Maybe this isn't the right part of the forum in which to post this, since it IS called "Surf Music General Discussion."

I will leave it to the wisdom and caprices of our esteemed moderators if they wish to move it.

I find the older I get (I'm 40 now) the more and more I prefer instrumental music. There is always a LOT of older, classic rock and pop (and other genres) with vocals that I love, but as far as new-ish, more current bands, I find I tend to go for instrumental acts more often, and not just surf-inspired or retro-surf bands (though there are plenty of those I adore.)

I'm not sure why...maybe it's that I find a lot of what CAN be said in the lyrics of pop/rock music has already been said. Maybe a lot of younger bands just don't have much to say, or what they are saying doesn't connect with me as much for whatever reason. (Like the fact I'm an old coot perhaps?)

screams at young whippersnappers to get off my lawn

Also, it may be that I increasingly appreciate becoming enveloped in the pure tonalities and sounds of the instruments themselves, and of dissecting production techniques, use of effects, dynamics of the music itself minus vocals, and so on.

Anyways, I thought we might have a discussion about other instrumental bands people here may enjoy listening to. I know I'd appreciate getting turned on to new music, and hearing what people's tastes are.

I'll start by naming some instrumental (or largely instrumental) bands whose music I enjoy...

Friends of Dean Martinez. Originally a splinter group from Tuscon band Giant Sand, Friends of DM make some really nice music that evokes not the waves and shore so much as the desert plains. Much of their work reminds me of a soundtrack to an imaginary Western film. Some of their tracks are pretty "experimental" and not all song-like, but they generally craft some realy nice numbers, frequently featuring pedal steel guitar.

Dirty Three. Autralian three-piece consisting of guitar, drums and viola (at times harmonica, keyboards and other instruments join in.) Their music can't really be tagged comfortably in my estimation. Sometimes sparse, sometimes heavy (in an emotional sense) they create really interesting vistas of the mind.

Don Caballero. On-again, off-again band that intermittently releases an album now and then. I guess you could say I admire this band more than I listen to them, but they do have many tunes peppered throughout their discography that I really like. They are often referred to as "math-rock" and, as such, play with bizarro time signatures, highly shifting tempos, etc. Their music is frequently too "busy" for me, but they are really top notch musicians and tighter than a snare drum that's ready to pop its skin.

Those are the only ones I'll mention in detail for now, ,but here is a list of some others that have made some nice instrumental music over the last couple of decades. Some of these bands are now defunct. Many of them may be quite familiar to some of the good folks here:

Scenic, Lanterna, Pell Mell, 5ive Style, Unwed Sailor, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, Impala, Cul de Sac. Mogwai and, of course The Mermen.

Anyone care to chime in?

I also really like The Dirty Three and Don Caballero.
I would also add Big Lazy for great dark Americana instro. I'm also into a lot of the modern post rock instro groups such as the Japanese group, Mono (probably my favorite), Pelican, Red Sparrows; as well as more avant garde/jazz stuff like The Nels Cline Singers. I wold say that instrumental music makes up 95% of my listening these days.

Ryan
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Don Caballero is sick - been listening to them for 8 or 9 years. Great musicians, lots of unique ideas.

Ruhar
I also really like The Dirty Three and Don Caballero.
I would also add Big Lazy for great dark Americana instro. I'm also into a lot of the modern post rock instro groups such as the Japanese group, Mono (probably my favorite), Pelican, Red Sparrows; as well as more avant garde/jazz stuff like The Nels Cline Singers. I wold say that instrumental music makes up 95% of my listening these days.

Never heard of Big Lazy--will check them out. Thanks!

I also really dig Mono, Pellican and Red Sparrows. Good stuff (especially Mono.)

I know Nels Cline's work, but I'm not familiar with The Nels Cline Singers.

Jagshark
But I thought the Mermen are surf?? I mean I know that's debatable.

Yeah, I won't make a judgement call there. If they consider themselves surf and a lot of their fans do, that's jake with me! They just seem like a more expanded, psychedelic kind of surf than what comes to my mind (personally) when I think of Surf...

Calexico - do a lot of instrumental stuff, and also used to be a part of Friends of Dean Martinez (who used to be named Friends of Dean Martin, until Deano's estate got mad).

Great band, Calexico.

Eleki. Spy. Spaghetti Westerns.

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Yeah, I have and dig Watusi 99 by The Hypnomen. I believe they went into a different direction recently, judging by their myspace.

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As far a instrumental from a whole other genre, I'm also into vintage Hawaiian, especially steel guitar based music of the 20's to the 50's.

The term surf music seems to me to be a description of convenience anyway, but that's another topic. Some recent non surf (strictly speaking) from modern bands I have enjoyed in the last year--

The Concussions "Magic Fingers"
The Barbwires "Sounds Like Trouble"
3 Balls OF Fire "Jet Set Guitars"
The 'Verb "Reverberated For Your Pleasure" This last has been out awhile, and a new album is due soon.

Like I said, these all have surf elements and tunes, but overall, I consider them more broadly "instrumental" bands.

I too love Friends of Dean Martinez.Their smooth yet haunting songs are great for relaxing,or even dare I say "sexy". The ladies in my life seem to really enjoy their music when we're "romantic"
I would certainly recommend "The Shadow Of Your Smile","Retrograde ","Atardecer ",and"A Place In The Sun "albums to anybody. GREEAATT stuff!

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brandonio
I too love Friends of Dean Martinez.Their smooth yet haunting songs are great for relaxing,or even dare I say "sexy". The ladies in my life seem to really enjoy their music when we're "romantic"
I would certainly recommend "The Shadow Of Your Smile","Retrograde ","Atardecer ",and"A Place In The Sun "albums to anybody. GREEAATT stuff!

uh...yep I can vouch for that

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