by Divemistress of the Dark on 20 Jan 2007 02:55
I thought about this for a while...my #1 vote would probably be the New Pornographers. They've put out a few solid albums and I worship at the altar of the lovely and talented Neko Case.
Second choice would have to be Mike Doughty, whose solo album last year wore the laser out of my CD player. He's the former lead singer of the band Soul Coughing and a terrific artist in his own right. His last album was put out on Dave Mathews' vanity label, but the music is an order of magnitude edgier than anything Mathews ever thought about releasing.
Hell, maybe even Glenn Kotche of Wilco - I wrote a thread about this the other day, but he's the [second] best drummer I've ever seen in my life. His live show incorporates some elements similar to Stewart's recordings - unusual noisemaking equipment, a monkey chant box, etc. Seriously, he's just dynamite. Come to think of it, Wilco itself is putting out a new record in May and will probably tour behind it. They still have the mighty Nels Cline in the lineup, to boot.
Maybe a world artist like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_ben">Jorge Ben</a> or Ozomatli...or my favorites <a href="http://paulkelly.com.au/">Paul Kelly and the Boon Companions</a>, which do one hell of a live show and are scheduled to be in the U.S. this spring.
European dates...<a href="http://www.myspace.com/dungen">Dungen</a>!!! Oh wow. I'd have to buy a plane ticket for sure!
Otherwise, I vote for the likes of Bloc Party, Snow Patrol or TV on the Radio. They're all good bands that could use the exposure, and having a 'hip' band on the ticket would appeal to a younger, broader audience than might turn up otherwise. This would also help build the buzz and keep our guys from being shoehorned into some hideous "classic rock" niche.
On Google - site:stewartcopeland.net "your keyword here" - thanks DM!!