some recommendations I've missed.

I just saw them in concert a month or so ago opening for Man Man. They were pretty good live, I may have to give one of their albums a listen at some point.

They're another group I've been meaning to look up for awhile.

Nice Thread!
 

I'm been bitten by the dark bug and it's become in obsession to find more and more music in the genre. Can't get enough music. The Perreze Farm, Mikey Classic and his Lonesome Spur, Sons of Perdition,

Anyone check out Farmageddon Records?

My Graveyard Jaw is damn cool as well as Black Eyed Vermillion and most of the artists with this record company. Kicking myself to not be able to go to the show next week in Montana.

I'm kinda surprised. I thought Murder By Death was sort of a staple.

No, I had not checked out Farmageddon Records until now and I'm glad that I did. From what I checked out, the bands that reside there are a cut above Gothic Country (et al.) and Psychobilly. More like Hank III - pure evil country blues. I'm excited to check out all of the bands on their roster. So far I love these:

Agreed!
 

There whole roster is impressive. I continue to go down the rabbit hole and keep uncovering more and more. I can't help but think that we'll see an embrace of this music within 2 years time.

Yeah, I'm going to keep going with this...

It's not possible but I seriously wish I could attend this..

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...39998065_n.jpg


more farmageddon music:

Yeah I would love to go to this festival too, I would kill to see Slim Cessna's Auto Club live.

Absolutely!
Also, I find it pretty bizarre that they're using a novelty 70s stoner rock band (Pentagram) as the main draw.

http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/wp-con...ity-Berlin.jpg

A Circus/Carnival influence
 

I know that a list of Dark Cabaret suggestions have been posted but has anyone felt and heard (of course) the influence of Circus/Carnival style elements that the Gothic Country/Americanna Noir/Dark Roots draws from?

The orchestration of the arrangements has that feel of a sideshow and music you may hear at the fairgrounds on a dark night in October with the leaves a fallin'. Tom Waits used this style in several of his albums, majorly in "The Black Rider" album.

You can hear influences in 16 Horsepower - Low Estate, Soda Gardocki - Waltzes, Trains, Wires and Wood, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band and many of the folks on Farmageddon Records. So bummed I can't get out to see the 50 strong in Montana.

With the Dark Carnival influence in mind, below are some other albums I think are worth checking out:

The Hellblinki Sextet - A Pirate Broadcast
The Hellblinki Sextet - These Bubbles Come from Ants
The Scarring Party - Come Away From the Light
Beat Circus - Ringleaders Revolt
Beat Circus - Dreamland
Circus Contraption - Our Latest Catalogue
Vagabond Opera - The Zeitgeist Beckons

I know of many others if anyone agrees with the correlation and cares to see more.

Hey all, I just came across 16 Horsepower yesterday and I'm really, REALLY diggin it. Very excited to be delving into the general area of Americana/Country! It seems to be the one broad genre of music I haven't found much enjoyment in and this amazing band has changed my mind.

Not very familiar with it overall... but I'm looking for the whole, 'dark and insane' tortured vibe that 16 Horsepower seems to have. I also like that their songs I've heard so far (the whole Sackcloth 'N Ashes album) tend to have a slower, almost avant garde tempo instead of the upbeat or country romance sort of mechanics that I've come to associate with most country music. 'Black Soul Choir' by 16 HP is what I'm lookin for more of in a nutshell.

I did check out some of the artists here. I'm easily turned off by vocalists I don't like, and a lot of these have too soft or upbeat of a voice for me, despite excellent instrumentals. I need deep and gravelly, or tortured, nothing soft and pretty. Hellblinki Sextet and Soda Gardocki were pretty cool of what I heard. Any other recs similar to those?

Edit: Just for clarification. Hated Elliot Brood, O Death, The Handsome Family, Vagabond Opera, and Circus Contraption, mainly because of vocals.

You're not going to find a band that sounds similar to 16 Horsepower. They have a style and sound that is pretty much completely unique to them. Closest thing you'll find is David Eugene Edwards' solo project Wovenhand, but if 16 HP was heroin then I'd liken Wovehand more to methadone, similar to what you're use to, but just not the same.

I'm open to a slightly different style, and I did like the music/tempo/dark vibe I found on those artists I mentioned hating. I'm just having trouble finding vocals either along the lines of DEE or deep and gravelly, a la Tom Waits.

If you want Tom Waits style vocals you should check out The Peculiar Pretzelmen, although they're more of a cabaret act.



16 Horsepower, again, are hard to replicate, and I think most bands know that. Not only that, but the band never really thought of themselves as a country group. While their influences obviously include bluegrass, country, and traditional folk, DEE has stated in multiple interviews that Joy Division, Nick Cave, The Gun Club, and The Birthday Party are also their influences. I think it's safe to say that many of the other bands that fall under this genre are more influenced by country acts like Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Red Foley, and Bill Monroe, and as such they will adopt singing and playing styles similar to those musicians.

I think you should go through the "Denver Sound" artists, which is basically just a moniker for a collective group of musicians who were all doing variants on the same thing in the late '80's through to the present day. They're all more or less linked together by guest spots, shared musicians, and friendship, and they include Jay Munly, Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Lillium (solo project of 16 HP bass player Pascal Humbert), Tarantella (which features members from SCAC), The Denver Gentlemen (which more or less features everyone, including DEE), etc.






But again, nothing is going to sound precisely like 16 HP, but I think the bands from Denver are your best bet.

For gravely vocals, you'll probably have better luck with Outlaw country bands.

Cabaret... I think that's the genre I'm really looking to explore more, The Peculiar Pretzelmen were the ****. Listening to the whole album this very moment. Denver Gentlemen was really cool too.

Thanks for the tools I need, I really was just plain ignorant on what to call the music I'm looking for. Now I know to google 'Dark Cabaret' as I continue my listening journey!

No More Buffalo?
 

Does anyone have any info on a band called "No More Buffalo"?:banghead: I've seen them once in LA open for Steve Earle but can't find any info anywhere.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ADJESA52L.jpg

I've posted about this compilation before but I thought this might be a better place to put it.

I also attached the torrent link to the image if you wanna clickady click. (otherwise you have to sign up to a website and who can be bothered to do that?)

I´ve been a long-time fan of this thread, though I ´ve never had the temerity to contribute anything - until reading Carpe´s post:-.

I also took up Loathesome Pete´s recommendation, and am enjoying some Peculiar Pretzelmen. Their Marie Laveaux track reminded me of Dr. John´s old album, Gris Gris, and then I found out that the Pretzels have covered one of the best tracks from that album, Walk on Gilded Splinters. So just in case Carpe, or anyone else hasn´t heard it yet, I´m going to clog up the thread with something that will be stale news to many MBers:-

I quite recently found about a Portuguese Alt-Country band (they sing in English though) and I found them to be quite good, maybe you guys will enjoy it.
They're called A Jigsaw.

Finally checked this thread, glad I did! Definitely gonna give that album a listen. I don't have nearly enough in this genre that I love.

I haven't red all the 39 pages (yet), hope you don't mind if I accidentally repeat something.

Angry Johnny and the Killbillies - High Noon in Killville
The Goddamn Gallows - Y'all Mother****er's Need Jesus
The Devil Makes Three - Old Number 7

(yeah, I don't have permission yet to post urls, just copy/paste them on youtube)

I've been dragging myself through this thread lately with the exact same dilemma, I'm absolutely in love with 16 Horsepower but can't seem to find anything else in the genre that comes close. I don't have speakers or headphones available at the moment so I can't check out this last page but have you come across anything yet? Looking for pretty much what you've described above, I too wasn't satisfied with Elliot Brood, O Death, The Handsome Family, Vagabond Opera, and Circus Contraption etc.

Dr. john and The Peculiar Pretzelmen were great recs. Also HellBlinki Sextet's Pirate Broadcast is worth a listen for a few tracks.

16 Horsepower are one of the lowlights (maybe a little harsh a term in retrospect) when it comes to this style for me. They're fine, but nothing special.

Peculiar Pretzelmen are great, Pete suggested them to me years ago now, funny how things come around.

I'd suggest Deadbolt too if you haven't checked them out. Not so much cabaret style, but pretty ****ing cool.

Bob Wayne is all you'll ever need

RE: The Builders and The Butchers

I know this is an OLD post, but wanted to reply anyway. While I agree that it doesn't exactly fit the Gothic MO (Mexican Funeral is how I believe I had heard it described more like) the lack of polish was greatly appealing to me. It just seemed more real or genuine, as if TB&TB would sound nearly identical through my speakers or by a winter campfire. It took me a few listens to appreciate Salvation and Western Medicine as there *gasp* electrified instruments! Overall, as one of my first listens in the genre, they have become one of my favorites PERIOD. I've also become a fan of The Devil Makes Three and Heathen Apostles. I'm making my way through this thread and trying to see what else appeals.

Thanks for all of the effort and input from everyone else. Going to make for some good fun listening.

Howdy folks, I was wonderin if any y'all knew of some pivotal e-zines or blogs on the known alt-country scene still active today.

Hello.

The thread is so wide right now (40 pages so far, nice ;)), and the time is so limited (alas...) so I only mention Johnny Hollow and Dresden Dolls as dark cabaret bands. I'm pretty sure someone wrote them here already, but I can't go back into whole threat, sorry guys and girls.

But one day I will for sure. ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC82...phl86HMgwhTi6y

Canonize this ****.

murder by death are worth a listen... it's been a while but i think 'red of tooth and claw' was the album.

Gothic country rules!



And I was woke up just before dawn
By an old man crying in the rain.
He was drunk and he was lonely
And as he passed by he sang a hymn.
And as I lay there listening,
Well I almost joined him in that song
But instead I just held my peace,
And waited 'till that old man moved along.
Then later on that day about
A quarter mile out of town,
I found his body hanging in
A grove of pines, swaying in the wind.
And as he swang that rope sang another hymn
To Jesus,
And this time though I don't know why,
I somehow felt inclined to sing along.

These lyrics give me ****in' chills.