Pretty Ugly

[Matt Till]

This is a bit of a strange topic, and I don't know how well it will fly. What are some bands/songs that basically make beautiful music out of awful noise (awful being a very subjective term).

This thread for me is mainly inspired by Type O Negative. What awful tone everyone has! But the music is quite often very pretty. Disregarding the early stuff where they were switching over from Type Os original sound (Carnivore), but when they got really goth/keyboardy, the music got really pretty and still rocked. I mean, the breakdown to World Coming Down is so beautiful, then they start sampling gregorian (sp?) chant! It's amazing!

Another prime example, I forget the name of the song, but off Mars Voltas deloused album, there is a song with an intro that sounds like it was written on accoustic guitar... but the guitar has the most awful tone I've ever heard... but it remains very pretty. I'll try to find out which one later.

Any more examples? Really pretty/melodic music that takes a tonal approach that really contrasts the beauty of the music.

Tom Waits' extra drunk voice with piano

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by adam barkley

Tom Waits' extra drunk voice with piano

There was the one I forgot! Tom Waits!



I'd also like to debatably add Peter Gabriel. I use to hate him because of his voice, it's a tad rough for the genre. But the music/melody is unreal.

[page]

The Velvet Underground.

[canopener]

Any mid-80's and earlier Bowie. Anything after just sounds ugly and bad.

I do really dig Tony Visconti's tone on the Bowie at the Beeb discs, though.

[page]

Originally Posted by canopener

Any mid-80's and earlier Bowie. Anything after just sounds ugly and bad.

I do really dig Tony Visconti's tone on the Bowie at the Beeb discs, though.

What Bowie are you talking about? Mid-80s? His mid 80s stuff was very polished. Now the Berlin Trilogy can be called ugly yet beautiful. Maybe Scary Monsters but not the stuff in the mid to late 80s.