You should look up some of the tribute bands performing those songs with female vocalists - YY Not comes to mind but I think there are others.

Also a huge fan of the Beach Boys, and of psychedelic pop in various forms, and I remember feeling much the same way when I listened to The High Llamas.

Grizzly Bear are another example of this for me. There's nothing I dislike about them, they have some very good songs, and have obvious things in common with a lot of music I do like, but I've just never quite warmed to them.

This experience has become more common with age, alas... There's a lot of "new" music that I quite like but could never get excited about the way I might have done in my teens & twenties

Yo why you be dissin this hep cat, cuz?

Can't choose just one, but contenders for me include:

Wouldn't it be Nice from the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds

Alone Again Or from Love's Forever Changes

Radio Free Europe from REM's Murmur

Spirit of Radio from Rush's Permanent Waves

Alison from Slowdive's Souvlaki

Love Goes On from the Go-Betweens' 16 Lovers Lane

I was going to suggest Rush, but you've done it so much better. Thank you

Guided by Voices (+ Robert Pollard solo), Frank Zappa, The Residents, Gong & related artists (Daevid Allen, Mothergong, Gongmaison etc.), The Fall, The Beach Boys

For God's sake don't let Trout Mask put you off Beefheart entirely. Try Clear Spot, Safe as Milk or Shiny Beast for a more accessible jumping on point.

I love Beefheart/The Magic Band but haven't listened to this as a whole album for a long time, I must admit. It's hard to get to grips with. It helped me when I stopped expecting everything to gel and focused on what one guitar is doing at a time (I believe it's mixed with one panned left and one panned right, which helps). Also, it has to be said that some of the tracks are much more accessible than others - I think one way to approach the album would be to start by listening to say Ella Guru, Moonlight on Vermont and Veteran's Day Poppy, then throw in maybe Steal Softly thru Snow, Sugar n Spikes, China Pig, Orange Claw Hammer, building up to Frownland etc. once you've got a bit more of a handle on the basic approach. I seem to remember listening to the instrumental tracks for much of the album at one time and thinking they were often somewhat more accessible than the finished versions with vocals.

For anybody wanting to get into Beefheart in general (and fans of course) I can't speak too highly of the reformed, John French-fronted version of the band that was active from 2004-2015 or so. It shouldn't have worked but it really, really did. Fantastic live (check out the Magnetic Draw DVD), always did a few Trout Mask tracks.

Haha I like that bit! Reminds me of the Star Trek theme tune. Which is the main thing I'm looking for in a Leonard Cohen song, obviously.