Well, the topic says it all, what is the strangest, eeriest, most extraordinary non-instrumental (that means 'with lyrics') music you ever heard? What would you recommend?

Sigur Ros

The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" really floored me the first time I heard it...there's nothing else quite like it.

Hmmm...should we include weird stuff that's not particularly eerie? I won't for now.

--Radiohead - Kid A, Amnesiac

--Bob Drake. I've only heard his first album, but from everything I've heard his later stuff is better and just as weird and eerie, if not more so.

--Songs: Ohia - Ghost Tropic

--Smog - Julius Caesar and other early albums

--Mum - Finally We Are No One

--Devendra Banhart. I don't like it much, but his stuff is undoubtedly weird.

Animal Collective - Sung Tongs is also very strange, although I don't know if you can call it eerie.

Rx - Bedside Toxology

Two older strange and eerie artists:

Roky Erickson: pretty much anything...particularly the 13th Floor Elevators with the electric jug, but even later Roky is pretty eerie

Hands down thew weirdest record I've heard, though, is Skip Spence's Oar. What a messed up disc that is...

quote:

Originally posted by The Furnace Is Fiery:
Rx - Bedside Toxology

Atkins' percussion on this disc is incredible. I lost my copy to a natural disaster (so I'm told, anyway), and I've yet to find it in a used bin. I like Ogre's contribution to Bedside Toxicology, but nothing he's done (including those two flat Ohgr albums) compares to Skinny Puppy's Last Rights or Too Dark Park. You can always count on him for an interesting performance, though...great stage presence.

The strangest, eeriest, most extraordinary non-instrumental music I know:

Wumpscut, Music for a Slaughtering Tribe — Cheesey vocals, but it's probably one of the better EBM albums around. I just can't listen to that kind of music.

The strangest, eeriest, most extraordinary non-instrumental music I know AND willingly listen to:

Man Man, The Man in a Blue Turban with a Face

definitely gonna have to go with either Sigur Ros' Agaetis Byrjun or The Mars Volta's Frances the Mute (though most people don't like it, I think it's great)

Brainiac, strange little band from the 90's and if you havent heard them check out "Vincent Come On Down." or "Go Freaks Go" They sounds like devo being played in mexican insane asylum.

Also Clinic is pretty creepy with songs like "The Equaliser"

Elbow's first cd Asleep in the Back has its fill of strange moments.

And the Liars are right up there with "There's Always Room On The Broom"

And sweet jesus is Mr. Bungle ever strange as well as extraordinary.

Some of Nick Drakes songs are spooky, not sure if thats due to his death or not.

For strange there's always the high pitched rapper Quasimoto.

The Sparks annoy the hell out of me, but are rather strange.

Tom Waits is probably the strangest and eeriest thing on a disc in general, great range from that guy.

Ween.

Now for the just plain weird its gotta be Wesley Willis. R.I.P.

I second Ween..."Spinal Meningitis (Got You Down)" and "Mister Would You Please Help My Pony" are some of the most bizarre and creepy things I've heard.

Not necessarily strange, but Portishead's "Dummy" is definitely eerie and extraordinary.

The non-instrumental aspect of the category makes this tricky... otherwise I would have to nominate Autechre's Confield as hands-down the strangest, eeriest, creepiest recording I have ever heard (though it is also very, very rewarding). Boards of Canada's Geogaddi is also rather dark (including a handful of Branched Dividian references), as is Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2... though neither of these albums come near matching the strangness of Confield.

As far as non-instrumental music goes:
"Nearly God" ~ Tricky. Extremely dark and claustrophobic as well as peculiar. Tricky's "Pre-Millennium Tension" is in a similar vein, but I like "Nearly God" more... and it might be a little stranger.

"Spiderland" ~ Slint. It's not necessarily a strange album, but God help me if it isn't eerie. Some of the lyrics (notably in the songs "Don, Aman" and "Good Morning, Captain") are terrifying and have disturbing melodies to boot. But talk about an extraordinary album...

"To Bring You My Love" ~ PJ Harvey. It's a very bizarre, twisted, emotionally draining album, and again, full of really dark and compelling lyrics.

"Afro Finger and Gel" ~ Mu. It's not really that eerie (although the song "My Name is Tommi" is creepy until you realize how hilarious the lyrics are), but this is one strange album.

"Idiology" ~ Mouse on Mars. Okay so there are a few instrumentals here, but most of the songs have lyrics - and really weird lyrics at that. The beats here are completely out of control and the melodies are even compelling for all their madness. I love this album but it's incredibly strange and some of the songs are even a little on the creepy side...


But again, drop the non-instrumental part... I think Confield has it in the bag.

here goes:

Radiohead- Kid A (everyone's good-night album. better than a night light)

Bicycle Day- Planet Xeno (if this isn't eerie as hell, i don't know what is. depressing, gorgeous, and lo-fi)

Sparklehorse- It's a wonderful life (i heard this record late at night in someone's attic after a show, so it fit the mood)

My Bloody Valentine- Loveless (listen to this while camping in the rain, trying to fall asleep in your tent)

I agree with the Nick Drake comment, I do find some of his songs pretty eerie, but Nick Drake himself remains somewhat of an enigma...I don't know how I would feel about his songs if he were alive still. Maybe the same?

The Microphones The Glow, pt 2. Excellent, yet slightly creepy, album.

quote:

Originally posted by Platypus Quest:
"Idiology" ~ Mouse on Mars. Okay so there are a few instrumentals here, but most of the songs have lyrics - and really weird lyrics at that. The beats here are completely out of control and the melodies are even compelling for all their madness. I love this album but it's incredibly strange and some of the songs are even a little on the creepy side...

I guess I'll check that one out. Of course I already know artists as Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Slint and a lot of other you have mentioned.

But anyway, do you have any other suggestions to make?

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. by Sufjan Stevens

Probably the most disturbing song I've ever come across.

Joy Division?
pre-Ocean Rain Echo & The Bunnymen

Strongest Human Bond
(Craw, Lost Nation Road)

This song has an eerie psychological mystery to it. The lyrics are very poetic and dark. The music lurches along a moderate pace giving spectacular emphasis to key sentences and words.

quote:

Six years later my twin was born
Bearing all that is me
Same royal stain on the upper torso
Predisposed to bottom feeding his sole deviation was a predilection for making the flames dance carelessly as he said "I swore I put it out. I swear I saw it fade out."
And I watched the flames rise higher than the elm and I waited and I watched the flames fade out
He was the only one after that carne of reason every midwinter was the same
Fading sinking fading sinking
I always enjoyed that sinking fading sinking
Twenty years later my twin is passed out on the couch
He is passed my regard
A solicitor man done told me that the strongest human bond is that of twins so that if one is accidentally maimed the other will be all the more compensated
Struck a match put it out struck another and I waited I waited I waited

Craw isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but if you don’t mind spoken lyrics with a little angst and growling coupled with beautifully discordant guitars and drumming, I guarantee you’ll be impressed.

Don’t believe me? Listen to the song in all its 192 Kbit/sec digital glory…

Strongest Human Bond

quote:

Originally posted by superabound:
The Microphones The Glow, pt 2. Excellent, yet slightly creepy, album.

Wow, someone else who's heard of the Microphones. Cool. I agree with your comment... the Glow Pt 2 is grand, yet I'm not sure how it makes me feel. That's the confusing part. It is kinda creepy.

The Smashing Pumpkins' "Adore" is odd. So were the music videos they released around the time of Adore/ Machina: the Machines of God.