Does anyone out there listen to a band or solo artist that they absolutely adore, but for some reason or another nobody else does or at least very few people do? List them here because I love discovering new music to listen to that isn’t destroyed by “overplay” on the radio. Give the name of the artist, and type of music or anything else you think may be pertinent. Here are some of my selections:
Rusted Root
A great band from Pittsburgh that has had some success, but not mainstream. I would describe their sound as a mix between The Greatful Dead and Talking Heads. Musically ecclectic with great percussion, a flute, and accoustic guitars. Their first major label album “When I Woke” is in my opinion the best of their albums.
G. Love
Another PA persona. White boy from Philly with a lot of soul. I just started listening to him, and haven’t taken the CD out of my car yet. It’s tough to pinpoint his genre. He has elements of blues, jazz, reggae, and rap. I have the album “Philadelphonic” and can’t get enough of it.
Finally,
Patty Griffin
I,m not sure where Patty hails from, but her “Living With Ghosts” CD is definitely one of my favorites. I love every song on this CD. It is an accoustic album that is very bluesy. Her voice is soooooo soulful. A combination of Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crowe. She’s a great songwriter and was an performer at Lilith Fair.
So let us know. Who is the Hidden Treasure you listen to?
Izzy Stradlin’ & the Ju Ju Hounds – actually an offspring of Guns and Roses, Izzy took off (in the nick of time, it appears) and started making his own music, which I think is really excellent – reggae influenced
Ashley MacIsaac – a kilt-wearin’, bagpipe blowin’ badass
Oh, and I agree that G. Love kicks ass. I saw him play in a little club in Ithaca, NY (big college town), and I have been a big fan ever since.
Out of San Diego, they have four albums plus a busload (or is that buttload?) of singles. They were swept up in Geffen’s “we must sign every ‘alternative’ band in the country” phase in 1993, and promptly dropped. Have since released two albums on Cargo/Headhunter records. Man, they just do it for me. Babe the Blue ox
Three piece out of MYC. Two girls and a guy, they produce some of the most offbeat, crazily structured songs. Good Shit. Tortoise
Instrumental group out of Chicago…blend elements of jazz, techno, while using two bass players, vibraphones, multiple percussionists, tape loops and a whole mess of other stuff. Must be heard to be really appreciated and understood.
BTW, Wiggum --I lived in Pittsburgh for a good number of years. While they aren’t really my cup of tea, I did see Rusted Root play in an empty warehouse with about 50 other people (this was… 1990, 1991 maybe?) The band has a lot of energy.
OK, I bet all you guys think I’m gonna recommend you go out and get the latest “Coll-um-bia Rec-cord” by Frank Crumit or “Whispering” Jack Smith? Well, HA! I actually like a few (fairly) recent groups, too!
• Combustible Edison. OK, they’re a couple of years old, but they do great “cocktail” music.
• The New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra. Best New Orleans jazz/klezmer group ever.
• Les Sans Culottes. Brand-new rock group out of New York, just put out their first CD. Grab 'em!
As the resident Leo Kottke freak I have to give him a mention. He’s not unknown (his concerts always sell out) but he’s not well known outside a certain demographic group (smart people with good taste).
He’s a guitarist with amazing technique and an offbeat style. Hard to classify but you usually find his albums in the “Folk” section of your local record store. (For you younger folk, records are like CDs only smaller.)
The good news is he’s coming to the Seattle area in April. Four nights. I’m trying to find a way to get to all four concerts but my wife is a little reticent. (“No way you’re going to all four concerts!” is how she expresses her reticence.)
Bran Van 3000 - an interesting combo of techno, jass and other types… nothing quite like them
New Morty Show - A swing bang that does some great covers… like Enter Sandman
another great band that doesn’t get near the listening attention it should is Shriekback
She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.
So many to choose from… the most obscure ones being:
Fates Warning
Twelfth Night
Shadow Gallery
The Gathering
It Bites
Frances Dunnery
If you know all six, there’s two possibilities:
a) You’re male. In which case, a night of free beer is all yours;
b) You’re female. In which case, marry me
Jack Hardy. A NYC folksinger who has been around forever. He’s known for his work on the Fast Folk Musical Magazine but is amazingly obscure considering the quality of his writing. OK, it’s probably because he has a voice like a bag full of sandpaper, but in folk music that’s not necessarily a handicap.
