Post Rock/Experimental/Generally anything epic bands and their albums

[PeterUK]

Some of my favorite collective 'experimental/avant garde' artists and their albums. All made to be played through a good pair of headphones. I might make a more detailed post but I'm far more interested in other people's suggestions.


Boggy

Kid Koala - Like Irregular Chickens
Chicken squawks and schreeches scratched by the goofiest turntablist there is.
The title is a play on an Amon Tobin title, 'Like Regular Chickens', which in turn is taken from a quote in David Lynch's 'Eraserhead'.
'Carpal Tunnel Syndrome' is the first, and my favorite, Kid Koala album.

Cornelius - Toner
Inkjet printer sounds and piano keys are this fantastic swirl.
His 'Point' album is still the best though.

Boards Of Canada - An Eagle In Your Mind
I can't think of anything to say about this song that does it justice.
A nostalgic electro-semi-ambient-soundscape.
From one of my favorite albums of all time, 'Music Has The Right To Children'.

cLOUDDEAD - (Cloud Dead Number Five) (both parts)
Instrumental textural wash, an eerie ambiance, and ultimately, reassurance.
The second part ends with a very David Lynch style sound.
It reminds me of the music in his short film 'The Grandmother'.
I consider this eponymous album to be extraordinarily comforting, especially due to this song in two parts, but I like the joy of their second and last album 'Ten'.

Odd Nosdam - 11th Ave. Freakout (both parts)
The first part is a worthwhile build-up to the 'sun-peeking-through-the-clouds' moment, featuring Mike Patton.
The title is based on Fog's '10th Avenue Freakout', mentioned later.
This album 'Burner' is especially good for cLOUDDEAD fans.

Boom Bip & Dose One - The Birdcatcher's Return
A sparkling meander and run.
This album 'Circle' is one of my favorites for late night listening.

Boom Bip - Red Room
A darkly psychedelic introversion.
This song is a bonus to his 'Blue Eyed In The Red Room' album, another late night favorite of mine.
Boom Bip's "Red Room" references are most certainly a 'David Lynch/Twin Peaks' reference.

Why? - Dumb Hummer
This song is pure wonderful!
I can't say enough to adequately begin to describe how beautifully ecstatic this song is.
'Elephant Eyelash' has been one of my top ten favorite albums since I first heard it (unfortunately this song isn't on it, it's on an EP for another wonderful song, 'Rubber Traits'.)

Hymie's Basement - 21st Century Pop Song
I can't think of how to otherwise put this, but if you've ever imagined a collaboration between Why? and Fog, this eponymous album is probably like what you imagined, somehow.
I can't help but think this title is related to cLOUDDEAD's 'Pop Song' song.

Fog - 10th Avenue Freakout
With Fog, you can tell his music truly comes from a personal creativity like no other.
That is the reason why I can't tell you what it sounds like.
Well, one reason.
There's a 'Part 2', but it's more or less a variation of this one, so I didn't mention it. (Twice.)
This song is also the title of my favorite album of his.

Oren Ambarchi - Suspension
Minimalist electronic guitar non-guitar sounding slow motion tones of twilight beauty.
I tried to get this album too, but only the equally beautiful 'Grapes From The Estate' was sent to me.

Fantomas - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
A cover of the theme from David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks' film 'Fire, Walk With Me'.
This album 'The Director's Cut' consists of covers of film themes.

Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant - I Remember Freakies Cereal
Sleepy exhausted inability to stand upright on a floor of nightmare.
I wish I could get this album, but at least I have the other one, 'Sister Phantom Owl Fish', which is just as angular and spiky.

Secret Chiefs 3 - Hagia Sophia
Epicesque Arabian breakbeat.
I always have a difficult time choosing Secret Chiefs 3 songs for a list.
'Book M' is an excellent album, but I think 'Second Grand Constitutions And Bylaws' is better, and from what I've heard, 'Book Of Horizons' is the best so far.

Estradasphere - The Bounty Hunter
The music portrays the title perfectly.
Energetic, frantic, and even suave at times, among other themes.
I really want all of their albums, but especially 'Buck Fever'.

Sir Millard Mulch - Hemisphere III: Hermes
As I mentioned before, it's twenty minutes long and an epic.
Avant Garde- (Metal, Jazz, Rock, Electronica, Experimental, E-Mail, Narrative, Behind The Scenes Of The Recording, Salesmanship Tips, Graphic Design and Styx.)
Although, if that can't be found, a video for a different song, 'The Mysteries Of The Universe Are Revealed To Morons, Pt.1', is behind that link.
Of course, there are also two instructional videos on how to play two movements in 'Hemispheres' on that page, but the song is not done the justice it truly deserves unless listened to in it's entirety.
I want to buy his magnificent album, 'How To Sell The Whole F#@!ing Universe To Everybody... Once And For All!'.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Sleep Is Wrong
As I said in my previous post,
"'Demented avant-metal' would be my most, and the least sufficient description I can think of."
I don't know which album I would recommend, being that I have none of them.

The Residents - Blue Rosebuds
Strange.
This is 'Strange' music.
I have 'The Commercial Album', which is a great collection of fourty one-minute songs, but 'Duck Stab/Buster & Glen' is next on my list.


[Peter

Kid Koala - Fender Bender
cLOUDDEAD - Rifle Eyes I'd reccomend this one personally over the one Boggy mentioned, as it made me fall in love with them.
Boards of Canada - Davyan Cowboy
Four Tet - As Serious As Your Lif (which incidentally made me get into electronica)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Storm
Secret Chiefs - Hagia Sophia

[masteratt]

Atist: Metallica
Album: Master Of Puppets
Awesome because it's heavy and fast with awesome lyrics.
-----------------------------
Artist: Metallica
Album: ...Justice For All
Awesome because it's heavy and fast with awesome lyrics.
-----------------------------
Artist: Metallica
Album: Ride The Lightining
Awesome because it's heavy and fast with awesome lyrics.

As you can see my music knowledge is extremely vast :thumpsup:

[Boggy700]

You already know the main artists I would suggest, (
cLOUDDEAD - Surreal ex-Hip-Hop dreamscapes
Boards Of Canada - Familiar imaginings
Fantomas - Delirium Cordia being so strange and eerie
Kid Koala - Goofy funky turntablism
)(Descriptions being for others,)
So I will add tangents!

Fans of cLOUDDEAD will probably enjoy the music of the individual members Dose One, Why? and Odd Nosdam.
Dose One, the intriguing abstraction.
Why?, the wonderously vivid color.
Odd Nosdam, the sub-conscious soundscape.

The fuzzy comfort and laid back beats seem to be Odd Nosdam's style, and the backbone of the cLOUDDEAD sound.

Dose One has so many collaborative projects, my favorite of which is the album 'Circle' with Boom Bip.
It's surreal and beautiful and contemplative.

Speaking of Boom Bip, his first album is great (with Dose on One track, another having been remixed by cLOUDDEAD, and another by Boards Of Canada,) and I love his second album 'Blue Eyed In The Red Room' even more!

Earlier this year, I finally started listening to the music of Why?, and since then, his second album 'Elephant Eyelash' has been on my top ten favorite albums list.
It is closer to a more traditional sound than cLOUDDEAD, yet still saturated with joyous music.

Why? also did a collaboration album with Fog. The eponymous 'Hymie's Basement'.
It's safe to say that fans of both artists will really enjoy the informal beauty found here.

Fog has some of the most beautifully sincere songs I've ever heard.
Post-Rock Pop and sonic experimentalism.

Speaking of sonic experimentalism,
Oren Ambarchi makes minimalist electric guitar non-guitar music.
I believe he collaborated on at least one Sun O))) song ('Sin Nanna') but that's only a representation of his music by composition only mostly.
If anything, it sounds closer to Fantomas.

I know, that was a pretty weak segue to get to Fantomas related bands such as Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant.
It's that mysterious and shocking avant-post-jazz-rock that everybody's always talking about.
The kind of thing you might hear in some strange dream turning nightmare.

Trevor Dunn was also one of the three ex-Mr. Bungle co-founders of Secret Chiefs 3.
Experimental/Arabic/Electro/Metal/etcetera influenced music.
A truly exciting sound experience.

Some members of Estradasphere play in SC3 too.
More excitingly diverse music from another masterful band!

Strange music rarely comes any stranger than The Residents.
They're all over the map with over sixty albums since 1972 and counting!
I only have 'The Commercial Album'. It's great!
Fourty songs, one minute each, bizzarity distilled.

Cornelius has no connection to any of the aforementioned artists.
He's an amazing audio craftsman of fantastic music.



It is almost three AM the next day, and I have to get up from supposed sleep in about four hours.

[PeterUK]

Atist: Metallica
Album: Master Of Puppets
Awesome because it's heavy and fast with awesome lyrics.
-----------------------------
Artist: Metallica
Album: ...Justice For All
Awesome because it's heavy and fast with awesome lyrics.
-----------------------------
Artist: Metallica
Album: Ride The Lightining
Awesome because it's heavy and fast with awesome lyrics.

As you can see my music knowledge is extremely vast :thumpsup:

Nah, I used to love metallica as well. Try Meshuggah or Strapping Young Lad if you want a cool metal band, if you havent already.

Also Fog are very nice. Takk...

[Phoenix]

One of my favorite recent-ish rock albums...

Artist: Dream Theater
Album: Octavarium
Why it's awesome: It's 73 and a half minutes of awesome artistic metal (rather than the typical "LOUD LOUD LOUD BWAAAH BWAAAH!" type), ranging from so-beautiful-it's-hardly-rock-let-alone-metal to great thrash-esque loud stuff, filled with a lot of lyrical hidden meanings and cool stuff like that, ending in an amazing 24 minute orchestra-backed epic that touches on all ends of the spectrum.

Some of it's heavy, most of it's fast, and all of it has awesome lyrics. Not to mention excellent across-the-board musicianship, particularly the drums. This is true about pretty much all their stuff, although I particularly like this album because of how varied it is and how awesome the finale is.

:)

[Fiend]

No love for Sigur Ros up in this bitch?

[Boggy700]

I used to listen to Sigur Ros, about four or five years ago, but I stopped almost entirely.


I completely forgot to add this part to my first post, right after Estradasphere:

Apparently Sir Millard Mulch declared a War On Estradasphere.
Anyways, Mulch makes absolutely amazing music!
The twenty minute epic 'Hemisphere III: Hermes' is brilliant.
It's from his triple-disc magnum opus concept album.


And then I might try to stretch a segue from here to The Residents.

But I won't.

[Crow]

you can tell that Boggy loves these threads...i think he'd leave if there was no entertainment section

Rip The Jacker was a pretty epic cd, i can still listen to it despite disliking the genre

[Boggy700]

you can tell that Boggy loves these threads...i think he'd leave if there was no entertainment section
I probably wouldn't leave, but I'd surely wither away.

Apparently Sir Millard Mulch declared a War On Estradasphere.
Anyways, Mulch makes absolutely amazing music!
The twenty minute epic 'Hemisphere III: Hermes' is brilliant.
It's from his triple-disc magnum opus concept album.


And then I might try to stretch a segue from here to The Residents.
My next segue would be,
"One band Sir Millard Mulch greatly respects is 'Sleepytime Gorilla Museum', whom I have put off delving into for a number of years now, for the same reason I always have, and that is that I often just take time to come around after the initial exposure.
It happened with Fantomas, then Mr. Bungle, then Four Tet, then Boom Bip, then cLOUDDEAD, then Venetian Snares, then Why?, then John Zorn, then Secret Chiefs 3, then Gorillaz...
And now Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.
I think it was Mr. Witt (back when he was still J.W, or maybe someone else,) who suggested I listen to their song 'Sleep Is Wrong' way back when, and it wasn't really my thing.
('Demented avant-metal' would be my most, and the least sufficient description I can think of.)
A while later I would listen to it again and really like it, but I left it at that.
A few months ago I listened to it for the first time in a long time, and I liked it more so I decided to download some of their other songs, which I liked.
Today, I relistened to all six songs of theirs that I have, and now intend on buying the CDs the next time I buy some CDs from a CD buying place.



And now I would give up on segueing to The Residents, and probably end up just non-sequituring.

[PeterUK]

Perhaps we could make a better thread by suggesting an artist, an album, a song, and giving a brief description of what its all about or a good way to listen to it or exactly why we like it.

e.g. Fantomas, The Godfather, Suspended Animation, as above.

[Boggy700]

Good idea!
Here is my list condensed.
I have chosen the songs that I consider to be most appropriate to this thread.


Kid Koala - Like Irregular Chickens
Chicken squawks and schreeches scratched by the goofiest turntablist there is.
The title is a play on an Amon Tobin title, 'Like Regular Chickens', which in turn is taken from a quote in David Lynch's 'Eraserhead'.
'Carpal Tunnel Syndrome' is the first, and my favorite, Kid Koala album.

Cornelius - Toner
Inkjet printer sounds and piano keys are this fantastic swirl.
His 'Point' album is still the best though.

Boards Of Canada - An Eagle In Your Mind
I can't think of anything to say about this song that does it justice.
A nostalgic electro-semi-ambient-soundscape.
From one of my favorite albums of all time, 'Music Has The Right To Children'.

cLOUDDEAD - (Cloud Dead Number Five) (both parts)
Instrumental textural wash, an eerie ambiance, and ultimately, reassurance.
The second part ends with a very David Lynch style sound.
It reminds me of the music in his short film 'The Grandmother'.
I consider this eponymous album to be extraordinarily comforting, especially due to this song in two parts, but I like the joy of their second and last album 'Ten'.

Odd Nosdam - 11th Ave. Freakout (both parts)
The first part is a worthwhile build-up to the 'sun-peeking-through-the-clouds' moment, featuring Mike Patton.
The title is based on Fog's '10th Avenue Freakout', mentioned later.
This album 'Burner' is especially good for cLOUDDEAD fans.

Boom Bip & Dose One - The Birdcatcher's Return
A sparkling meander and run.
This album 'Circle' is one of my favorites for late night listening.

Boom Bip - Red Room
A darkly psychedelic introversion.
This song is a bonus to his 'Blue Eyed In The Red Room' album, another late night favorite of mine.
Boom Bip's "Red Room" references are most certainly a 'David Lynch/Twin Peaks' reference.

Why? - Dumb Hummer
This song is pure wonderful!
I can't say enough to adequately begin to describe how beautifully ecstatic this song is.
'Elephant Eyelash' has been one of my top ten favorite albums since I first heard it (unfortunately this song isn't on it, it's on an EP for another wonderful song, 'Rubber Traits'.)

Hymie's Basement - 21st Century Pop Song
I can't think of how to otherwise put this, but if you've ever imagined a collaboration between Why? and Fog, this eponymous album is probably like what you imagined, somehow.
I can't help but think this title is related to cLOUDDEAD's 'Pop Song' song.

Fog - 10th Avenue Freakout
With Fog, you can tell his music truly comes from a personal creativity like no other.
That is the reason why I can't tell you what it sounds like.
Well, one reason.
There's a 'Part 2', but it's more or less a variation of this one, so I didn't mention it. (Twice.)
This song is also the title of my favorite album of his.

Oren Ambarchi - Suspension
Minimalist electronic guitar non-guitar sounding slow motion tones of twilight beauty.
I tried to get this album too, but only the equally beautiful 'Grapes From The Estate' was sent to me.

Fantomas - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
A cover of the theme from David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks' film 'Fire, Walk With Me'.
This album 'The Director's Cut' consists of covers of film themes.

Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant - I Remember Freakies Cereal
Sleepy exhausted inability to stand upright on a floor of nightmare.
I wish I could get this album, but at least I have the other one, 'Sister Phantom Owl Fish', which is just as angular and spiky.

Secret Chiefs 3 - Hagia Sophia
Epicesque Arabian breakbeat.
I always have a difficult time choosing Secret Chiefs 3 songs for a list.
'Book M' is an excellent album, but I think 'Second Grand Constitutions And Bylaws' is better, and from what I've heard, 'Book Of Horizons' is the best so far.

Estradasphere - The Bounty Hunter
The music portrays the title perfectly.
Energetic, frantic, and even suave at times, among other themes.
I really want all of their albums, but especially 'Buck Fever'.

Sir Millard Mulch - Hemisphere III: Hermes
As I mentioned before, it's twenty minutes long and an epic.
Avant Garde- (Metal, Jazz, Rock, Electronica, Experimental, E-Mail, Narrative, Behind The Scenes Of The Recording, Salesmanship Tips, Graphic Design and Styx.)
Although, if that can't be found, a video for a different song, 'The Mysteries Of The Universe Are Revealed To Morons, Pt.1 (http://www.sirmillardmulch.com/videos.php)', is behind that link.
Of course, there are also two instructional videos on how to play two movements in 'Hemispheres' on that page, but the song is not done the justice it truly deserves unless listened to in it's entirety.
I want to buy his magnificent album, 'How To Sell The Whole F#@!ing Universe To Everybody... Once And For All!'.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Sleep Is Wrong
As I said in my previous post,
"'Demented avant-metal' would be my most, and the least sufficient description I can think of."
I don't know which album I would recommend, being that I have none of them.

The Residents - Blue Rosebuds
Strange.
This is 'Strange' music.
I have 'The Commercial Album', which is a great collection of fourty one-minute songs, but 'Duck Stab/Buster & Glen' is next on my list.



I can't believe I actually started this post by saying,
"Here is my list condensed."

[Negativity]

Some of my favorite collective 'experimental/avant garde' artists and their albums. All made to be played through a good pair of headphones. I might make a more detailed post but I'm far more interested in other people's suggestions.

Fantomas - Suspended Animation, Director's cut. I reccomend Suspended Animation, eyes shut, with noise cancellation headphones. You may find after a few tries itll be difficult to go back to reguarly structured songs for a few hours. Head fuckingly good.

Godspeed you Black Emperor! - Anything! To get a sense maybe try Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada, as the pace is generally very uplifting to begin with. If you're feeling particuarly ambitious give Lift Your Skinny Wrists... a try first, as its many troughs and peaks inspire, move, and rededicate me. Perfect post rock.

Mum - A must for Sigur Ros fans, beautifully woven from Icelandic heritage and the feeling of being underwater (of course this is all very subjective). Try Finally we are no-one.

Boards of Canada - Haunting Nostalgia and a sense of overwhelming beauty

Other artists I might talk about too briefly later include Kid Koala, cLOUDDEAD, This Will Destroy You, Sunn 0))) and Boris.

Hmmmm, okay I listened to a bunch of songs from each, and my general gist is that it seems as though they're pompous when it comes to music making and like, try overly hard to make their music seem weird. That is all.

And probably wrong.

[Hisham]

you can tell that Boggy loves these threads...i think he'd leave if there was no entertainment section

Rip The Jacker was a pretty epic cd, i can still listen to it despite disliking the genre

???

Like 2 - 3 years ago, you were a hip-hop lover lol.

Check out some stuff from The Roots, they are experimental with hip-hop. Same with Mos Def and his album the New Danger was a mix of rock and rap.

Atmosphere and Aseop Rock also are unique when in comes to hip-hop.

I would recommend some rock or metal that I like, but my knowledge isn't extensive on those genre's so I will leave it at that...

[Media]

I agree with Max's post, although many of my friends like that music. I can't listen to music that I can't enjoy. That's why I don't listen to metal. It's more about admiration than enjoyment.

However, when you are piffing in the car with some friends, I've realized that Liquid Tension Experiment is not a bad metal band to be playing in the background.

[Phoenix]

That's why I don't listen to metal. It's more about admiration than enjoyment.To me, it's not all like that, but these are just opinions we're talking about, so there's really not much of a discussion to be had about it.

[Media]

Yeah. I'm just generalizing. Sorry. I just mean, an abundance of metal fans that don't like Iron Maiden, Pantera or Dream Theater are mostly in it for the skill admiration. I don't personally enjoy any of the bands mentioned, but I understand that they have a structure to their song other than constant soloing and senseless drumming.

The people I was generalizing were the people that are into Dragonforce.

[Phoenix]

Hey, I'm into Dragonforce!

But at least I can acknowledge that they have little artistic skill.

[PeterUK]

I can understand why some people might not like the bands listed, but after years of listening to metal/screamo/hardcore, I can really say to myself that 80% of what I used to listen to is incredible vaccuous, and I too really thought a lot of this stuff was particuarly pretentious. It was a year after I downloaded GSYB that I finally decided to listen to it properly, and understand exactly what they're conveying through their music.

In addition, add some of your own music, even if you don't think it's 'overblown or pretentious' enough for this thread.

[Negativity]

I can understand why some people might not like the bands listed, but after years of listening to metal/screamo/hardcore, I can really say to myself that 80% of what I used to listen to is incredible vaccuous, and I too really thought a lot of this stuff was particuarly pretentious. It was a year after I downloaded GSYB that I finally decided to listen to it properly, and understand exactly what they're conveying through their music.

In addition, add some of your own music, even if you don't think it's 'overblown or pretentious' enough for this thread.

Thanks for the little quip.
It's not a matter of properly listening to anything, it's just a matter of innate taste. I mean, chances are I'll never get into Metallica, simple as that.

The Beatles - The Beatles.
Buddy Holly - Top 25 Hits.
The Fratellis - Costello Music.

There.

[Boggy700]

...it seems as though they're pompous when it comes to music making and like, try overly hard to make their music seem weird.
Whatever the intention driving it's creation, weird music is a refreshing experience from that of those who try to make their music appealing.
I would rather listen to music that caters to a connection with other people's emotions, because I already understand my own.
(To as large an extent as I can understand them that is.)
This is why people grow out of things.
They find something new, say a song, and it sounds special because it is someone else's expression of self. After listening to it for a while, they become familiar with the song and it becomes a part of themself in that it affects their personality. Soon they forget the life-changing experience that took place (because everything one experiences is life-changing in some way or another,) and they seek a new experience. They find a new song and the cycle repeats.
Excitement, contentment, boredom.
It is balance.

[PeterUK]

Thanks for the little quip.
It's not a matter of properly listening to anything, it's just a matter of innate taste. I mean, chances are I'll never get into Metallica, simple as that.

The Beatles - The Beatles.
Buddy Holly - Top 25 Hits.
The Fratellis - Costello Music.

There.

It wasn't really a quip, but don't mention it anyway. I know a lot of people who consider the experimentalist 'genre' overblown and pretentious, as well as its own listeners, so I was being inviting rather than sarccy. I'm sure I'll never completely get into the Beatles, but there you go. I enjoy The Fratellis by the way, so thank you for adding to that.

[Gummy]

Explosions in the Sky - Great fucking band.
Múm - they're alright, another Icelandic band though.
Cap'n Jazz - Fast and also melodic.(RIP)
Joan of Arc - Good stuff.
Mineral - you should check them out.(RIP)
Sunny Day Real Estate - another post-emo, but one of my faves.

Well now, I mainly listen to hardcore and (death)metal.
Progressive metal/rock is great too.

[Ihsiin]

Excuse my lateness; I was away.

Anything epic?
Warning - Watching from a Distance
It’s very epic, and slow.

Also, to indulge my limited knowledge of post-rock:
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Blaise Bailey Finnegan III
I don’t know, I just like it.
Mum - Please Smile My Noise Bleed
Hmm...