CD-Charts Position 81
Average Rating:

Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Eno

Release Date June 01, 2004
Eno added innovative weirdness to Bryan Ferry's pop sensibility in Roxy Music - same as Cale did for Reed, and Lennon did for McCartney. When Eno left the band after their first 2 albums (1972's "Roxy Music" and 1973's "For Your Pleasure"), he broke up one of rock music's most interesting partnerships.

The problem was - it wasn't enough of a partnership for Eno. It was Bryan Ferry's show, and he chafed under Ferry's dominance. Wishing to record his own music, Eno released his first solo album "Here Come The Warm Jets" (1974). He followed it up with "Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)" (1974).

Both are art-rock masterpieces and a must to own. Of the two, I slightly prefer Tiger - but that's only because I like the way ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 82
Average Rating:

The Spotlight Kid/Clear Spot

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Captain Beefheart

Release Date October 19, 1990
While it's economical to pick up these kind of twofers, it's important to make the effort to judge each album individually on it's own merit. I'm going to buck the trend and say 'Clear Spot' is the better album here. 'Spotlight Kid' is great, but some of the songs suffer from Ted Templeton's heavy hand and sound like they would be more appropriate on a Janis Joplin record. Nothing dates a record faster than that 60's psychedlic sound. Still, the Captain is in fine form here with his wailing, incandescent blues. 'Clear Spot' is much tighter and, in it's own way, more eccentric, as it seems to be focused on spinning out a batch of off-kilter pop gems the likes of which I have never really heard from the Captain before. If this was the pre-cursor to ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 83
Average Rating:

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Stereolab

Release Date April 09, 1996
First, this is a fantastic album. I always find something new every time I listen to it...and I've listened to it a lot.

But what's interesting about this album is that it's really a demarcation from one phase of Stereolab to another and there is a specific song where that it seems like they threw the switch and never looked back. It's breathtaking, in fact.

Previous to ETK, Stereolab was a fine band, however, it seemed like they would forever be stuck repeating itself. The albums before ETK seemed to be a collection of simple droning tunes which seemed a little overly retro. That's not to say that those albums are bad, but that trick was starting to play itself by the end of the fantastic Mars Audiac Quintet. Then came Emperor ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 84
Average Rating:

Mark Hollis

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Mark Hollis

Release Date April 04, 2000
I was a huge fan of "Spirit of Eden" and it's follow up "Laughing Stock" by Talk Talk.
When I saw Mark Hollis put this out I had great hopes. And this album delivers in spades. It is a sublime, nuanced work of great sophistication. Very quiet. Very moving. Definetly reccomended.

CD-Charts Position 85
Average Rating:

Prog

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: The Bad Plus

Release Date May 08, 2007
I'm very glad I stumbled onto this band by way of the digital music channels on my cable tv. VERY fresh.

Thriftstore Jewelry was what caught me, but Giant will keep me a fan.

Very pleased with the purchased...so great to find a new band like this.

CD-Charts Position 86
Average Rating:

Richard D. James Album

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Aphex Twin

Release Date January 28, 1997
As indicated by the running times above, this album is relatively brief, such that it could almost be considered an EP -- the best stuff is found when Aphex Twin mixes frenetic beats with lush melodies. The paragon of that is "Girl/Boy Song", fusing pizzicato strings with crisp, yet at-times sloppy drumwork. Snares flail and assail as the string bite back, harmonic development pulling you in deeper (as opposed to the same thing repeating over and over, which is a common failing with this kind of experimental music).

"4" has a delightful, Oriental steppishness to it, with an overall mood that sounds fast and slow at the same time -- RDJ, when he gets it right, is a temporal master of controlling mood through precise sound selection and arrangement.

"Fingerbib" ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 87
Average Rating:

Trisector

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Van der Graaf Generator

Release Date April 01, 2008
Most bands that just keep going on (or reappear after an extended hiatus) often seem like they're doing little more than cashing in on their used-to-bes. The energy and compositions of this disc (just as committed, if not as epic) suggest something more is at work for this trio. Certainly, more of Hammill's extended reflections on the existential condition of aging continue to make his lyrics some of the most compelling and effective around, but the (sometimes) ferocity of the music itself reads and feels like the same kind of hopeful defiance that marked, say, "Still Life," and "Childlike Faith in Childhood's End." Not to give credit only to Hammill for the disc, still I think it's to his credit (and the rest of his bandmates) to see that that vision, defiance, and steadfast staring into ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 88
Average Rating:

Howl

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Release Date August 23, 2005
What can you say about these guys. I'll admit it. The first listen threw me for a loop. I thought these guys had lost it. Now this is my favorite album. As far as good songwriters today, you cannot beat them. With all the crap that is popular today, and everybody trying to sound like everybody else to make a buck, BRMC shows their true colors here. Their live show is even better. I've seen them 3 times and the albums can't touch their live show. Listen to the 1st two records again and you can hear them evolving. There was no departure here, just refinement.

CD-Charts Position 89
Average Rating:

The Last Resort

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Trentemøller

Release Date October 17, 2006
I was turned onto Trentemøller through my interest in house music, having it described to me as a cutting edge electro-house cd. Really, "The Last Resort" is a far more minimal, downtempo electronic affair, with greater emphasis on ambience and atmospherics rather than thumping house beats. Most of the songs showcase a sophisticated writing approach that goes beyond basic build-up play. Instead, the songs have an overt progressive structuring to them, shown especially with the sublime opener "Take Me Into Your Skin". The song starts with lifting ambient sounds, with textures gradually building to what I imagined to be a huge beat drop, but instead the ground gives way to a surprising anti-drop, a minimal beat driven by a heavy base, sounding as if you've just been plunged underwater. The song twists ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 90
Average Rating:

Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead

CD-Charts > Music > Experimental Music
by: Various Artists

Release Date April 09, 1991
Picked this CD out of the rack after not listening to it for years.

Los Lobos' Bertha interpretation is close to the original, but with a nice hint of accordion. Bruce Hornsby's Jack Straw is great, one can tell he played with the Dead many a time and I (for one ;-) think that he performed wonderfully with them over the years. Whatever you think of him, he can play piano.

Forget The Hashed Mellows' US Blues, what a disappointing straightforward rock-ish version that is. Elvis Costello's Ship of Fools is sort of interesting in the sense that he has some of Jerry's raspiness and I like the instrumentation.

Suzanne Vega's China Doll sounds like, well, a Vega tune, which isn't bad, but perhaps a bit dull. Happily her Cassidy is much livelier, certainly besting her ... Read More: