My Favorite Musicians
Before I mention any particular musicians, I would like to give some general information on my tastes in music.
- I tend to like musicians who have a sense of humour about their work. This does not mean that I only listen to humourous music, but much of my musical collection can be placed into that category. Basically, though, I prefer it if a musician does not take himself or herself too seriously. Then again, I feel that way about non-musicians, too.
- I am somewhat obsessive when it comes to some bands. I try to hear every song by these bands, and purchase all of their albums. There are actually rather few artists represented in my collection, but those few artists are represented quite well.
- I like a variety of musical styles. This may seem a bit odd, considering the small number of musicians whose albums are in my collection, but most of the artists to whom I listen work in a variety of styles. Many musicians seem to limit themselves by only working in one genre of music.
- I have an attraction to instruments that are not heard all that frequently. Also, as with types of music, I like to hear some variety in terms of instruments, rather than just one electric guitar track after another. I have a particular fondness for music that uses accordions. I usually prefer real instruments to synthesized ones, but I am not totally against the use of synthesizers, since they can create effects that regular instruments cannot.
- In terms of voices, I listen more to artists with voices that are interesting, rather than ones that are typically defined as "good." I also think that it is important for a singer to show some spirit and enthusiasm.
Now, let's get to the artists. We'll begin with my first major musical obsession:
"Weird Al" Yankovic
This guy is just plain hilarious, and his back-up band (formerly known as the Bad Hair Band) is pretty darned good, too. Al and his band have made a wide variety of songs, but they are pretty much all funny. Although best known for his parodies, Al has also written some original songs, which are often just as good as, if not better than, his parodies. Al co-wrote and starred in "UHF," a hilarious and often under-rated motion picture, and "The 'Weird Al' Show," a children's television programme that lasted only one season. His newest album, Running With Scissors, has been available for well over a year now. You can read my review here. I also attended an Al concert at Hershey Park (as well as a larger one in Wilmington, but I haven't written a review of that one), and you can see my review of that, if you would like.
Al's drummer, Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz maintains the Official Al Page.
Try the Portal Room for more links to Al sites.
Click here for my Al Fandom Test.
They Might Be Giants
First of all, let's get a few things straight:
1. They Might Be Giants are NOT Satanists.
2. They are NOT posing as an easy-listening Nazi rock band trying to lure intellectuals into believing what they already know to be true.
3. They are NOT a novelty act. Sure, they have a sense of humor about what they do, but too many critics seem to treat them as musical comedians. I mean, I love both TMBG and Weird Al, but I know the difference between them.
4. They are NOT simply a "geek rock" band. Sure, I have to admit that they seem to be pretty nerdy (as are many of their fans), but anyone who can't see the band as anything other than a couple of geeks being dorky probably doesn't get it.
I have written some TMBG song interpretations, which are probably totally inaccurate, but that's what they get by being so ambiguous and enigmatic. Note that I wrote these years ago, and I have different opinions on some of the songs' meanings now. Anyway, here they are:
Everything Right Is Wrong Again
32 Footsteps
Chess Piece Face
For Science
We Want A Rock
I made a rather pointless list of transportation references in Their songs.
If that list isn't long and pointless enough for you, I have also made a list of songs performed by the band.
A more recent addition to my collection of lists is this one, which lists TMBG-related comestibles.
I also have a page devoted to ideas for TMBG action figures.
When I get the time, I hope to create a sort of annotated TMBG page, containing references made in TMBG songs to other works, and just general information about Their songs. The prototype is here. Feel free to send any ideas to me.
The instruments used in Their songs vary greatly from album to album, and even from song to song. Some of Their songs are almost totally synthesized, while others, especially on Their later albums, use a full band.
The band's newest album, Mink Car, was released this year. It's not the best album They've done (I must say I was expecting a little more after the five years' wait for this), but it's an all-around solid collection of songs. 1998 saw the release of Severe Tire Damage, a mostly-live album featuring reworked versions of old songs. The first-ever MP3-only album, Long Tall Weekend, is a collection of TMBG songs that might otherwise have remained unreleased. You can read my review of this album here. State Songs, John Linnell's first solo album, was released in October 1999. I'll have to write a review of it sometime soon, but, for now, I'll just say that it's excellent, and it demonstrates Linnell's great talent as a songwriter. (That didn't really tell you anything about the album, did it?) Another MP3 collection was released in May 2000: the "Working Undercover For The Man" EP. My review of it can be found here. The band has been making music for "Malcolm in the Middle," and three or so of Their songs are slated to appear on the soundtrack for that show. In the near (or maybe not-so-near, considering the constant delays that are occurring) future, expect a children's album.
For much more information than I can give you on They Might Be Giants, check out:
The Official Page
The Unofficial Page
The official news page
Tom Lehrer
He is another humourous musician. The quantity of songs by Mr. Lehrer is not that great, but the quality is fantastic. While not quite as versatile or prolific as Al, his lyrics are a bit more intellectual, and his satire is more scathing. I highly recommend his three live albums, Revisited, An Evening Wasted, and That Was The Year That Was, which include comments by Mr. Lehrer, which are just as funny as the songs. He wrote his music in the fifties and sixties, so some of it is a bit dated, but it is still hilarious.
XTC
This British band has recently been reduced to the duo of Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, both of whom have been with the band since the beginning. John Flansburgh referred to their music as "Beatle-based pop," and it does indeed show a lot of influence from the Fab Four, as well as from many other musicians. In February 1999, they released their first new album since 1992. It is called Apple Venus: Volume 1, and features orchestral music on many tracks. If you want to see my review of this album, it's right here. May 2000 saw the release of the second Apple Venus volume, otherwise known as Wasp Star. You can find more information on XTC at Chalkhills.
Moxy Früvous
This group is made up of four liberal Canadian tenors. They harmonize quite well, and sometimes sing a cappella numbers, but they also use a variety of instruments. Their repertoire consists of humourous songs, as well as some more serious (or at least more emotional) stuff. The newest Moxy Früvous album is called The C Album, and is sort of a sequel to their earlier B Album. I know I said I would write a review of their 1999 release, Thornhill, but I never got around to it. That doesn't necessarily mean I NEVER will, but, if you were constantly checking back to see when it would be up here, you should probably stop now. I saw the band live in Philadelphia in August 2000, and I WOULD recommend it to anyone, but, unfortunately, the group is currently on hiatus. Moxy Früvous' official webpage can be found here.
A few other bands worth mentioning here are:
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