Depressing Music

[Odin]

I need some, and specific samples. I know my kings of the genre, however I don't always know which are the fast songs or the mellow introspective ones.

IE, I know to edonkey on readiohead: and already know kp, and how to disappear completely, but what else. Also I have some really good GYBE, and Sigur Ross, but I need more.

MD9 I am looking in your general direction.

[acostiga]

portishead always seems like depressing music when i hear it.

maybe you should try some country or western, or even country and western? they're always singing about something depressing, right?

[Mulletizer]

Most of the songs on Nevermind by Nirvana.

[schuss]

mazzy star?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Low - whispery dualling male/female vocals, slow & brooding, simple percussion & acoustics. Amazing live show.

http://www.epitonic.com/songstreamer?coid=177101&bbadd=yes

[Plakespear]

James Taylor. That guy could make Zippety Doo Dah sound depressing.

Harry Chapin- his stuff will make you more suicidl than any Judas Preist or Slayer album ever could.

Hayden- hard to find, but shouldn't be too problematic now that they've got the internet on computers.

Sun Kil Moon- although it's brilliant.

[CaddyDaddy77]

Damn, you guys are good.

I was thinking Mazzy Star and Portishead right off the bat.

Also , Depressed Mode and the Cure.

The "When Hally Meet Sally" soundtrack. All by Harry Connick Jr.,

[Theodore]

Originally posted by CaddyDaddy77
I was thinking Mazzy Star and Portishead right off the bat.

Me too. Try Gary Jules remake of Mad World, and try not to slit your wrists. Some Torry Amos, CKY - Sara's Mask, Fiona Apple - Sullen Girl, Live - Lightning Crashes, Metallica - One, Papa - Roach - Last Resort, Pete Yorn - Lose You, Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight, Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings(platoon theme), and last but not least, Hillary Duff. It may be just me, but I feel like killing myself whenever I hear her music. Hope some are helpful.

Ted

[CaddyDaddy77]

Damn Ted, sounds like you might have compliled a cd at one time?

Also for got Radiohead. About anything will do but just got back from running errands and Kid A was in the player, good but down stuff.

Also high Fidelity Soundtrack.
1. You're Gonna Miss Me - 13th Floor Elevators Listen Listen Listen
2. Everybody's Gonna Be Happy - The Kinks Listen Listen Listen
3. I'm Wrong About Everything - John Wesley Harding Listen Listen Listen
4. Oh! Sweet Nuthin' - The Velvet Underground Listen Listen Listen
5. Always See Your Face - Love Listen Listen Listen
6. Most Of The Time - Bob Dylan
7. Fallen For You - Shiela Nicholls
8. Dry The Rain - The Beta Band
9. Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
10. Cold Blooded Old Times - Smog
11. Let's Get It On - Jack Black
12. Lo Boob Oscillator - Stereolab
13. Inside Game - Royal Trux
14. Who Loves The Sun - The Velvet Underground
15. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) - Stevie Wonder

[Theodore]

Not at all... I just wen't through my MP3's and listed what ever caught my eye. Might not be a bad one though....

[Steven S. Dallas]

"Nothing Lasts," by Matthew Sweet. Hands down the most depressing song I can think of at this exact moment in time.

Also see The Band, generally.

[gincognito]

Originally posted by Plakespear


Hayden- hard to find, but shouldn't be too problematic now that they've got the internet on computers.



Good call on Hayden. Everything I Long For is a brilliant album. As is the Moving Careful EP. In September is one of the most bitter songs I've heard.

Also, can't go wrong with Leonard Cohen. The best of will get you Famous Blue Raincoat, Chelsea Hotel, Suzanne etc. Not him at his most depressing, but certainly his most melodic and melancholy.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and Tom Waits could also fit the bill),
d.

[divegirl]

Originally posted by gincognito
(and Tom Waits could also fit the bill),
d.

Ditto!!

The Cure.

[Woodsy]

Hank williams 1 and 3

Nick Drake

Tom Waits

Uncle Tupelo

Robert Johnson

Muddy Waters
( don call it the blues fa nothin, dig?)

[schuss]

kind emo-ey, but all american rejects are one of the most depressing bands ever.

[meatdrink9]

Odin, D'oh...sorry I didn't see this for so long. The Cure is great. Depeche Mode actually means something more along the lines of Fashion Forward than depressed mood, but still a good choice.

MUM is off the hook. Some of the most beautfiul music I've ever heard. "Finally we are no one" is a haunting album. For one track to instantly blow your sad mind listen to "the land between solar systems". This CD is prolly in my top 10 downer list. Also from Iceland.

What radiohead and sigur ros are you spinning? I've got tons of reccomendations along those lines from various albums, bootlegs, live recordings, b-sides, etc.. I think I've got 3 or 4 disks worth of unrealeased Radiohead goodies. I don't know if you've got: "true love waits", "how I made my millions", "fog"...

Grandaddy's sophtware slump has a few good downer tracks as well. Probably the best track of that nature on that album would be "he's simple, he's dumb, he's the pilot". "Miner at the Dial a view" and "so you'll aim towards the sky" are good as well.

Death Cab for Cutie's album "Transatlaticism" is pretty cool, but the title track would be perfect in a downer mix.

I hope some of this stuff hits home. MUM is as good as it gets.

[iskibc]

Type-O-Negative
NIN

[Innominatus]

Nick Drake definitely plumbs the depths.

Others that hit the melancholy vibe:

Grant Lee Buffalo / Grant Lee Phillips

The Son Volt arm of the aforementioned Uncle Tupelo (and Wilco, to a lesser degree)

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (heh)

Cowboy Junkies (sometimes)

Townes Van Zandt

Walters, Big and Little

Mike Bloomfield

[Odin]

Originally posted by meatdrink9


What radiohead and sigur ros are you spinning?

Oh you know, a hodge podge of favorites from the Bends, OK, and some of their new stuff (the gloaming, backdrifts)

Also the usuals from ()

Dogon, hafssol, staralfur, nothing song, amongst others

and NOW onto MUM

[meatdrink9]

If you don't have Kid A and Amnesiac pick them up.

"rabbit in the headlights" is a good track that Thom sings on as well. If you're out downloading grab that one.

For Sigur Ros grab Agaetis Byrjun if don't have it. You can get a bunch of free sigur ros downloads here:

http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/media/index.html

Von is a nice track from there first album "von" that's free there.

If you want music to cheer you up after you dive into this abyss grab some Flaming Lips (yoshimi or soft bulletin) and Stereolab. The Lips are genuine, positive and playful. Stereo lab is just plain playful. "reach for the sun" by the polyphonic spree can't help but make you smile as well.

Good luck mang. Let me know what you think of this stuff after a listen.

[meatdrink9]

Oh yeah, you'll also see a couple tracks called "Odin's raven magic" if you follow that link. ;)

[Odin]

Originally posted by meatdrink9

If you want music to cheer you up after you dive into this abyss grab some Flaming Lips (yoshimi or soft bulletin) and Stereolab. The Lips are genuine, positive and playful. Stereo lab is just plain playful. "reach for the sun" by the polyphonic spree can't help but make you smile as well.


Very good, been there already and like em both.

Now working on some of my recent suggestions........ Thanks gents and keep em coming

(note the Mad World I was already downloading at the time, but spot on anyway
Donnie Darko Music = nostalgic depression)

[The AD]

Sun Kil Moon has already been mentioned. Try the songs "Carry Me Ohio" and "Duk Koo Kim."

Red House Painters are basically the same (Mark Kozelek is the frontman for both). They are definitely one of my all-time favorites and definitely fit what you're looking for. Try these songs: Medicine Bottle, Michael, Katy Song, Mistress, Take Me Out, Strawberry Hill, Uncle Joe, Summer Dress, Void, River, Smokey. That should get you started!

I think "In the Morning of the Magicians" off Yoshimi by the Flaming Lips would be good.

"Optimistic" by Radiohead (I think it's on Kid A).

Also look for American Music Club. The albums Everclear and Mercury are good starting points.

[meatdrink9]

Was just looking through a radiohead playlist and I'm sure you're currently listening to it, but pyramid song has to be one of the most beautiful pieces they've produced. Check out the video as well.

[tonghands]

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures, Closer

Strange, vibrant, depressing, brilliant. I've never heard anything quite like it. Closer was recorded a couple of weeks before the lead singer hung himself, and it sounds like it.

[The AD]

Originally posted by tonghands
Joy Division

Excellent suggestion. Also the "Substance" compilation album. Check out the songs "Atmosphere" and "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

[Henry Rollins]

Swans

[yogachik]

Spain - Blue Moods of Spain
Jeff Buckley - Sketches For My Sweetheart, The Drunk

of course, no one is more depressing than Morrissey.

[frozenwater]

let me muscle in here: Specific depeche mode grab black celebration, definately there most dark work.

I like morrisey a lot viva hate is good, and of course the smiths are terrific. If you don't have The bomb by the smiths you are not truly depressed.

[Buster Highmen]

Originally posted by tonghands
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures, Closer

Strange, vibrant, depressing, brilliant. I've never heard anything quite like it. Closer was recorded a couple of weeks before the lead singer hung himself, and it sounds like it.
Still.

[drugged_monkey]

Originally posted by Walter Sobchak
Yo La Tengo, bunch of tracks on And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out and Summer Sun -- esp. "Tears Are In Your Eyes," "Night Falls Over Hoboken," and "Don't Have To Be so Sad."


I just recently picked up this album and It's a goody. A departure from the "speedy motorcycle corner of the world" ;) but equally good. :D

And Sea Change rocks the house too. Good calls. I played Sea Change for funken while driving last winter and I think he was let down. His words were something like..."Beck's become a god damn folk singer." ;) :D

[funkendrenchman]

Tears for Fears - "Mad World"

[snowsprite]

I agree w/ the Morrissey/ Smiths...but for some reason they make me want to hit them. So I have to classify them as depressing *and* rage-inducing.

Stone Temple Pilots "Sour girl" also bums me out a whole lot for some reason.

But Neil Young is the reigning king of depressing tunes. Listen to "Don't Let It Bring You Down" and you want to jump off a bridge...lol!

Sprite

[supercastor]

how come nobody cited the Tindersticks? "Tiny tears" anybody?

The smiths I agree, and Tom Waits of course. In another style, Geoffrey Oryema (almost all the "Exile" album) and Idir ("A vava inouva" album).

[The AD]

Originally posted by supercastor
how come nobody cited the Tindersticks? "Tiny tears" anybody?

I love the Tindersticks. Totally unlike anyone else. My favorite albums are their first self-titled album and Simple Pleasure.

I was just singing a Tindersticks song in the shower this morning! I do a pretty good Stuart Staples impression :)

[tuffy109]

already covered, but if Low, Red House Painters and Joy Division don't do it for you, you're screwed.

[yogachik]

speaking of Joy Division - I finally saw 24 Hour Party People on cable the other day. Has this been discussed already?

[The AD]

Originally posted by yogachik
speaking of Joy Division - I finally saw 24 Hour Party People on cable the other day. Has this been discussed already?

I think I mentioned it here, but I saw it a long time ago now. I thought it was excellent!

[tuffy109]

jude law may be playing ian curtis in a movie on the band

[slim]

- The Magnetic Fields (best slit your wrists depressing love songs ever... EVER.)

- Bedhead (and the new incarnation of Bedhead: The New Year)- like the Velvet Underground on qualudes and one of my favorite all time bands.

- Already mentioned here but Yo La Tengo is an amazing band with quite a few can't miss ablums. "Autumn Sweater" off of I can Hear the Heart Beating as One is a great tune of a master piece of an album.

- Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights - They're the 2003 darlings on the indie scene but the album lives up to the hype.

-Not huge fans of these two bands but it's pretty depressing and big on noise: Mogwai and Arab Strap

If you don't mind heading into the forray of '60s-esque pop... early Belle and Sebastian is incredible (Tigersmilk, If You're Feeling Sinister, and Boy with the Arab Strap).

[tuffy109]

Originally posted by slim
and the new incarnation of Bedhead: The New Year

good? better? texas?

[slim]

Originally posted by tuffy109
good? better? texas?

The Kadane brothers moved to New York City and recruited some of the members of Codeine. I personally like New Year more than Bedhead... tighter and more focused but still has the gigantic 3-guitar landscapes that personified Bedhead. Slightly more uptempo then Bedhead but still very much a low speed band. I haven't gotten their new album yet, but Newness Ends is rarely out of my stereo.

[The AD]

Originally posted by slim
If you don't mind heading into the forray of '60s-esque pop... early Belle and Sebastian is incredible (Tigersmilk, If You're Feeling Sinister, and Boy with the Arab Strap).

I can't really say I find Belle & Sebastian very depressing.

[tuffy109]

Originally posted by slim
The Kadane brothers moved to New York City and recruited some of the members of Codeine.

i just dropped my sandwich.

holy fuck, why didn't i know about this?

[slim]

Originally posted by The AD
I can't really say I find Belle & Sebastian very depressing.

Dude it's totally depressed school boy meets depressed school girl for tea and cookies followed by awkward heavy petting followed by a journal entry pop music. At the very least it's melancholy.

[slim]

Originally posted by tuffy109
i just dropped my sandwich.

holy fuck, why didn't i know about this?

You spend too much time at TGR and not enough at Pitchforkmedia.

[The AD]

Originally posted by slim
Dude it's totally depressed school boy meets depressed school girl for tea and cookies followed by awkward heavy petting followed by a journal entry pop music. At the very least it's melancholy.

OK, I'll buy that description.

A couple good 1980's era Flying Nun label bands (New Zealand) to add to the list: Straitjacket Fits, The Verlaines, The Chills.

[tuffy109]

true.

there are too many indie rock websites.

[slim]

Originally posted by The AD
The Chills.

These guys rule.