Chimera records
March 30, 2015 11:01 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for good albums of any genre with a well-considered mixture of vocal songs and instrumentals.
The ideal example here would be Eno's Another Green World. The handful of lyrical songs are distributed throughout the album in a satisfying way, and the instrumentals are as good as the "real" songs, rather than being afterthoughts or mere interstitial pieces. Aside from its other virtues, I really enjoy the overall structure of this record, but I'm having trouble thinking of other examples!
The ideal example here would be Eno's Another Green World. The handful of lyrical songs are distributed throughout the album in a satisfying way, and the instrumentals are as good as the "real" songs, rather than being afterthoughts or mere interstitial pieces. Aside from its other virtues, I really enjoy the overall structure of this record, but I'm having trouble thinking of other examples!
Coil - Love's Secret Domain
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Air - Moon Safari
DJ? Acucrack - Killing Mobius
Evol Intent - Era of Diversion
posted by Jairus at 11:18 AM on March 30, 2015
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Air - Moon Safari
DJ? Acucrack - Killing Mobius
Evol Intent - Era of Diversion
posted by Jairus at 11:18 AM on March 30, 2015
ARP: "More" (this album is ridiculously '70s Eno-derived, but I still like it)
Broken Social Scene: You Forgot It In People and Feel Good Lost
Passengers: Original Soundtracks I (yes, it's a U2 album, and I hate U2, but this album is really lovely)
posted by mykescipark at 11:23 AM on March 30, 2015
Broken Social Scene: You Forgot It In People and Feel Good Lost
Passengers: Original Soundtracks I (yes, it's a U2 album, and I hate U2, but this album is really lovely)
posted by mykescipark at 11:23 AM on March 30, 2015
A lot of Frank Zappa records have a fairly even mix of instrumentals and songs with vocals. Läther is the clearest example I can think of, but it's true of many other of his records too.
posted by dfan at 11:45 AM on March 30, 2015
posted by dfan at 11:45 AM on March 30, 2015
My favorite "half vocals half instrumentals" record where the two elements really complement each other well is King Crimson's Larks' Tongues In Aspic. Their Discipline is also another great example. Progressive rock is generally a good place to look for records like this (unless you don't like prog rock, in which case it's a terrible place to look, because you'll find lots of records you hate).
posted by dfan at 11:47 AM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by dfan at 11:47 AM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
I really, really enjoyed the Casualties of Cool album.
It's very ethereal, Eno/Lanoise like, but kinda dirty road in the middle of the desert at night? The vocals are gorgeous, and are used to enhance the music, rather than typical vocals over a backing track.
posted by remlapm at 11:58 AM on March 30, 2015
It's very ethereal, Eno/Lanoise like, but kinda dirty road in the middle of the desert at night? The vocals are gorgeous, and are used to enhance the music, rather than typical vocals over a backing track.
posted by remlapm at 11:58 AM on March 30, 2015
Calexico’s albums The Black Light, Hot Rail and Feast of Wire mix vocal tracks and instrumentals to great effect.
posted by misteraitch at 1:51 PM on March 30, 2015
posted by misteraitch at 1:51 PM on March 30, 2015
David Sylvian's "Gone to Earth". It was originally released as a double album, half vocal and half instrumental. The first CD version was a merged version on one disc, with both instrumental and vocal tracks together.
The album is gorgeous and easily one of my 5 favorites ever.
posted by davebush at 4:45 PM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
The album is gorgeous and easily one of my 5 favorites ever.
posted by davebush at 4:45 PM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
One of those Bugskull records does this well and is in the Eno lineage. Phantasies and Senseitions maybe?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 1:28 AM on April 3, 2015
posted by Joseph Gurl at 1:28 AM on April 3, 2015
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posted by Dick Laurent is Dead at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2015