While re-listening to Bitches Brew tonight it occurred to me, there’s never been anything that sounds quite like it since, and there never will be again.
What are your favorite unicorn albums?
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Ugly Casanova. Someone left modest mouse on the burner for too long and made a powdered concentrate.
Literally every album by The Mars Volta. Each one is unique and I’ll never find anything like them again.
Yanni-live at the Acropolis. There’s was a brief moment in 1994 when yanni actually achieved world peace. Also Tribute, another live album, that shows how unbelievably massive yanni was. He sold out a show at the fucking Taj Majal.
Anna ash and the family tree- hello friend, from bird above. An indie folk album that’s a perfect cross between a prairie home companion and the hipster folk Renaissance of the early 2000s.
Pity sex-dark world. One of the best albums out there. Emo shoegaze garagy jams with killer guitar work.
possibly Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap but I’m not sure
Daft Punk
Discovery
KLF - the White Room . It is a quite unique combination of a early 90s dance album (with a few bangers that still sound good) and road movie soundtrack.
Also, excellent tread!
I wanted to add some of my faves!
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Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra
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William Onyeabor - Who is William Onyeabor? - An enigmatic and reclusive Nigerian funk jazz wildman who was prolific and fairly popular in Nigeria in the 1970s. Let’s Fall in Love is so innovative!
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Miles Okazaki - The Sky Below - Just brilliantly innovative avante-garde jazz and guitar. I was struck when I first heard this album
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Smoke - Everything - A group of friends and musicians quietly got together in the heart of San Francisco to record this mysterious, challenging and psychedelic jazz trip. The whole album is a journey and should be heard at once, but if you just want a taste try this timestamp
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The Flying Luttenbachers - Destroy All Music - The song Fist Through Glass is the song that got me into jazz! I heard it on a late night radio show called Brave New Waves while coming down from mushrooms lol
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Just a few old ones…
Art of Noise - The Best Of … but all are good Yellow - Pocket Universe … but also The Essential Moloko - ? Kosheen - Kokopelli (I think)
Prince - Sign O the Times
One of the few albums I listen to beginning to end.
Also, Pink Floyd. Pretty much any album, but specifically Dark Side of the Moon or Wish You Were Here.
Check out the 1977 Prince Funk Sessions!
A Grand Don’t Come For Free by The Streets. I love this album start to finish and it’s got a great story right through it.
First time I heard it I’d gotten an email from Vice promoting it and I clicked the link thinking it would just be the first 20 seconds of each song but it was the whole album! Was just starting a movie but I never watched it, just listened to the album straight through. So good.
The Hissing of Summer Lawns by Joni Mitchell. I like JM well enough, but don’t really listen to many other albums of hers. But HoSL just has this unique vibe that keeps bringing me back, especially on those slightly delirious hot days of summer.
My Life In The Bush of Ghosts by David Byrne and Brian Eno.
Holy shit.
I’m loving these comments, so many great albums! And a ton I’ve never hear of and will need to check out.
I have a few of these, but two that really jump out at me are
- The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of Niggy Tardust - Saul Williams
- Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By - Lovage
- Common People - William Shatner
These are albums that you’ve just gotta let play.
e: can’t believe I forgot Shatner!
Love that Lovage baby. That album is a gem.
2112 by Rush
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly
I’m the only person I know that’s heard side 2
Iron Butterfly has an excellent live album too. The sound quality is tinny at best, but it has a good rendition of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon…
Here is mine.
Such a unique time when it came out. Electronic music was at peak experimental stage in the late 90’s. Kind of like B**ches Brew was the peak 60’s psychedelic experiment. This album was the perfect culmination of two masters of world music, psychedelic trance, and ambient music. Simon Posford is the absolute genius sound engineer at the peak of his game and Raja Ram was the old hippie wizard guiding him through realms unknown.
Thanks for this. Listened to about 20 mins and already found an album for sale which is now on its way.
Wow I forgot about Shpongle! Haha cool memory, thanks for sharing!
I had a friend who was always on coke and acid and always was asking people to get spongled with them
Dr. Pnut, wherever you ended up, I hope you’re still spongle-ing.
Shpongle are a trip. Been years since i heard this, thanks
The band[s] that jumps out at me when I think unique/original is anything that Les Claypool touches. It’s never just him but he has a knack for finding people with unusual talent to make something different. Even when they are doing covers. For example the Frog Brigade doing Pink Floyd’s Animals.
Tom Waits*
The Pixies*
Portishead*
Kruder & Dorfmeister the K&D Sessions
Massive Attack*
But maybe the most uniquely gifted musician on my list would be Richard David James.
