The great thing about music is that it doesn’t just exist inside BBC’S Top 40. It is infinite, broad and boundless and many seek out artists, bands and performers outside the commercial circle. Of course, you have your critically acclaimed, the artists that make a huge cultural impact on music but probably won’t appear on any best sellers lists any time soon: Bjork, Imogen Heap, Frank Ocean, Beck, to name but a few. But also, there are countless musicians and artists out there that may never be heard by the general public. Maybe it’s ignorance. Maybe they don’t promote widely enough. Who can say?
There are many artists whom I love that, when I mention them to friends, acquantancies and people I meet, either draws a blank stare, a plain ‘Who?’ or in one or two circumstances, elicts a ‘Oh, I love them!’ from people who want to appear cool enough to know an obscure musician, only to fall at the first hurdle when I ask what their favourite song is. So, without further adeiu, these are five artists that I class as some of my favourite musicians. And hey, why not seek them out after this article? You never know, you might actually like them.
1. The Birthday Massacre
How did you come across them?
A friend of mine sent me a link via MSN (remember that?) to a song of theirs called ‘Violet’ and the rest is history.
So, who are they?
TBM, as they’re known, are a five-piece new-wave 80’s goth synthpop band from Toronto, Canada. They were formed in 1999 under the name Imagica, which they changed some time later due to a band of the same name.
What makes them so great?
Imagine a hybrid of Cyndi Lauper infused with Cradle Of Filth. Imagine The Pet Shop Boys doing the soundtrack to a Tim Burton film. Imagine Alice In Wonderland on an acid trip. Like Tiffany’s ‘I Think We’re Alone Now‘ at a goth disco. Do all these things sound incredible? Of course they do. That is what TBM’s music is about – the creation of magic from nostalgic places, an infusion of genres that no one thought possible, turning stereotypical themes into monstrously decadent design.
What are they up to now?
Their latest album ‘Superstition‘ is currently being finalised and will be released at the end of the year.
What album would you recommend?
Picking one is difficult, as they’re all absolutely incredible, but ‘Pins & Needles‘ is the most diverse and the easiest to digest for brand new listeners.
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