Good reply to my first post, Jed- I was playing devil's advocate, of course. You're spot on that if you can't get past the voice you'll never get inside the music. I can't get past it, and that frustrates me. Rather than being able to give a considered response, I just feel like turning the stereo off immediately. It just sounds- to me, I stress- a ridiculous charade. Consequently, I feel like the whole thing is (as you say) pretentious.
I guess it's like my feelings regarding Frank Sinatra- the voice is so big, such a mass-ive presence, this ego seems to swallow the rest of the music. But as I say, I really don't understand the music, and just wish I could. It's like when I see a film with Nicholas Cage in it- despite it's other merits, it's hard to get past this enormous hammy presence that is the centre of the piece.
Interesting points about progress. I think there still has to be freshness, surprise in the equation somewhere- those Finnish folk underground people are good at using basic instruments and making them sound totally alien, as are say Sunburnt Hand Of Man. For me, Tom Wait's accompaniments never have any element of surprise, though, but that's probably just me.