by Callum Wilsie
- If You Like: Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and RHCP, You Might Like: Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age, often stylized as QOTSA, is an alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Their work consists of a beautiful blend of pop, rock, grunge, and funk, and they fluctuate between soft and hard rock alike. Their founder, Josh Homme, has various side projects (Eagles of Death Metal, Kyuss, Them Crooked Vultures), but none were more successful than QOTSA, with 7.3 million Spotify listeners. QOTSA’s most popular album is Songs For the Deaf— a concept album about a road trip from L.A. to Joshua Tree, California, with Dave Grohl on drums. However, if you like a more angelic soft rock tone, their 2013 album “…Like Clockwork” is rightfully considered by many a masterpiece.
- If You Like: The Smiths, You Might Like: Talking Heads
Talking Heads was a post-punk band formed in New York in the late 1970’s. Post-punk is a musical movement that started in the 70’s, combining elements of punk with synth, funk, and pop– ie, The Smiths.
Though many people have heard the band name, and one of their songs recently blew up for a second time in history– does the song Psycho Killer ring a bell?– most people haven’t extensively looked into their discography. Their debut album, Talking Heads 77, is arguably their best work, while 1983’s Speaking In Tongues comes in as a close second. If you’ve heard and enjoyed their hit Psycho Killer, I highly recommend listening to its full album, the aforementioned Talking Heads 77.
- If You like: Pink Floyd, You Might Like: Ween
Ween is an experimental rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania. Though their music constantly transcends and changes genres, which may be dizzying for some, they keep a consistent Pink Floyd-esque sound. The psychedelic journey of their 2000 album White Pepper will either make or break your opinion on them– and if you get past that album, you’re ready to break into the rest of their discography, for example, the masterpiece that is Quebec (2003), or even eventually the drug-and-mononucleosis fueled album The Pod (1992).Ween was formed in 1984, when both members Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman were 14. They started talking about and writing music while in high school typing class. As the story goes, they saw a figure called the Boognish appear to them during a weird acid trip. The Boognish commanded them to form Ween, giving them their aliases– Dean and Gene Ween.
- If You Like: Taylor Swift, You Might Like: Bitter Ruin
Bitter Ruin is an experimental pop/dark cabaret duo from Brighton in the UK. Their debut (and only official full length) album Waves (2014) is like living in a fairytale. Close your eyes, grab some headphones, and listen to this album in the dark– with this boy-girl duo, you will get transported into a magical forest. Songs like Love Gone Left, Child in a Seacave, and Tom Thumb offer a sense of youthful yearning romance, while songs like Leather For Hell, Stampede, and Volunteer offer a darker subject matter and more heavy music style. Georgia Train; the lead singer, has INSANE range, and her voice blends seamlessly with her elf-like bandmate Ben Richards. If it came out that Georgia Train was a siren all along, no one would be surprised.
- If You Like: Queen, You Might Like: Jellyfish
Jellyfish, the most underrated band on this list, use rock, post-punk, and Broadway-esque melodies to create the most mind blowing two art rock albums you’ll ever hear. Their sophomore album, Spilt Milk, is a masterpiece. If you like Queen’s use of vocal harmonies, unusual arrangements, and style, you’ll fall in love with Jellyfish. Unfortunately, Jellyfish only have two albums out: Spilt Milk and Bellybutton, but both are easily worth multiple listens. Their song New Mistake is one of the best and most creative singles ever released.
beniciapaw.com 