In Twilight Regalia

I decided I had far too many ideas about music and people wouldn’t necessarily find them all on Amazon.com or etc., so I have to say get out your Blue’s Clue’s magnifiers and go sleuthing…. I know they’re out there in the airwaves still.

10 GREAT OBSCURE SONGS PEOPLE SHOULD HEAR and WHY in no particular order.

Tchinchirote
by Cesarea Evora –
Because: She is the non-gothic mourning dove of song. Because she is from Cape Verde, and who else can be her? Because she is a large brown warmth of woman who cannot be anyone else.

The Host of Seraphim
by Dead Can Dance –
Because: It makes you believe there might be some kind of atomic afterlife of logic or magic or even scientific reason afterall. Should be listened to with eyes closed and no humans within 100 yards in any direction. A testament to the evocation of the pure sound of the human voice.

Nice Nice Very Nice
by Ambrosia –
Because: It has an old seventies Rock-Opera midsection that’s a bit overwrought, but the setting of Kurt Vonegut’s poem is a great fun fit to the flow and punch of this classic-rock-style tune.

Free World
by Kirsty MacColl –
Because: Kirsty has already left the planet, and that is sad. She had guts, amazing guts, and was every bit as wry and droll as her notorious acquaintance, Morissey. Her writing was a delight, I miss her.

Name Der Rose
by Qntal –
Because: They are like no other electronic medieval band on the planet. Because Sigrid (Syrah) Hausen has the best, darkest, most properly classically trained soprano I have ever heard. And by that I mean efficient, accurate to daring extremes, and perfect! perfect! perfect!. SHE RULES!

Dreamland
by Lisa Germano –
Because: She makes you aware of the vague lull colors under your eyelids, and sings them. Also because she has the gift of ingenuousness.

God is God
by Juno Reactor –
Because: This is the most savage/polished dance tune of the 90s in my opinion, and sumptuously layered with recording nuances over a thrashing, swaying industrial beat that will not let you stop moving. Love it loveit loveit.

The Plastic Bag Theme
from the American Beauty Soundtrack –
Because: It audibly explains the vision of that moment in film SO WELL. It holds in so few notes the simple futility, frailty, and hope of a human life.

Jockey Full of Bourbon
by Tom Waits –
If you haven’t investigated Waits thoroughly you won’t know what a distillation of himself this one is. It’s so sinister and trashy and machocentric, while maintaining a Hemmingway-like sensibility of art. All that aside, it is the catchiest damn thing. I just want to sing it all the time. I’m going to re-record it some day as a cross between Carmen Miranda and a knife fight.

Regret
by Malice Mizer (w/ Gackt) –
Japanese bands can really, really, REALLY surprise you. This is movie-music, I think; the title says all. A lovely transportation. Compare this with Gackt’s other works and you’ll be VERY surprised at this amazing man.

A couple of other lists offered for your contemplation or submitted for your approval:

TWENTY BEST CHART-POPULAR SONGS THAT SHOULDN’T BE FORGOTTEN

Tico Tico by Carmen Miranda
C’est La Vie by Chuck Berry
Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil
Tequila by The Champs
Birthday by the Sugarcubes (Bjork)
6 Underground by the Sneaker Pimps
Serpentine Fire by Earth Wind & Fire
Room to Move by John Mayall
Uncle John’s Band by Grateful Dead
Yes it Is (Please don’t wear red tonight) by the Beatles
Walking in the Rain by Flash and the Pan
Lola by the Kinks
Talking in Your Sleep by the Romantics
Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2
Stop Me by the Smiths
Black Friday by Steely Dan
Long Way Home by Supertramp
Life’s What you Make it by Talk Talk
Into Something Good by Herman’s Hermits
The Experiment by Kate Bush

And now to show you that I am TRULY arcane, the following dusty awards:

AMAZING MUSICIANS WHO ARE FREQUENTLY OVERLOOKED
(and I mean this on the basis of their MUSICIANSHIP):

June Tabor
Bela Fleck
Tom Waits
Kate Bush
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Milton Nascimiento
Joni Mitchell
Todd Rundgren
John Kaye
Iris DeMent
Stan Ridgeway
Martin Simpson
The Legendary Pink Dots
Jane Siberry
Sheila E.
Astor Piazolla
They Might Be Giants
Leo Kottke

Note that I am not really addressing the category of JAZZ in this whole thing, because that is a world unto itself, for which I have many many other criteria. Will do that one soon.

Comments appreciated and welcomed, no matter how scathing.

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