The Dude and I have notoriously different tastes in music sometimes. It's bizarre how much our tastes are either exactly the same or completely opposite.
It can, I think, be boiled down to the fact that The Dude is a music person and I am a lyrics person. Unfortunately, there are precious few times when those two aspects of an artist's work overlap.
My biggest complaint about electronica is that lyrics sometimes get tossed by the wayside in favor of cool musical flourishes. And, in my mind, that simply won't do. If, as an artist, you're more interested in music than lyrics, create instrumental music. No one will think less of you, I swear. Work it out, musically, and add some tracks with lyrics. At least, that way, you don't have to pretend that you care about creating something with lyrical integrity.
The Dude will tell you that sometime last summer, I went on a electronica buying-spree that consisted of me buying two of the albums that he's enjoyed immensely but that I haven't touched. One of them is Speak for yourself by Imogen Heap.
Two days ago, I was scrolling through Black Francis, my iPod, seeking out music that I haven't touched in a while. I wanted (nay, needed) to stop listening to the same three albums over and over again.
And then it happened.
I found Imogen Heap.
I like Speak for yourself. It's atmospheric and ethereal without veering off into the land of Bjork.
For the Bjork fans who might be offended by this statement, ask yourselves, is she not crazy musically-speaking? You know I'm right...
Heap seems to do the impossible--she blends interesting music with complex lyrics. I can listen to the entire album and not get grumpy that she's just mailing-it-in lyrically. And she gives me something interesting melodically.
Brilliant!
So, it turns out The Dude was right. Imogen Heap is something we can both agree on...
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