I don’t have the new one yet. I have two of their old ones, which I bring to work from time to time. My boss always refers to them as the “Flaming Lips wannabes.”
Of course, he also said Ataraxia was ripping off Led Zeppelin and mistook a fairly straight Cure cover as being a Beck ripoff…
I have that one. While I can appreciate it on some level, it doesn’t do anything for me emotionally. When the music is that out-there, I just tend to forget it’s on and my mind wanders. I do like their Molasses side project though.
I would also suggest the Residents. I even have an autographed Residents album and have met at least one of them. Perhaps start with Eskimo a bit of a concept album, extremely unique.
I’d also suggest some of their early label mates, Snakefinger, maybe start with The Man In The Dark Sedan or almost anything off Chewing Hides The Sound.
Tuxedo Moon. Maybe start with Half-Mute.
Now something a little more mainstream, albeit taking a left fork, you might try Fred Neil, Everybody’s Talking and The Dolphin. Warning, stick with Fred Neil’s originals!
I’d also suggest the Velvet Underground, and perhaps Marianne Faithfull’s Broken English.
I’d like to second Firewater, though I don’t see any particular reason why Psychopharmacology would be any worse than the first two. Somewhat different, maybe, but not worse.
Also, I’d like to show my appreciation for what seems to be another “Bands Few People Have Heard Of” threads. I love them! I just go through them and download everything that sounds good to try it out - in fact, I think I came across Firewater that way. I have a bookmark collection of this type of SDMB threads, in fact.
I just read your music list, and this hopped out at me like a frog on meth:
**Shut Up Little Man - - (The Antics Of Peter & Raymond) - **
PLEASE tell me two things:
This is an original
You know where I can get one.
Thanks!
Tying into Peter & Raymod: Have you heard Thinking Fellers Union Local 282? They may be a littlier poppier than you like, but they have put out some really quirky, cool records. I’d start with Strangers from the Universe or The Funeral Pudding. Oh, and while Bob Dinners and Larry Noodles present Tubby Turdner’s Celebrity Avalanche is not my favorite record of theirs, it is my favorite album title of all time.
Not to hijack or anything, but could you describe what the earlier stuff sounds like? I had one album from the 80’s, and while I find him to be a terrific songwriter, excellent lyricist, and great vocalist, I found the arrangements and production to be far too lounge-y for my tastes. It’s like they took great songs and ruined them. Is the earlier stuff any different?
Tom Waits’ newest CD, Blood Money, definitely falls into the dark and strange category. A few song titles: “Misery’s the River of the World,” “Everything Goes to Hell,” “Starving in the Belly of a Whale.”
Nightime already mentioned Rasputina. They’re great. Very beautiful and often grim.
I’m a huge Magnetic Fields fan, though they aren’t as hardcore or rocky as some of the other things here. Dreadfully depressing but inventive lyrics set to happy tunes.
His earlier records are much darker and folkier than the 80s and 90s records, and his voice changed quite a bit over the years. I can’t guarantee that you’ll like them, but it’s worth hearing them (particularly his debut and Songs of Love and Hate) if you think the records you’ve heard could have been better.
It’s time you tracked down some The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud. They’ve got about half a dozen releases… I’d start with Amara Tanta Tyri pr The Smell of Blood But Victory.
Lately I’ve been rediscovering my Varttina album Seleniko. Finnish folk singers. Quite good–and I hate folk music.
If you want seriously violent & anarchic punk rock check for The Feederz, specifically the album Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss? I’ve been meaning to burn it onto mp3. Since they advocate stealing, arson, and general nastiness, if you’re real nice and want to give it a try, I might be able to email it to you…
Another good dark punk offering is The Exploited’s album Horror Epics. IMO, one of the best punk albums ever made. Of course, Minor Threat’s Red Album was the best, but that goes without saying.
I’m sorry. I was having trouble viewing your list…so not sure if you have The The’s first album?? It’s very different from their later stuff. It was very experimental for the time - but it still sounds so current. Actually, it still sounds experimental! I think it will blow your mind. And yes, it’s dark-ish…however, you may hate it…lol.
If you like the stripped down, often acoustic, confessional approach to music, you may like Arab Strap.
I noticed that you say you’re not much of a fan of electronic music, so you’ll probably either love or really hate Aphex twin. When he wants to do dark, he does not mess around. “Come to Daddy” may be the most evil bit of music I possess. It definitely qualifies on the dark criteria, throwing in a side order of twisted and extra creepiness.
Got to second Portishead, they are often dark, and their music is exquisitely crafted. In a similar vein, Tricky makes superb claustrophobic, paranoid, music.
Two recommendations that may or may not work for you:
Kronos Quartet’s album Black Angel is way creepy music for a string quartet, sort of like Diamanda Galas on the violin and cello. The album’s title piece is a commentary on the Vietnam War written according to numerological principles and involves shattering glass, shouts, and string instruments making noises like shrieking giant monster insects. Good stuff :). The rest of the album explores different creepy pieces about (or resulting from) war, ending with a powerful version of Shostakovich’s Quartet #8, my favorite piece of classical music.
And then there’s Willie Nelson’s album Teatro, a moody Latin-influenced bit of country music. Some of the pieces on the album are dark indeed, such as the tender love song in which the singer strangles his estranged girlfriend.
Sacrilegium,
I don’t know if you are wanting to hunt down new bands or if you’re just after some new sounds… but sometimes movie soundtracks hit my buttons. Think of a movie where the scenes moved you… or some movie which you enjoyed the overall feel to it.
Early Blue Öyster Cult. She’s as beautiful as a foot, Cagey cretins and Harvester of eyes are particularly creepy, as are the lines from Career of Evil (written by Patti Smith):
Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra have been mentioned but not their most well known song collaboration- which had been covered by Lydia Lunch & got new life in the past two years when Art Bell started using it as bumper music…
