Topic: Spoken-word-core (Read 18493 times)

Naos Theou · « **on:** 23 Jun 2005, 02:21 »

MewithoutYou is the purveyor most known of this small and burgeoning style. Has anyone else heard any other spoken-word style bands?

I'm looking for anything genre wise. I mean if it is indie sound, post-rock sound, if it is hardcore sound (I think of Henry Rollins's musical spoken word stylings), I'll give it a shot.

I think there is a lot of potential in this style of sound, given that there are deep and vital troves to be searched in both poetry and music, and not linking the two in a hook-style formation (though I enjoy that at times as well) gives both the lyricists and musicians the opportunity for exploration.

Haven't heard any, give this a listen:

http://www.purevolume.com/mewithoutyou

QHD · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 05:25 »

Would Art Brut be spoken-word? He doesn't exactly sing.

trolley · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 05:57 »

Not exactly what you're after. But "At the Bottom of Everything" by Bright Eyes has a rather pretentious spoken bit at the beginning that really builds the song up really well.

Not An Addict · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 07:38 »

I think spoken-word-core is its own genre of music, though, not just anything spoken.

Not that I know a damn thing about it.

heretic · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 07:59 »

i played some spoken word acoutic reggae-jam with a bud. mostly because we were going all over the place with the music (in a good way) and we had no time to catch a melody. hard to say if it was any good, fun though.

KharBevNor · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 07:59 »

The be all/end-all of this shit is The Horn-Rim Jobs

http://www.humanswissarmyknife.com/hrj/index2.htm

Librariancore ftw. A somewhat kindly piss-take on emo.

"This is my pain!
My vision!
My pain!
MY VISION!"

Merkava · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 08:28 »

The Dismemberment Plan had a mixture of spoken word and singing, and Travis Morrison pulled it off nicely.

I have no real info on the genre itself, though.

Spencer · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 08:29 »

MeWithoutYou is an incredible band.

BillyxRansom · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 13:48 »

"spoken word core", huh?

sketchyjoe · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 14:48 »

This is almost as stupid sounding a genre as Nintendo-core

mechorg · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 17:30 »

If you really appreciate spoken word (not just a genre because it adds "core" to the label) then check out Ken Nordine or Laurie Anderson.

My Aim Is True · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 14:45 »

I haven't heard WeMithoutYou in a couple of years, but I remember thinking they were pretty good, and I should listen to them more. I just didn't.

That typo was initially a mistake, but I liked the way it looked, so I'm leaving it.

Johnny C · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 15:43 »

Quote from: sketchyjoe

as awesome sounding a genre as Nintendo-core

est · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 20:31 »

i hate the trend of adding things onto the ends of other things just because of inappropriate historical precedent. like this "core" thing, and the trend of adding "gate" onto all the scandals. "hardcore" is a word. "softcore" is a word. "nintendocore" would be a clever pisstake if it were the only other genre with "core" tacked onto the end, but the recent proliferation says otherwise.

re: "gate" at the end of scandals, i was under the Watergate scandal was named that way because the hotel where things happened was the "Watergate" hotel. now i've seen Camillagate & Monicagate and a couple of other -gates too in reference to scandals. i wish they'd stop and think for a second and make up their own individual name. y'know, have some creativity, and maybe your goddamn phrase will be remembered throughout history instead of just being a throwaway phrase used during the time that the scandal happens.

Highlander · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 20:42 »

Sonic Youth had an excellent spoken word song called In the kingdom #19. Check it out if you;
A) Like Sonic Youth
B) Are looking for some good spoken word songs

Johnny C · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Jun 2005, 02:46 »

Quote from: est

"nintendocore" would be a clever pisstake if it were the only other genre with "core" tacked onto the end, but the recent proliferation says otherwise.

No, see, it's because there's so many "core" genres that the term "nintendocore" is so friggin' sweet. I haven't even heard any of its music, but come on - nintendocore? Brilliant!

And besides, what the hell does "sadcore" or "gothcore" tell you? At least "nintendocore" you expect something. dammit.

BillyxRansom · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 10:19 »

Quote from: Johnny C

Quote from: est
"nintendocore" would be a clever pisstake if it were the only other genre with "core" tacked onto the end, but the recent proliferation says otherwise.

No, see, it's because there's so many "core" genres that the term "nintendocore" is so friggin' sweet. I haven't even heard any of its music, but come on - nintendocore? Brilliant!

And besides, what the hell does "sadcore" or "gothcore" tell you? At least "nintendocore" you expect something. dammit.

nintendocore is the stupidest fucking thing in the entire world and people need to stop liking this. it's not good. no. no. i said no. fucking no.

kikanjuuneko · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 13:00 »

Dude, Horse the Band kicks ass.

CUT! CUT! CUT! CUUUUUT!

For those not in the know: Horse the Band is quite possibly the only band that isn't local, and the one that coined the term "Nintendocore". Yes, it is what you think. Hardcore/metalcore with Nintendo-styled keyboards. Give it a listen. It's refreshing.

Hector Gilbert · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 13:19 »

I just bought an album by Boyd Rice and Friends called Music, Martinis and Misanthropy and Boyd Rice as a vocalist doesn't appear ready to do anything but just speak. The music employed is for the most part really dull (think a guitar playing the same riff over five minutes, and numerous sound loops) but the combination of that with the spoken word makes for a rather strange "creeping" feel where the blatantly sadistic mutterings take precedence over everything else. I haven't heard anything quite like it before.

Jandek's Worthless Recluse album is entirely spoken word. As in, no music. I haven't heard it yet, but the lyrics are enough of a curiosity in themselves - I probably wouldn't do well with my friends if I got to play this for them! Try http://tisue.net/jandek/lyrics.html#0769 to get an idea of the experience of having to sit through it, the title track in particular.[/url]

Johnny C · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 14:56 »

Woah woah woah. Horse The Band is Nintendocore? How can you NOT love it?

Trollstormur · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 15:48 »

reminds me of a lot of Otep. (go rape survivor tampon rock!)

Kai · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 16:04 »

I, HATE, MY LIEFFFFF!!!!!!1111one

I hate Otep.

KharBevNor · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 16:24 »

OTEP: The band that sucks that got popular because it had a female singer so that angsty teenage girls listened to it because they'll listen to any shit with a female singer if it's angsty enough then angsty teenage boys started listening to it so they'd get laid the end.

Kai · « **Reply #23 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 16:27 »

"There's no such thing as a good band with a girl in it!"
-Dr. David Thorpe, Your Band Sucks. WOO!

KharBevNor · « **Reply #24 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 16:30 »

Quote from: KharBevNor

The be all/end-all of this shit is The Horn-Rim Jobs

http://www.humanswissarmyknife.com/hrj/index2.htm

Librariancore ftw. A somewhat kindly piss-take on emo.

"This is my pain!
My vision!
My pain!
MY VISION!"

They DO have their entire EP for free download. And it's actually pretty damn cool.

saturnine1979 · « **Reply #25 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 18:17 »

Quote from: kikanjuuneko

For those not in the know: Horse the Band is quite possibly the only band that isn't local....

How can a band not be local?

Even if they formed in an alternate dimension, they're still local to that location. Every band is local somewhere.

saturnine1979 · « **Reply #26 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 18:20 »

mewithoutYOU.

...what the hell? it's some guy shouting over hardcore-ish music.

i guess if that's your thing...ok, but i don't really see the appeal.
if you want to hear a guy shouting drunkenly but still singing, check out The Walkmen. at least the guy kind of sings....not that you can make out most of what he says.

Johnny C · « **Reply #27 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 18:37 »

Re: the band that kickstarted this topic

Eh. He does have a kind-of-singing, kind-of-talking style, which is neat, though I don't think he pulls it off as well as the aforementioned Travis Morrison. I could see myself listening to it more than once, though.

Merkava · « **Reply #28 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 18:52 »

Quote from: Kai

"There's no such thing as a good band with a girl in it!"
-Dr. David Thorpe, Your Band Sucks. WOO!

Sleater-Kinney.

That is all.

saturnine1979 · « **Reply #29 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 19:00 »

Merkava: Have you ever read any of Thorpe's articles on Something Awful? It's all parody and sarcasm, but the guy obviously knows music pretty well. Pretty funny stuff.

Kai · « **Reply #30 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 19:37 »

Basically everything he says is bullshit. Except that Tool Sucks. that's true. But it's funny bullshit.

Johnny C · « **Reply #31 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 19:40 »

Best Thorpe thing was the Mars Volta review:

Quote

Six and a half minutes in, the stereo channels switch the vocals back and forth in the headphones so it sounds like I’m surrounded by ASSHOLES singing BAD NONSENSE into my FUCKING EARS.

kikanjuuneko · « **Reply #32 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 23:37 »

Quote from: saturnine1979

How can a band not be local?

Even if they formed in an alternate dimension, they're still local to that location. Every band is local somewhere.

I meant as opposed to a band that tours nationally.

BillyxRansom · « **Reply #33 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 05:57 »

Quote from: kikanjuuneko

Dude, Horse the Band kicks ass.

CUT! CUT! CUT! CUUUUUT!

For those not in the know: Horse the Band is quite possibly the only band that isn't local, and the one that coined the term "Nintendocore". Yes, it is what you think. Hardcore/metalcore with Nintendo-styled keyboards. Give it a listen. It's refreshing.

refreshingly crappola.

Praeserpium Machinarum · « **Reply #34 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 06:20 »

Does Soul Coughing as "spoken-word-core" because then I think you should go listen to them, right now!

Mnementh · « **Reply #35 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 09:01 »

I'd just like to state, on the record, that I think adding -core to a word to describe a genre of music is absolutely fucking dumbtarded.

hardcore:

1. Intensely loyal; die-hard: a hard-core secessionist; a hard-core golfer.
2. Stubbornly resistant to improvement or change: hard-core poverty.
3. Extremely graphic or explicit: hard-core pornography.

Merkava · « **Reply #36 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 09:02 »

Quote from: saturnine1979

Merkava: Have you ever read any of Thorpe's articles on Something Awful? It's all parody and sarcasm, but the guy obviously knows music pretty well. Pretty funny stuff.

No, but I'm getting VERY interested. XP

That Mars Volta quote was hilarious.

Spencer · « **Reply #37 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 09:09 »

Quote from: Praeserpium Machinarum

Does Soul Coughing as "spoken-word-core" because then I think you should go listen to them, right now!

I dont think its fair to apply "core" to them, but I think they are an appropriate band to discuss in this topic. M. Doughty is an incredible..um... word spoker? talker? um...you cant really call him a singer, but you know what I mean.

Praeserpium Machinarum · « **Reply #38 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 09:32 »

I think poet is apt, maybe even beat poet... or perhaps poetry slammer?

a pack of wolves · « **Reply #39 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 17:25 »

Quote from: Mnementh

I'd just like to state, on the record, that I think adding -core to a word to describe a genre of music is absolutely fucking dumbtarded.

hardcore:

1. Intensely loyal; die-hard: a hard-core secessionist; a hard-core golfer.
2. Stubbornly resistant to improvement or change: hard-core poverty.
3. Extremely graphic or explicit: hard-core pornography.

That's a pretty bad criticism. Metal isn't made by robots, or even people using exclusively metal instruments. Drum and bass often uses more than just those instruments. House isn't played exclusively where people live... you get where I'm going with this. Adding '-core' to a musical genre identifies it as a subset of the larger genre hardcore, and although it might not have made it into the dictionary yet it's well-known enough by now for people to understand at least vaguely what it means.

However, I don't think we need another new '-core' every time someone does something slightly different (and spoken word over hardcore music is far from that).

Johnny C · « **Reply #40 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 17:44 »

Quote from: Praeserpium Machinarum

poetry slammer?

I totally went to a poetry slam earlier this year. It was both awesome and terrifying (I'd hate to be a judge on some of the ones where the poems were so obviously terrible - but I got to judge some of the better ones).

Next year I plan to enter, but compose only haikus/whatever that form of verse is that uses haiku syllables but lacks nature references for you picky bastards.

Keith Decent · « **Reply #41 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 19:33 »

I'm gonna start a core-core band. I haven't worked out the logistics yet, but I'm hoping that it will be so based on itself and mind numbing to listen to, that the whole system of calling something ____-core will implode upon itself.

Then maybe people will go back to trying to guess a band's influences and listen for the subtleties in music.

p.s. I hate categories.

mechorg · « **Reply #42 on:** 27 Jun 2005, 20:30 »

I'll start another core-core band just to bandwagon and get the word out.

It will sound amazingly like white snow static from your television.

I like the idea, Keith. Go with it.

Kanno · « **Reply #43 on:** 28 Jun 2005, 05:22 »

Well, I don't know if it's cool enought be spoken-word "core", but if you're into it, William Shatner's last album is worth a listen or two.
You kind of have to like Shatner though, which is tough for some people.

"Common People" is probably the best song off of it, if you wanna d/l something.

Spencer · « **Reply #44 on:** 28 Jun 2005, 08:08 »

I'm gonna start a 3rd core-core band, essentially saturating the niche market and driving the movement back into nothingness.

And yeah man, that Shatner album was really fuckin' awesome for a week or so.

Hector Gilbert · « **Reply #45 on:** 02 Jul 2005, 20:18 »

Quote from: Hector Gilbert

Jandek's Worthless Recluse album is entirely spoken word. As in, no music. I haven't heard it yet, but the lyrics are enough of a curiosity in themselves - I probably wouldn't do well with my friends if I got to play this for them!

Having by now heard this album, I can confirm that this receives my own personal blessing. Jandek even puts on subtle tone-distortion effects to his voice every once in a while. Think of the end of Captain Beefheart's "Old Fart At Play", but with an ear for freaking the listener out rather than amusing him, and you've got the idea.

boeuf · « **Reply #46 on:** 03 Jul 2005, 01:46 »

Midget Handjob....

they're crazy.

Psiogen · « **Reply #47 on:** 03 Jul 2005, 09:06 »

THE LAST POETS.

(Early 70's spoken word band that laid the groundwork for rap.)

IcarusLotFF · « **Reply #48 on:** 06 Sep 2005, 17:01 »

man, this was a while back.....
MWY's my favorite group, so I consider myself at least having some authority on this topic... much more than, say, a rock. So, they call themselves indie/post-hardcore. whatever. but it's not spoken word anything. it's called Sprechstimme. It's an old opera ploy that combines elements of song and speech. Weiss (lead singer) might not realize it, but that's the vocal form he's using.

Thus ends my first post ever, and I look like a smartass

Garcin · « **Reply #49 on:** 06 Sep 2005, 17:47 »

I don't think you like a smartass (although if I did there would probably be some pot/kettle issues). I would be interested to know, however, what differentiates Sprechstimme from generic recitative, which is generally scored.

Re: spoken word, my favorite spoken word predominated track was on Jazzanova's "In Between" album, where Ursula Rucker contributed on "Keep Falling". Conversely, I thought that Dennis Hopper's spoken word performance in Fire Coming Out Of A Monkey's Head on Gorillaz - Demon Days was embarrassingly misjudged -- pedantic, pretentious, everything that people dislike about spoken word. Spoken word has to be poetic to work -- couldn't find any poetry there.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Spoken-word-core (Read 18493 times)

Naos Theou

QHD

trolley

Not An Addict

heretic

Merkava

Spencer

mechorg

Highlander

kikanjuuneko

Hector Gilbert

saturnine1979

saturnine1979

Merkava

saturnine1979

kikanjuuneko

Praeserpium Machinarum

Mnementh

Merkava

Spencer

Praeserpium Machinarum

Keith Decent

mechorg

Kanno

Spencer

Hector Gilbert

boeuf

Psiogen

IcarusLotFF

Garcin