Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Now this is my kind of thread.

One of my favorite albums, Manorexia - The Radiolarian Ooze:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssrty01 ... kXpHO2cJkK[/youtube]

Then there's this fantastic album by DJ Pantshead. This isn't the best song on the album, but it's the one I found on Youtube:



And as much as I hate posting Christmas music at this time of the year, here's the definitive version of O Holy Night:

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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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How could I forget Wesley Willis!



For some reason this song reminds me of Castor Troy. [none]
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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And of course, The Beastles. It's amazing how well these songs go together.

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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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^ Interesting stuff. That Manorexia track reminds me of some of Stockhausens's stuff. That O Holy Night is horrifying in a compelling way. That Beastles is awesome! It is amazing how well they work together!
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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I guess I don't really have a weirdo side as the only song that I really liked was that Smiths number. Which I loved.

And, of course, Bjork.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:I guess I don't really have a weirdo side as the only song that I really liked was that Smiths number. Which I loved.

And, of course, Bjork.
By its very nature what appeals to one's weirdo side should be pretty unique to that person, so I wouldn't expect what appeals to me to be all that universal. Funnily enough, the two you loved were the ones I questioned if they were too "normal" to post here! Certainly feel free to post your own. :)

BTW, David Bowie actually covered that Pixies song. I probably prefer Bowie's version, but Pixies' version is weirder I think:
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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^Hah, yeah I'd say that Smiths song is relatively 'normal'. Beautiful song though, hadn't heard of it before so I'm fine with this thread includes 'mainstream' weirdness (nearly all of my picks would fit in that category).



















^^Might belong in the mangina thread.



Some more Pink Floyd since I find them depressing and weird. Comfortably Numb felt like a more obvious pick so going with these two instead:


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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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^ If you haven't heard that Smiths song you must not have heard their album The Queen is Dead. You should hear it immediately. It's one of the greatest albums of the 80s and it's probably not hyperbole to say that most all British rock since has been influenced by it and them in some way. The Smiths are pretty great in general, but The Queen is Dead is mandatory listening. That song has always stood out to me, though. It may have the strangest opening line ever: "Oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head," and yet it's done as almost a pastiche of classic R&B. Like, it wouldn't have sounded out of place on the airwaves in the 50s.

Of yours, I guess Pink Floyd are the kings of mainstream weirdness. Though their weirdest ever is probably "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict," though it's also probably one of the few of theirs I can't stand. I've always liked Regina Spektor but haven't heard that one. Love the dissonant, descending piano scale. Pretty cool vibe overall. Wye Oak I'm not familiar with, but it's not bad. Also not familiar with Royksopp, but I'm really digging that track. That would be another good one for the 80s thread! Not a big fan of The National but I do like Florence and the Machine. Man, Fleetwood Mac is a blast from the past! That was one of my dad's favorite bands that I grew up listening to ad nauseam. Haven't heard them in years, though. I think you know we're sympatico on Bjork and Radiohead. I had considered posting Radiohead's The National Anthem. When I first got into them that was the track that struck me as so weird it turned me off initially, though now I love it. Something about the combination of that insistent bass line and the eventual free jazz eruption.

Here's some more contributions:






And one more Kayo Dot, because nobody does weird like them, and because I think Hubardo is probably the best album from this century:
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:^ If you haven't heard that Smiths song you must not have heard their album The Queen is Dead. You should hear it immediately. It's one of the greatest albums of the 80s and it's probably not hyperbole to say that most all British rock since has been influenced by it and them in some way. The Smiths are pretty great in general, but The Queen is Dead is mandatory listening.
Thanks. I'll check it out for sure. I've been meaning to listen to some 'new' good music lately and I'm generally behind on the music scene, as is apparent, so this is just what I needed.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Of yours, I guess Pink Floyd are the kings of mainstream weirdness. Though their weirdest ever is probably "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict," though it's also probably one of the few of theirs I can't stand.
Some of their early psychedelic stuff from Saucerful of Secrets and Ummagumma is honestly too weird for me. Not until they became a bit more 'structured' with Dark Side of the Moon did I begin to really fall for them.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I've always liked Regina Spektor but haven't heard that one. Love the dissonant, descending piano scale. Pretty cool vibe overall. Wye Oak I'm not familiar with, but it's not bad. Also not familiar with Royksopp, but I'm really digging that track. That would be another good one for the 80s thread! Not a big fan of The National but I do like Florence and the Machine.
I love Regina Spektor. Have you heard Chemo Limo? It's more traditionally depressing than weird but an absolute earworm. Oedipus? 20 Years of Snow? Dance Anthem of the 80s? I could go on and on, so how about you tell me which ones you like, in case I've missed them?

In retrospect, I think The National have an inoffensive sound, so they probably aren't "weird" enough to belong in this thread. I just put them here because find the combination of that sound with those mournful, depressing lyrics to be poignant and affecting. Have you heard their Graceless?
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Man, Fleetwood Mac is a blast from the past! That was one of my dad's favorite bands that I grew up listening to ad nauseam. Haven't heard them in years, though.
I absolutely adore this band. Even the earlier, less 'pop' iteration with Peter Green. I know Rumours gets a lot of love but I think their other efforts (the first eponymous album, Mirage, Tusk) are on par with their golden record. To be honest, I don't really know all that much about the great guitarists but I'd be dismayed if Lindsey Buckingham isn't considered to be one of them - or, at least, very near them. And goes without saying but Stevie Nicks is one of my favorite artists ever. Man, their live performances from the late 70s are seriously electric, crackling with passion and energy (might have something to do with the fact that they were high - on each other and drugs).
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I had considered posting Radiohead's The National Anthem. When I first got into them that was the track that struck me as so weird it turned me off initially, though now I love it. Something about the combination of that insistent bass line and the eventual free jazz eruption.
Funny story, I was listening to The National on my iTunes the other day, and it flipped to that Kid A track after a while. [laugh] But yeah, I concur - the jazz eruption is gorgeous.

Btw, what did you think of Moon Shaped Pool? I loved Daydreaming as well as the Lynchian video that went with it - which was actually directed by PTA. [laugh]

I loved the fact that they finally officially released True Love Waits, which has always been a favorite of mine.
Just heard this one for now... Indeed quite weird. I just want to know how you ever came across it. [laugh]
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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I'll reply to the rest tomorrow, but for now:
maz89 wrote:Just heard this one for now... Indeed quite weird. I just want to know how you ever came across it. [laugh]
I spent much of my teens and early 20s playing guitar and Steve Vai was one of my heroes. Really creative player, in part (I think) because he started out playing with Zappa. That Yai Yai piece is all guitar, done with a combination of effects pedals that I could never figure out and I'm not sure if anyone else has either.

He also wrote what is still probably my favorite guitar instrumental ever in For the Love of God:
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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And the rest of my reply:
maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:^ If you haven't heard that Smiths song you must not have heard their album The Queen is Dead. You should hear it immediately. It's one of the greatest albums of the 80s and it's probably not hyperbole to say that most all British rock since has been influenced by it and them in some way. The Smiths are pretty great in general, but The Queen is Dead is mandatory listening.
Thanks. I'll check it out for sure. I've been meaning to listen to some 'new' good music lately and I'm generally behind on the music scene, as is apparent, so this is just what I needed.
I went through a few months early this year where I explored a ton of post-80s British music. The Smiths were definitely a favorite. In fact, if I had to list my top 3 bands I explored it would probably be: 1. XTC 2. Talk Talk 3. The Smiths That said, I wasn't terribly thrilled with most of the 90s Britpop bands. Besides some nostalgic appreciation for some Oasis songs, I didn't find much really stuck with me, though I guess Suede had a nice Bowie-esque thing going.
maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Of yours, I guess Pink Floyd are the kings of mainstream weirdness. Though their weirdest ever is probably "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict," though it's also probably one of the few of theirs I can't stand.
Some of their early psychedelic stuff from Saucerful of Secrets and Ummagumma is honestly too weird for me. Not until they became a bit more 'structured' with Dark Side of the Moon did I begin to really fall for them.
I go back a bit farther with Meddle and Atom Heart Mother, but I agree about the stuff prior to that.
maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I've always liked Regina Spektor but haven't heard that one. Love the dissonant, descending piano scale. Pretty cool vibe overall. Wye Oak I'm not familiar with, but it's not bad. Also not familiar with Royksopp, but I'm really digging that track. That would be another good one for the 80s thread! Not a big fan of The National but I do like Florence and the Machine.
I love Regina Spektor. Have you heard Chemo Limo? It's more traditionally depressing than weird but an absolute earworm. Oedipus? 20 Years of Snow? Dance Anthem of the 80s? I could go on and on, so how about you tell me which ones you like, in case I've missed them?

In retrospect, I think The National have an inoffensive sound, so they probably aren't "weird" enough to belong in this thread. I just put them here because find the combination of that sound with those mournful, depressing lyrics to be poignant and affecting. Have you heard their Graceless?
Spektor is just one of those artists I've heard in passing on the radio and stuff, but I haven't explored her stuff in depth. I think I'll make her a priority now, though, as I have a soft-spot for female vocals, and if you add some weirdness on top of that it's even more seductive! (Hence my love for Bjork, probably). Same thing with The National, though I'm not sure if I've heard enough from them to really make a judgment yet.
maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Man, Fleetwood Mac is a blast from the past! That was one of my dad's favorite bands that I grew up listening to ad nauseam. Haven't heard them in years, though.
I absolutely adore this band. Even the earlier, less 'pop' iteration with Peter Green. I know Rumours gets a lot of love but I think their other efforts (the first eponymous album, Mirage, Tusk) are on par with their golden record. To be honest, I don't really know all that much about the great guitarists but I'd be dismayed if Lindsey Buckingham isn't considered to be one of them - or, at least, very near them. And goes without saying but Stevie Nicks is one of my favorite artists ever. Man, their live performances from the late 70s are seriously electric, crackling with passion and energy (might have something to do with the fact that they were high - on each other and drugs).
I should probably explore them in more depth too, because all I really know is what my dad played, which seemed like quite a bit, but it's hard to really know. They were one of his favorite bands to drum to.
maz89 wrote:Btw, what did you think of Moon Shaped Pool? I loved Daydreaming as well as the Lynchian video that went with it - which was actually directed by PTA. [laugh]

I loved the fact that they finally officially released True Love Waits, which has always been a favorite of mine.
I loved it. Probably my favorite of theirs since Kid A, actually (I seem to be one of the few that wasn't head-over-heals with In Rainbows). MSP is certainly their most beautiful album, if nothing else.

Agree about True Love Waits. I've always loved the live version. Really, Radiohead have so many great B-sides. I was thrilled when they finally released them with the re-releases of their albums. Nice to have them all in roughly chronological order.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Heard the rest of your picks.

Chameleon Day was fantastic. Loved the trumpets and jazzy rhythms in the beginning before the sparse vocals and piano kick in. I see that you rate this band even higher than The Smiths. Sign me up. Which album should I start off with?

The chorus in Pussy Control always makes me laugh. The video was a little disorienting though as the audio wasn't synchronized. I like the guitar licks (or are they riffs?) that begin with the first chorus, as well as the louder sound in the end (I'm assuming that's the guitar too).

Not sure what to make of the Charlie Sheen number, other than the fact it could have passed for a completely 'normal' rock song had it not name dropped "Charlie Sheen" in the chorus, lol.

Space Dye-Vest was actually great. Loved the dark, foreboding vibe of the melodious piano playing through the scratchy dissonant surface. Probably should check out more from them.

As for the Kayo Dot track, it was definitely a unique kind of beast. A lot of tonal variations, including in lyrical delivery. I've heard it thrice and still don't seem to have developed a handle on it. I went back and heard The Pitcher of Summer again, and while it didn't leave too much of an impression the first time, it does have a similar vibe (although I prefer this newer number).

The Steve Vai instrumental was sublime. He makes it look so effortless, including the climax in which he makes the guitar howl in an invisible echoing chamber. A guitar instrumental that has always been a favorite of mine is this one:


as I have a soft-spot for female vocals, and if you add some weirdness on top of that it's even more seductive! (Hence my love for Bjork, probably).
Seems like we have similar tastes here. Quirky female voices + weirdness = WIN. Speaking of seductive:

I loved it [Moon Shaped Pool]. Probably my favorite of theirs since Kid A, actually (I seem to be one of the few that wasn't head-over-heals with In Rainbows). MSP is certainly their most beautiful album, if nothing else.

Agree about True Love Waits. I've always loved the live version. Really, Radiohead have so many great B-sides. I was thrilled when they finally released them with the re-releases of their albums. Nice to have them all in roughly chronological order.
[cheers] on Moon-Shaped Pool and True Love Waits.

But are you saying you didn't love Jigsaw Falling Into Place? Because that's what it sounds like you are saying...

I actually did love In Rainbows. Apart from the one I mentioned above, Nude, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, All I Need, Mk2 and Last Flowers to the Hospital were memorably gorgeous tracks for me.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:Chameleon Day was fantastic. Loved the trumpets and jazzy rhythms in the beginning before the sparse vocals and piano kick in. I see that you rate this band even higher than The Smiths. Sign me up. Which album should I start off with?
With Talk Talk I'd just recommend getting everything for two reasons:

1. All together their five albums plus Mark Hollis's solo album adds up to less than 4.5 hours of music, so there's not much to get.

2. They had an incredible evolution over the course of those albums. They start out as a bland Duran Duran ripoff on The Party's Over. By It's My Life they've become a pretty good Duran Duran ripoff. Colour of Spring is their transitional album and big leap forward. It's a superb album, but still quite accessible. It was also a huge commercial success that allowed them to make Spirit of Eden, which is really an unclassifiable artistic masterpiece. Laughing Stock is basically an extension, perhaps even a refinement, of Spirit of Eden. After that the group split, and Mark Hollis released one solo album that's like a singer-songwriter version of those last two albums. Together, those last three albums are among the most spiritually transcendent I've ever heard from a "pop" band.
maz89 wrote:The chorus in Pussy Control always makes me laugh. The video was a little disorienting though as the audio wasn't synchronized. I like the guitar licks (or are they riffs?) that begin with the first chorus, as well as the louder sound in the end (I'm assuming that's the guitar too).
Video sucked but it was the only one I could find. Ditto in how it makes me laugh, but it also has a really strange sound to it overall... of course, you could say much the same of a lot of Prince's 90s stuff.
maz89 wrote:Not sure what to make of the Charlie Sheen number, other than the fact it could have passed for a completely 'normal' rock song had it not name dropped "Charlie Sheen" in the chorus, lol.
I know. It must be the weirdest name-drop in the history of pop music. It's also completely out of character for King's X, though the album it's from (Please come Home Mr. Bulbous) could be called their "weird" album in general. One more track from it (FWIW, these aren't very representative of King's X at all. In general they're like a a cross between prog/hard rock and the Beatles's melodic and harmonic sensibilities):
maz89 wrote:Space Dye-Vest was actually great. Loved the dark, foreboding vibe of the melodious piano playing through the scratchy dissonant surface. Probably should check out more from them.
It's also not very representative of Dream Theater at all, who are really the stalwarts of the prog metal genre. Every now and then though they drop a track that completely ditches their core sound though.
maz89 wrote:As for the Kayo Dot track, it was definitely a unique kind of beast. A lot of tonal variations, including in lyrical delivery. I've heard it thrice and still don't seem to have developed a handle on it. I went back and heard The Pitcher of Summer again, and while it didn't leave too much of an impression the first time, it does have a similar vibe (although I prefer this newer number).
What you say about "a lot of tonal variation" could sum up Kayo Dot's overall sound. They don't write songs so much as they compose pieces with unique tonal juxtapositions and developments. I reviewed their album Coyote years ago here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-revi ... B0036V0W44 and struggled to describe it and Kayo Dot (my general impressions of the band are in the second, fourth and last paragraph). I remember one review that called them them the King Crimson of this generation, which seems apt to me. King Crimson were another adventurous, hard-to-classify band that liberally mixed a wide range of influences, changed sounds and styles over time, and were always relentlessly exploring and pushing boundaries. Kayo Dot is perhaps even more extreme, but theirs is certainly an utterly unique and captivating (to me) sonic universe.
maz89 wrote:The Steve Vai instrumental was sublime. He makes it look so effortless, including the climax in which he makes the guitar howl in an invisible echoing chamber. A guitar instrumental that has always been a favorite of mine is this one:

For those that complain about guitar shredders being emotionally empty technicians I always give them that track. If they don't hear emotion in that then they're dead inside.

That Funkadelic track is awesome! They're another band I've only heard in passing, but I should really make it a point to explore them more.
maz89 wrote:Seems like we have similar tastes here. Quirky female voices + weirdness = WIN. Speaking of seductive:
Tori Amos is always yum, and I vastly prefer her version of Teen Spirit to the original (Pixes > Nirvana anyway for me). Any thoughts on Fiona Apple? Another female singer I adore is Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering and her solo work. You might dig The Gathering as I kinda consider them the Dutch Radiohead. Instead of starting as indie rock they started as doom metal, but they also ended as a kind of experimental electronic band, though perhaps a bit more traditional. They wrote one of my favorite songs ever that never fails to bring me to tears:

and here's one of Anneke's solo tracks:


maz89 wrote:
I loved it [Moon Shaped Pool]. Probably my favorite of theirs since Kid A, actually (I seem to be one of the few that wasn't head-over-heals with In Rainbows). MSP is certainly their most beautiful album, if nothing else.

Agree about True Love Waits. I've always loved the live version. Really, Radiohead have so many great B-sides. I was thrilled when they finally released them with the re-releases of their albums. Nice to have them all in roughly chronological order.
[cheers] on Moon-Shaped Pool and True Love Waits.

But are you saying you didn't love Jigsaw Falling Into Place? Because that's what it sounds like you are saying...

I actually did love In Rainbows. Apart from the one I mentioned above, Nude, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, All I Need, Mk2 and Last Flowers to the Hospital were memorably gorgeous tracks for me.
Don't get me wrong, I really like In Rainbows, but my general view on Radiohead is that The Bends, OK Computer, and Kid A are all 10/10 masterpieces, and everything else is a significant step below that. I think In Rainbows is probably a solid 8/10, but many reviewers make it sound as if it's nearly on the same level as The Trinity, and that I can't agree with. In fact, MSP is probably the only other album of theirs I'd rate a 9/10.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:With Talk Talk I'd just recommend getting everything for two reasons:

1. All together their five albums plus Mark Hollis's solo album adds up to less than 4.5 hours of music, so there's not much to get.

2. They had an incredible evolution over the course of those albums. They start out as a bland Duran Duran ripoff on The Party's Over. By It's My Life they've become a pretty good Duran Duran ripoff. Colour of Spring is their transitional album and big leap forward. It's a superb album, but still quite accessible. It was also a huge commercial success that allowed them to make Spirit of Eden, which is really an unclassifiable artistic masterpiece. Laughing Stock is basically an extension, perhaps even a refinement, of Spirit of Eden. After that the group split, and Mark Hollis released one solo album that's like a singer-songwriter version of those last two albums. Together, those last three albums are among the most spiritually transcendent I've ever heard from a "pop" band.
Sounds good. My list keeps expanding... The Queen is Dead still beckons.
EvaYojimbo wrote:I know. It must be the weirdest name-drop in the history of pop music. It's also completely out of character for King's X, though the album it's from (Please come Home Mr. Bulbous) could be called their "weird" album in general. One more track from it (FWIW, these aren't very representative of King's X at all. In general they're like a a cross between prog/hard rock and the Beatles's melodic and harmonic sensibilities): [Smudge]
I liked the track but I also get the sinking feeling that I don't think I'd ever go out and actively search for any of their songs. I don't know, nothing in there really grabs me even though there's nothing 'wrong' with the song either. :/
EvaYojimbo wrote:It's also not very representative of Dream Theater at all, who are really the stalwarts of the prog metal genre. Every now and then though they drop a track that completely ditches their core sound though.
That's too bad... I'll just be honest and admit that I generally don't get metal (although, perhaps in my ignorance, I've always taken metal to mean "screaming").
EvaYojimbo wrote:What you say about "a lot of tonal variation" could sum up Kayo Dot's overall sound. They don't write songs so much as they compose pieces with unique tonal juxtapositions and developments. I reviewed their album Coyote years ago here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-revi ... B0036V0W44 and struggled to describe it and Kayo Dot (my general impressions of the band are in the second, fourth and last paragraph). I remember one review that called them them the King Crimson of this generation, which seems apt to me. King Crimson were another adventurous, hard-to-classify band that liberally mixed a wide range of influences, changed sounds and styles over time, and were always relentlessly exploring and pushing boundaries. Kayo Dot is perhaps even more extreme, but theirs is certainly an utterly unique and captivating (to me) sonic universe.
Yeah, I found myself nodding along to your general impressions, in particular how their albums may produce an "inchoate feeling" in the listener. I guess theirs is the kind of album that would require repeated listens to wade through the superficial incoherence of the surface. Any of their albums sound more like 'And He Built a Home' than 'A Pitch of Summer', heh? I found the former to be restrained and aurally interesting. (To be fair though, on some level, I suspect that none of the songs within a single album of theirs would really resemble each other, given their idiosyncratic nature resulting from the band's acknowledged tendency to compose rather than create self-contained, easily digestible sounds.)
EvaYojimbo wrote:For those that complain about guitar shredders being emotionally empty technicians I always give them that track. If they don't hear emotion in that then they're dead inside.
That is indeed a good litmus test to check if a person has a soul or not. BTW, I'm not too well-versed with Funkadelic's stuff either. That's just a track that was shared with me by a friend about ten years ago and it's stuck with me since. Utterly gorgeous.
EvaYojimbo wrote:Tori Amos is always yum, and I vastly prefer her version of Teen Spirit to the original (Pixes > Nirvana anyway for me). Any thoughts on Fiona Apple? Another female singer I adore is Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering and her solo work. You might dig The Gathering as I kinda consider them the Dutch Radiohead. Instead of starting as indie rock they started as doom metal, but they also ended as a kind of experimental electronic band, though perhaps a bit more traditional. They wrote one of my favorite songs ever that never fails to bring me to tears:

and here's one of Anneke's solo tracks:
I'd only heard of Gathering/Anna (as well as King Crimson) in passing (probably from one of your posts) on the IMDB music forums but I'd never actually heard a track until now. You're right, both of those tracks are totally up my alley! In particular, that first one, which is wonderfully ethereal and poignant. The Dutch Radiohead comparison doesn't seem off... although I weirdly got an Alanis Morissette vibe from the way she sings 'Oh, you learn about it'.

Haven't heard much beyond a few tracks from Fiona. Judging by what little I have heard though, she definitely doesn't appeal to me as Tori Amos or Regina Spektor etc.
EvaYojimbo wrote:Don't get me wrong, I really like In Rainbows, but my general view on Radiohead is that The Bends, OK Computer, and Kid A are all 10/10 masterpieces, and everything else is a significant step below that. I think In Rainbows is probably a solid 8/10, but many reviewers make it sound as if it's nearly on the same level as The Trinity, and that I can't agree with. In fact, MSP is probably the only other album of theirs I'd rate a 9/10.
Ah, I'd rank OK Computer above the rest and then rank the other three albums at an equal level, only a slight notch below. What can I say... it was a masterful return to form for me and those reviewers, lol. Although even their lesser albums have some outstanding tracks (There There from Hail to the Thief).
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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(I realize I posted way too many songs in this post. Feel free to just give them cursory listens to get an idea of what I'm talking about!).
maz89 wrote:Sounds good. My list keeps expanding... The Queen is Dead still beckons.
One more thing I forgot to mention: get the non-remastered versions of Talk Talk's discography if at all possible. Most all modern remasters do is destroy the dynamic range to win the loudness wars, and this is devastating to a band like Talk Talk that make such great use of quiet/loud dynamics.
maz89 wrote:I liked the track but I also get the sinking feeling that I don't think I'd ever go out and actively search for any of their songs. I don't know, nothing in there really grabs me even though there's nothing 'wrong' with the song either.
Just to be clear those tracks weren't representative of King's X, it was just their "weirder" stuff. I actually adore King's X and think they're one of the most underrated bands ever, but their other stuff is far more "normal." In fact, most consider Mr. Bulbous their worst album (it's grown on me over time, but it's certainly not their best). Here are a few highlights of their normal stuff:




(last one is one of my favorite songs)
maz89 wrote:That's too bad... I'll just be honest and admit that I generally don't get metal (although, perhaps in my ignorance, I've always taken metal to mean "screaming").
Metal's pretty diverse, but the only sub-genres that have consistent screaming are black/death metal and hardcore/grindcore. Most of the other varieties don't. If anything, prog metal tends to be more operatic/symphonic than screamy. Here's Dream Theater's most famous song (in fact, their "Best of" album was called "Greatest Hit... and 21 other pretty cool songs" [laugh] ):

maz89 wrote:Yeah, I found myself nodding along to your general impressions, in particular how their albums may produce an "inchoate feeling" in the listener. I guess theirs is the kind of album that would require repeated listens to wade through the superficial incoherence of the surface. Any of their albums sound more like 'And He Built a Home' than 'A Pitch of Summer', heh? I found the former to be restrained and aurally interesting. (To be fair though, on some level, I suspect that none of the songs within a single album of theirs would really resemble each other, given their idiosyncratic nature resulting from the band's acknowledged tendency to compose rather than create self-contained, easily digestible sounds.)
What you say in parentheses is pretty much true. In fact, Pitcher of Summer sounds nothing like the rest of the songs on Choirs of the Eye; I only posted it because, one, it's the shortest track, and, two, it's probably the most accessible piece there. And He Built Him a Boat is from Hubardo, my favorite from them, and it also may be their most homogeneous sound-wise; but I use "homogeneous" very loosely here (there's still a ton of variation: part classical, jazz, metal, industrial, acoustic, post/prog/art-rock, etc.). Even at its weirdest Hubardo strikes me as more song/structure oriented than their other albums, many of which can function almost like movie soundtracks for how abstract/soundscape-dominated they are. Like, here's another track from Choirs of the Eye to compare with A Pitcher of Summer:

And here's one of the more "chaotic" tracks from Hubardo to compare with ...Boat:

And here's a track from Coyote:

maz89 wrote:I'd only heard of Gathering/Anna (as well as King Crimson) in passing (probably from one of your posts) on the IMDB music forums but I'd never actually heard a track until now. You're right, both of those tracks are totally up my alley! In particular, that first one, which is wonderfully ethereal and poignant. The Dutch Radiohead comparison doesn't seem off... although I weirdly got an Alanis Morissette vibe from the way she sings 'Oh, you learn about it'.

Haven't heard much beyond a few tracks from Fiona. Judging by what little I have heard though, she definitely doesn't appeal to me as Tori Amos or Regina Spektor etc.
Much like with Talk Talk, The Gathering had a pretty remarkable evolution, and fans are pretty split between those that love their Mandylion/Nighttime Birds "metal" albums, VS those that love the more shoegaze/electronic stuff that came after, but I love it all. Here's a few more tracks to give you an idea of the change:


[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrdKur0Sbmg&spfreload=1[/youtube]

If you had to get one album, if_then_else is probably my overall favorite, but it's a really subtle effort. The songs don't individually stand out as much as the best on their other albums, but it's extremely consistent and interesting from beginning to end. How to Measure a Planet? was their transitional album and might make a better intro as it has something of a mix of both their styles.

Fiona Apple is one of those artists I think should appeal to me more than she does. Like, on the surface, she seems perfectly suited to my tastes, but I remember last time when I listened to her I kept thinking "I should like this more than I do." I was wondering if maybe you were the same.
maz89 wrote:
EvaYojimbo wrote:Don't get me wrong, I really like In Rainbows, but my general view on Radiohead is that The Bends, OK Computer, and Kid A are all 10/10 masterpieces, and everything else is a significant step below that. I think In Rainbows is probably a solid 8/10, but many reviewers make it sound as if it's nearly on the same level as The Trinity, and that I can't agree with. In fact, MSP is probably the only other album of theirs I'd rate a 9/10.
Ah, I'd rank OK Computer above the rest and then rank the other three albums at an equal level, only a slight notch below. What can I say... it was a masterful return to form for me and those reviewers, lol. Although even their lesser albums have some outstanding tracks (There There from Hail to the Thief).
I do rank OKC at the top, but Kid A and The Bends are really close behind it, and I love how different they are while still being equally great. I don't think Radiohead really needed a "return to form" anyway. Hail to the Thief in particular is an album that's grown on me over time. There are some really interesting tracks on it, even if it is a bit overlong.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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^ I had thought about posting that Beck track. I remember when it came out it sounded unlike anything else out there, in part by sounding like it mixed a bit of everything out there! Man, Save Tonight brings back some memories! That's another that played constantly during a particularly memorable summer vacation (I think I was 12 at the time). Never thought of Mr. Brightside as particularly weird, but I guess it is kinda when you think about it. Not my favorite Killers track (I love When You Were Young), but it's pretty good. Haven't heard the Me, Myself, and Irene song or the Azealia Banks song, but both are pretty good. Even though I'm not a big hip-hop fan, Work It is one of the exceptions, probably because it is so weird! Missy Elliott has another that would qualify for a mention in Get Ur Freak On, which is also one of my favorite music videos:

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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Sorry for the late response, Jimbo! I'd been travelling and came back to a mountain of work.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:(I realize I posted way too many songs in this post. Feel free to just give them cursory listens to get an idea of what I'm talking about!).

Now what would be the fun in that? [wink] ...the only downside is I end up taking longer to respond.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:One more thing I forgot to mention: get the non-remastered versions of Talk Talk's discography if at all possible. Most all modern remasters do is destroy the dynamic range to win the loudness wars, and this is devastating to a band like Talk Talk that make such great use of quiet/loud dynamics.
Ah, yeah, what a shame this is too. Thanks for the heads up.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Just to be clear those tracks weren't representative of King's X, it was just their "weirder" stuff. I actually adore King's X and think they're one of the most underrated bands ever, but their other stuff is far more "normal." In fact, most consider Mr. Bulbous their worst album (it's grown on me over time, but it's certainly not their best). Here are a few highlights of their normal stuff:
Okay, I really liked Goldilox and Life Going By! What wonderful guitar solos too. You're right, quite different from those other tracks... I got Pearl Jam vibes from these (another band I love).
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Metal's pretty diverse, but the only sub-genres that have consistent screaming are black/death metal and hardcore/grindcore. Most of the other varieties don't. If anything, prog metal tends to be more operatic/symphonic than screamy. Here's Dream Theater's most famous song (in fact, their "Best of" album was called "Greatest Hit... and 21 other pretty cool songs" [laugh] ):
Indeed a pretty cool song ... but for this band, oddly, I think I preferred their 'weirder' track better.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:What you say in parentheses is pretty much true. In fact, Pitcher of Summer sounds nothing like the rest of the songs on Choirs of the Eye; I only posted it because, one, it's the shortest track, and, two, it's probably the most accessible piece there. And He Built Him a Boat is from Hubardo, my favorite from them, and it also may be their most homogeneous sound-wise; but I use "homogeneous" very loosely here (there's still a ton of variation: part classical, jazz, metal, industrial, acoustic, post/prog/art-rock, etc.). Even at its weirdest Hubardo strikes me as more song/structure oriented than their other albums, many of which can function almost like movie soundtracks for how abstract/soundscape-dominated they are. Like, here's another track from Choirs of the Eye to compare with A Pitcher of Summer:
And here's one of the more "chaotic" tracks from Hubardo to compare with ...Boat:
And here's a track from Coyote:
Man, this band is really one of a kind. Just when I thought I'd probably prefer Hubardo, you go ahead and share Marathon from Choirs of the Eye and Thief from Hubardo, which sound absolutely nothing like the other tracks you shared from each album. Of these three you've shared, Marathon resonated the most with me because it beautifully balanced the chaotic madness with refreshing restraint. I loved how the lone sorrowful trumpet is slowly replaced by a terrifying cacophony of dissonant sounds, with sadness and loneliness turning into ghostly horror and unbridled pain, before devolving into a kind of melancholic acceptance with a calm, controlled score and an affecting poetry recitation. The others... were too chaotic for my wholesome taste, lol. Perhaps, the 'restrained' tracks alternate with the chaotic ones in the albums? Might make them go down easier...
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Much like with Talk Talk, The Gathering had a pretty remarkable evolution, and fans are pretty split between those that love their Mandylion/Nighttime Birds "metal" albums, VS those that love the more shoegaze/electronic stuff that came after, but I love it all. Here's a few more tracks to give you an idea of the change:

If you had to get one album, if_then_else is probably my overall favorite, but it's a really subtle effort. The songs don't individually stand out as much as the best on their other albums, but it's extremely consistent and interesting from beginning to end. How to Measure a Planet? was their transitional album and might make a better intro as it has something of a mix of both their styles.
Well, I went ahead and heard their first five albums. I never thought I'd be into a "doom metal" band but there's always a first. Wasn't too fond of the scratchy, grating vocals in Always (although musically on par with the rest), but I really did like Almost a Dance, Mandylion, and Nighttime Birds. However, nothing compares with How to Measure a Planet?, which I absolutely adore and have heard at least 5 times in its entirety. The track you shared - Rescue Me - has been stuck in my head for days. I'm looking forward to their future transitional albums as I have a feeling I'll be among the fans who prefer their later work.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Fiona Apple is one of those artists I think should appeal to me more than she does. Like, on the surface, she seems perfectly suited to my tastes, but I remember last time when I listened to her I kept thinking "I should like this more than I do." I was wondering if maybe you were the same.
Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel. I also don't think she has a voice as rich and interesting as Spektor's or Amos's.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I do rank OKC at the top, but Kid A and The Bends are really close behind it, and I love how different they are while still being equally great. I don't think Radiohead really needed a "return to form" anyway. Hail to the Thief in particular is an album that's grown on me over time. There are some really interesting tracks on it, even if it is a bit overlong.
For some reason, I could never warm up to that album. I'll give it another shot. Some time.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:Sorry for the late response, Jimbo! I'd been travelling and came back to a mountain of work.
No worries at all. I've been pretty busy myself the last few days (belated spring cleaning!).
maz89 wrote:Okay, I really liked Goldilox and Life Going By! What wonderful guitar solos too. You're right, quite different from those other tracks... I got Pearl Jam vibes from these (another band I love).
They were definitely influenced by the "grunge" scene when it hit, so I wouldn't be surprised if Pearl Jam were an influence. You can tell the difference between their early stuff, which sounds kinda like a proggier version of 80s hair metal, VS their 90s stuff when their sound got darker and heavier (Over My Head VS Dogman is a good indication of the change). One thing I love about King's X is similar to what I love about Paramore, and that's a combination of upbeat melodicism with often rather melancholic, nostalgic, cynical/bitter lyrics. Even Over My Head, which doesn't sound sad lyrically, was inspired by some pretty dark stuff that Doug Pinnick (bassist/singer) often mentions live. In fact, I can't hear the live version of it from their Best Of compilation without tearing up (go to 1:09:45):

maz89 wrote:Indeed a pretty cool song ... but for this band, oddly, I think I preferred their 'weirder' track better.
Space-Dye Vest is indeed a special song and would definitely be somewhere in my DT Top 10. They did something vaguely similar to it with Disappear:


Of course, if you really want to try out DT you have to hear one of their "epics:"

^ Basically their ode to prog history. Lots of lyrical references to bands like Genesis, Yes, Floyd, etc. You can hear a bit of it in the music too.
maz89 wrote:Man, this band is really one of a kind. Just when I thought I'd probably prefer Hubardo, you go ahead and share Marathon from Choirs of the Eye and Thief from Hubardo, which sound absolutely nothing like the other tracks you shared from each album. Of these three you've shared, Marathon resonated the most with me because it beautifully balanced the chaotic madness with refreshing restraint. I loved how the lone sorrowful trumpet is slowly replaced by a terrifying cacophony of dissonant sounds, with sadness and loneliness turning into ghostly horror and unbridled pain, before devolving into a kind of melancholic acceptance with a calm, controlled score and an affecting poetry recitation. The others... were too chaotic for my wholesome taste, lol. Perhaps, the 'restrained' tracks alternate with the chaotic ones in the albums? Might make them go down easier...
Yeah, it's impossible to get a handle on them just listening to a handful of tracks because they're too diverse. Each album and each track has its own "flavor." I don't know if I'd say the "restrained" and "chaotic" alternate exactly, because they often both occur within the same song! I'd highly, highly recommend just listening to Choirs of the Eye and Hubardo. They're easily KD's two best albums. Choirs is probably their most digestible, and probably their most beautiful. It has a real "chamber" feel to it. Hubardo is just a kaleidoscopic, expansive, otherworldly sonic journey from beginning to end. You can actually get them from their official Bandcamp page for pretty cheap: https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/ Hmmm, just noticed they have a new album out I haven't heard. Guess I'll be making a purchase myself!

One more from Hubardo, because the first 3:30 has a real Radiohead vibe to it:


I've only listened to Coffins on Io once (wasn't really in the mood at the time), but it also sounds nothing like their other stuff. Basically KD doing 80s goth & electronica (like The Cure meets Depeche Mode):

maz89 wrote:Well, I went ahead and heard their first five albums. I never thought I'd be into a "doom metal" band but there's always a first. Wasn't too fond of the scratchy, grating vocals in Always (although musically on par with the rest), but I really did like Almost a Dance, Mandylion, and Nighttime Birds. However, nothing compares with How to Measure a Planet?, which I absolutely adore and have heard at least 5 times in its entirety. The track you shared - Rescue Me - has been stuck in my head for days. I'm looking forward to their future transitional albums as I have a feeling I'll be among the fans who prefer their later work.
Ah, man, you're making my day! The Gathering have been one of those "special" bands to me for a long time and I often feel like I'm the only one that knows about them and loves them that much. Great to hear you're loving them too! Though I've heard Always and Almost a Dance once, I really don't consider them official The Gathering albums since they were made before Anneke got there. Mandylion was their first album with her. Yeah, How to Measure a Planet? is my second favorite behind if_then_else, but they're both pretty much 10/10s for me. Their last two with Anneke, Souvenirs and Home, are excellent too, but not quite as great. I consider them about on the same level as Mandylion and Nighttime Birds.

They've also made a few albums since Anneke's departure, which sadly aren't that good. The West Pole isn't bad, but Disclosure and Afterwords sound like a band completely lost and looking for a new direction. Similarly with Anneke, her first album (Air) was pretty good (I think I liked it better than The West Pole), but afterwards she tried to go pop and mostly just sounded like a bland ripoff of various mainstream divas. I do love the cover she did of Damien Rice's The Blower's Daughter, though:

maz89 wrote:For some reason, I could never warm up to that album. I'll give it another shot. Some time.
It took a while for me to. I think when I first heard it was right after I first got into them and it was their "new" album and it just didn't resonate with me like the Trinity did, but last time I went through their discography I found myself really enjoying it, finding something interesting in most every song.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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I'll get to the rest later, but whatta lovely and effortless cover of The Blower's Daughter.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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In the meantime, I'll devote this post to one of the weird originators, King Crimson, with roughly one track from every album they've done (sadly, I can't find the studio versions of most of these):




^ Truly one of the most beautiful songs ever written






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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:[Pearl Jam] were definitely influenced by the "grunge" scene when it hit, so I wouldn't be surprised if Pearl Jam were an influence. You can tell the difference between their early stuff, which sounds kinda like a proggier version of 80s hair metal, VS their 90s stuff when their sound got darker and heavier (Over My Head VS Dogman is a good indication of the change). One thing I love about King's X is similar to what I love about Paramore, and that's a combination of upbeat melodicism with often rather melancholic, nostalgic, cynical/bitter lyrics. Even Over My Head, which doesn't sound sad lyrically, was inspired by some pretty dark stuff that Doug Pinnick (bassist/singer) often mentions live. In fact, I can't hear the live version of it from their Best Of compilation without tearing up (go to 1:09:45):
That live performance of Over My Head was truly something. That link didn't have the video but the emotions were all there in his vocals and the music so you didn't need to see them on his face. Powerful stuff, powerful message. Heard some of their other songs in the link as well but they tended to kind of "run in" together for me (apart from the ones you'd already shared which I'd liked).
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Space-Dye Vest is indeed a special song and would definitely be somewhere in my DT Top 10. They did something vaguely similar to it with Disappear:

Of course, if you really want to try out DT you have to hear one of their "epics:"

^ Basically their ode to prog history. Lots of lyrical references to bands like Genesis, Yes, Floyd, etc. You can hear a bit of it in the music too.
Loved the haunting, gloomy opening/closing in Disappear. And the first several minutes in that "epic" do sound familiar and quite good (I even heard a bit of Jethro Tull's Songs from the Woods in there) before that metallic riff comes in. I'll admit I felt my interest wane a little in their more prog metal middle section but I realize that's just my anti-unrestrained-loudness taste rearing its head again. May be worth it to dig into them further and 'acquire' the taste as I can see how they would probably grow on you with repeated listens.
Eva Yojimbo wrote: I'd highly, highly recommend just listening to Choirs of the Eye and Hubardo. They're easily KD's two best albums. Choirs is probably their most digestible, and probably their most beautiful. It has a real "chamber" feel to it. Hubardo is just a kaleidoscopic, expansive, otherworldly sonic journey from beginning to end.
You'll have to give me some time for that. [laugh] Might be a good time to mention that I listened to The Queen is Dead in its entirety finally, and I fell in love with it. I'm almost surprised you went with 'I Know It's Over' as your 'weird' pick when there are much weirder tracks on the album! At least, lyrically (from a comedic perspective), such as Frankly, Mr Shankly or Vicar in a Tutu or Some Girls are Bigger than Others. [laugh] Loved the sardonic wit and mocking playfulness! Was a casual fan before, but it's serious now (believe it or not, first heard the band's tracks in 500 Days of Summer... which, as a random aside, also makes expert use of The Graduate...).
Eva Yojimbo wrote: I've only listened to Coffins on Io once (wasn't really in the mood at the time), but it also sounds nothing like their other stuff. Basically KD doing 80s goth & electronica (like The Cure meets Depeche Mode):
I actually quite liked it! Probably something I'd find easier to put on, at least, compared to the rest of their more demanding stuff.

Loved the Radiohead vibe from Passing the River too!
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Ah, man, you're making my day! The Gathering have been one of those "special" bands to me for a long time and I often feel like I'm the only one that knows about them and loves them that much. Great to hear you're loving them too! Though I've heard Always and Almost a Dance once, I really don't consider them official The Gathering albums since they were made before Anneke got there. Mandylion was their first album with her. Yeah, How to Measure a Planet? is my second favorite behind if_then_else, but they're both pretty much 10/10s for me. Their last two with Anneke, Souvenirs and Home, are excellent too, but not quite as great. I consider them about on the same level as Mandylion and Nighttime Birds.
I've been listening to Mandylion and Nighttime Birds a lot lately. One thing I've noticed is how these albums don't wear out their welcome. I've listened to them numerous times but I haven't burned out on them yet (like I did with Pink Floyd's The Wall, for example, which I don't dive into nowadays unless I know I want to be depressed). But anyway, loads of gems on these albums that I want to absorb before I make the leap to if_then_else, which I have a feeling I'll love. (Hopefully.)
Eva Yojimbo wrote:It took a while for me to. I think when I first heard it was right after I first got into them and it was their "new" album and it just didn't resonate with me like the Trinity did, but last time I went through their discography I found myself really enjoying it, finding something interesting in most every song.
Yeah, the only time I listened to their album was immediately after I heard the "Trinity". Might play differently today.

BTW, forgot to bring her up when we were discussing quirky female singers that we like, what's your take on Lorde? Her new album, Melodrama, is rock solid and has its fair share of weird tracks... for an electropop break-up album. Here's one (I actually thought that the lyrics in the chorus were "broadcast the BOOM BOOM BOOM and make your mom dance to it" and was disappointed when I learned otherwise), love the tone change at 3:11:



And another one, which has an interesting key changes in the chorus:



And this Robyn reminiscent track, which isn't weird really but putting it here anyway:



I think I can see why Bowie liked her.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:That live performance of Over My Head was truly something. That link didn't have the video but the emotions were all there in his vocals and the music so you didn't need to see them on his face. Powerful stuff, powerful message. Heard some of their other songs in the link as well but they tended to kind of "run in" together for me (apart from the ones you'd already shared which I'd liked).
That live version is CD-only, but there is a live video version that has a different (more positive) message about how awesome music is (it also shows off what a killer live band they were. Listen to Doug's wails that start at 1:45 and Ty's kickass guitar solo at about 7:00 and the jam that breaks out about 8:30--"message" starts around 9:40):


maz89 wrote:Loved the haunting, gloomy opening/closing in Disappear. And the first several minutes in that "epic" do sound familiar and quite good (I even heard a bit of Jethro Tull's Songs from the Woods in there) before that metallic riff comes in. I'll admit I felt my interest wane a little in their more prog metal middle section but I realize that's just my anti-unrestrained-loudness taste rearing its head again. May be worth it to dig into them further and 'acquire' the taste as I can see how they would probably grow on you with repeated listens.
Tull is pretty much the only major classic prog band I haven't heard much from (just Aqualung and Thick as a Brick). I should remedy that.

You need to join us on the unrestrained-loudness bandwagon! There's nothing quite as cathartic as when it's well-timed. If you want a good starting point with DT, Images & Words is widely considered their best album and was made before they got really heavy (Pull Me Under is from that). My favorites from them are Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Awake. The former is a double-album that has a little bit of everything they do; the second disc is a 45-minute conceptual suite that has some of their most memorable stuff (the overture always reminded me of Zelda music), but I also love all the individual songs on the first disc. Awake is like the darker, edgier, heavier, weirder brother of Images & Words. Falling Into Infinity might be another potentially good starting place. It was basically their stab at the mainstream so it was a bit less heavy/aggressive and more alternative based. Here's a few more to sample:




And one uber-heavy one that you'll probably hate: [biggrin]

^ I do love the whole "Fuck You" attitude of that song. A great middle finger to all their critics.
maz89 wrote:Might be a good time to mention that I listened to The Queen is Dead in its entirety finally, and I fell in love with it. I'm almost surprised you went with 'I Know It's Over' as your 'weird' pick when there are much weirder tracks on the album! At least, lyrically (from a comedic perspective), such as Frankly, Mr Shankly or Vicar in a Tutu or Some Girls are Bigger than Others. [laugh] Loved the sardonic wit and mocking playfulness! Was a casual fan before, but it's serious now (believe it or not, first heard the band's tracks in 500 Days of Summer... which, as a random aside, also makes expert use of The Graduate...).
[cheers] Told you it was a great album. Really, their only "dud" album is Meat is Murder, and even it has their most famous song (How Soon is Now). Their S/T debut is superb as well, only let down by sub-par sound quality. Strangeways, Here We Come is even weirder than The Queen is Dead and is quite excellent too. They also released a lot of their best stuff as singles and b-sides, so Hatful of Hollow and Louder than Bombs are must-haves compilations (though there's quite a bit of repetition between them and some album tracks).

My pick of I Know It's Over was mostly because it's my favorite from them, but I definitely agree there are much weirder songs on TQID! But I think one of the weirdest things about The Smiths in general is how often their sound is a mix of 50s/60s pop with 80s post-punk and alternative, and I Know It's Over is perhaps their best in that mold. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now is another:

maz89 wrote:I've been listening to Mandylion and Nighttime Birds a lot lately. One thing I've noticed is how these albums don't wear out their welcome. I've listened to them numerous times but I haven't burned out on them yet (like I did with Pink Floyd's The Wall, for example, which I don't dive into nowadays unless I know I want to be depressed). But anyway, loads of gems on these albums that I want to absorb before I make the leap to if_then_else, which I have a feeling I'll love. (Hopefully.)
I definitely agree that they're very rich albums that will repay a lot of listens (pretty much goes for all Gathering albums IMO). They're certainly not a band I've come close to tiring of. I'd leap into if_then_else ASAP because I think it takes more spins to appreciate compared to the earlier albums. It's a bit similar to how I feel about The Bends VS OK Computer. When I first heard them both I liked The Bends better because there were more immediately memorable songs, but because OK Computer was the more layered and subtle album it grew on me more over time and is now a candidate for my favorite album ever.
maz89 wrote:BTW, forgot to bring her up when we were discussing quirky female singers that we like, what's your take on Lorde? Her new album, Melodrama, is rock solid and has its fair share of weird tracks... for an electropop break-up album.
I hadn't heard anything from her besides Royals when it was everywhere. Didn't really care for Royals, but I really like all those tracks you posted. Definitely got to check her out now.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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This post I dedicate to the Pixies: probably the weirdest band of the 80s who were basically responsible for most all 90s rock and alternative music. But none of their imitators (*cough*Nirvana*cough*) matched their combination of quirky and catchy (Bowie nailed it when he called them a "psychotic Beatles"). In fact, I'd say the Pixies can pack more weirdness into 2-4 minutes than most bands can in a career.






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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:That live version is CD-only, but there is a live video version that has a different (more positive) message about how awesome music is (it also shows off what a killer live band they were. Listen to Doug's wails that start at 1:45 and Ty's kickass guitar solo at about 7:00 and the jam that breaks out about 8:30--"message" starts around 9:40):
Loved it! Electric performance, would be crazy to experience that wailing and those splendid guitar solos live.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:You need to join us on the unrestrained-loudness bandwagon! There's nothing quite as cathartic as when it's well-timed. If you want a good starting point with DT, Images & Words is widely considered their best album and was made before they got really heavy (Pull Me Under is from that). My favorites from them are Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Awake. The former is a double-album that has a little bit of everything they do; the second disc is a 45-minute conceptual suite that has some of their most memorable stuff (the overture always reminded me of Zelda music), but I also love all the individual songs on the first disc. Awake is like the darker, edgier, heavier, weirder brother of Images & Words. Falling Into Infinity might be another potentially good starting place. It was basically their stab at the mainstream so it was a bit less heavy/aggressive and more alternative based. Here's a few more to sample:
Oh, wow, those two were actually pretty great. By great, I mean my cuppa tea. Will give Falling Into Infinity a shot after all.

Surprisingly, I didn't even hate the third one (because you reduced my expectations so much). [biggrin] You're right, the lyrics did mesh well with the sound.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Told you it was a great album. Really, their only "dud" album is Meat is Murder, and even it has their most famous song (How Soon is Now). Their S/T debut is superb as well, only let down by sub-par sound quality. Strangeways, Here We Come is even weirder than The Queen is Dead and is quite excellent too. They also released a lot of their best stuff as singles and b-sides, so Hatful of Hollow and Louder than Bombs are must-haves compilations (though there's quite a bit of repetition between them and some album tracks).

My pick of I Know It's Over was mostly because it's my favorite from them, but I definitely agree there are much weirder songs on TQID! But I think one of the weirdest things about The Smiths in general is how often their sound is a mix of 50s/60s pop with 80s post-punk and alternative, and I Know It's Over is perhaps their best in that mold. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now is another:
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now has such a happy, cheerful sound that is also completely opposite to the song's dark lyrics. I absolutely love that combination.

And I completely understand your love for I Know It's Over. I can't decide which track is my favorite of that album: IKIO or There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. Just like IKIO, the latter is goddamn beautiful and sad at the same time (and one of the few earnest, straight-from-the-heart tracks on the album), and it reminds me pleasantly of Chapman's Fast Car - another track centered on an exhilarating, cathartic late night drive.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I hadn't heard anything from her besides Royals when it was everywhere. Didn't really care for Royals, but I really like all those tracks you posted. Definitely got to check her out now.
I liked Royals (although I got tired of it too), but Buzzcut Season was even better for its summer vibe (and the sad illusions it fosters):



I was going to share more from her first album but they weren't weird enough so I took 'em out.

BTW, what do you think of Daughter? If one can take the liberty of classifying heart-on-the-sleeve as weird...


Eva Yojimbo wrote:This post I dedicate to the Pixies: probably the weirdest band of the 80s who were basically responsible for most all 90s rock and alternative music. But none of their imitators (*cough*Nirvana*cough*) matched their combination of quirky and catchy (Bowie nailed it when he called them a "psychotic Beatles"). In fact, I'd say the Pixies can pack more weirdness into 2-4 minutes than most bands can in a career.
I really dig them too, but I'm only familiar with Surfer Rosa, Doolittle and Bossanova. I had been meaning to share "Monkey Gone to Heaven" myself, which would be my instant weird pick from them. Here's my next weird pick from them, a song which I've heard so many times I've lost count:



Another favorite from the terrific album:



And this earworm from Bossanova:



The only one I hadn't heard from your list was Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons, which was great! I also love Velouria and River Euphrates, which you've already shared.

Need to check out the rest of their albums too.

I never realized that Nirvana was an imitator of The Pixies. Their grunge rock sound always threw me off the scent, I s'pose.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:I really dig them too, but I'm only familiar with Surfer Rosa, Doolittle and Bossanova. I had been meaning to share "Monkey Gone to Heaven" myself, which would be my instant weird pick from them. Here's my next weird pick from them, a song which I've heard so many times I've lost count:
I'll get to the rest later (probably tomorrow), but I'll just note that all you need besides those three is Come On Pilgrim (their first EP) and Trompe le Monde. The former's a perfect companion to Surfer Rosa, and Trompe was their last worthwhile album (even though it's definitely inferior to Surfer, Doo, and Bossa). So you've basically heard all their great stuff. I was considering posting two tracks from all their albums, but decided that would be too much. If I had had one more pick from Doo it was gonna be Hey, so we're on the same wavelength there.

I also feel like I really should've gotten Gigantic in there. How many songs can you think of about the love of big, black penises? Pixies were way ahead of the porn-curve on that one!


Here's another good one from Trompe:

^ Something rather heartbreaking about that song. I think it's the whole "trying to get to you" refrain.
maz89 wrote:I never realized that Nirvana was an imitator of The Pixies. Their grunge rock sound always threw me off the scent, I s'pose.
Kurt Cobain said when he was writing Smells Like Teen Spirit he was trying to write a Pixies song. The whole quiet/minimal verse to loud chorus was perhaps the most influential aspect of the Pixies' sound and was everywhere in 90s rock, especially alternative rock. Really, I always thought Nirvana were basically Pixies plus heavier/metal-ish guitars and drums. They were also an immense influence on Radiohead. Thom Yorke said it was them and REM that changed his life. He also refused to follow the Pixies on stage because to have Pixies opening for them was like having The Beatles opening for them, and he wouldn't allow it.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:I'll get to the rest later (probably tomorrow), but I'll just note that all you need besides those three is Come On Pilgrim (their first EP) and Trompe le Monde. The former's a perfect companion to Surfer Rosa, and Trompe was their last worthwhile album (even though it's definitely inferior to Surfer, Doo, and Bossa). So you've basically heard all their great stuff. I was considering posting two tracks from all their albums, but decided that would be too much. If I had had one more pick from Doo it was gonna be Hey, so we're on the same wavelength there.

I also feel like I really should've gotten Gigantic in there. How many songs can you think of about the love of big, black penises? Pixies were way ahead of the porn-curve on that one!

Here's another good one from Trompe:
^ Something rather heartbreaking about that song. I think it's the whole "trying to get to you" refrain.
Letter of Memphis was fantastic! Which one do you prefer between the three I've heard? I need to give Doolittle another listen, but I do prefer Bossanova to Surfer Rosa. The latter has a few tracks that I tend to skip through (Something Against You, Tony's Theme, Oh My Golly!) or find good but not great (I'm Amazed, Brick is Red). Meanwhile, I only really skip through Rock Music on Bossanova.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Kurt Cobain said when he was writing Smells Like Teen Spirit he was trying to write a Pixies song. The whole quiet/minimal verse to loud chorus was perhaps the most influential aspect of the Pixies' sound and was everywhere in 90s rock, especially alternative rock. Really, I always thought Nirvana were basically Pixies plus heavier/metal-ish guitars and drums. They were also an immense influence on Radiohead. Thom Yorke said it was them and REM that changed his life. He also refused to follow the Pixies on stage because to have Pixies opening for them was like having The Beatles opening for them, and he wouldn't allow it.
Cool facts! Respect to Yorke for doing right by his inspiration. I hadn't known the Pixies were so influential, and I find the "psychotic Beatles" description so apt.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote: My pick of I Know It's Over was mostly because it's my favorite from them, but I definitely agree there are much weirder songs on TQID! But I think one of the weirdest things about The Smiths in general is how often their sound is a mix of 50s/60s pop with 80s post-punk and alternative, and I Know It's Over is perhaps their best in that mold. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now is another:
I just noticed the tree tail. [laugh]
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Sorry for the belated reply. Got stuck arguing with an idiot on IMDb 2.0 for the last several days.
maz89 wrote:Oh, wow, those two were actually pretty great. By great, I mean my cuppa tea. Will give Falling Into Infinity a shot after all.
And just to bring this discussion full circle, Doug Pinnick from King's X actually does guest vocals (during the chorus) on Lines in the Sand, perhaps my favorite track from Falling Into Infinity:

(opening keyboard riffs, guitar solo and bass lines are just soooo sweet on that track)
maz89 wrote:Surprisingly, I didn't even hate the third one (because you reduced my expectations so much). [biggrin] You're right, the lyrics did mesh well with the sound.
I should also mention that track was from Train of Thought, without a doubt their heaviest/most aggressive album. In fact, it's pretty much their only album that's "all heavy/aggressive all the time." Most of their others are a mix.
maz89 wrote:Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now has such a happy, cheerful sound that is also completely opposite to the song's dark lyrics. I absolutely love that combination.

And I completely understand your love for I Know It's Over. I can't decide which track is my favorite of that album: IKIO or There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. Just like IKIO, the latter is goddamn beautiful and sad at the same time (and one of the few earnest, straight-from-the-heart tracks on the album), and it reminds me pleasantly of Chapman's Fast Car - another track centered on an exhilarating, cathartic late night drive.
Me too. It's a shame you don't hear that "bittersweet" aesthetic more in music.

There is a Light... is fantastic too, but I think IKIO just has more replay value (for me at least). For the upbeat numbers, I love Bigmouth Strikes Again. One of the most relatable songs ever, and I adore the opening lyrics:

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to
Smash every tooth in your head

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed

[biggrin]
maz89 wrote:I liked Royals (although I got tired of it too), but Buzzcut Season was even better for its summer vibe (and the sad illusions it fosters):
I dig it. I just went ahead and downloaded both of her albums. Will give a lesson whenever I get my good system set up again.
maz89 wrote:BTW, what do you think of Daughter? If one can take the liberty of classifying heart-on-the-sleeve as weird...
Also haven't heard this, but it's definitely beautiful. Looks like they're another 4AD band... I'm not surprised.
maz89 wrote:Letter of Memphis was fantastic! Which one do you prefer between the three I've heard? I need to give Doolittle another listen, but I do prefer Bossanova to Surfer Rosa. The latter has a few tracks that I tend to skip through (Something Against You, Tony's Theme, Oh My Golly!) or find good but not great (I'm Amazed, Brick is Red). Meanwhile, I only really skip through Rock Music on Bossanova.
Very close between Doolittle and Bossanova. I agree that Surfer Rosa is a step down, but I think it gets a lot of credit because it was the first and sounded so revolutionary and original when it came out. It's also still their roughest, most punkish, maybe even "weirdest" (Pixie-ish?) album, so I also think that explains its appeal. But I'm with you that there's a few songs from it I don't care much about (though I do rather like Oh My Golly). Doolittle and Bossanova are both nearly perfect, IMO. Maybe if I'm being picky Doolittle has that Mr. Grieves to La La Love You stretch that's pretty mediocre, and Bossa has that The Happening to Stormy Weather stretch. But I think I like Bossa's highlights a bit more, so I give it a minuscule edge.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:Sorry for the belated reply. Got stuck arguing with an idiot on IMDb 2.0 for the last several days.
No worries, my own response time here has been terrible lately. Speaking of IMDB 2.0, did any of the regulars from the 2001 board resurface there?
Eva Yojimbo wrote:And just to bring this discussion full circle, Doug Pinnick from King's X actually does guest vocals (during the chorus) on Lines in the Sand, perhaps my favorite track from Falling Into Infinity:
(opening keyboard riffs, guitar solo and bass lines are just soooo sweet on that track)
Oh, that guitar solo is indeed gorgeous. And I loved the cooler, calmer vibe the track takes after it.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:There is a Light... is fantastic too, but I think IKIO just has more replay value (for me at least). For the upbeat numbers, I love Bigmouth Strikes Again. One of the most relatable songs ever, and I adore the opening lyrics:

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to
Smash every tooth in your head

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed

[biggrin]
[laugh] They are so good at constructing these kinds of contradictory phrases. Even in Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, this line cracks me up every time, thanks in large part to Morrissey's nonchalant reading of it:

In my life
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye


From The Queen is Dead, nothing beats the escalating, successive punches these verses land.

Oh, I didn't realise that you wrote poetry
I didn't realise you wrote such bloody awful poetry, Mr. Shankly

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, since you ask
You are a flatulent pain in the arse


[laugh] As if the first verse didn't clearly indicate his feelings, he immediately proceeds to spell them out.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:
maz89 wrote:BTW, what do you think of Daughter? If one can take the liberty of classifying heart-on-the-sleeve as weird...
Also haven't heard this, but it's definitely beautiful. Looks like they're another 4AD band... I'm not surprised.
I didn't even notice. But here are a few other tracks from them I like. There was a time I was addicted to these (they sound even better if you're in a melancholic mood)...

^The lyrics give me chills, particularly what she says in the end.





In related news, I finally made the plunge into if_then_else, and as expected, I loved it! So many gems; honestly not a single track in there that I currently like to skip. Immediate favorites are Rollercoaster, Amity, Bad Movie Scene, Analog Park, Saturnine, and Herbal Movement. Still need to soak them in... but wow, Anneke sounds amazing (Amy Lee who? [wink]).
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote: Told you it was a great album. Really, their only "dud" album is Meat is Murder, and even it has their most famous song (How Soon is Now). Their S/T debut is superb as well, only let down by sub-par sound quality. Strangeways, Here We Come is even weirder than The Queen is Dead and is quite excellent too. They also released a lot of their best stuff as singles and b-sides, so Hatful of Hollow and Louder than Bombs are must-haves compilations (though there's quite a bit of repetition between them and some album tracks).
After listening to their albums, I must say I actually prefer Meat Is Murder to Strangeways, Here We come, if only for that wonderful stretch from Well I Wonder to Meat is Murder (could be favorite stretch in a Smiths album, outside of TQID). The first Smiths album was pretty damn great too, I'd place it right behind The Queen is Dead.
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Jimbo, as a fellow Pixies fan, what do you think of Modest Mouse? I only recently came across one of their albums, and I'm digging the Pixies-lite songs.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Been meaning to get back to this thread...
maz89 wrote:Jimbo, as a fellow Pixies fan, what do you think of Modest Mouse? I only recently came across one of their albums, and I'm digging the Pixies-lite songs.
I like what I've heard but I haven't explored their discography yet. Can't say that what I have heard made me think of Pixies, though.

On our love for quirky female singers, I'm currently going through Kate Bush's discography and loving it. She may very well have been the progenitor of the entire "genre;" at least, I can't think of anyone like her before her. I can totally see why Bjork listed The Dreaming as one of her favorite albums. She makes me think of a female-fronted Roxy Music; that combination of finely crafted art-pop and really out-there experimentation.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Here's a couple songs of theirs (from the only album I've heard so far) that remind me of Pixies:





And two others I like off their album:



On our love for quirky female singers, I'm currently going through Kate Bush's discography and loving it. She may very well have been the progenitor of the entire "genre;" at least, I can't think of anyone like her before her. I can totally see why Bjork listed The Dreaming as one of her favorite albums. She makes me think of a female-fronted Roxy Music; that combination of finely crafted art-pop and really out-there experimentation.
I should probably get back to you on this once I've had a chance to sample The Dreaming...
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:Here's a couple songs of theirs (from the only album I've heard so far) that remind me of Pixies:
I definitely hear it now, especially on that first track. It's the bass-dominant/slightly-manic talk-sung vocals into a guitar-joining-in chorus that nails the Pixies vibe. In the others I think it's more the retro-ish guitars that have a kinda surf-rock quality to them. Definitely worth checking out.
maz89 wrote:
On our love for quirky female singers, I'm currently going through Kate Bush's discography and loving it. She may very well have been the progenitor of the entire "genre;" at least, I can't think of anyone like her before her. I can totally see why Bjork listed The Dreaming as one of her favorite albums. She makes me think of a female-fronted Roxy Music; that combination of finely crafted art-pop and really out-there experimentation.
I should probably get back to you on this once I've had a chance to sample The Dreaming...
FWIW, Hounds of Love is almost universally considered her masterpiece, but she's so eclectic that it's harder for me to say. Her first two albums (The Kick Inside, Lionheart) are just pure pop; quirky, but not experimental yet. Never for Ever and The Dreaming are where she took over full creative control, with the latter being her most theatrical, dense, and avant-garde (Bush called it "my 'she's gone mad' album."). Hounds of Love and The Sensual World are more of a synthesis, with the former splitting itself into the first-half pop side and second-half conceptual suite. Red Shoes is the oddity in that it sounds more 80s than her 80s albums, but it still has some strong tracks that just suffer from a dated production. Then Bush becomes an eccentric recluse for 12 years before making a comeback with Aerial and, more recently, 50 Words for Snow. Both are sublime albums: minimal, ravishingly gorgeous, but as weird/quirky as ever. Aerial may be my personal favorite from her, as it basically replicates Hounds of Love's bipartite structure, but I think its conceptual suite is the best thing she's done.

Here's a smattering of tracks that I hope represents her eclecticism:





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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:
maz89 wrote:Here's a couple songs of theirs (from the only album I've heard so far) that remind me of Pixies:
I definitely hear it now, especially on that first track. It's the bass-dominant/slightly-manic talk-sung vocals into a guitar-joining-in chorus that nails the Pixies vibe. In the others I think it's more the retro-ish guitars that have a kinda surf-rock quality to them. Definitely worth checking out.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to checking out their other albums. You should check out Good News for People who Love Bad News though, there's not a track in there I don't like.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:FWIW, Hounds of Love is almost universally considered her masterpiece, but she's so eclectic that it's harder for me to say. Her first two albums (The Kick Inside, Lionheart) are just pure pop; quirky, but not experimental yet. Never for Ever and The Dreaming are where she took over full creative control, with the latter being her most theatrical, dense, and avant-garde (Bush called it "my 'she's gone mad' album."). Hounds of Love and The Sensual World are more of a synthesis, with the former splitting itself into the first-half pop side and second-half conceptual suite. Red Shoes is the oddity in that it sounds more 80s than her 80s albums, but it still has some strong tracks that just suffer from a dated production. Then Bush becomes an eccentric recluse for 12 years before making a comeback with Aerial and, more recently, 50 Words for Snow. Both are sublime albums: minimal, ravishingly gorgeous, but as weird/quirky as ever. Aerial may be my personal favorite from her, as it basically replicates Hounds of Love's bipartite structure, but I think its conceptual suite is the best thing she's done.

Here's a smattering of tracks that I hope represents her eclecticism:
Damn, This Woman's Work got me all teary eyed and now I can't stop listening to it. Sublime!

I liked the rest too. The quirky, bizarre sounding Wuthering Heights (although probably my least favorite); the haunting terror in GOMH, full of erratic sounds and singing styles merged with a energetic drum fused beat; the incredibly catchy 80s hook in that feminism anthem (what instrument is that? edit: synth keyboard, of course); the dreamy, floating vibe from that Aerial track (the beginning, before the drums kick in, reminded me of Bjork). Just comparing how radically different Wuthering Heights and Nocturn are... hard to believe they're made by the same person (granted, the same person after a couple of decades, lol). If I had to start, I'd probably start with The Dreaming, and then work my way through to 50 Words for Snow. Then double back and listen to the early stuff... goddammit, why do our bodies need sleep. In the meantime, feel free to share a few more of your favorites.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:
maz89 wrote:Here's a couple songs of theirs (from the only album I've heard so far) that remind me of Pixies:
I definitely hear it now, especially on that first track. It's the bass-dominant/slightly-manic talk-sung vocals into a guitar-joining-in chorus that nails the Pixies vibe. In the others I think it's more the retro-ish guitars that have a kinda surf-rock quality to them. Definitely worth checking out.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to checking out their other albums. You should check out Good News for People who Love Bad News though, there's not a track in there I don't like.
I'm getting ready to start a new round of "epic playlist of several artists' discographies" (I have Tom Waits, Deep Purple, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Megadeth, and Anthrax on the list), and I was looking for someone to round it off, so I'll add Modest Mouse to the end of the list. May take a few weeks before I get to them, though (already have like... 1800 songs on there, lol).
maz89 wrote:Damn, This Woman's Work got me all teary eyed and now I can't stop listening to it. Sublime!

I liked the rest too. The quirky, bizarre sounding Wuthering Heights (although probably my least favorite); the haunting terror in GOMH, full of erratic sounds and singing styles merged with a energetic drum fused beat; the incredibly catchy 80s hook in that feminism anthem (what instrument is that? edit: synth keyboard, of course); the dreamy, floating vibe from that Aerial track (the beginning, before the drums kick in, reminded me of Bjork). Just comparing how radically different Wuthering Heights and Nocturn are... hard to believe they're made by the same person (granted, the same person after a couple of decades, lol). If I had to start, I'd probably start with The Dreaming, and then work my way through to 50 Words for Snow. Then double back and listen to the early stuff... goddammit, why do our bodies need sleep. In the meantime, feel free to share a few more of your favorites.
This Woman's Work is indeed a special track. She also did an album of re-recordings of tracks from The Sensual World and The Red Shoes called Director's Cut (apparently she didn't like the production either), and TWW was one of the tracks she included:



(I like the instrumentation better on the re-recording, but I prefer her voice on the original)

Few fun facts: Kate Bush was originally discovered by David Gilmour, who paid for her first demo when she was 16. GOMH was inspired by The Shining. Wuthering Heights was written when she was 18 and was the first song written/recorded by a female solo artist to hit #1 in the UK. The majority of her albums from Never for Ever to The Red Shoes were written/recorded using a Fairlight CMI, which is the "synth keyboard" you hear, but it was also an early digital sampler that allowed her to play with all kinds of soundscapes, which you can really hear on GOMH.

Starting with The Dreaming and working forward is a fine approach, but The Kick Inside and Never for Ever are awfully good. More favorites:






(Make sure to watch the video for the last one... it's gorgeous. Reminds me of the animated videos Steven Wilson did for The Raven That Refused to Sing).
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:I'm getting ready to start a new round of "epic playlist of several artists' discographies" (I have Tom Waits, Deep Purple, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Megadeth, and Anthrax on the list), and I was looking for someone to round it off, so I'll add Modest Mouse to the end of the list. May take a few weeks before I get to them, though (already have like... 1800 songs on there, lol).

Dear God, does this mean another 6 month hiatus is approaching? ;) On a srs note, that's a crazy number of artists and songs to binge through. How many times do you listen to an album to develop that deeper sense for it? Or do they just have one shot or one opportunity to seize... your interest?
Eva Yojimbo wrote:This Woman's Work is indeed a special track. She also did an album of re-recordings of tracks from The Sensual World and The Red Shoes called Director's Cut (apparently she didn't like the production either), and TWW was one of the tracks she included:
(I like the instrumentation better on the re-recording, but I prefer her voice on the original)
This was beautiful too! I agree with your assessment. More rawness to her voice in the original but the instrumentation is stunning here.

Gilmour must be pleased with himself. What a find.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Starting with The Dreaming and working forward is a fine approach, but The Kick Inside and Never for Ever are awfully good. More favorites:
(Make sure to watch the video for the last one... it's gorgeous. Reminds me of the animated videos Steven Wilson did for The Raven That Refused to Sing).
I thought the video for Among Angels was an 'official' release, but apparently someone just put them together and made magic! Loved the song and video both, and I should admit (after sampling other songs from the album) that maybe it's 50 Words for Snow that I'm most looking forward to (esp on a spaced out kind of afternoon). Top of the City and the Man with the Child in His Eyes were my other faves from this lot.

Oh, and youtube directed me to this track called Mrs. Bartolozzi, which is just amazing. A song about a normal household chore that has so much lurking underneath. An undertone of sadness, longing even. Almost feels like it could be a Regina Spektor song.

And then I heard 'Wow', which is surprisingly, refreshingly mature for the output of a 19 year old.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I'm getting ready to start a new round of "epic playlist of several artists' discographies" (I have Tom Waits, Deep Purple, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Megadeth, and Anthrax on the list), and I was looking for someone to round it off, so I'll add Modest Mouse to the end of the list. May take a few weeks before I get to them, though (already have like... 1800 songs on there, lol).

Dear God, does this mean another 6 month hiatus is approaching? ;) On a srs note, that's a crazy number of artists and songs to binge through. How many times do you listen to an album to develop that deeper sense for it? Or do they just have one shot or one opportunity to seize... your interest?
Nah, the 6 month hiatus had more to do with me just not being online in general. I usually have long music playlists I'm going through all the time.

Good question about how many shots I give an album; it's mostly just an intuition thing. Sometimes I instantly know that I dislike something and it's not for me, but other times I'm more ambivalent and know I need to come back to stuff to figure out how I feel. Pixies was a good example of that; I'm not typically into most punk-derived music, but Pixies had a lot of elements (like their pop-sensibilities and humor) that made them interesting enough to go through again. Most of my epic "discography" playlists are from artists I'm familiar with but just haven't heard everything from. From my new list, the only completely "new" artist for me will be PJ Harvey; I love many albums from the rest of them.

Speaking of that list, it's a bit of a travesty we've made it this far into this a thread on weird music without someone posting any Tom Waits:

maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Starting with The Dreaming and working forward is a fine approach, but The Kick Inside and Never for Ever are awfully good. More favorites:
(Make sure to watch the video for the last one... it's gorgeous. Reminds me of the animated videos Steven Wilson did for The Raven That Refused to Sing).
I thought the video for Among Angels was an 'official' release, but apparently someone just put them together and made magic! Loved the song and video both, and I should admit (after sampling other songs from the album) that maybe it's 50 Words for Snow that I'm most looking forward to (esp on a spaced out kind of afternoon). Top of the City and the Man with the Child in His Eyes were my other faves from this lot.

Oh, and youtube directed me to this track called Mrs. Bartolozzi, which is just amazing. A song about a normal household chore that has so much lurking underneath. An undertone of sadness, longing even. Almost feels like it could be a Regina Spektor song.

And then I heard 'Wow', which is surprisingly, refreshingly mature for the output of a 19 year old.
I could definitely see you loving Aerial and 50 Words for Snow even more than her older "classics." They certainly inhabit their own unique sonic universe that's much more restrained, subtle, hypnotic, and utterly gorgeous. Her earlier work is more varied. I think the only thing her recent albums are missing is more of her pop and theatrical side, which is really addictive at her best (I had both Big Sky and Running Up that Hill running (lol) through my head for days after a single listen... same thing with Top of the City).

Mrs. Bartolozzi is definitely one of the gems of Aerial's first disc. My favorite from that is probably A Coral Room, which is probably the most heartbreaking song she's done:

^ Anyone who could refrain from crying during the second part of that song is made of stone!

Wow is probably the best off Lionheart. Definitely one of its highlights, at least.

Here's some fun Kate Bush tracks:







I mean, I do love her new stuff, but I do miss a bit of that lightness/silliness/theatricality. Although, the new stuff isn't without its own quirks:


^ Good chunk of that song is, indeed, just Kate singing the numbers for Pi. [laugh]
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Eva Yojimbo wrote:Good question about how many shots I give an album; it's mostly just an intuition thing. Sometimes I instantly know that I dislike something and it's not for me, but other times I'm more ambivalent and know I need to come back to stuff to figure out how I feel. Pixies was a good example of that; I'm not typically into most punk-derived music, but Pixies had a lot of elements (like their pop-sensibilities and humor) that made them interesting enough to go through again. Most of my epic "discography" playlists are from artists I'm familiar with but just haven't heard everything from. From my new list, the only completely "new" artist for me will be PJ Harvey; I love many albums from the rest of them.
Makes sense.

Speaking of humor, I loved that Waits song. Hilarious! Fun, jazzy critique of the overload of marketing phrases and buzzwords in our consumerist, capitalist society. "Change into a nine year old Hindu boy" came out of nowhere. [laugh]
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I could definitely see you loving Aerial and 50 Words for Snow even more than her older "classics." They certainly inhabit their own unique sonic universe that's much more restrained, subtle, hypnotic, and utterly gorgeous. Her earlier work is more varied. I think the only thing her recent albums are missing is more of her pop and theatrical side, which is really addictive at her best (I had both Big Sky and Running Up that Hill running (lol) through my head for days after a single listen... same thing with Top of the City).
I know what you mean about her 'theatrical' side being addictive too. I stumbled upon the title track from "Hounds Of Love" and it became an instant favorite. Anything about being uncertain and afraid of love fares well in my book, especially if it includes a call to childhood, repeated pleas for help and a beautiful metaphor (the one here about her promising to be "two steps on the water" after receiving said help). I can't shake it out of my head.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Mrs. Bartolozzi is definitely one of the gems of Aerial's first disc. My favorite from that is probably A Coral Room, which is probably the most heartbreaking song she's done:
^ Anyone who could refrain from crying during the second part of that song is made of stone!
Well, my heart is not made of stone. Beautiful how her metaphor about the 'spider of time' segues into an image of a spider climbing out of her mother's broken brown jug (no pun intended). Such a heartfelt ode to the passage of time. Definitely one of her best.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Here's some fun Kate Bush tracks:
The Wedding List really stood out. Reminded me of Kill Bill and The Bride Wore Black (which I think might have been an inspiration for it). Rubberband girl was catchy too, must hold a record for the number of times 'rubberband' has been said in a song, lol.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I mean, I do love her new stuff, but I do miss a bit of that lightness/silliness/theatricality. Although, the new stuff isn't without its own quirks:
^ Good chunk of that song is, indeed, just Kate singing the numbers for Pi. [laugh]
Haha, has to be heard to be believed. I loved it! [laugh]
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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maz89 wrote:Speaking of humor, I loved that Waits song. Hilarious! Fun, jazzy critique of the overload of marketing phrases and buzzwords in our consumerist, capitalist society. "Change into a nine year old Hindu boy" came out of nowhere. [laugh]
If you enjoyed that you should check out his Nighthawks at the Diner album. It's quite unique: Waits and his producer essentially set up a small club/diner in a large studio and had a live audience for a set that was part stand-up comedy and part music where half-spoken/sung intros with jazzy backing music would segue into songs. I've never heard anything quite like it, and Waits is genuinely hilarious. Here's one intro + track:



What's really jarring for me is that I'm now hearing his 70s material for the first time. I came to Waits from the classic 80s/90s albums (Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Bone Machine, Mule Variations, etc.) that were about as "weird" as it gets sonically; by contrast, most of his 70s stuff is more standard jazz-blues singer-songwriter stuff. Still excellent, but surprisingly normal for Waits. That Step Right Up is one of the 70s numbers that shows off his weird/humorous side. Here's another:


maz89 wrote:I know what you mean about her 'theatrical' side being addictive too. I stumbled upon the title track from "Hounds Of Love" and it became an instant favorite. Anything about being uncertain and afraid of love fares well in my book, especially if it includes a call to childhood, repeated pleas for help and a beautiful metaphor (the one here about her promising to be "two steps on the water" after receiving said help). I can't shake it out of my head.
Hounds of Love title track is great. I think by now you've heard most of the first half of that album! LOL (Just not Cloudbusting and Mother Stands for Comfort).
maz89 wrote:Well, my heart is not made of stone. Beautiful how her metaphor about the 'spider of time' segues into an image of a spider climbing out of her mother's broken brown jug (no pun intended). Such a heartfelt ode to the passage of time. Definitely one of her best.
I love the nuanced pacing in that one. How it comes to a near complete stop when it switches subjects to her mother, that steady build-up at the end before it quietly dies down again. Just so perfect.
maz89 wrote:
Eva Yojimbo wrote:Here's some fun Kate Bush tracks:
The Wedding List really stood out. Reminded me of Kill Bill and The Bride Wore Black (which I think might have been an inspiration for it). Rubberband girl was catchy too, must hold a record for the number of times 'rubberband' has been said in a song, lol.
I also thought of Kill Bill/Bride Wore Black with The Wedding List. I love how deftly that songs changes moods. Kate is just so good with those kinds of transitions, where a song starts out as one thing and then morphs into another thing. Hammer Horror did that too (and who else writes songs about classic B-horror movies?). I adore the dance in Rubberband Girl!
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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So Gendo edited the board's code so that the music sub-forum now has 10 posts per page rather than 50 so that threads don't take forever to load with all the videos. Keep an eye out for anything that might be off. So far, so good for me though. :)
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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God, this was much needed. Thank you Gendo and Jimbo!

I'll get back on those Waits tracks later.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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So Maz, I have listened to several of the artists you've mentioned in this thread, so some random thoughts:

The National - I get why they're a big thing. They have this depressive, minimalist, darkly seductive quality to their music that, if you're in the right mood, could definitely be engrossing. That said, I just didn't care much for them. They're a bit too monotone and musically uninteresting, and compared to other musically-basic bands (Pixies, say) they don't have much of a sense for hooks or melodies. So if you're not into the tonality, there's not much else there, IMO.

Regina Spektor - Loved her. Her quirkiness borders on genius at times, and it's amazing how much variety she finds with just a voice and piano. I liked her a bit less in the glossier, more commercial, pop stuff because I think she lost too much of her uniqueness and started sounding like most of the other indie-pop songstresses out there. Still, everything up to and including Soviet Kitsch is great, and I rather like her last two as well.

Lorde - Didn't care much for her first album, but her last album is really good. Just solid electronic pop. Not sure if I'm ready to put her on a pedestal yet, but definitely looking forward to what she does next.

Modest Mouse - Don't care for their early stuff, which is mostly dull noise rock from a band with little musical talent narcissitically in love with their ability to make sounds. Then something good happens around the time of Good News... and they learn to write songs! Not just that, but damn good ones! They do even better with the next one, We Were Dead..., and it has a handful of truly great tracks, with the whole album being solid. I especially love the funky pop-stomp of We've Got Everything:


And another on the "quirky female solo artist" front, have you heard anything from Lights or PJ Harvey? I recently went through both of their stuff. Lights was a bit "meh," for me overall, but there are some highlights. I think I'm more of a fan of her acoustic "remake" albums than the originals. That said, Little Machines is a darn good album. I'd put it a notch below Lorde's Melodrama by comparison. Here's a highlight (love the 80s vibe):


PJ Harvey is most remarkable for how varied her output is. Her first two albums are excellent, very early-90s, hard-edged grunge rock, but after that every album is different; from the dark, funereal blues of To Bring You My Love; to the subtle, atmospheric electronica of Is This Desire?; to the stylistic hodgepodge of Stories from the City; to the haunting, ethereal, solo-piano dominated White Chalk; to her last two politically tinged albums. Not to mention her art-pop collaborations with John Parish. It's hard choosing highlights because of the variety. My favorite overall is To Bring You My Love, but Whit Chalk is awesome too. Some tracks:


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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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Welcome back Eva! And with such an entrance too. Seriously, you've heard more from The National and Modest Mouse than I have now, lol.

The National - There isn't much for me to add here since you've highlighted both the good and the bad. That depressive tonality works for me as it meshes so well with the lyrics. Besides, "monotone" and "musically uninteresting" are criticisms aimed at other great artists too like Mr Dylan - okay, okay, I take that back. [razz] That being said though, I should clarify I've only heard two National albums (many years ago), and the only songs of theirs that I can remember off the top of my head are Don't Swallow the Cap, Graceless and I Need My Girl. Something about most of their songs sounding really similar after a while...

Regina Spektor - Love her too. I agree that I prefer her earlier albums to her latest one. DAMN, I just realized I haven't yet heard the 2016 album. Didn't even know it was out until you mentioned 'last two'.

Lorde - The more I listen to Melodrama, the more I like it. Not a track in there I want to skip. If you liked Melodrama, you might also like her 'Vevo x Lorde' performances on Youtube, which feature acoustic covers of six songs from Melodrama. Not all of these covers are equally good, but I love how she completely lets herself go in her performances. The erratic dance moves are a part of the charm.

Modest Mouse - Wait, hold on there... you didn't like The Lonesome Crowded West? That's the only other MM album I've heard in its entirety and I thought it was a pretty cohesive effort myself. Are you sure you didn't like Teeth Like God's Shoeshine? I love how its mood cycles from chaotic madness to bleak helplessness to moody self-reflection. As the album opener, it sets up the album very well for its commercialization themes. I also love that whole patch of quiet melancholy from "Here's the man with teeth like God's shoeshine..." until the explosive verses. And, "Do you need a lot of what you got to survive?"



Cowboy Dan is SUCH an earworm! A powerful indictment of Americana. And oh, that moment of truth in the middle is sublime. It takes me to a Days of Heaven-esque setting ("Standing in the tall grass... thinking nothing... you know, we need oxygen to breathe..."), until Cowboy Dan's fucked-up greed for power and control brings me crashing back to earth.



How about Trailer Trash? There's a nostalgic quality about it that just reels me in. Between the self-pity and distaste for life, there's also a glimmer of hope and maybe redemption. Also, come on, that guitar sounds really good.



Okay, so there are at least five other songs on the album I really like but I'll just end it with Truckers Atlas, because it is just so much fun and has such an insanely catchy chorus: "This truckers atlas roads the ways/The freeways and highways don't know/The buzz from the bird on my dash/Road locomotive phone". Also, I love the double meaning of "I do lines and I crossed roads/I crossed the lines of all the great state roads" and also all of its dark connotations for a song that's ironically upbeat. Also, another blink-and-you'll-miss-it line that I like: "I don't feel and I feel great/I sold my atlas by the freight stairs."



Anyway, moving on.

I'm surprised that Running With the Boys has only 700k views. It's really catchy. How has this artist completely slipped by my radar? Okay, I heard a bunch of other random songs of hers on Youtube and she was just alright... any other specific recommendations like this fun number?

I'll get back to you on my thoughts on PJ Harvey later.
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Re: Songs that speak to my weirdo side

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[cheers]
maz89 wrote:The National - There isn't much for me to add here since you've highlighted both the good and the bad. That depressive tonality works for me as it meshes so well with the lyrics. Besides, "monotone" and "musically uninteresting" are criticisms aimed at other great artists too like Mr Dylan - okay, okay, I take that back. [razz] That being said though, I should clarify I've only heard two National albums (many years ago), and the only songs of theirs that I can remember off the top of my head are Don't Swallow the Cap, Graceless and I Need My Girl. Something about most of their songs sounding really similar after a while...
I think there are different ways to make up for being "musically uninteresting." Being musically varied is one way, and Dylan is definitely that. Besides, I'd say much of his 60s stuff (at least) was quite musically interesting, especially his work with The Band where he essentially invented the Americana genre. I agree about The National sounding samey after a while.
maz89 wrote:Modest Mouse - Wait, hold on there... you didn't like The Lonesome Crowded West?
TBH their early albums just kinda ran together in my mind without much sticking out. I think one problem they have is similar to a complaint I have with Tori Amos's later albums in that both view the maximum CD running time as a challenge to be met rather than just a limitation. I keep wanting to tell them it's OK to not record/release EVERY idea they have! As for your tracks, first one isn't working. Cowboy Dan is OK, but even that is rather monotonous and built more on the tone of its reverbed guitar arpeggios and steady drum/tambourine beat. The vocal doesn't do much for me, and the noise freakout at the end seems kinda random. Trailer Trash isn't bad, but I also don't hear much in it that's outstanding either. Again, it's mostly the same basic musical style as the last one (this time with an added guitar strumming in the right channel). Their guitar tone doesn't do much for me. For that kind of slightly-dirty reverbed clean sound, it has nothing on Pink Floyd or The Cure or U2 or Cocteau Twins. I do remember kinda liking Trucker Atlas, more because it had this groovy, almost jam-band quality to it; but, geez, it's 11 minutes long. Unless your band is called "Rush" or "Dream Theater" or "Yes" or "King Crimson" (or similar) you have no business writing 11 minute songs!. At least it is more varied than most of their early stuff. I just think their later albums learned to trim the fat, while getting tighter as a band and becoming more song-oriented rather than sound-oriented.
maz89 wrote:I'm surprised that Running With the Boys has only 700k views. It's really catchy. How has this artist completely slipped by my radar? Okay, I heard a bunch of other random songs of hers on Youtube and she was just alright... any other specific recommendations like this fun number?
Another fun number from the same album:


She also did acoustic remakes of two of her albums (Siberia and Little Machines) that I really like. Here's the acoustic remake of the above:


BTW, how much of The Cure have you heard? I also recently went through all their stuff and I loved them and really think you'd dig them too. They have this polarizing quality where they switch between epic, doom & gloom goth to light-hearted, upbeat pop fun. Pornography and Disintegration are two of the most harrowing albums ever made, while Head on the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me are just stupidly catchy pop music. Two examples:

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Hey I'll get back to this by Saturday. Having a crazy week...
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Take your time. :)
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Guess I should have specified which Saturday I was referring to. Apologies for the delay. [sad]
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I think there are different ways to make up for being "musically uninteresting." Being musically varied is one way, and Dylan is definitely that. Besides, I'd say much of his 60s stuff (at least) was quite musically interesting, especially his work with The Band where he essentially invented the Americana genre.
I guess I need to muster the strength to go through his albums. I always like what I hear when it's in small chunks but I always find my thoughts going adrift when I put on one of his albums. I'm sure this sounds like blasphemy...
Eva Yojimbo wrote:TBH their early albums just kinda ran together in my mind without much sticking out. I think one problem they have is similar to a complaint I have with Tori Amos's later albums in that both view the maximum CD running time as a challenge to be met rather than just a limitation. I keep wanting to tell them it's OK to not record/release EVERY idea they have! ...I just think their later albums learned to trim the fat, while getting tighter as a band and becoming more song-oriented rather than sound-oriented.
Okay, so in the time I've been absent, I caught up on the rest of the MM albums, and I agree about this complaint for their first album. This Is A Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About (geez) starts off with a strong couple of tracks, and then gets lost in mediocrity. You already know how I feel about the Lonesome Crowded West. I have a similar take on The Moon & Antarctica as I have for their first album, but I think its peaks are definitely higher (3rd Planet, Gravity Rides Everything and Paper Thin Wall are among my favorite MM tracks) and its mediocre songs aren't that bad. Good News... is, well, fantastic and what got me hooked on to MM in the first place. We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank is great too, but I'd place it a notch below Good News. My favorite tracks from this are Missed the Boat and Spitting Venom. Finally, I've only heard Strangers to Ourselves a couple of times so I'm still figuring out how I feel about it. But I think it's close to the previous two albums in terms of quality, even if I'd rank it a bit lower than both. So in summary, agreed about the self-indulgent critique about their first album, and agreed that they become more refined with Good News (which remains their best album for me). Did you prefer We Were Dead... or Strangers to Ourselves to Good News?
Eva Yojimbo wrote:As for your tracks, first one isn't working. Cowboy Dan is OK, but even that is rather monotonous and built more on the tone of its reverbed guitar arpeggios and steady drum/tambourine beat. The vocal doesn't do much for me, and the noise freakout at the end seems kinda random. Trailer Trash isn't bad, but I also don't hear much in it that's outstanding either. Again, it's mostly the same basic musical style as the last one (this time with an added guitar strumming in the right channel). Their guitar tone doesn't do much for me. For that kind of slightly-dirty reverbed clean sound, it has nothing on Pink Floyd or The Cure or U2 or Cocteau Twins.
In that case, can you recommend songs with that kind of sound? I dug Trailer Trash so I'm bound to like these other tracks you're comparing them with.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:I do remember kinda liking Trucker Atlas, more because it had this groovy, almost jam-band quality to it; but, geez, it's 11 minutes long. Unless your band is called "Rush" or "Dream Theater" or "Yes" or "King Crimson" (or similar) you have no business writing 11 minute songs!. At least it is more varied than most of their early stuff.
LOL. And here I thought the self-indulgence was totally earned in that groovy, fun track.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:She also did acoustic remakes of two of her albums (Siberia and Little Machines) that I really like. Here's the acoustic remake of the above:
I thought the acoustic cover of Up We Go was a bit shrill, but I did like the one I heard for Running with the Boys.
Eva Yojimbo wrote:BTW, how much of The Cure have you heard? I also recently went through all their stuff and I loved them and really think you'd dig them too. They have this polarizing quality where they switch between epic, doom & gloom goth to light-hearted, upbeat pop fun. Pornography and Disintegration are two of the most harrowing albums ever made, while Head on the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me are just stupidly catchy pop music.
Pictures of You is the only track of theirs I've heard... more times than I can count. It's 8 minutes of pure 80s mood, nostalgic bliss. Despite that, I haven't explored their works at all. I liked both of the tracks you shared (of course, they weren't nearly as good as Pictures of You), and I'm definitely interested in checking out more. Where do I start?

Edit: Oh, I forgot to add I also LOVE Lovesong. Some great covers of this classic, too. I also like the fun energy of Friday I'm In Love.
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose"
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