Pushing the boundaries has been a constant feature in the history of rock and beyond; sometimes beautiful, sometimes unlistenable, it can pave the way for the less adventurous, keep them honest, grate the ears, fascinate;
Here's twenty tracks that do just that:
1. Man-Erg: Van Der Graaf Generator
Critically acclaimed prog rock , massive in Italy in the 70's
2. Drone: Autechre
Glitch that blows your head off
3. Lumpy Gravy: Frank Zappa
OK, i was trying to stay away but this is something esle
4. Venus in Furs: Velvet Underground
Included because it was so experimental in it's time, the first post-rock band ?
5. Flying Teapot: Gong
Jazz-prog from the 70's
6. Jesus Blood Never Fails Me: Gavon Bryars and Tom Waits
If your not moved by this your a worry
7. Raising the Titanic: Gavin Bryars
Only he would try and create a piece to capture what the Titanic Quartet sound like underwater
8. Amon Duul: Phallus Dei
70's Krautrock, prog rock from Germany
9. Different Trains: Steve Reich
Definitely not rock, Steve Reich is a modern composer, pretty minimalist, repetitive but certainly hypnotic
10. Hamburger Lady: Throbbing Gristle
Best band name ever ? Maybe not but is this what it sounds like inside an aliens head ?
11. Cut Up Piano and Xylophones: Fridge
Exactly as described
12. There is No There: The Books
The Books cut up eveything, esecially words to create a stragley beautiful sound set to a cut up beat
13. Excellent Birds: Laurie Anderson
Ahead of her time: developed a "tape-bow violin" in the early 70's that uses recorded magnetic tape on the bow and a magnetic tape head in the bridge.
14. Oh How the Boat Drifts: Mum
Glitch from Iceland, the home of Sigur Ros and Bjork
15. My Head Feels LIke a Frisbee: Shpongle
Contemporary psychedelia
16. Let My Fish Loose; Aphex Twin and Cocteau Twins
What a great combination: Apex Twin is seen as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music", Cocteau Twins are 80's dream pop
17. Everything in it's Right Place: Radiohead
No list like this is any use without Radiohead
18. Jetty : Tortoise
Seminal post-rock
19. Let Us Attend to Present Business: Evan Parker and Eddie Prevost
Atonal jazz, beautiful and cleans your teeth at the same time
20. Cocoon: Bjork
Accessible, beautiful but still pushing boundaries
Image: Courtesy Warner Bros
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