Seeking music recommendations!

• I tend to love specific songs rather than whole albums. My taste isn't hugely eclectic— I guess I lean towards melodic music, mostly folksy, some classical. I'm partial to hamonies, to the violin, to women's voices, and perhaps to melancholy music! I'm looking for new music and it's been a while since I found anything new I loved. Help me with recommendations—more details inside. I'd be absolutely thrilled with recommendations of specific songs from unexplored genres that I might enjoy. I'd also love any insights on the sort of music I seem to enjoy. 1. Contemporary folksy/alternative stuff: I'm very picky but would love recommendations. I love Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (a lot of their songs, including Falling Slowly, Lies, The Swell Season). Dan Mangan (The only song I've loved so far is The Indie Queens are Waiting, with its harmonies. I don't especially like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRcXULN6mp4, for example.). I've recently been listening to Lily & Madeleine and enjoying them. After I found and absolutely loved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4QQ7HYYdWw of Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling's The Water, I tried Laura Marling and Johnny Flynn independently but so far haven't especially loved any of their songs. 2. Brit folk: Almost all instrumental traditional or trad-style music, especially stuff on the fiddle—Natalie MacMaster, Lunasa, De Dannan, John McCusker, Eliza Carthy. A LOT of Kate Rusby, June Tabor, Mary Black, Dolores Keane, the Corries, Susan McKeown, Niamh Parsons, etc. Some Sandy Denny, Maddy Prior, Karine Polwart (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVlt-sYzPQc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6zAg9IIgKo, but not https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21IbgTewrMs). I don't much like the Dubliners, Altan, the Bothy Band, Cara Dillon. Only some Loreena McKennit (i.e The Lady of Shallott but not Mummer's Dance). Very little Sinead O'Connor. 3. Indian: A lot of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t8tzt2lJeo (Tagore's music, which is often melancholy and always very melodic), some Kumar Gandharva and Kishori Amonkar, a bit of Baul and other folk music. (But there's a lot of stuff especially on the ubiqitous 'Sufi' compilation that I don't like at all). I don't usually enjoy Indian-jazz-fusion-y stuff. 4. Argentine tango music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmxoFJrHRIs singing most anything; In general, Canaro (ooh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aceyu4RW2Ts) / Di Sarli / Donato / Fresedo / Carabelli rather than D'Arienzo / Biagi / Pugliese (except for valses, which I love no matter which orquestra). 5. Elsewhere in the world: I love most folk dance music. (eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Krk0rmgSLg, some https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eqp2hXHF_A folk dance music) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB7IHDg0kUI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mU0MT5ARPQ, some Ali Farka Toure (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJUE03aeaQ4 but not https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPqnuw1uK1Q). 6. Western classical: I haven't been analytical enough in my listening to be able to clearly describe what I like and don't like. But I think in general the sweeter, rhythmically more predictable pieces. I love Canon in D (but who doesn't?) and waltzes and other dance music. 8. Popular music: Some Beatles songs (Hey Jude, Michelle, When I'm 64, Hello Goodbye), most Simon and Garfunkel. Otherwise, random rongs: Way Back into Love (Music & Lyrics OST), Isobel / White flag / Thank You (Dido), Yesterday once more / Top of the world (Carpenters), Hey There Delilah (Plain White T's — sort of, except for the affectation) 9. Where do these fit in? The https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWBFbE0YaV8 soundtrack. When you taught me how to dance (from Miss Potter). Some Norah Jones. So, fire away! :)

• Answer:

  Andrew Bird's Hands of Glory EP sounds like what you're describing. Close alt-country- folk harmonies with very tasty violin.