CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Observation: it's tiring finding music you like. Secular music, anyway.

I've spent hours on Pandora ; I've wandered aimlessly through Amazon, iTunes, and Myspace. The yield on all my effort so far has been less than encouraging.

I turn to you, fellow CAAers, in desperation. I want recommendations for some good alternative, folk-ish rock/roots rock bands...assuming there are any people here who listen to that sort of thing and the board isn't populated entirely by metal/punk/industrial/emo/electronica fans. (Nothing against any of you, and I know some of you will be highly offended that I ran all of those together with slashes that way, so I beg your forgiveness.)

To make things easier, The Nadas are my favorite band of this type so far. Listen to the stuff on their Myspace and see if you know of anybody with a similar sound.

Note that I'm not looking for anything like Cat Stevens or Peter, Paul and Mary or any of that 60's and 70's junk that may have been called folk music or folk rock back in our parents' halcyon days.

I'm not holding out much hope, so if anyone even makes an effort, you get brownie points.

Fire away, anyone.

I'll keep my eye out. I'm a metal/punk/electri-type myself. But I appreciate all kinds of music. I'll tell you what I come up with.

Your said ranting had me in the crosshairs, but I feel like helping you out anyways. But as my diabolical revenge, I'll recommend Gothic Folk Rock bands:

Dead Can Dance: http://www.myspace.com/deadcandance
Faith and Disease: http://www.myspace.com/faithanddisease
Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots: http://www.myspace.com/munlytheleelewisharlots
Voltaire: http://www.myspace.com/voltairenyc
Rasputina: http://www.myspace.com/rasputina
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: http://www.myspace.com/nickcaveandthebadseeds

If Christian celtic punk sounds even remotely interesting, you should listen to some Ballydowse immediately:

http://www.myspace.com/ballydowse

I would try out The Cranberries. They are a Irish rock band.

http://www.cranberries.com/

I listen to the punk and hardcore and occasionally some metal stuff, but there's a special place in my heart for acoustic music.

I'd recommend checking out Derek Webb, Neutral Milk Hotel (DEFINITELY Neutral Milk Hotel, particularly their album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea), Eisley, Islands, Murder By Death, Sufjan Stevens, and Danielson Famile. Derek Webb is just kind of a guy with a guitar, so is Neutral Milk Hotel. I think they're all particularly entertaining.

I second Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, as well.

Oh, and also, among non-Gothic folk rockers, I would suggest you check out:

Jeff Elbel + Ping http://www.myspace.com/jeff_elbel (Christian)

Oh snap. I also have to second Sufjan Stevens.

Some older bands to consider:

Fairport Convention, particularly their first six albums
Steeleye Span
Pentangle, the first six albums, with John Renbourn
The Pogues — often profane, but occasionally inspired
Richard [and Linda] Thompson
Glass Harp — Phil Keaggy's old band
The Strawbs
Rare Air

Some of these go all the way back to the '60's, but don't hold that against them. You'll never mistake any of them for Peter, Paul and Mary.

Also: Clann An Drumma

Also try Caedmon's Call. Good stuff, lots of vocal harmonies.

The Corrs are good and while there are a mix of genres on Nelly Furtado's: Folklore - a lot of it is folk/alternative/Latino etc.

Like others have said... SUFJAN STEVENS! he is awesome beyond belief!

Also maybe rob dickinson?

Sufjan Stevens
Die Midwestern
The Wake Up.

OK, sorry I'm not commenting on all of these suggestions, but a few thoughts...

If Die Midwestern is so gung-ho about being midwestern, why does the lead singer sound like he's attempting to do a British accent???

Meanwhile, I can't even find The Wake Up anywhere.

Sure am getting a lot of Celtic stuff.

http://www.myspace.com/thewakeup
they are a feel good indie folkISH band. There's a slight tinge of a Beatles sound to them. Actually hearing the lead singer of Die Midwestern's other stuff it sounds like he's attempting to do country. He's voice is naturally more "British" sounding.

Die Midwestern sounds kind of cool (despite the pseudo-Britishness), but it's not like you can actually acquire any of their music anywhere, it seems...

Yeah I beleive that the only way to acqiure their music at the moment is through live shows. And though they aren't really folkish, I'd recommend checking out the lead singer of Die Midwestern's old band, Slow Coming Day. They have some amazing stuff.

Kaori wrote:If Christian celtic punk sounds even remotely interesting, you should listen to some Ballydowse immediately:

http://www.myspace.com/ballydowse

Or Flatfoot 56:
http://www.purevolume.com/flatfoot56

If you like Folk Metal (kinda an oxymoron) then give Agalloch a try.
http://www.myspace.com/agalloch

Eisley are pretty much folk rock.

Ulver - Kveldssanger

Hey Redmage you might want to try looking up Surrogate as well.

http://www.purevolume.com/surrogate

I'm not big into the folk rock scene, but my favorite would be Ellery (http://www.ellerymusic.com)

Here's a really interesting folk/beduin sounding band that you might enjoy.

Psalters.
http://www.myspace.com/psalters

They are really cool live.

Gooood recommendation, Dude. Psalters are great.