# Little Known Music (any genre/era/language) That You Love **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 14, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667 "2020-06-14T19:00:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/1 "2020-06-14T19:00:39Z")
I was working out this morning when Hot Love in a Cold World from Bob Welchs French Kiss popped up. Boy I love that song and a few of the songs on that album. Welch soon after sank sadly into obscurity. Anyone have any other obscure music they would like to share? ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/2 "2020-06-14T20:37:05Z")
There’s this band from Ireland called Iona (named after the island). They’re a Christian-Celtic-progressive rock band. They are absolutely fantastic - and I’m an atheist. Their vocalist, Joanna Hogg, has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard. Having said that, I’m linking to an instrumental. 🙂 [Heaven’s Bright Sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XH5DE2tVzo) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/3 "2020-06-14T21:27:14Z")
Like this. I almost expected Ian Anderson to pop up with some vocals. Thank you for this. I had never heard of this band before. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/4 "2020-06-14T22:11:20Z")
I have mentioned Starcastle’s “Fountains of Light” album, and the Candy Skins’ “Fun” album on this board many times, and also really enjoy an 80s power pop band called Dumptruck. They really should have been bigger than they were. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/5 "2020-06-14T22:34:07Z")
I’m a big fan of West African music from artists like Ali Farka Toure, Habib Koite, Salif Keita, Toumane Diabate, Oumou Sangare, and Cesaria Evora. Also, the old songs of the brilliant Portuguese fado singer, [Amália Rodrigues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU-Z0SiQKgU). ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/6 "2020-06-14T22:48:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m a big fan of West African music from artists like Ali Farka Toure, Habib Koite, Salif Keita, Toumane Diabate, Oumou Sangare, and Cesaria Evora. > > Also, the old songs of the brilliant Portuguese fado singer, [Amália Rodrigues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU-Z0SiQKgU). Nigerian legend Fela Kuti was on some American late night music show in the 80s playing a long jam that I remember as Sambia. I recorded it but I cant find any record of it. Saw him at the Greek Theater in LA. He was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/7 "2020-06-14T23:05:41Z")
La Negra Graciana. I discovered her on the soundtrack of the movie _Rough Magic_. I think about 50% of my liking for that movie was the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/8 "2020-06-14T23:14:24Z")
I heard [Rhiannon Giddens](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ignhso0iv9U&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1fAVDdeMkdwUSNEbBbDGTLoEIgkdF7Zf5NfnO_OxKOzHV1DGeX6xB7Iqg) for the first time the other night. An astounding voice (she had some opera training). She plays violin and banjo and her music runs the gamut from country to jazz to blues, and sometimes a mix of all of them. Some of her playing sounds very Celtic. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/9 "2020-06-14T23:35:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m a big fan of West African music from artists like Ali Farka Toure, Habib Koite, Salif Keita, Toumane Diabate, Oumou Sangare, and Cesaria Evora. > [@madsircool](#): > > Nigerian legend Fela Kuti was on some American late night music show in the 80s playing a long jam that I remember as Sambia. I recorded it but I cant find any record of it. Saw him at the Greek Theater in LA. He was awesome. Something I miss here in Panama is international music. When I lived in Washington DC in the 1980s I was able to see King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti, Kanda Bongo Man, and others live. I also like East African music, particularly Jit from Zimbabwe from bands like the [Bhundu Boys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wS6BEXeRbA) or the music of [Thomas Mapfumo.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-mw9U5Fq4g) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/10 "2020-06-14T23:50:51Z")
I particularly like updated versions of folk traditions. One of the more unusual bands is [Varttina,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eq1GNPgFcI) who might be described as Finnish punk-folk on speed. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/11 "2020-06-15T00:02:46Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5TS8hvbLMRA/maxresdefault.jpg "See You In Hell") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TS8hvbLMRA) New Jersey rock band Monster Magnet I discovered in Fallout 4 ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/12 "2020-06-15T00:21:41Z")
[Acoustic Surf Music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuEVLHA4mHw&feature=share) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/13 "2020-06-15T00:51:51Z")
I’m a big fan of Kak. Their “[Electric Sailor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGEqnRv_EME)” is a great song from an excellent album. Very few people have heard the original band Renaissance (they know the later Annie Halsam version), an offshoot of the Yardbirds who place classical-influenced rock. “[Kings and Queens](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrkk6nCDIgQ)” starts off their album with a bang. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/14 "2020-06-15T02:11:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Something I miss here in Panama is international music. When I lived in Washington DC in the 1980s I was able to see King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti, Kanda Bongo Man, and others live. > > I also like East African music, particularly Jit from Zimbabwe from bands like the [Bhundu Boys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wS6BEXeRbA) or the music of [Thomas Mapfumo.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-mw9U5Fq4g) I’ll have to give that a listen. I saw Toure live in Bamako, and I’ve seen Koite and Keita on tours here in the states. I also saw Amalia Rodrigues live in her last concert in Lisbon. There have been other African groups that we’ve seen touring, but I can’t recall the names at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/15 "2020-06-15T02:43:24Z")
This isnt particularly obscure, but I used to be into Canadian music and would listen to artists such as: [Jane Siberry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMEz4Yf8yZQ&list=PL3z5lQ-uO252mNMhOMAEnymqBzUD0YmQ_&index=8&t=0s) [Gowan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLdIj70DH3k) [The Payolas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C_fVnE3xHY) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/16 "2020-06-15T11:17:16Z")
Turkish psychedelic rock music! There’s a singer-songwriter in Turkey named **[Gaye Su Akyol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaye_Su_Akyol)**. I love her work. A sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeQw6u0qj4o She’s also making waves in Turkey with her liberal beliefs. Some of the “authorities” in Turkey are not happy with her… ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/17 "2020-06-15T11:21:25Z")
There’s an Irish folk singer named Damien Dempsey. He opened for Morrissey in a few concerts, and everyone I talked to agreed that he was better than the main act. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/18 "2020-06-15T17:35:06Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > There’s this band from Ireland called Iona (named after the island). They’re a Christian-Celtic-progressive rock band. They are absolutely fantastic - and I’m an atheist. Their vocalist, Joanna Hogg, has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard. Having said that, I’m linking to an instrumental. 🙂 > > [Heaven’s Bright Sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XH5DE2tVzo) I can’t recall ever having heard of Iona before this, but I checked them out on You Tube last night. They’ve been around for at least 30 years, and I really liked what I heard. Jane Siberry’s early material is simply amazing. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/19 "2020-06-15T17:54:21Z")
[Zambian psychedelic rock](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czrPRJehmdA) (ZamRock) was a thing in the 70s. And it was [really](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMHlkvJbWos)[good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR58PZBkDng), if that kind of rock is your thing… ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667/20 "2020-06-15T19:32:21Z")
Not sure if this quite fits the OP, but there are times when I just feel the need to settle down with Youtube and listen to well loved songs played on the theremin. There’s some fascinating stuff out there. I even take delight in the slightly iffy attempts - but there’s great virtuosity to admire as well. A selection: [Nessun Dorma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEcZFvGVGf0) by Thomas Grillo [Somewhere Over The Rainbow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KbEnGnymk) by Peter Pringle [Moon River](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMJ2q7W04ao) by Carolina Eyck Never get the urge to search _Smells Like Teen Spirit on the Theremin_ ? OK, just me then… j [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-known-music-any-genre-era-language-that-you-love/855667.md?page=2)