Tropical Island Music Artist Draft - FINIS
- Thread starter Bricklayer
- Start date
In going along with my unconscious "one big name, one indie band" pattern, here's the next (stretching that term in relativity) big name. Number two in most books, number one in mine.
Portishead
I saw a saviour
a saviour come my way
I thought I'd see it
at the cold light of day
but now I realise that I’m
Only for me
My First Album of Theirs: Dummy
Favourite Album: Third
Why I Started Listening: Thanks to my roommate, I once had a, rather extensive, Trip Hop phase. During that phase I also, again via my roommate, discovered Portishead and whilst I've cooled a bit on most other Trip Hop stuff, Portishead is still a favourite of mine.
Portishead
I saw a saviour
a saviour come my way
I thought I'd see it
at the cold light of day
but now I realise that I’m
Only for me
My First Album of Theirs: Dummy
Favourite Album: Third
Why I Started Listening: Thanks to my roommate, I once had a, rather extensive, Trip Hop phase. During that phase I also, again via my roommate, discovered Portishead and whilst I've cooled a bit on most other Trip Hop stuff, Portishead is still a favourite of mine.
In going along with my unconscious "one big name, one indie band" pattern, here's the next (stretching that term in relativity) big name. Number two in most books, number one in mine.
Portishead
I saw a saviour
a saviour come my way
I thought I'd see it
at the cold light of day
but now I realise that I’m
Only for me
My First Album of Theirs: Dummy
Favourite Album: Third
Why I Started Listening: Thanks to my roommate, I once had a, rather extensive, Trip Hop phase. During that phase I also, again via my roommate, discovered Portishead and whilst I've cooled a bit on most other Trip Hop stuff, Portishead is still a favourite of mine.
Portishead
I saw a saviour
a saviour come my way
I thought I'd see it
at the cold light of day
but now I realise that I’m
Only for me
My First Album of Theirs: Dummy
Favourite Album: Third
Why I Started Listening: Thanks to my roommate, I once had a, rather extensive, Trip Hop phase. During that phase I also, again via my roommate, discovered Portishead and whilst I've cooled a bit on most other Trip Hop stuff, Portishead is still a favourite of mine.
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I do really like Glenn's voice but I don't really focus much on the vocal proficiencies of punk, its more about what has to be said. And I do think the lyrical imagery they conjure up is fascinating, though at times it does descend to shocking to be shocking. Aside from certain hardcore bands where it is all shouts though I am curious which big acts you think can and can't sing. After this is over, of course 
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I see. For me, it's about emotive ability to a degree as well, it's just that i don't tend to make an emotional connection with singers if they have too many of what I consider technical deficiencies. It's kind of akin to acting for me insofar as the level of skill the actor has having a correlation to how intense, emotional, moving, etc. I find their performance. I disagree about the "these days anyone can "sing" thanks to technology" comment, though. Pitch correction can certainly fix it so that a singer is on key. But there's a lot more to good singing. Things like power, dynamics, timbre, range (both emotional and physical), and even rhythm are just as important. There's plenty of auto-tune videos on youtube that show what I'm talking about. Basically, you can't polish a turd, so to speak. A bad singer altered with pitch correction still sounds like a bad singer, just a bad singer that happens to be on pitch.
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Aside from pitch for me most of the other stuff is at least 50% emotive, power and range are great but the usual problem is knowing how to use it effectively (and how to work with what you have if you are limited). Which is probably why phrasing and rhythm probably top my list, especially those with the uncanny ability to work melody into lyrics that aren't poetic at all (trying to get the heck out of the office so I think you know what I mean).
Given pdx's fascination with both Elvis and The Misfits, with this pick I'm going to brutally reach for:
The Cramps (1976-2009)
Favourite Album: Songs The Lord Taught Us (1980)
Sample Song: What's Inside a Girl? (from A Date With Elvis, 1986)
Lux Interior and Poison Ivy had a dream: get America's youth to dance to rock'n'roll again, right in the middle of the disco era. They tried to achieve that by combining 50s psychobilly singing, punk rock sounds and horror b-movie aesthetics, producing some of the most trashy, danceable, primitive, exciting, entertaining music I've ever had the pleasure to hear. Using the words of my next pick, they "looked just like an Elvis from hell". Also, Poison Ivy might be one of the sexiest women in the history of rock music and that definitely doesn't hurt.
The Cramps (1976-2009)
Favourite Album: Songs The Lord Taught Us (1980)
Sample Song: What's Inside a Girl? (from A Date With Elvis, 1986)
Lux Interior and Poison Ivy had a dream: get America's youth to dance to rock'n'roll again, right in the middle of the disco era. They tried to achieve that by combining 50s psychobilly singing, punk rock sounds and horror b-movie aesthetics, producing some of the most trashy, danceable, primitive, exciting, entertaining music I've ever had the pleasure to hear. Using the words of my next pick, they "looked just like an Elvis from hell". Also, Poison Ivy might be one of the sexiest women in the history of rock music and that definitely doesn't hurt.
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I love The Cramps, but no I wasn't going to pick them so it may have been a reach. I'm really glad someone did though! Like your write up too but I think there is only one 50s rockabilly song that I'd describe as psychobilly (The Phantom's Love Me), otherwise the Cramps pretty much invented the genre and are far and away the best at it.
Ok, I don't know how I'd classify him. I honestly only so so much about his career, I used to scour Amoeba when I lived in LA for his records and always came up empty. But Frenzy, which I did pick in one of the singles drafts, I would put right there with Love Me as being psychobilly 20+ years early.
With this pick I draft, Alice in Chains.
Probably my favorite band of the last 20 years. Cantrell/Staley were a great songwriting duo, one of the best ever. Staley’s powerful voice, Cantrell’s riffs, the killer hooks, the gloomy atmosphere, the sweet vocal harmonies, the dark lyrics. Awesome stuff.
Their catalog isn't that big, three albums and two Eps but it's extremely consistent and full of awesome songs.
Another reason I love these guys so much is their diversity. Not many bands could go from the delicate, haunting beauty of this...
To the crushing heaviness of this and do both greatly...
Probably my favorite band of the last 20 years. Cantrell/Staley were a great songwriting duo, one of the best ever. Staley’s powerful voice, Cantrell’s riffs, the killer hooks, the gloomy atmosphere, the sweet vocal harmonies, the dark lyrics. Awesome stuff.
Their catalog isn't that big, three albums and two Eps but it's extremely consistent and full of awesome songs.
Another reason I love these guys so much is their diversity. Not many bands could go from the delicate, haunting beauty of this...
To the crushing heaviness of this and do both greatly...
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With this pick I draft, The Police.
They didn’t have the most consistent albums in my opinion, which is why I hadn’t originally planned on drafting them this high, but their singles are pure gold. At least half a dozen of their tunes would rank among my favorite songs of all time. They crafted many perfect pop/rock songs.
They're also great musicians. You won't find a better drummer than Stewart Copeland. Andy Summers is one of the most unique and creative guitarists of the 80s. Sting is a great singer and bassist.
They didn’t have the most consistent albums in my opinion, which is why I hadn’t originally planned on drafting them this high, but their singles are pure gold. At least half a dozen of their tunes would rank among my favorite songs of all time. They crafted many perfect pop/rock songs.
They're also great musicians. You won't find a better drummer than Stewart Copeland. Andy Summers is one of the most unique and creative guitarists of the 80s. Sting is a great singer and bassist.
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This was bound to happen eventually. I think I had one artist in front of them on my list at this point, so good pick. I actually am not as down on their albums as you are - outside of the second side of Ghost in the Machine I think it's all pretty solid. Sad to lose them, happy to no longer have to agonize about whether they'd continue to slip.
The Gun Club (1980-1996)
Favourite Album: Fire of Love (1981)
Sample Song: Carry Home (from Miami, 1982)
Gun Club, in the same years as The Cramps, tried to make the same kind of operation, mixing the newborn punk sounds and attitude with the tradition. While The Cramps took inspiration from rockabilly and b-movies, The Gun Club took inspiration from Delta Blues, with Jeffrey Lee Pierce trying to be more like Jim Morrison rather than Elvis. Their music had quite an evolution over the years, starting out fast-paced and aggressive and ending up slow, depressed and ballad oriented with (still good) records such as Mother Juno and Pastoral Hide & Seek.
Favourite Album: Fire of Love (1981)
Sample Song: Carry Home (from Miami, 1982)
Gun Club, in the same years as The Cramps, tried to make the same kind of operation, mixing the newborn punk sounds and attitude with the tradition. While The Cramps took inspiration from rockabilly and b-movies, The Gun Club took inspiration from Delta Blues, with Jeffrey Lee Pierce trying to be more like Jim Morrison rather than Elvis. Their music had quite an evolution over the years, starting out fast-paced and aggressive and ending up slow, depressed and ballad oriented with (still good) records such as Mother Juno and Pastoral Hide & Seek.
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