“March comes in like a lion”; “Mad as a March hare”; “Beware the ides of March”: Folk wisdom would certainly have us believe that this month is a riot of reawakening after the long torpor of winter.
With the sudden burst of activity from plants and animals, the Progressive Subway’s Controlled Insanity Investigation Department have created a playlist of our favourite underground avant-garde tracks so that you too can contribute to your very own march madness.
Be cautious: This way madness lies.
Sebastian
Well, looks like it’s that time of the month. Yep. Playlist time. And I’m adequately excited for this month’s theme of “March Madness”. Over the years we’ve covered so many eyebrow-raising albums from the wacky and avant-garde alley of the genre that it was difficult for me to choose favorites; from albums that have an entire script of an inhuman language to songs that are bouncing off the wall like the musical incarnate of ADHD.
Madness is not always pretty, furthermore, one could argue that insanity itself is the “deconstruction” of the abstract mental norms that we maintain for ourselves and the judging society that surrounds us. Subsequently, many of my playlist contributions will be appropriately ugly and unnerving, covering a lot of the underground metal bands that indulge in the deviant.
Will
I was really excited to hear the selections from other writers today because I find avant-garde music very hit-or-miss. Either something in the genre speaks to me or it doesn’t and there doesn’t seem much in between.
I’ve been a long time fan of bands like Igorr or Frank Zappa who are a great example of a band doing “weird” well. But, of course, we are the Progressive Subway and so we need to include selections from the underground. I have included “Eskimo Pie”, my favourite track off of City Weezle‘s album Number 2, which I reviewed last year. Like you, dear reader, I am hoping to find some new avant-garde favourites in this month’s playlist.
Mathis
Proceed with caution. This playlist is not for the faint of heart. It is a playlist filled with bangers, but it is anything but typical. Life can be boring sometimes. Not to say it’s bad. But sometimes you go through the motions, and maybe you just need a little adrenaline boost. This playlist can help out, it may provide some adrenaline by way of fear, intrigue, or joy. Maybe all three at once even, honestly there is a lot to unpack. We got alien noises from Unhuman, swingy elvis style mathcore from Zapruder, and heavy bass clarinet jazz provided by Wax People. I can go on; theatrical nonsense, classical djent, and comedic prog metal from outer space. Just have a listen, there is more to explore.
Zach
So how weird are we talking here? Like, the band plays all the instruments with their feet kinda weird? Or dedicated marimba player kinda weird? Either way, I can’t find either of the bands I’m describing here, so you’ll just have to settle for my picks this month. I’d like to pride myself on knowing plenty of the weird, and as such, I’ve cooked up a deliciously twisted concoction of picks to start your Spring off strange.
I had to include the kings and queens of avant-garde in here somehow. If you want weird, UneXpect is your bread and butter. We’ve got crazy vocals, bass virtuosity on a 9 string, and a violin. ‘Desert Urbania’ is the song that got me into them, so I hope it can show you the weirding way as it did for me. Car Bomb have become fairly well known through the prog community throughout the years, but if you don’t know them very well, get ready. Time signatures? What are those? Car Bomb doesn’t need those, and neither do you to enjoy a song I just had the privilege of witnessing live. Pangaea helps scratch that Dillinger itch that I’ve seen every doctor in the Progverse to help rid me of, and Rototpyical are the newest addition to Zach Approved wacky prog at it’s finest. Fans of Protest the Hero and BTBAM will feel right at home with the latter.
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