Hiro11

I recently bought The Apples in Stereo's newish one "New Magnetic Wonder" and found it terrific. I have no idea why this album was so (relatively) underrated by the critics, it's chock full of top notch indie psychedelic pop and a terrific return to form for the "band".

It also made me break out my old copies of Elephant 6 classics like Olivia Tremor Control's "Dusk at Cubist Castle" and Neutral Milk Hotel's "Aeroplane..."

I love the lo-fi Americana sound of those albums. With all of the ironic post-punk posturing coming out of England these days, it's refreshing to revisit some music that has a little bit of blood and humanity in it...

I'm looking for other lo-fi-type stuff recommendations. Stuff like Guided by Voices' "Bee Thousand" or Sebadoh's "III". Maybe even My Morning Jacket's "Z" fits into this category.

reubs82

Wasn't Elf Power a part of the Elephant 6 collective? I never saw any of them when I was in school in Athens (not my style at the time), but I've recently been listening to some Elf Power. It's not exactly what you're asking for, but it comes from the same "family" as the other two if my thinking is right.

Hiro11

Yep. Is their stuff any good? never heard it.

Adam Tyner

Try the two albums by The Galactic Heroes: "How About San Francisco?" and "Every Sidewalk". Densely arranged pop with a vague Elephant 6 connection (their first album was mastered by Robert Schneider, and the second one was...um, by someone in Of Montreal, IIRC). Nearly every review and article about 'em has had "Elephant 6" mentioned in there somewhere, and it's just great, great, infectiously poppy music.

JPRaup

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

whaaat

I'm not really familiar with any of the above, but it sounds like Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti might be up your alley. I picked up House Arrest and it's excellent.

Hiro11

If you haven't heard Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea", it's an absolute must buy. It's a truly unique and compelling album and one of the best of the ninties. It's one of those albums that stands the test of time and makes people blubber with praise.

JPRaup

He is not alone, I completely agree.

Arpeggi

Black Foliage by the OTC is the best album ever.

Perkinsun Dzees

The Gerbils - Are You Sleepy?

The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

Margot And The Nuclear So And So's

whaaat

Added to my list, thanks for the recommendation.

reubs82

If you do the emusic thing, their album "Areoplane over the Sea" is available there.

mtucker

If you enjoy "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" then I recommend "On Avery Island" as well. I enjoyed the latter just as much as the former.

I've been listening to a lot of The Mountain Goats lately which remind me of Neutral Milk Hotel quite a bit. I find their albums hit or miss but to me "The Coroner's Gambit" and "We All Shall Be Healed" sound very similar to the Neutral Milk Hotel sound.

musick

not sure why it took till me to mention them but........

Beulah


The Coast Is Never Clear


Yoko

so sad that they aren't making records together anymore

fliggil

Check out All-Time Quarterback's self titled album from 1999, which is a compilation of a smaller release and an EP. ATQ is Ben Gibbard's (front man of Death Cab for Cutie) solo project and definately has a lo-fi feel as many of these songs came from an original cassette release (4-track recorded, and he used a condenser mic from an old Sony Walkman)

Hiro11

Thanks for all of the recommendations so far, everyone!

Gdrlv

Completely agree with Neutral Milk Hotel and Beulah recommendations.

Also:
The Spinto Band - Nice and Nicely Done
The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
The Orange Peels - Circling the Sun

SlingshotBandit

Just encountered this thread.

I have to agree, Neutral Milk Hotel's "...Aeroplane..." is top tier Elephant 6.

Some of my other faves are Olivia Tremor Control, Apples In Stereo, Beulah (listen to "Emma Blowgun's Last Stand" and tell me you don't love that song) and I liked Marbles -- which is Robert Schneider (I think that's his name), from A.I.S -- solo thing.

I do not like Elf Power so much. At least not the stuff I've heard from them.

starman9000

I also blubber over Neutral Milk. Love the Mountain goats as well, especially the older/live stuff, his newer stuff just doesn't have the energy, but still a couple of great songs per album I guess.

Not sure if these fit the category, but Mirah is excellant, check out the album "You think it's like this, but really it's like this" or her later ones.

Also check out the Microphones "the glow, Part 2"

If you like sort of goofy music, check out Jason Traeger "My Religion is Love"