I was talking to someone about Pavement the other day. The talk was about 90s bands and groundbreaking acts and so forth. When Pavement came out, they really didn't sound like anyone else. But after they came out, there were more than a few "clones" that were able to replicate the sound. Not that it can be held against them.

When coming up with my own "unique" band in the 90s I suggested Morphine. Can't really think of a band that sounded similar (though Treat Her Right I guess was similar, they shouldn't count) to them previously, and no one really followed in their footsteps.

What do you all think? And for my own future listening pleasure, I'd like opinions on good bands, not some one-of-a-kind whackjob with an oboe up his butt.

I'm thinking maybe Camper Van Beethoven might fit the bill?
At least the early years, with all the ethnic influences -- like The Byrds if they were from Turkey. Having a hard time thinking of anyone that really sounded like that before or since.

And, shit, you knew at least one of them were coming...
Tom Zé.
There's his influence on some of the stuff that's come since. But nobody really sounds like him, pushes the bounderies like he does in Brazilian pop. He's still doing freakier things than anyone else, well into his 70's. The musiq concrete (or however you spell that) is completely original and, IMO, unreproducible.

Also:
Dogbowl
His album, Flan, in particular (his masterwork), is a completely listenable mindfuck. (Many of you will disagree about the listenable part.) But I have never heard anyone else who sounds like that record... either before or after.

Morphine is really a perfect example, Mark. Well done.

if you are accepting solo artists, bjork

i'm still waiting for you to upload Dogbowl for me Todd. i don't even think i have the cassette anymore...

Im not sure if this was limited to the 90s or not.

If not, then to my ears - Gang of Four. Both sonically and in approach, I think they were unique. Maybe it was simply a consequence of the right (musical) juices mixing at the right moment in (rockist) space-time - but nonetheless.

chk pm

I think it would be easy to say that Gang of Four sounds similar to The Clash. I wouldn't say that though. Wait a minute... I just did.

Dismemberment Plan

Easy to say. Harder to explain.

Wasn't this whole decade about trying to replicate the sound of Gang of Four?

Man I love Morphine.... Pretty much a perfect band.

And Tom Waits

mr. bungle

That's what I was saying. I'm an idiot.

A lot of people think Pavement sounded a lot like the Fall.

I guess I'd throw Wire into the mix.

I read the question differently.. I read it as 'not heard before' being sufficient. (as 'or' doesnt necessarily imply *and*).

Also, the operative word above = tried.

Not many bands are as singularly inimitable as Morphine (and, for the record, I don't think they sound anything like Treat Her Right beyond Sandman's vox).

How about the B-52s?

Seconded

Reminds me of Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention.

inimitable why? because of the lack of guitar-fetish or horns? Or was there something unique about Morphine that isnt captured simply by the instrumentation? (And btw, Im a huge Morphine fan.) It seems to me it says more about the genre than the band in question - i.e. it doesnt take much to mimic the approach instrumentally.

Disagree. I saw a band recently that sounds a bit like the Plan (The XYZ Affair, which admittedly shares a member with DPlan, and Travis Morrison was standing right in front of me at the show). I think their sound has made its way around the block recently.

Inimitable in the sense that if you imitate Morphine you sound like you're imitating Morphine. Sax + two string slide bass + deep, slow croon. Yeah, it's an easy enough recipe, now do it without sounding like Sandman & co.