Gothic Americana/ Alt-Country/ Dark Cabaret
 

Just wondering if anyone else on this forum is a fan of the growing "Gothic Country" trend that's been emerging since the early 2000s. For those who are not aware of this growing trend it's essentially country music that's taken a far more rustic approach to country music and the songwriting has taken a more dark tone. Songs about murder, abuse, alcoholism, and tragedy often make up the song matter. It's a very immursive genre of music, you put on the album and it really stays with you. The best part is that it completely ignores all aspects of what makes up the popular country today (Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Ryan Adams, etc.) and just does its own thing. Highly recommend looking into this genre if you're interesting in country music. I'll put a list of bands with a link to their last.fm or myspace account at the bottom of this post. I want both the good and the negative feedback, but if you're going to post negative feedback just please make it smart with some idea of what you're talking about, not just "country music is teh suxorz".

edit: I would post links to sites but apparently I'm not allowed to because I haven't made 15 posts, so instead I'm just going to list off some of my favourite bands.

Elliott BROOD
Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots
Those Poor Bastards
O'Death
Pinebox Serenade

Me!




Nice explanation. I have been getting into this rather eclectic sound for a long while now and feel a bit of a loner in my enjoyment of Americana. It is a strange term though and to a degree in the ear of the beholder. One could argue that at time even the likes of Dylan, just as an example, could be included. In terms of style it may in fact at times leave new listeners confused. Take for example Johnny Dowd who to me is the complete opposite in style to say Calexico yet both have been lumped in that genre. That is were the term Goth comes into it I suppose. Dowd lyricism is everything that you described above. Calexico have plenty of instrumental tracks with a Desert Rock sound. The joys of trying to pigeon hole artists. As to "country music is teh suxorz" yes it is disappointing. Unfortunately some are not prone to look beyond their own prejudices. I remember hearing that Classical Music all "sounded the same" when I was young bloke so best not worry about it I guess.



I this week offered a mix tape of artists if anyone was interested but got no reply so it is hardly worth the effort.

I have a Mountain Meadows by Elliot Brood but have not given it a good listen yet. The same as Those Poor Bastards, I have 2 Songs Of Desperation and Hell Fire Hymns and again I need to play them more. O'Death I have Head Home and it is a terrific album. I will have to check out the other names as they are new to me.

I have plenty of favourites and it would be a long list indeed. Over the last few months I have seen live Howe Gleb of Giant Sands fame and Robert Fisher of Willard Grant Conspiracy. If you have not heard either of those two artists I strongly recommend them. If you have I would be surprised if you disliked them. I am going to see a double bill of John Doe and Jim White next week and will write a revue in my journal. I have one John Doe album called A Year In The Wilderness. John Doe was in the cult LA punk band X but has moved towards a more Country style later in life. I struggle a bit with A Year In The Wilderness. Jim White I consider one of the best songwriters I have ever heard in my life, all genres. I only discovered him recently and have not stopped playing his 4 albums. Next weeks gig can not come quick enough. I consider his debut album Wrong-Eyed Jesus (The Mysterious Tale of How I Shouted) essential. His other 3 releases, considering the brilliance of the debut, are all very good albums. He also has a soundtrack of various artists called Jim White Presents Music from Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus that IMO is a very good starting place for the Gothic Country Americana genre.

There are plenty more that I listen to so I will not give too much away as I may be entering a few songs into the regular Music Banter Compilation as some of the regular Sherlock Holmes around here are a bit too good at picking my selections:p:

O'Death are all kinds o awesome

By the way, another band to add to the mix is The Woes

I have been addicted to this sound for years, and it really began with Elliott BROOD (though to be truly fair, it began with Johnny Cash).

Of late I have been really digging deeper, and begun to build up quite the collection of dark/gothic/urban folk and bluegrass. As Pobody's Nerfect and I have been building quite the little list.

.357 String Band
Elliott BROOD
O'Death
Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots
The Tallest Man on Earth
Drive By Truckers
Those Poor bastards
Lucero
The Interpestuals
Two Cow Garage
Mr. Plow
Pinebox Serenade
Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies
Sons of Perdition
The Spitfire Tumbleweeds
The Dad Horse Experience
Courtney Wing

I am sure I have more, and were I less impatient, I would hunt for more, but for the time being that is a pretty good list.

I am a big fan of folk of all types as well. Mostly.

Nice to see you joining the forums Chris, is .357 Magnum a different band or did .357 String Band just change their name?

That was a typo on my part. I was typing fast and high, and did not do a check.

.357 String Band indeed.

Now that I have enough posts I'm going to start posting some videos of examples of Gothic Country, enjoy!



That should be enough to give you guys a good start, anymore questions just ask me or The Prophet.

Here's a couple from Jim White. He played both of these when I caught him live recently. Terrific songs.

The absolutely weird Johnny Dowd. Murder lyrics with an off tune hillbilly voice makes this an acquired taste.

Yes, yes it does :P

It's not americana but I highly recommend Alexander Turner's album 'Old Fog' for Folk music with a dark twist.

To anybody interested I'm going to be putting a gothic country mix tape up as soon as it's done uploading to mediafire. Just check the General Music area for the thread.

edit: I will look up Alexnader Turner's "Old Fog", thanks for the recommendation jackhammer.

Broadcasting a radio show, first half live band Hip-hop, but more importantly the second half is all Dark Americana/Gothic/grim country.

http://38.96.148.80:5592/radio.m3u

Also, anyone here familiar with Steve von Till? (other than Pobody's Nerfect)...

I've heard some Jim White before, but other than that I have absolutely no knowledge of this stuff. Definitely an area I'll investigate more over the weekend though - I'll have a look out for some of the artists you guys mentioned. I'll post back with the first impressions

4ZZZ sent me the link to an entire page full of links for full downloads of gothic country artists, I'd recommend asking him for the link as I seem to have misplaced it. I also forgot what I gave you, I have loads more, if you could tell me what i sent you I could upload some of the new stuff.

You mean me I presume.

Pinebox Serenade and Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots. One play so will not comment until I have given them a further thrash.

Elliot Brood. Ambassador and the Ep Tin Type I have not played I have not played though I have Mountain Meadows. This is a very good album indeed so once this is out of my system I will be giving Ambassador a good play. Top band, Fast paced punky country rock. Makes me walk faster. The singer has a great gravel voice. The blend of fast paced acoustic thrash and banjos gives this a real dance hall feel. Recommended.

Interpestuals. I like them. Boots & Skulls is a great song.

Cod Lund and .375 String band have yet to be played.

I have been cheating on you with Bulldog I'm afraid and sharing my dirty dirty music with him... you might wanna get yourself checked out... just saying. But yes, anyway you could dig up that link for me again? I stupidly deleted the message with it was in.

I would like that link as well.

Haa haa:D.

Link for you and Terrible Lizard PMed.

:D

No need to worry about that link. I've got a long (booze-free) weekend off ahead of me so I've got plenty of time to do a bit of online research myself :)

Sharing this stuff is a great feeling.

So much amazing music in this growing genre.

16 Horsepower are something else, let me say. I mean, damn...

I just got my hands on Pinebox Serenade's sophomore album "Let The River Take Them Home" so PM me if you want it.

Does anyone have an O'Death album they would like to share?

I got their debut if you're interested.

I have their 2nd one Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin, check you inbox in an hour or so.

Cheers. That would be good.:wave:

Bulldog sent me this guy and I gotta say, I haven't been as blown away by one particular artist in a while. So blown away in fact I had to go out and get his discography, Demonoid is so awesome :)

Good to hear you're enjoying his stuff. I feel more or less the same way about Pinebox Serenade - cheers again for the link.

Did you manage to find 'Old Fog'?

No bad albums in his catalogue Pobody. I have been banging on to all and sundry for a couple of months now as to how good this bloke is. I slipped the same clip into my journal http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...tml#post562686.

Also a live revue. http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...tml#post608397

There is another 2 album's that I found that he was a contributor to, Hellwood and a Soundtrack Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus. They are on that link I sent you.

I said it in the journal and I will say it again and again. Wrong Eyed Jesus (Mysterious Tale Of How I Shouted), his debut is one of the best albums I have heard from the Americana genre and one of the best album I have ever heard period. All of the next three album also have some fantastic songs. The album that really creeps up is Drill A Hole In The Substrate And Tell Me What You See.

How this bloke is a lessor known artiste even among those with a more independent bent is a mystery to me.

Happy listening.

No but I haven't, neither Btjunkie or demonoid have them :(

Hate to do a double post but I wanna bump this topic, I have found a new band, Myssouri, here's one of their songs on youtube, lemme know what you think, if you like them I can hook you up with a link.

Masturbating angels. . . :laughing: I want this now.

So, that's the only one I've heard and I LOVE them. Just recently discovered them and couldn't stop listening to Head Home for awhile. Nice thread.

I'm a little taken back that "Head Home" is your favourite O'Death album. Everyone I know who has listened to both has unanimously agree that "Broken Hymns, Limbs, and Skin" is the stronger, more accessible album. The vocalist's voice on "Head Home" was a little too much like a cat being garroted for me, however it did have some good tracks on it. Be expecting periodic PM's from me with links to where you can get albums.

This will be sorted sir :D

Can you sort me as well please? :thumb:

Of course I can fella.

For the people who enjoyed .357 String Band I have their 2nd album downloading right now, if you're interested I will upload it later on today.