Here's a Fall album that could quite easily have been made at any point in the last 30 years. It has all the stock components, but is let down by a lack of consistency and perhaps our over-familiarity with the Mark E Smith blueprint. It's a cut above most of today's protagonists but as a Fall album it's basically average. 'Sons of Temperance', 'Hot Runes' and 'Serum' are all agreeable enough but 'Dr. Bucks' Letter' is the real star of the show with the 'Essence of Tong' magazine reading as brilliant and funny as anything the Fall have ever produced. If you like the Fall, you'll like it.
The first album by Hot Snakes. Band members Rick Froberg and John Rice/Reese (actually John Reis but I don’t know how to pronounce it and if anyone does know, don’t spoil it for me) were previously in Pitchfork and the excellent Drive Like Jehu.
Why should you listen?
Technically, singing should contain some kind of melody. Rick Froberg, on main vocals, just kind of talks/shouts without even a sniff of a tune. To compound things, there’s not much in the way of production values. Drums, bass, guitar, vocals, a bit of distortion and that’s your lot. The songs are all short and not one of them has been painted by the catchy brush. To sum things up, a near perfect album. Near perfect, because a few songs are not as memorable as others. Nothing that you would flick past whilst listening though.
What’s it like?
Punky hardcore goodness. Something where pensioners say ‘Thank goodness for that’, when it’s finished/turned off.
What’s the best song?
‘10th Planet’ - Plenty of tuneless shouting with a recurring Swervedrivery type bit.
‘Mystery Boy’ with vocals by John Rice/Reece is great too.
French singer songwriter Camille undertakes a voyage of discovery into her own voice and adds a single droning threadfor good measure.
Why should you listen?
Even with the single note, string or 'le fil' that drones through the whole album it's not quite as annoying as you may imagine. It's all very sparsely arranged with Camille's voice taking centre stage in 'Medula' era Bjork style, but obviously not quite as full on. The thread, her voice and the originality of the song-writing combine to provide a unique atmosphere that is undeniably French but at the same time spanning a range of global music styles. It's sometimes challenging to come to terms with but ultimately really rewarding.
What's it like?
It's like the sound French people who can't speak English hear when they listen to Kate Bush through ear muffs.
What's the best song?
"Pale Septembre" is beautiful, haunting and bold.
Who does it sound like?
Maybe a cross between Bjork, Kate Bushand Emiliana Torrini.
This is the third album by big haired prog rockers The Mars Volta. The Mars Volta consists of Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals and Omar Rodríguez-López on guitar along with loads of other band members.
Why should you listen?
As with all Mars Volta albums there is a certain pleasure to pain ration. Amputechture starts off slowly with Vicarious Atonement but this is just a warm up for Tetragrammaton. Filled with Mars Volta staples of fiddly twiddly guitars, squeaky voices and tons of prog rock fun for nearly seventeen minutes, the song only really gets going after eight minutes, it is the first cracker on the album. From that description, I’ve just made The Mars Volta sound incredibly unappealing and I must admit, when I first heard them, it took ages for me to get into them. I’m talking weeks. But stick with it and you will be rewarded. The more you listen to it, the more you find to appreciate: instruments or parts that you have failed to hear for the first twenty listens, song structures that are a tad convoluted and bits of intense pain (experimental jazzy bits) followed by moments of catchy pleasure. Bear in mind that ‘catchy’ for The Mars Volta involves liking that part after ten or more listens.
What’s it like?
Some of the most inaccessible music you’re likely to find, but still end up liking after enough listens. Not as inaccessible as their previous, superior album ‘Frances the Mute’. Now, that one is a challenge...
What’s the best song?
‘Meccamputechture’ which reveals its catchy hook instantly and then forces you to listen to another nine minutes of experimental goodness before it returns. Again, I’m not making this sound very appealing. When the hook does kick back in, accompanied by some quality organ action, it’s the best bit of the album. Play loud. As always.
Originating from Osaka, Japan, Tujiko Nuriko & Aoki Takamasa produce beautiful, expressive electronic layered compositions with trademark fragile vocals.
Why should you listen?
It's experimental music at it's best; sparse and almost acoustic in style, but at the same time rich and complex layers of sound. These are not so much songs as electronic images capturing a modern, clean and industrial landscape with Tujiko's voice adding a touch of ethereal humanity. At times it's like downtempo dance music with the intense use of repetition and bleeps, chimes and samples, but with the vocals adding the ultimate chillout ingredient. Not to be listened to every day but in the correct mood and circumstances it's a stunning collection.
What's it like?
It's like waking up not knowing where you are.
What's the best song?
"Hae (Fly) Variation" even has a singalong chorus, well almost.
Who does it sound like?
Everyone would say Bjork, but this is not really an exploration of voice. Reminds me more in mood of Moloko, Aphex Twin and Cocteau Twins.
This is the third album from the experimental, chamber pop outfit hailing from Portland Oregon. The orchestral arrangement is combined with quirky male and female vocals from Zac Pennington and Rachael Jenson.
Why should you listen?
On first listen it was like nothing I'd ever heard before. The orchestral instrumentation creates a semi-classical feel with snippets of long forgotten pop songs drifting in and out of proceedings so you're never quite sure whether you're listening to symphony or a Dusty Springfield cover. Lyrically it's verbose and complex, but delivered with a real passion and enthusiasm by Zac, but with Rachael's vocals adding a twee twist that places Parenthetical Girls somewhere between The Field Mice and Belle & Sebastian in the all time league table of tweeness. What's not to like?
What's it like?
Elevator music for the lift shaft between a quirky heaven and earth, (in a good way.)
What's the best song?
'A Song for Ellie Greenwich' is typically precious and contains the best oboe solo in pop history.
Who does it sound like?
The Divine Comedy, Dirty Projectors, Magnetic Fields.
At 'Into the Valley of the Obscure' we aim to search out and review quality music no matter where it comes from or when it was made. Hopefully we can recommend something that you'll love, loath or change the way you look at things. There's no order to the reviews, it's just the stuff we're listening to at the moment. It's time to go into the valley of the obscure...
