fantastic music

[pippin]

Do you listen to fantasy music? Most of the fantasy music I know is metal-based: Luca Turilli and Rhapsody (who sang with Christopher Lee), Blind Guardian (who did an album based on Tolkien's The Silmarillion).

Do you have a favourite fantasy song/album? Are there any big non-metal fantasist bands?

Comments

[foxfirefey]

Hrm, how do you define fantasy music, though, as opposed to music that's just using fantastical elements?

[pippin]

Well, Luca Turilli tends to do concept albums based around a plot, so they're basically an epic fantasy book except in music. (Then you've got stuff like The Theusz Hamtaahk Trilogie which is a concept series of albums based around a plot, all sung in the aliens' language.) I'd definitely call them fantasy, rather than just fantastic.

Whereas e.g. Augie March has The Glenorchy Bunyip which describes a monstrous beast, but, if what their songwriter said at the last gig I saw's to be believed, it's about the metaphoric monstrosity of a human, so that's just a fantastic song.

[celestineangel]

S.J. Tucker's music. She has some based on books by Catherynne M. Valente, but pretty much anything she writes and sings is magical.

[jaebility]

Seconding SJ Tucker! She and Catheynne M Valente are amazing together.

[celestineangel]

Aren't they just? "City of Marrow" came up on my iPod this morning and I was all "Squee!"

[pippin]

I haven't read any Valente yet! :( The only Valente I can find is Palimpsest and I don't want to read that.

[celestineangel]

Palimpsest is definitely different (but then, all of Valente's work is very unique) and it isn't for everyone.

My favorites are the Orphan's Tales books: In the Night Garden and In the Cities of Coin and Spice. Incredible books, it was an experience to read them.

Valente's books. That's her profile on LJ, she's got all her books listed with links to where to buy. :) Have fun!

[pippin]

Yes, I know all that. I physically cannot find anything but Palimpsest in town.

[celestineangel]

Aaaah. Yeah, if you don't make online purchases, or can't, then I can see how hard it would be to get her more obscure work. :/ Maybe you could make a request at your local bookstore? I don't know, worth a shot if you haven't tried it already.

[pippin]

I will probably have to wait until I'm able to buy thing online. :/ Getting them ordered in will cost more than twice what I'd pay on bookdepository. As long as the exchange rate holds, anyway.

Getting books here is too horrible. *shakes fist at government*

[celestineangel]

I see from your profile you live in Australia. Is it an import thing? ::ponders:: If someone else bought them and sent them to you, would there be any problems getting the packages through to you?

[pippin]

Well: we have shitty restrictions on importing books which jacks up the prices (our trade paperbacks start at $22, hardbacks average $40). Australian-based online stores are pretty much the same price. Amazon.com (there is no Amazon.com.au) is lovely and cheap if the exchange rate is decent, but shipping is so high (usually 2/3 of the items' cost) it cancels out. BookDepository.co.uk has free shipping, but it's only been in the last half a year or so that the exchange rate on the pound's been non-terrifying enough for it to be cheaper.

Foreigners privately shipping books here is no problem (unless they're worth over $1000) but the shipping cost, especially from the U.S., can be pretty high. And if you can't paypal, getting our money into their bank is expensive.

Come to think of it, one of my friends would probably let me use their credit card for online orders, but money is just too tight at the moment. :/ Hopefully soon I will finally get a job and be able to splurge.

[celestineangel]

Pfffft, that sucks. Good luck! If you need help, PM me. I'm always willing to help someone discover the magic of Valente. :)

[pippin]

Aw, why thank you. :D

[celestineangel]

You're welcome!