| Author | Message | ||
     spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 321 Registered: 05-2005 |
(that's still going)... Spike Priggen, a glorious singer from New York. Has a great album out called The Very Thiing tht youTreasure. Its a few years old, but I love Spike. XTC's later years are very overlooked. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 100 Registered: 05-2005 |
Greg Atkinson, genius songwriter out of firstly Ups and Downs and secondly Big Heavy Stuff. Tell me that "Sleepless"(ep) by the former and "Dear Friends and enemies" by the latter are not perfect at your own peril! Trouble was, he was/is always a bit guache live. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 279 Registered: 10-2004 |
i agree about XTC. i'm kind of alarmed when i'm reminded of how relatively small their fanbase is. a lot of people like their early 80s hits, "nigel" and "generals and majors," and many people know them for "dear god," but that's pretty much it. a lot of the stuff after that seems to be ignored. but i think that XTC has put out a huge body of work consisting of some of the most challenging, inventive, and beautiful pop music of the past few decades. for me, their album "apple venus vol. 1" is one of the most breathtakingly gorgeous albums i've ever heard. as a side note, i was shocked (and a little weirded out) to hear mandy moore cover "senses working over time." | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 258 Registered: 04-2005 |
Well, maybe XTC was overlooked in their later years, but I would say they "made it" compared to most bands. Compared to, say, the Go-Betweens, they're hugely popular and well-known. XTC had albums that made the top fifty in the U.S. and had hits elsewhere in the world. They did more to scuttle their own career by giving up touring. Admittedly, they did get screwed by their record company, leading to the long "strike" that probably buried their career permanently, but the group did have its day. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 46 Registered: 01-2006 |
'Til Tuesday, Aimee Mann's band before she went solo. | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Nemo Post Number: 20 Registered: 07-2005 |
The sublime Jane Siberry who although signed to Reprise for several years never made the big breakthrough. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 245 Registered: 03-2006 |
The Go-Betweens  Sorry, I couldn't resist. But I have two muy obscuro artists that I don't believe really "made it", depending on how you define the term: 1) Judee Sill 2) Willie Nile | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 280 Registered: 10-2004 |
microdisney cathal coughlan's solo stuff | ||
| Robert Vickers Member Username: Robert_vickers Post Number: 42 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spence, Spike has a new album ready to go that's better, I think, than 'the very thing'. It's called 'No Sound in Flutes' and should be available in Aug on Volare. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 282 Registered: 05-2005 |
pernice brothers anybody? | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 325 Registered: 05-2005 |
Cheers Robert, can't wait!! Jeff, Cathal's Black Rain is it or something, awesome! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 326 Registered: 05-2005 |
my mate Ian delivers wine al over. He was in Swindon last week and opposite one of his customers was a pub with Barry Andrews live (XTC keys and Shriekback). Right, Ian goes to his cusomer, that is the barry Andrews, oh yeah he replies, Ian says I really love XTC, his customer asks him if he has 5 minutes? Doesnt tell him why takes him round the corner, guess who answers the door!? Andy partridge, its only his customers best mate!. Ian my mate rings me up ecstatic, saying that we can go and have a pint with Andy anytime, that's if you can get him out of the house away from his gigantic toin car collection!!!! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 296 Registered: 03-2005 |
I bought the current Pernice Bros. and liked it right away but I notice it's fading a bit for me. Cathal Coughlin is god. Great story Spence. Does that mean Andy Partridge really IS Nigel? | ||
| jerry hann Member Username: Jerry_h Post Number: 107 Registered: 07-2005 |
Tried to like the Pernice Brother but never quite loved them , I just thought the songs were a little weak. | ||
| Mark Sweeney Member Username: Domestique Post Number: 8 Registered: 04-2005 |
The utterly wonderful Delgados should have been so much bigger than they were (even if they did get a Mercury nomination). | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 250 Registered: 03-2006 |
imho, the first two Pernice Bros. discs were super duper great, then on that 3rd one, "Yours, MIne & Ours" I thought they lost the plot a little bit...And, then the newest one's a bit of a return to form. Joe Pernice is sometimes a bit too clever by half, as you Brits would say. But, on balance, I love what they do. But, I think they're an excellent example, Kevin. I watched the DVD that came with their live disc, and they, amazingly, seem like they're really struggling.. XTC, on the other hand, probably have a lot more money than me (not a small club, by the way), so f___ 'em! I kid, of course - XTC are (I hope that tense is correct) the greatest. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 327 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yeah Randy! he heh! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 267 Registered: 05-2005 |
Microdisney. Fatima Mansions. Cathal Coughlan. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 47 Registered: 01-2006 |
Mary Margaret O'Hara whose only full release was 1988's 'Miss America', a mesmerising album full of different styles. She wrote produced and arranged that album. Her only following releases were an impossibly hard to find Christmas EP and about 5 songs on the 'Apartment Life' soundtrack. Last I heard of her she was in the theatre production of Robert Wilson/William S Burroughs/Tom Waits' 'Black Rider' in the Barbican about 2-3 years ago. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 49 Registered: 01-2006 |
and the one and only Daniel Johnston, plugging away for about 25 years now... http://www.hihowareyou.com | ||
| David Matheson Member Username: David_matheson Post Number: 76 Registered: 12-2004 |
I really liked XTC's The Big Express. Artists that should have made it and didn't.... there are so many. Nick Drake never made it in his lifetime, but seems to have gained quite a great deal of recognition more recently. But what is making it? If the measure is commercial success, then I hope it never happens to the Go-Bs. I don't think their music would work in large venues. And the thought of Robert and Grant being mobbed by screaming teenage girls... it just ain't gonna happen. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 64 Registered: 01-2005 |
XY765, Til Tuesday were big in 1985. By the time that Aimee's song writing really got good with the 1988 release "Everything's Different Now", the support from the Epic Records was gone and the sales fiqures went down the toilet. EDN is a lost treasure album that deserved much better support and airplay. I have 3 Pernice Brothers albums and they are solid in my estimation. However, I saw them live last year and was not impressed. I like Jane Siberry a lot as well. I have most of her stuff on cd. I thought she would really take off with the excellant 1993 release "When I Was A Boy", but despite getting a lot of Canadian airplay, it didn't lead to airplay elsewhere. Another Canadian act I liked a lot in the early 1990's was Blue Rodeo. They are somewhat like the G-B's in that they have 2 singers who are each very good songwriters, but in a country-rock style. I thought they had some very good albums, but they didn't seal in the states except in areas that were close to the border and could pick up Canadian radio. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 269 Registered: 03-2006 |
I honestly think the Pernice Bros. hung the moon, Michael. Particularly those first two records - and, of those, "Overcome By Happiness" really rocks my world... On "Yours, Mine and Ours", the melodies got too syrupy sweet for my taste and Joe P. sort of got too cutesy and a little too impressed with his own cleverness...some of the lines from it sound unbelievably precious when seen on the printed page... I saw them live, too, and agree with you completely...not really able to reproduce the sound and Joe's singing is too raggedy and "whoops-a-daisy".. Agree too, about Blue Rodeo - very underrated band that should've been huge all over the world...maybe they have too many albums now for people to get a handle on their body of work...I haven't quite kept up with them, but I really liked that record called, I believe, "5 Days in May"... | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 278 Registered: 05-2005 |
I think I have a Blue Rodeo album on tape somewhere. Must have a look for it. | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 25 Registered: 03-2006 |
I have to throw my two cents in on Joe Pernice. The guy's a songwriting genius. I actually really like the last two albums, "Yours Mine and Ours" in particular. I'd also mention Chicago-based singer/songwriter Kevin Tihista. Three studio abums under the name "Kevin Tihista's Red Terror" ("Judo", "Don't Breathe A Word" and "Wake Up Captain") and an album of demos. Sort of reminds me of a cross between Ed Harcourt and Elliott Smith. Great melodic pop with an edge. And, also, Ed Harcout. Actually, I think pretty much everyone I listen to is an unsung genius. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 314 Registered: 03-2005 |
I just remembered Richard Davies. He definitely belongs on this list. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 314 Registered: 05-2005 |
lambchop | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 338 Registered: 05-2005 |
Shack | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 65 Registered: 01-2005 |
Hardin, 5 days in July is my favorite Blue Rodeo album. I saw them in Windsor, Ontario in the Fall of 1993 when they were touring that album. They were great live. |