Re: I need suggestions for new music!

[lishka@cernvax.cern.ch (christopher lishka)]

In <8607@ns-mx.uiowa.edu> colburn@tessa.iaf.uiowa.EDU (alex colburn) writes:
>	I've been craving some new music, and well, Iowa City
>isn't exactly a place to hear new music.
>[...]
>Anyone have any suggestions (music that is)?
>I already own everything by Kate. The last few CDs I bought
>were Julian Cope, The Darling Buds, Daniel Ash and Hindu Love Gods.  

Well, one of my favorites is Peter Murphy.  An ex-Bauhaus member, he
uses a lot of synthesizers.  His music ranges between up-beat stuff
with a beat to dark tunes, but not as depressing as some of the
Bauhaus stuff I've heard.  Great lyrics, and good song construction.
He has three albums out: _If The World Should Fail To Fall Apart_,
_Love Hysteria_, and _Deep_.  He also has a song on the _Pump Up The
Volume_ soundtrack.

One of the best modern off-the-wall musicians is Tom Waits.  His stuff
is hard to describe, and ranges from small ensemble work doing cool
jazz-like stuff to gin-joint songs to lounge-lizard takeoffs to cool
beat poetry.  Check out _Swordfish Trombone_ and _Rain Dogs_, and work
from there.

Although I am not usually into heavy guitars ala punk, I really enjoy
the Pixies.  They are very versatile and a little bit out in left
field.  Songs range from loud screaming lyrics to beautiful slow moody
pieces (the U.K. surf version of "Wave Of Mutilation" is a nice
haunting tune), even on the same album.  The lyrics are usually very
strange and sometimes downright minimal, but the wide-range of music
is the best part.  Albums to check out are _Doolittle_ and
_Bossanova_. 

Another favorite of mine is _Crowded House_.  Good solid Australian
rock with excellent lyrics.  Neil Finn (the lead singer) has a really
wonderful voice.  Get their second album (_Temple Of Low Men_) first,
and if you like that, pick up _Woodface_ (their latest) and _Crowded
House_ (their first).

A good solid band that hasn't made it yet (and I really can't see why
not) is The Connells.  Although their musical range is less varied,
they really know how to put together some good tunes.  _Boylan
Heights_, _Fun and Games_, and _One Simple Word_ are all really great
albums.  Again, they do stuff ranging from good rock to beautiful
ballads (the last song off of _Fun and Games_ [forget the name right
now] is a wonderful *upbeat* ballad about dying).

If you want really strange music with a great beat, look into early
albums by Shriekback.  Their stuff is a bit harder to find.  It is
hard to descrive them, except that the lyrics are almost always
downright strange.  The music varies from a driving beat to moody to
lovely slow stuff (check out "This Big Hush" on _Big Night Music_).
The albums to get first are probably _Oil and Gold_ and _Big Night
Music_.  Also, their "best of" collections (of which their are two)
are fantastic, especially the first.

I could go on and on, but this should give you a fairly broad base to
work from.  Mail me if you want more recommendations (on a wider
range).  All of the above artists are ones that my wife and I both
really enjoy, which says a lot about them because she is into more
"normal" stuff (i.e. Janet Jackson, C&C Music Company, Monie Love,
etc.) and I am into more off-the-wall stuff (Gang Of Four, Midnight
Oil, etc.).

I welcome comments from all you other gaffa readers out there.  Maybe
we can get back on track on some more upbeat threads.  Criticism
welcome.

					.oO Chris Oo.

p.s. I picked up Julian Cope's _Peggy Suicide_ a few months back, and
my wife and I both really like it.  "Beautiful love, beautiful love,
where have you gone?"

-- 
 Christopher Lishka                  Smiling as the shit comes down
 Wisconsin Group, CERN               You can tell a man from what he has to say
 lishka@cernvax.cern.ch                                        -- Crowded House