Easy-listening Italian style with sax, synths, percussion, and a kinda groovy beat. Quirky mid-tempo from the twins.

one of my favorites from modest mouse. while they certainly have a distinctive sound, i think they manage to make each of their songs rather unique. this is one of the songs that encapsulate just about everything i love about modest mouse. it's just a quirky sound, with terrific lyrics.

Hawksley Workman is pretty quirky and kind of sounds different in every song I've heard by him. This one is just kinda fun and catchy.

"I'm jealous of your cigarette...and how you want to suck on it..."

70's oh so 70's daubs of wierd gaudiness, layered over plain drabness.

Quirky....very quirky also hilarious, disturbing and unforgettable.

Sample Lyric " Oh what a woman what a tongue, what an abrasive manner"

I first heard this when i around 15 or 16, borrowed from a local Mushroom dealer called Mad dog, I kid you not. At the time I'd "Inadvertently" consumed some of his wares, and was beginning to get hazy and paisley, hence he made me and a couple of friends lay down on his room floor, head to toe, turned off the lights and put Majory Razorblade on.........we giggled in the darkness like school kids,which we were, as we listened to the tale of the woman with the long and fusty dress..I've never forgotten it....

I highly recommend the Album Majory Razorblade, by Kevin Coyne - a lost genius. The title track sets the tone for an album full of seedy characters, each lost in their own wanton little worlds, with lashings of philosphical blurbs "Being on your own is hard, being with someone is harder"

well worth exploring.........

This is such a sweet little song. Listening to it always makes me happy. It's quirky and just plain adorable.

apparently the delta rythm boys were quite big in sweden in the late fifties, something wich eventually led to them recording this quirky little song. it's a jazzy take on an old swedish folk song, including the swedish lyrics. however, the vocalists didn't speak the language at the time of the recording, so the result turned out to be remarkably strange. still, it�s a fantastic song, and even if you don't understand swedish (well, most people don't) i think you'll appreciate this. it's pretty tough to come by unless you happen live next to a swedish thrift store, but it�s well worth hunting down. i first heard it on the in-film soundtrack to the film "kitchen stories"(salmer fra kj�kkenet) by bent hamer.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0323872/
i don�t think there's a soundtrack cd out, but the complete song plays during the end credits, and can easily be ripped. (the film is well worth seeing too, if you can stand subtitles, i recommend ordering it)

Quirky but beautiful nonsense with an infectious Brazilian beach party beat. The song "So Nice (Summer Samba)" from the same CD shows the range and class of the performer.

Taken from his exquisite Latin American Suite, this is an unusual sounding track to me. Mid-tempo, with an unrelenting bossa nova style beat, the action is shared between the piano and various horns and saxophones. I guess it's the strange discordant tones that take this track higher for me. They remind me of some chords I've heard in the more adventurous Brazilian pop music of the late 1960s - basically taking what is fundamentally a sweet sounding, warm chord, and overlaying notes that provide a darker, more forboding feel.

Adding to this, the punctuating horns and reeds give the whole thing a gently groovy feel that's reminiscent of quirky 60s soundtrack music. Really cool stuff, and I recommend the whole album.

This is a rather ridiculous but super–catchy take on this theme to the 1967 spoof Bond movie. Performed by German session musicians, it ends up being a rather groovy mix, with viola d’amore, flute, female wordless vocals, harpsichord, and that other staple of the Baroque era, funky drums. It’s short and sweet and really very cool. The late sixties were cool for many reasons, but one of them is that they could accomodate TWO albums called 'Bacharach Baroque' - this one, and the other great Snuff Garrett-produced one by 'The Renaissance'. Both are superb.

Waltel Branco is the guitarist on a lot of classic early and mid-sixties Bossa LPs with outfits with Wilson Das Neves, Eumir Deodato and I think Ed Lincoln. There is also the classic and highly prized "Mancini Tamem e Samba" LP under his leadership that is available once again on the whatmusic label. Branco is like a Brazilian Les Paul but a little less quirky and a lot more hip. You can't help being more hip with that latin beat backing you up. Lots of deep lumbering compelling beats allow Branco to highlight his fretwork, thus the title - as far as I can translate becasue the cover is a picture of a flame - "Guitars on Fire." Similar to Heraldo Dos Monte "Batida Diferente".

"Just Lust" was the B-side to the Buzzcocks' highest-charting single, the Pete Shelley punk-pop classic "Ever Fallen in Love?," eventually reaching number 12 on the U.K. singles chart in September of 1978. The mysterious co-author " Dial" is, in fact, a pseudonym for the band's early manager, Richard Boon, who also shared songwriting credits on "What Ever Happened?," the B-side to the Buzzcocks' infamously banned first single "Orgasm Addict." However, the effect of his involvement in not apparent here, as the music is classic Buzzcocks � masters of the punk-fueled power pop nugget. The rhythm is springy, the track's nervous tension as wired as the melody is infectious. Punchy verses with quick-hit vocals are alternated with short dreamy sections of woozy flanged guitar and chopped up-tempo shifts, the band expertly maneuvering in tight spaces. Shelley follows the twists and turns with clipped phrases followed by drawn-out melodies in sync with the compact arrangement: "Your dream to possess/It hurts/It's so unjust/Just lust, just lust/If nothing mattered less/Then I wouldn't make a fuss/Just lust, just lust/I was slow to catch on and that just makes it worse/If passion is a fashion then emotion is just a curse." Though the track was also included on the Buzzcocks' second album, Love Bites, the group had yet to make an impact in the United States. Thankfully, this little gem was not left to languish in obscurity as it was included in the influential collected singles package Singles Going Steady, compiled as the band's introduction to American audiences and released in the states in 1979.
(AMG)

The B-52's were one of several late-'70s bands for which there was no real category. With their modified surf guitar sound, their thrift-shop fashion sense, and their jokey demeanor, they certainly weren't in the rock & roll mainstream, but they exhibited none of punk's sneering rebelliousness or musical aggression, either � the only anarchy that seemed to interest the B-52's was of the sartorial variety. "Rock Lobster" was the first B-52's song to catch popular attention, and it's easy to see why. The minimalist guitar lick is like a beach-bum's rendition of the James Bond theme, the one-note organ ostinato complements it perfectly, and Fred Scheider's campy sprechgesang jumps out at you immediately. Yet despite the song's self-consciously weird texture and silly lyrics about earlobes falling off and communal towel coordination, there's a thread of darkness weaving through it. Make no mistake � this is not a song with hidden meaning lurking below the surface. But its surface is a little more complicated than it seems to be at first. For one thing, it's almost seven minutes long, and it does start to drag toward the end. Right when it does, you notice the mood getting darker � Schneider delivers lines about "having fun" and "baking in the sun" in a hoarse croak, and the guitar starts sounding repetitive in a slightly creepy way. Suddenly you realize that the whole song has been in a minor key, and as Schneider shouts and the guitar barks out its angular riff over and over, you start to wonder if maybe there's some kind of commentary going on here. But then Kate Pierson's angelic voice comes in with a surprisingly pretty falling harmony part that can only be described as a descant, which repeats several times, gradually paring itself down to a single phrase, and abruptly the song is over. The whole song ends up being a goofy party confection with a slightly crunchy center � a pretty satisfying overall flavor combination.
(AMG)

A surprisingly accurate slice of new wave from Wyman,s solo album which contained his only hit "Je Suis un Rock Star" ,this was the follow up.While the Stones moved towards an increasingly stodgy over produced sound at this time ,Wyman was happy to acknowledge the prevalent new wave sounds ."Suzzane" is an upbeat and catchy vignette not a million miles away from Squeeze,s "Cool for Cats".This confirms a lot of peoples opinions that Wyman was always the most quirky and inventive Stone.

"Destination Unknown" sounds the least dated of all of Missing Persons' hits, most likely because it was their most melodically satisfying song. The fact that it's also Dale Bozzio's least mannered vocal performance, with none of her trademark hiccups, helps considerably as well. Her helium-pitched voice ? Dale Bozzio sang like a new wave Betty Boop ? keeps this song firmly in the Missing Persons tradition, but the low-key backing vocals by her male bandmates on the chorus are a nice touch. The lyrics are typically lightweight, your basic high school-level musings on alienation by someone who has just learned the word "existential" but is unclear about what it actually means, but Ken Scott's light-handed production and nice touches like the staccato programmed drum fills on the chorus make it pleasant on the ear regardless.
(AMG)

Eighties pop with minimalist percussion, quirky lyrics, and jazz-club atmosphere. The organ intro, skillful guitar breaks, spare bass-drum beat, and catchy chorus are my lasting memories of this song which was one of my first "favorite songs." More info on this band at www.jazzbutcher.com

Slightly "Lust For Lifeish", manic missile from a band dismissed by some as Joy Divison rip offs but who really had their own quirky lustre.

I get the impression that even a lot of Pavement fans don't know this one very well, presumably because it's on a pretty duff album (wowee zowee). However, it's one of my absolute favourite pavement songs. Musically it is very quiet - it's essentially just an acoustic guitar, though the funny noises the band make are quite entertaining. However, I really love the structure: there's nothing that can be called a verse or a chorus there - he just rambles on until he is finished. It has the full extent of Pavement's lyrics - completely ridiculous, funny, and sometimes very moving. Plus, as ever, malkmus' weirdy voice is a joy to listen to. So, if you like the pavement style - slow, quirky, funny, and often amazingly beautiful musically, and you don't know this one, you should really look into it. There's a brilliant solo version of it you can get off Napster (legally - Pavement distribute this stuff) - search for "we dance acoustic" - means you don't have to cough up for the album too.

I notice a few of her songs are on here, appropriately, because she is an amazing singer/songwriter/musician. Her lyrics are quirky and edgy, but also catchy. "Not a Pretty Girl" is basically saying 'hey, i don't need to be rescued, so get lost little boy".

Mr. Quintron has been performing/ inventing for 20 years or so. He currently resides in the 9th ward of New Orleans, LA. His "one man band" sound does not really fit into any genre that I know of. If I had to describe it, I would say it's as if a mad scientist, a Hammond organ, early 80's techno and your favourite Jerry Lee Lewis or Elvis song met somewhere deep in the murky swamps of Louisiana. The song "Dungeon Master" is a geeky, upbeat, yet dark, tongue in cheek, seemingly blatant, but possibly unintentional theme song for anyone who has either played or is aware of the board game, "Dungeons & Dragons". *I've never played, but am familiar with it from my ..."less social" classmates from grade school. The song begins with a very techno-esque, oddly-timed organ solo that swells and then abruptly breaks as Quintron belts out, "DUNGEON MASTER, MAKE ME GO FASTER!!!", only to be followed by quirky Hammond and Vocoder sounds as Miss Pussycat chants along in her cheerleader style back-up vocals. After you think you've figured out the gimmick, "Q" channels Elvis Presley as he reaches the climax..."Comma, Comma, Comma, Come On" and erupts in other indecipherable grunts and yelps. Check it out.

somewhere between the free design and hideki kaji you get la casa azul. sweet 60s pop with some nice "ba ba ba ba..." thrown in. bouncy, quirky and basically all around fun. one of the few new bands i am really excited by.

This is an absolutely magical song! Juana Molina is a singer/songwriter from Argentina. I first heard her on KCRW (Santa Monica radio station) when I was living in Los Angeles. Her music is totally captivating; it's melodic, ethereal, quirky, whimsical, a little melancholy sometimes, very very sweet. She often uses acoustic instruments (guitar, piano), but what makes her music unique is her use of electronic elements. It often sounds like she is recording in the middle of the rainforest. Tres Cosas, from the album of the same name, is a very up-beat, sparkly little song. Her live performances are archived on the KCRW website: http://www.kcrw.com/ (do a search for Juana Molina in the "Find it!" feature), and you can purchase her music at:
Gourmet Musical http://www.gourmetmusical.com

A blend of Mexican, a sprinkling of country and a dose of Southern soul "Goodnight Moon" is a track off the album "I Ought to Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump" : classy!

When a song hits me - I will play it like it's going out of fashion, or in this case, coming into fashion!

Until four days ago I knew nothing about this band - I happened to be surfing around looking for inspiration and accidently came upon this song, the singer whom I now know as Ambrosia Paisley has a sultry, quirky voice and given to this song makes it feel like It should be played acoustic in some smoky bar with swing doors, and a bar man called Hank offering neat JD's.

Although that's probably not too far from reality it is being played world wide thanks to Mr Tarrantino who has used this track in his movie soundtrack - Kill Bill 2 - which kind of makes sense to me granted that my original search on Google four days ago started with Nancy Sinatra, which I also found out "Bang Bang my baby shot me down" (another recommendation should I add!) was lent to the Kill Bill 1 soundtrack.

Regressing, I do not know if any other tunes on this album are worthy but Goodnight Moon now firmly has a place in the soundtrack to my life.

gorgeous four part harmonies, slow tempo, fantastic guitar sounds and solo, the lyrics are simple, and easy to hear, listen to, learn, sing along with at shows, and relate to. kelly scullin (formerly of second story man) had a knack for writing songs in a "simple" fashion, lending themselves to further embellishment and tasteful flourish as a sort of "icing on the cake" ideal. she is one of my favorite songwriters out right now. as stated before, the songs are simple, yet their textures were always thick and lush- just imagine a big, cushy purple velvet victorian-style couch.

Billie Ray Martin under a briefly fashionable electroclash pseudonym. Our Germanic techno-soul diva sonically revisits and updates her underrated Electribe 101 days for a foray into what almost becomes disco metal. This quirky 12" is on lurid pink vinyl, and features a blistering remix by her old mate Mark Moore (of S-Express fame) on the B-side.

Quirky, upbeat -- and a little bit dark & twisted. And very, very melodic.

This is a fun sort of light ska tune. It's a fun song because it is a song about a song that the songwriter is having trouble writing - sort of an anti-song!