There are pop, rock, classical and jazz elements in her music, but that vague description will say nothing. A very idiosyncratic artist, a voice you can recognize from a million miles away. If you happen to love what she does, you love it forever.
What would you recommend as a good starting point (rather a "don't hear this/that first or you'll be turned off" point)?
By the way, I forgot to mention that the man in your avatar is credited with "keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, vocals and co-arranger" on a track from The Red Shoes.
I'll give that a spin. Usually I get into artists with the more immediate things and then find my way deeper into the more "complicated" stuff.
I don't think eclecticism is something to apologize for. You have to ask @usblues who the New Rider is--apparently, he is of the Purple Sage, though! Unconditionally Guaranteed (and some more general thoughts on Beefheart stuff): It can be enjoyed, but I think it can be enjoyed if, and only if, one is a fan of Beefheart (or if one has a penchant for sort of limp 70s blues rock, which in general I do not). I dig it, but probably only because I am a fan, in other words, and even then I don't love it. It has decent moments--"Upon the My Oh My" is totally, completely, outstandingly, fully decent. The flute is cool. It does not sound like what anyone who was into Beefheart at the time could or should have been expecting. Clear Spot is a really good album, but with elements that are much more like conventional blues-rock than anything the Cap'n had done before, or before The Spotlight Kid anyway. But in retrospect I think it's a success, and has some real towering highlights like "Her Eyes are a Blue Million Miles," "Sun Zoom Spark," and "Big Eyed Beans From Venus." There is nothing on UC that is even in the same universe of quality as those three tracks. If I was a fan at the time I'd have been very much disappointed when UC came out. When Shiny Beast came out (after another weakster) Beefheartians must have been drooling all over themselves, although I nevertheless think that it is the weakest of his "comeback" albums, and just about every song that was originally recorded (with a different band) for Bat Chain Puller is better on the latter. Still, it's a very good album, and after the two that preceded it one would have been forgiven for doubting that would ever happen again. The truly amazing thing is that he then went and made a genuine masterpiece, Doc at the Radar Station, which is one of the highlights of his career, and not with an asterisk because it is a good late attempt; if he had followed up Trout Mask Replica with DATRS it would have been completely worthy. Ice Cream for Crow is totally great, but it could have been a lot greater if the mix had emphasized the band more...there's kind of a disconnect between the (fantastic) music and the (excellent) vocals and lyrics, it's almost like a beat poet made an album with a backing band. If that could ever be remixed (I don't know if that's even possible at this point) then I would be very eager to hear the result, and I would think it could even contend with DATR with the right remix. I wish there were a comprehensive record online somewhere that showed the development and recording history of each Beefheart song, some of the songs on the last 3 albums had appeared in different forms previously; I am right now thinking of "The Past Sure is Tense," which was recorded with different words in 1972 as "Little Scratch," but I know there are other examples. Blah blah blah ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Right now I just listened to Jimmy Bell's Still in Town by 15-60-75 (sometimes called The Numbers Band in the vernacular). I think this is in some ways akin to Beefheart, at least insofar as it's a blues band that is far more interesting than that descriptor would imply (at a certain point in the 60s it might have even been not too far off to describe the Dead that way! I recall once hearing Little Schoolgirl on the blues hour on a PR or college station, way back when--Jerry was still alive--and thinking "Yeah, why not play this during Blues Hour? Music evolves, after all...") I encourage any and all adventurous forumites to check this out: As for the source material this is all I've found but there may be other iterations of this: Jimmy Bell A lot more can be done with blues than usually is done with it...
It's mostly not in a style of anything I've ever listened to, but I feel like it's possible I could learn to appreciate it some day, as I really for some reason dig that song "Wuthering Heights"...
Quartet Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Nice music for the ride home from town. If you are curious about Peter Rowan I highly recommend the documentary The Tao of Bluegrass.
I ignored your suggestion and began at the very beginning The Kick Inside Moving was an interesting opener, but oooh I really like The Saxophone Song.
This just arrived today. 19 CDs for just under $60. I like these cheap box sets. These two below I picked up due to the friendly price and they have become essential, or at least a good chunk of each. I expect that a very high % of the Aretha box will also. Wet nasty 3 day weekend here in the upper left corner, so lots of listening and football (muted!) on tap. Maybe a binge on box sets. And a parting gift. If this doesn't make you move you are made of stone.
Beefheart Live in Reseda (1981) Also sometimes called Somewhere Over California I think. Opens with a smoking "Hair Pie"!!! Which sounds gross.
It's a great album, but I think she got even better later on. Never For Ever-The Dreaming-Hounds Of Love is a stunning trilogy. Let's not forget she was only 17 when the recording sessions started!
Playing through HOL now. This is a strange but wonderful album. Im also glad she toned down her pipes a bit Im always fascinated with weird sounding 80s synths and drum sounds and this album has em, lol. Cloudbusting is fantastic! The rest has been so far as well.
Yes, Kate started to sing in a lower register and acquired a more "mature" sound. Hounds Of Love is complex and beautiful, a real classic.
Its one of the most unique albums ive heard. Gotta say though, as a person without much patience, I didn't have any urges to skip a single track on either album. For me, that says a lot, haha
After having my mind blown by Hounds Of Love, im jumping backwards to Lionheart. Wow, im in love with the first song Symphony In Blue Im a sucker for jazzy pop sung by a gorgeous voice Also, did she just say "the more I think about sex the better it gets"?!?! Lmao I waited way too long to listen to Kate Bush. Also, sorry spam posting homies. Im just genuinely enjoying her music way more than I thought I would.
