Bands/artists whose appeal is partly that they cover so much ground

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There have been a handful of acts who I have tended to follow wherever they went musically, becaus, at the very least, their next move would probably be a surprise, and because they already covered a lot of variety.

When I was into Psychic TV, it was partly because they covered so much ground musically. (Granted, in retrospect I don't think they did most of it very well.) I rememebr some radio DJ laughing affectionately about how "every one of their albums sounds different from the previous one," which wasn't strictly true, but there was a lot of switching up.

Sun Ra is one of these artists too (but the music is a lot better than PTV's was/is), one I've continued to enjoy, though I am maybe less likely to be surprised by anything I hear by Sun Ra at this point.

In the past year I discovered another one of these artists, a work still in progress, Shiina Ringo (along with her band Tokyo Jihen). She definitely fills that niche. Ordinarily I might not bother with something that sounds like show tune type songs, but I am interested enough in her next move, and have enough faith in her talent, that I have been watching the PV for her latest song (with a definite show tune feel) on repeat.

Almost the only time I am drawn into being an obsessive fan is when I am dealing with an act of this sort, which has established enough reason for me to listen (by putting out enough material I like), but is also constantly moving into new territory.

Also, I wonder if it is a coincidence that these three artists/bands all have a strong element of spectacle. I don't think so.

― I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

I'm a big fan of Herbie Hancock, and I guess it's partly because he's done everything from hard bop to disco to plastic pop jazz to electro to avant garde free jazz.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

boo radleys

blur

aphex twin

tom waits

these are also some of my favourite acts

― wogan lenin (doglatin), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

It's like have this particular niche to be filled in my listening (the mega-artist niche), and if I suddenly become very enthusiastic about someone who doesn't seem to fit much with other things I've been listening to, it may be because they are filling that niche.

(Sorry. Keep responses coming, I just have nothing to say in response to the responses.)

― I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

The Fat Boys.

― Pat Robertson Mescalin (Modal Fugue), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

It's like part of the work is in the connections &/or contrasts between the different styles.

The Fat Bots?

― I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

Ween

― has been plagued with problems since its erection in 1978 (nklshs), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 15:28 (nineteen years ago)

Talking Heads

― kornrulez6969 (kornrulez6969), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Beatles seem like an obvious call.

― Sick Mouthy (sickmouthy), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

Linda Ronstadt.

― But Abraham said, Jump! (goodbra), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 20:47 (nineteen years ago)

Beck.

― f. scott baio (natepatrin), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 22:10 (nineteen years ago)

And I haven't heard enough of his work, but from Mama Too Tight alone, Archie Shepp -- Side A being mindbogglingly expansive/aggressive free jazz and then Side B kicking off with the title track that sounds like the J.B.'s.

― f. scott baio (natepatrin), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 22:12 (nineteen years ago)

Scritti Politti

― Make a Beck Song #1 (wkwkwk), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 22:17 (nineteen years ago)

dammit guys, XTC (with Blur seconded)

― Comrades, meet Tildo Durd (Scourage), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 22:31 (nineteen years ago)

I'm amazed no one, including me, has said Neil Young yet

― Make a Beck Song #1 (wkwkwk), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 23:06 (nineteen years ago)

Blondie!

Girl group pop -> power pop -> punk rock -> new wave -> reggae -> disco -> rap

― f. scott baio (natepatrin), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 23:16 (nineteen years ago)

I think we're losing the theme here. Artists that cover many genres out of musical desperation really don't count. It's the folks who're so incredibly musically literate that they can effortlessly hop from genre to genre convincingly ought be the focus of this exercise. I think a requirement ought be 3 good albums in 3 "reasonably" disjoint genres. 3 is a good number, 'cause that rules out Ice-T/Vanilla Ice (who I'm not disparaging, necessarily).

― But Abraham said, Jump! (goodbra), Wednesday, 3 January 2007 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

If you mean over a career rather than more or less concurrently, then you can add Zappa and Bowie. Lotta Zappa haters here, but you can't argue with his breadth.

― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 4 January 2007 01:30 (nineteen years ago)

Artists that cover many genres out of musical desperation really don't count.

I don't know if this was a response to my Neil Young mention but I'm thinking of the folkie/rocker back-and-forths more than his Geffen-lawsuit stuff.

― Make a Beck Song #1 (wkwkwk), Thursday, 4 January 2007 01:32 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, damn. I forgot about Neil's Geffen-suit stuff. I'm not a big Neil lover, but I heard that record exactly once in the 80s and I've never been able to track it down. Granted, I kinda forgot about it sometime around 1995. Has that reappeared anywhere?

(And no, I wasn't picking on Neil in particular.)

― But Abraham said, Jump! (goodbra), Thursday, 4 January 2007 01:48 (nineteen years ago)

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