Singers/bands in your country that we should check out

[ivypixie]

Absolutely, I think music is dominated by the English language, but I guess it's because the English-speaking countries (mainly England and the US) are the countries who most of the music people listen to comes from (also to mention that rock'n'roll and pop and that stuff started in those countries), music from those countries is kind of thrown at us, unlike music from other countries, which we have to seek ourselves, or have to be special interested to find.

The last year I've been finding myself searching for good music from other countries (also, I've stopped before the door out to the world; there's actually plenty of good bands in my own country), because I doubt the reason why there are more known bands from English-speaking countries is because musicians in other lands are less better than the musicians from the English-speaking countries. Most of what I find actually got lyrics on English anyway, and not that I like it less because of it, but when I find some good music where they sing in another language, it makes me glad to see that not everything's globalized to English.

One reason I think bands choose to sing English is that with that language they can reach to so many more people with the lyrics (though, there's lot of bands with sh*tty lyrics they should save the world from it anyway ).

In another way, the domination of English in music (and also tv and movies etc.) is what I can thank my English-knowledge for. I doubt, even with English-classes in school since 1st grade, that my English would be as good as it is now (I hope it's not too bad now! ). Oh, and with that said, I wish there could be more German, French and Spanish (just to mention the most spoken languages in Europe, and what we mostly learn at school here) lyrics in music, and also movies, tv etc., because I'm sure that would've helped me a lot when I had German classes for many years, almost as much as I had English, but because there isn't, I'm much better in English than German.

 

[rollagasper]

my music collection is all english (except for a few french singers like francois hardy and serge gainsbourg). I only understand English and lyricism is important to me, which is why I listen to english songs. When listening to songs in other languages, the connection i feel with the music isn't as strong because of the language barrier.

English artists also get the most coverage on engslish sites. I browse sites like allmusicguide.com and artistdirect.com and all those have tons of english artists but i doubt they list many chinese or finnish artists. Mainstream stuff is usually kind of not my thing, so how else would I find out about foreign artists if they aren't covered on english sites?

 

[Scott]

^actually,Amazon is really great about including a melange of artists. Now Itunes,on the other hand....leaves something to be desired,most often.

but you know that's a really terrific question,strawberry. i dunno....perhaps in a way,no,because i have alot of non-English albums in my collection. French,German,Icelandic and of course the Cocteau Twins sometimes singing in Scottish Gaelic....

i think if one can connect with the emotion that's exude,i don't think lyrics--whatever language they're expressed--really matter that much,ultimately...because either way it will resonate. but having said that also,do you think somebody like Kate Bush would have been such a prolific influence if she didn't?

but maybe it's that English is so universal now and most of the artists making an impact do come from English speaking nations.

 

[Diamond Star]

A few English speaking artists (Rufus Wainwright, Robots in Disguise) have done songs in different languages....but it does seem to be a novelty.
I think if you want to get on the radio/TV in English speaking countries then you have to sing in English, which is a shame

 

[bleuFunk]

I personally have no problem listening to music when i don't understand the lyrics. I would hate to imagine my CD collection without Sigur Ros or Dungen.

(I only know English, though i am trying to learn French.)

And it makes me a bit sad when i hear foreign bands who sing in English when it's not their native tongue. Especially when you can tell they are doing it phonetically.

It's not that lyricism isn't important to me, it's that it's not necessary. And there are certain types of music where (to me) it's more important than others. For example, i love folk music but i don't think that kind of music would move me much if i didn't understand what they were saying.

 

[MulletProof]

great topic, strawberry, wonder where i've been to miss this.

I've been typing a million things here but backspaced so much I am now fantastically confused.

My take here is pretty much the same as in the Asian Look thread, they might seem completely unrelated but I do believe that, when it comes to power nations, they're the ones with the financial means to spread their culture around the globe in an dominating and often imposing way.. they rarely import, they seem exclusively devoted to exportation, which can do wonders in agriculture but certainly comes with a backlash when applied to culture, where the more, the merrier should always be the top for everybody, it's not only music what's dominated by english language, it's all around, even english-speakers seem almost uncapable of dominating second language simply because being exposed to a different culture is completely out of their reach (unless they move out, obviously) and interest in many unfortunate cases... even in my circle of friends where spanish is what we speak, saying I like this song by chavela vargas is something to giggle at, you either listen to her because you're pretentious, intellectual-aspiring or just a freak, it's very puzzling and sad at the same time, and nobody really wants to invest on music that's sang in something that's not english, it doesnt go with the lifestyle they've been taught to achieve. even record companies quickly suggest musicians to move onto english.. so, despite the quality, the stubborness in some bands/filmmakers/etc to stick to a non-english market is something to be very admired IMO.

Regarding the quality, I think that being so limited with one language also leads to having very few bands out there in the "no-english" national scene, which also leads to a lack of competition and therefore a lack of progress, I'm not trying to say these bands are stuck but most of them are definitely not coping with what those who are singing in English are into at the time. and when they're out of time..not representing any generation in particular (which also keeps potential fans apart, fans that want quality as much as they want the so-called zeitgeist), despite their guitar skills or whatever, they're easily forgotten..and that is definitely frustrating to witness.

Anyway, on a positive, perhaps contradicting note: albeit followed by smaller audiences, there's always something great happening in all countries, it just takes the right amount of courage to familiarise yourself with foreign music, whatever language you want to focus on, one band leads to another and soon enough, you'll even have the luxury to handpick what you want to listen to instead of being given shakira for spanish, ingrid for french or whoever the devil in choosen country is.

 

[daddyslittlegrl8]

Definately. I would love to hear music from other languages!

dlg

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

M - only you would find a place for agriculture in a music discussion! (and music in an agricultural one no doubt )

oh, i've no problem listening to something i don't understand - it feels like my own collaboration with the artist when i get to hear what i want instead of what they're saying.

 

[xtine888]

Really loved your post, strawberry daiquiri. I completely agree...it IS too dominated by the English language. I find myself increasingly searching for foreign (to me) languaged music and right now I'm very much into the Asian music scene. Faye Wong and Jay Chou are two of my favorite artists and they sing almost exclusively in Mandarin. I don't understand a word of Mandarin, but I absolutely love their stuff. I also love J-pop, despite understanding like 0.2% of it. There's something awesome about listen to music with lyrics you can't understand; it makes you appreciate the general music and the singer's voice, imo. Plus, you could always find translations online.

Also, you get to bypass really crappy lyrics; the ones that are coming to my mind right now is a Hilary Duff song where she sings, "If the light's not on, then it's off." LOL. Good for laughs, but not for a song. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of really good English-language music out there, although often muddled with the truly terrible.

 

[snowqueen]

Liverpool lads n ladies

the wombats

the zutons

the coral

ladytron

the dead 60's

betty page

hot club de paris

the little flames

and my mates band connecting flight

eton road

... can all be found on myspace

 

[tifa]

ARAB STRAP
from glasgow

sound like: a drunkard recollections of the nights before to beautiful music. amazing lyrics. oh and they've also split up now reminds me of...i can't think.

like them: cos they're so honest and it strikes a real chord with me. you'd like them if you are the kind of person who likes summer, getting drunk, talking about failed relationships

tunes to get: love detective, packs of three, cherubs, i would've liked me a lot last night, scenery

CAMERA OBSCURA
from glasgow

sound like: beautiful female vocals to sweeping orchestral arrangements
a bit like belle&sebastien

the ultimate tune to get: lloyd, i'm ready to be heartbroken

 

[chaneladdict]

i LOVE Camera Obscura!!

 

[starfish]

^^ I used to listen to "shine like a new pin" over and over and over again. I don't know, I'm not too keen on the "new" album though.

I'll get back with my own recommendations.

 

[Diamond Star]

Emmy The Great ( http://www.myspace.com/emmythegreat)- amazing voice and wonderful witty lyrics

Jeremy Warmsley-Got his album recently and it's amazing (http://www.myspace.com/jeremywarmsley)

 

[starfish]

I'm also from Sweden and as I'm very into the tweepop scene, that's what I'd like to recommend.

second-hand furniture.
typical swedish twee, really summerish sound, harmonizing, jangly guitars, call-response.

listen to their songs here; http://secondhandfurniture.tk/
personal favourites on site: nice try, sunshine! (actually one of my favourites of all time)
people like you
hard to distinguish from each other


dorotea.
short, powerful songs (most under 2 minutes)
was compared to early jesus & marychain. I wouldn't know since I never listened to them.

listen here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=72231586
favourite on site: my guilty conscience

 

[starfish]

and last one for now; hormones in abundance.

this one-man-band (with some guest singing) consists of patrik, who when he started out were in his mid-teens (he's now 21 or 22). he writes fantastic lyrics and uses the drum machine like no one.

listen here; http://myspace.com/hormonesinabundance
favourite on site; fun in town
true love's core

 

[chaneladdict]

I'm not from Sweden, but a musician from there I've recently gotten into is Loney, Dear. My fiance got me the cd for Valentine's and I haven't stopped listening

 

[starfish]

^ I love love love "the city, the airport", but haven't heard anything else. how is the rest of the album?

 

[Diamond Star]

Anyone remember Test Icicles? One of the former band members Dev is releasing his own album and it sounds like it's going to be really good:
http://www.myspace.com/lightspeedchampion

 

[chaneladdict]

It's really good I had never heard of them and he surprised me with it thinking I would love it and he was spot on