Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Rock with unusual time signatures

I just searched Youtube for The Mars Volta and was surprised to realize I had heard them before a few times on Satellite radio and liked them but never caught the name.

The first video that came up was "Televators". VERY Cool video with AMAZING visuals. Watch it even if you don't enjoy the tune. I envision it as being what it would be like to meet Yoda while on acid.
The Mars Volta - Televators

Other videos are more representative of their more rockin style but "Goliath" certainly doesn't do much for their cred., visually. Let's just hope it was an early high school project redubbed for fun once they made it to the studios.

The pink record by Sunny Day Real Estate has a couple of songs in odd time signatures. This was one of my favorite albums of the '90s.

Sunny Day Real Estate is an awesome band hempy.

I would also recommend Mastodon, especially their newer stuff. Crack the Skye was released this year, they're touring with Metallica, and the singer reminds me a bit of Ozzy, especially on the first track, Oblivion.

Also check out Badmotorfinger and Superunkown by Soundgarden. Even when in 4/4, Matt Cameron, their drummer, does a great job of keeping the rhythms electric.

Hey, great thread!... don't know how I missed it.
Sting pulled off a few catchy songs with unconventional time signatures in "Ten Summoner's Tales". My favorites are "Saint Augustine in Hell" [7/8] and "Seven Days" [5/4]. He's done others, but aren't as catchy or good. Steely Dan has a few good ones too. Form the top of my head, Gaucho is a compounded time signature; Steve Porcaro (drummer) made it feel like a well played waltz. I'll ping back if I remember a few more...

Mastodon has some critically acclaimed albums under their belt. I have not listened to them in a while. Didn't even know they had a new album, good to know.

Just found out that Sunny Day Real Estate is playing here in Vancouver in a month or two...wonder what they've been up to lately?

ELP - Tarkus
About half of early Genesis and a few of the later songs
Schicke Fuhrs Frohling, esp first album (Symphonic Pictures)

The most popular I can think of is Pink Floyd's "Money" in 7/4.
Peter Gaberial's "Solsbury Hill" is another at 7/4.
Many songs from Jethro Tull have unusual times, like "Living In The Past" in 5/4.
And if you can tell what time Led Zepplin's "Black Dog" is in, let me know!

Ken, ditto for Rush. Often, they change signatures many times in a song. Listen to "Free Will" and "YYZ" for starters - the intro triangle chime in YYZ is in 5/4, I think, whereas the rest of the song is in the more standard 4/4.

Dig this tshirt.