Relatively obscure new bands and musicians you like (and links)

Cafe Society
1

A little over a year ago, singer/songwriter Rhiannon Giddens was on a local NPR program, and her music impressed Mom and me so much that we traveled up from Hampton Roads to Richmond, heard her live, bought one of her albums, and stayed overnight in a hotel.

Basically, Rhiannon is in the folk music/spirituals genre. A lot of her songs are influenced by African-American history.

My favorite track from Freedom Highway was originally its first: “At the Purchaser’s Option”, about a woman with a newborn who’s about to be sold to another master-- and her baby boy may not be coming with her.

I also like “Julie”, about a woman who’s about to be freed by incoming Union soldiers. Her mistress is begging her to stay.

But probably my current favorite from the album is “The Love We Almost Had”, in which she sings about the person she almost fell in love with, but perhaps they were too young and too shy.

Anybody else got relatively obscure musicians you’d like to highlight? Preferably something relatively new?

2

I really never find newish stuff I like, but BlackTop Mojo is a great band. It’s nice to hear a rock singer with some bass in his voice.:smiley:
Two nice covers.
"In The Air Tonight" - Phil Collins (Acoustic Cover) Blacktop Mojo - YouTube

An original w/video
Blacktop Mojo - "Where The Wind Blows" (Official Video) - YouTube

3

Oh, the new Quelle Chris album "Guns"is just fantastic. It’s hip hop and I don’t really have a sense of how obscure Chris is. But it’s awesome. Maybe my favorite album of the year so far? Hard to say because it’s still pretty new.

But give it a spin if you are inclined towards hip hop or social commentary or both.

If you like it he has made several other good ones.

4

I’m with you in regards to Rhiannon Giddens, both solo and with the Carolina Chocolate Drops
Here are a few of my favorites:

Caitlin Canty


I’m With Her - a folk supergroup consisting of Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins and Aeofe O’Donovan

Jonah Tolchin

Larkin Poe - a pair of sisters from Georgia, classically trained but then switched to rock and blues. The older sister plays as her main instrument an old Rickenbacker lap steel, which is an oddball instrument these days, but in her hands, it wails like nobody’s business.
Larkin Poe on Audiotree Live (Full Session) - YouTube

Toby Walker - I’m pushing it here as he is not a new musician. But he richly deserves wider recognition. Possibly the best acoustic blues guitarist around. And he puts on a very entertaining show.


Mandolin Orange

L’Angelus - a family band from Louisiana. They’re awfully clean-cut, but a lot of fun to watch. Music should be fun and these folks show it.

And finally, Mean Mary - one of my absolute favorites. Not only a great songwriter, but man can she play!!!
Mean Mary - Sweet Jezebel - YouTube
Mean Mary - Blazing - YouTube

5

Lauren Ruth Ward - I read an interview in in the LA Weekly (before it went south- so maybe 2016?) and checked her out on YouTube. Just an amazing voice and energy. At the time she had an EP’s worth of songs and some remarkable live demos and covers. I think she’s become more successful since then.

One of her latest- Valhalla

She’s been compared with Janis. You can decide if it is deserved here- *Cry Baby
*
If you like her cover above, she also covered half a dozen Doors songs late last year.

6

[quote=“Mr.Bill, post:4, topic:834161”]

And finally, Mean Mary - one of my absolute favorites. Not only a great songwriter, but man can she play!!!

Mean Mary - Sweet Jezebel - YouTube
[/QUOTE]
I really liked these; thanks for the introduction!

Sleep Terror is a one-man-band project that kind of seeks to answer the question: is there any form of virtuostic music that can’t be combined with (and improved by) technical death metal guitars and rhythms? No vocals, so y’all don’t have to worry about that; this is like if Joe Satriani didn’t suck. Here’s the first two tracks from last years’ El Insomne.

El Insomne
The Wounds That Unheal

I’ve listened to this single by a couple of guys from Beijing at least once a day since it was released in April; this is super-slow deathcore. Hugely brutal, like being unable to get out of the way of a battering ram. Really really looking forward to more from these guys, hopefully a full album sometime.

Stabbing - Darkness

Intestine Autopsy is a Slam/Brutal Death Metal band from Turkey that I’ve listened to a zillion times in the last 10 months. Their EP Parasitic Fertilization of Criminal Slamology totally fucking rocks in multiple ways.

We Are Obscurity is a Slamming Deathcore band from Russia. They just put out an EP called Chaos that is basically the sound of hate and malevolence. The lyrics are unrelentingly bleak and pointedly misanthropic; the vocal delivery is perfect. The music is fucking teeth-rattling, skull-crushing violence to go along with the hate. It’s a fucking masterpiece, is what it is.

Not exactly new (they formed in 2011) but prolly qualifying as obscure, Sons of Kemet is a very interesting jazz group, exploring the connections between jazz, funk, pop, rock, Africa, the US, the UK, colonialism, freedom, culture, oppression, justice, history and the future. Their 2018 album Your Queen Is A Reptile is a stunning collection of songs and performances, absolutely one of the 10 best albums I heard in 2018.