▁stated ▁the ▁term ▁is ▁" a ▁jo ke ▁invent ed ▁to ▁have ▁something ▁to ▁give ▁journal ists ▁when ▁they ▁y el p ▁for ▁a ▁neat ▁sound ▁b ite ▁or ▁p ige on hole ". ▁Their ▁music ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁art ▁punk ▁and ▁post - p unk . ▁Their ▁songs ▁imag ined ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁gar age ▁rock ▁and ▁sur f ▁music ▁arch et ypes ▁as ▁seen ▁in ▁a ▁dist ort ing ▁fun house ▁mirror , ▁emphas ising ▁the ▁music ' s ▁ang st , ▁l onel iness ▁and ▁lyr ical ▁par ano ia . ▁Sometimes ▁sound ing ▁like ▁a ▁de ment ed ▁nur ser y ▁rh yme ▁sing - al ong , ▁this ▁already ▁b izar re ▁bl end ▁was ▁over la id ▁with ▁R aven st ine ' s ▁o min ous ▁E ML ▁synth es izer ▁effects ▁and ▁t ape ▁loop ed ▁sounds ▁of ▁m und ane ▁conversation , ▁ring ing ▁tele ph ones ▁or ▁steam ▁wh ist les . ▁Their ▁prop uls ive ▁rh yth mic ▁pul se ▁was ▁similar ▁to ▁Kra ut rock , ▁but ▁Thomas ' s ▁y el ping , ▁how ling , ▁des perate ▁singing ▁was ▁and ▁still ▁is ▁peculiar ▁when ▁compared ▁to ▁most ▁other ▁rock ▁and ▁roll ▁sing ers . ▁ ▁Person nel ▁Current ▁members ▁ ▁David ▁Thomas ▁– ▁lead ▁vocals , ▁key boards , ▁mel ode on , ▁mus ette , ▁th erem in ▁( 1 9 7 5 – 8 2 , ▁