Way out on the edge.

I bring you two bands that deserve mention for being pioneers in the realm of the bizarre:

The Mars Volta is comprised of former members of At the Drive-in, a band I've only just been introduced to ( thanks Rob ). Mars Volta is a group with some serious delusions of grandeur. Delusion it may be, but they'll easily drag you right into their dreamscape. Their first full length album, 'De-loused in the Comatorium', contains mammoth eighteen minute tracks that seem closer to classical composition than blues based rock. Each track sounds as if it were composed of a thousand guitar layers, each vying for your attention.

Mr. Bungle is comprised of former members of Faith No More. Equally ambitious, but more for the variety of their sounds and influences than for the length of their tracks. Again I must use the metaphor of dream to describe this band, but the dream of Mr. Bungle isn't the long, coherent dream you love to enjoy. Mr. Bungle brings you the constantly changing landscape of nightmare in which you might be a god in one moment and a cartoon cat in the next.

Both bands have production values that are completely off the scale. Both bands scoff at traditional composition methods. Both bands deserve your immediate attention.

Pandora.

Another new music recommendation site.

Deftones.

The Deftones will be in Portland on April first. I would very much like to see them, but I don't know if I'll be there in time. The Deftones are second on my list of living artists that I'd love to see live right now. Dresden Dolls are first.

Addictive songs. ( update )

My playlist of horribly addictive songs is far from complete, but there are some interesting things in here, including some real gems from the 80s. There are at least a dozen more that didn't make the cut, like 'Love Shack' by the B-52s, and 'Love Rollercoaster', by Red Hot Chili Peppers ( Actually a cover of a song by the Ohio Players ), but this was all I could take in one sitting without going horribly insane.

'Tom's Diner', by Suzanne Vega
'Take On Me', by Ah-ha
'La Isla Bonita', by Madonna
'Fire Water Burn', by Bloodhound Gang
'I Wanna Be Sedated', by the Ramones
'The Kids Aren't Alright', by the Offspring
'Not An Addict', by K's Choice
'Come Together', by the Beatles
'Alive', by POD
'Enjoy The Silence', by Depeche Mode
'The Safety Dance', by Men Without Hats
'Can't Get You Out of My Head', by Kylie Minogue
'Our House', by Madness
'Mr. Blue Sky', by Electric Light Orchestra
'Surrender', by Cheap Trick
'It's The End Of The World As We Know It', by REM
'Hey Ya!', by Andre 3000 of Outkast
'Don't You (Forget About Me)', by Simple Minds
'Napoleon', by Ani DiFranco
'I Ran', by A Flock of Seagulls