Good music that noone else seems to have heard

Cafe Society
1

A package arrives from Amazon.com. Or you rush back home in the rain from your local music store. Or you tear the wrapping off a Christmas present…

And you encounter some excellent, excellent music. You excitedly mention your discovery to friends, but alas, noone has heard it. So you either keep the secret to yourself, or proceed to push it down other people’s throats until they understand how good the music is.

I’ve had this experience with three albums - not so many, since a lot of my friends are music freaks. But these two albums are so great that I decided to dedicate a thread to them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space by Spiritualized: This is an epic. Beautiful, mesmerising, soulful, and tragic. Love, loss, drugs, depression… All expressed creatively in a variety of styles. I love the hell out of this. If you have any respect for my music taste at all, go out and get it now.

Since I Left You by The Avalanches: Take carts and carts of vinyl, from wildly disparate genres; stuff them all in a blender, and hit puree - you’d be getting this album, in spirit. But what you wouldn’t get is a catchy, complex, utterly unique, and hilarious album. If you want that, you’ll have to buy Since I Left You.

Radiator by Super Furry Animals: Fun, groovy, ecclectic, busy, complex but not complicated. Wild, unconventional, and above all else brilliant lyrics. And something that’s not often found in music: Pure originality. Mmm, tasty.

So, Dopers, what albums have you had similar experiences with?

2

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:

Afterbirth of the Cool by the Swollen Monkeys. Damn fine horn music, complete obscurity.

3

Angie Aparo’s The American (2000)

You can hear the album in its entirety at his website www.angieaparo.com.

Faith Hill redid his song “Cry”, but I think he did a much better job with it. I can listen to the entire album without ever skipping a song. His voice is incredible, IMO.

4

Well you’ve sold me on him… Just visited his site and … this guy is great!

5

I think they haven’t done anything since before 2000, but they’re great. Nobody I’ve mentioned them to knew them.

It’s acoustic guitars and bad but enjoable singing. The lyrics are tell surreal stories and don’t usually seem to match the music.

If you’re trying a couple songs, go for King of Carrot Flowers pt 1, Two Headed Boy and Glue.

6

I love NMH.

7

I have only been profoundly affected by 1 band that no one has ever heard of “FM” (the Canadian band), any of the records are AWESOME! but I strongly suggest “surveillance”, the first time I listened to it I asked out loud “why didn’t this record outsell Dark Side of the Moon?”. and I have listened to it regularly ever since.

Incredible stuff ('70’s Prog/art rock)

Unclviny

8

Totally! I bought In The Aeroplane Over The Sea and was doing yoga to it and before the end of the first song I was sobbing. And I’m not a crying person (I only cry at really strange things).

I submit Don’t Fall In Love With Everyone You See by Okkervil River. It’s beautiful and perfect with a bit of country twang, angry boy, and broken heart. Even my noise-rock-preferring boyfriend loves it. And it has THE BEST murder ballad I’ve ever heard on it.

ZJ

9

Mazzy Star. They had a semi-hit in the 90s with “Fade Into You”. SEVENTEEN magazine described them as dark and dreamy, “sort of that period where you’re just about to fall asleep and your mind starts to wander.”

But whenever I mention them, no one seems to have heard of them.

Too bad, because they’re great!

10

You stole my topic.

11

Ha! I’ve been doing that the last 16 years with Happy Rhodes. (click for song samples)

I don’t exactly know why she’s not rich and famous with millions of adoring fans. I’d think one listen to that spine-tingling voice would make anyone a besotted fan. I would be wrong, because she’s still working a day job and sells artwork to live and doesn’t have the money to finish her 11th album (all of them indie releases). It just kills me that she’s still struggling. Music is her joy, her life, her passion, and she’d do it if she never made a dime from it (she hardly does) but it’d be nice if she could afford to concentrate solely on music and not have to worry about finances. It’d be nice for the people who love her music so we could have more of it.

I’d nominate her for a Genius Grant except they don’t take unsolicited nominations.

I’d urge anyone who’s into female musician/vocalists along the lines of Sarah McLachlan. Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Jane Siberry to give her a listen.

12

The Queen of the Damned soundtrack is my submission. If you’re into heavier alternative it’s a great, great, great CD. I love it but most people who like the same kind of music I do haven’t heard it. I suspect the reason for that is because QotD was such a sucky movie.

13

Nash The Slash was my second husband.