the pantheon

this week's list of musical deities

Musically, my tastes are most easily defined as "ectophilic", i.e. if it has female vocals and is musically interesting, chances are I'll at least like it, if not love it.

For a long time this has just been a list of all of my favorite artists, grouped under the single heading of "deities". I've come to the realization that there is a core group of artists whose music I wouldn't want to be stranded on a desert island without. The others I also like quite a bit, but I'm feeling the need to categorize today, so I've broken out the true deities from the — demigods? Whatever.

Here's a list of my true musical deities, in alphabetical order:

• Tori Amos
• Emily Bezar
• Björk
• Kate Bush
• The Dresden Dolls
• Veda Hille
• Loreena McKennitt
• Erin McKeown
• Susan McKeown
• The Nields/Nerissa & Katryna Nields
• Happy Rhodes
• Rachael Sage
• Jane Siberry
• Throwing Muses
• Susan Werner

These are the artists for whom I will gladly drive any distance to see perform.  Any one of these folks could release a recording of themselves reading the phone book, and I'd buy it. :)

The remainder of the pantheon consists of the following luminaries:

• Laurie Anderson
• Cowboy Junkies
• Ani DiFranco
• Mila Drumke
• Eurythmics
• Christine Fellows
• Robert Fripp
• Trina Hamlin
• Sarah Harmer
• Emmylou Harris
• Anne Heaton
• Robyn Hitchcock
• Ingrid Karklins
• Katell Keineg
• Sarah McLachlan
• Pamela Means
• Natalie Merchant
• Heather Nova
• Richard Shindell
• Sarah Slean
• David Sylvian
• 10,000 Maniacs
• Suzanne Vega
• Sloan Wainwright Band
• Dar Williams
• Victoria Williams

I also enjoy classical music, particularly of the Baroque period and pretty much anything written before 1550. Medieval music is a particular passion.  Check out the ensembles Sequentia and Anonymous 4 for the best in contemporary performance of music of that period. You'll be glad you did. :)