# Tell me about your secret music - What music should we know more about? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316 "2005-10-08T16:10:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/21 "2005-10-09T08:27:58Z")
You might be interested in [www.emusic.com](http://www.emusic.com), which has a deep catalog of a bunch of indie labels. You pay X amount per month for a set number of downloads; there are different levels you can sign up for. They’ve got punk, classical, jazz, blues, folk, hip-hop, reggae, world, and on and on; I never log in without finding a zillion things I want. It’s all really cleverly interlinked, too; worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/22 "2005-10-09T08:38:37Z")
First is [The Steve Morse Band](http://www.stevemorse.com). In the guitar world Steve Morse is well known. Outside of the guitar world, well, not so much. He has won Grammys, played and recorded with some insanely great musicians like Pavarotti, Marcel Dadi, Michael Manring, and Manuel Barrueco. His band is amazing and they have also played with some other heavy weights. Some of the guys in Dream Theater have done some really interesting outside work. Liquid Tension Experiment has a couple great CDs out and it is a couple Dream Theater guys with Tony Levin. Basically they all have side projects and they are all worth listening to. If you ever get a chance to see Lyle Lovette in concert GO! He is pretty well known, mostly for the whole Julia Roberts thing, but he puts on a hell of a show. Absolutely top notch musicianship and it is also a lot of fun. Slee ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/23 "2005-10-09T12:47:56Z")
Ahh, I just heard Liquid Tension Experiment for the first time yesterday, and I quite liked them. Didn’t realise they were related to Dream Theater, who I adore. Speaking of Dream Theater side projects, Chroma Key is cool, though I am bad at explaining what - Dream Theater’s ex-keyboardist’s solo project. Check out [http://www.chromakey.com/](http://www.chromakey.com/) I’d like to second **dotchan** ’s recommendation of video game music, and add the Xenogears soundtrack. There is also a live version of some of the songs. The album is called Creid and it’s great. And thirdly, I agree with **ultrafilter** ’s recommendation of Perdition City. 😃 Fourthly, some bands I recommend are [Arcturus](http://www.arcturus.no) and [Elvenking](http://www.elvenking.net/). ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/24 "2005-10-09T14:51:33Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > [Janet Klein](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:sxkviknabb19~T1) is 1920’s style Jazz and features more great musicians than it is fair to have in a single band, including the inimitable Brad Kay (a man who made me wish I had actually stuck with my piano lessons). Cheese louise, I know half those people, and I know people who know the other half. Trust me, 1920s style jazz _is_ obscure. In terms of public identity it ranks somewhere between plainchant and filk. At least until someone perfects a **1920s style jazz ray.** ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/25 "2005-10-09T17:00:43Z")
II would reccommend Benninghoff’s Bad Rock Blues Band. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/26 "2005-10-10T02:28:35Z")
My standard recommendation in these threads: Orchestra Baobab, a band from Senegal playing Cuban-flavored dance music. [Pirates Choice](http://half.ebay.com/cat/buy/prod.cgi?cpid=1082054647&pr=3474599), a double album, was recorded 20 years ago and is a desert island album for me. ( **astro** honey – let me send you a copy of this as a thank your for you know what [wink wink nudge nudge say no more]). ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/27 "2005-10-10T02:51:16Z")
[The Gathering](http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.asp?userid=v122BHSAKn&CTR=89334) is, in my opinion, one of the most underappreciated bands in the world. I’d recommend most everything that they’ve done from _Mandylion_ onward (which is when Anneke van Giersbergen joined as vocalist) but I’d give the highest recomendation to _If\_Then\_Else_, _Souvenirs_, and _How to Measure a Planet?_. _Sleepy Buildings_ is a beautiful live album and a good intro to their songs, although it is almost entirely acoustic, and so you don’t get the full effect of what they are doing with their music on the albums. And I’ll second the recommendation for Rasputina. Their latest live album _A Radical Recital_ has a number of their best songs, and in my opinion the live versions of several of those songs are better than the studio versions. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/28 "2005-10-10T03:07:28Z")
Say, I didn’t see it mentioned, but did you try [music-map.com](http://www.music-map.com/) for music reccomendations? Someone other doper mentioned it, awhile back, and I thought it was pretty interesting. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/29 "2005-10-10T03:12:44Z")
Better off Dad. [www.betteroffdad.com](http://www.betteroffdad.com) Lead singer is 15 years old, and is alredy getting major label interest. Kind a folk thing. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/30 "2005-10-10T04:54:04Z")
Ry Cooder. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/31 "2005-10-10T05:17:17Z")
My secret music is not-so-secret. Every month I put a dozen selections from my collection of 78 RPM records on my web site, [Swazoo Koolak’s Web Jukebox](http://swazoo.com/). This month’s selections are all female vocalists. Other common monthly themes are male vocalists, jazz, dance bands, blues and novelty records. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/32 "2005-10-10T05:33:42Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > Cheese louise, I know half those people, and I know people who know the other half. > > Trust me, 1920s style jazz _is_ obscure. In terms of public identity it ranks somewhere between plainchant and filk. At least until someone perfects a **1920s style jazz ray.** ok I know this has little to do with the thread but… If you know half those people there is a good chance I know you, or more likely am friends with someone who knows you (I have a tendency towards painful shyness and rarely introduce myself to strangers). How about the **California Navels** , you know them too? Bumping up the obscurity meter to 100, they are a local Los Angeles band that I think hasn’t recorded anything but plays similar music. (does the inclusion of another obscure band make this not a hijack?) So I guess the moral of this story is, everyone should listen to more 1920’s style jazz. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/33 "2005-10-10T10:53:31Z")
The [Oblio Joes](http://obliojoes.com/) and the [Volumen](http://www.volumen.net/). They are both from Missoula and apparently have near-zero penetration everywhere else; the only way I hear them is when my local college radio station plays a song or two by them. Amazon knows nothing about either of them. Speaking of music I only hear on my college radio station, there is a song only mentioned on one website I’ve ever been able to google up, and I first found it tonight in the course of writing this post. (Am I good or am I good? ;)) That song is [“All I Want” by Kenny Brown](http://www.dailytarheel.com/vnews/display.v?TARGET=printable&article_id=3e4ba541735e3) (scroll down a bit). [Here is his website](http://www.kennybrown.net/), and apparently you can buy the album that song is off of (_Stingray_) from Amazon. Whoopee for me. Whoopee for stream-of-surfing posting. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/34 "2005-10-10T10:57:30Z")
I should clarify my second paragraph: The _reason_ I was unable to find that song online is because the college radio station only rarely has DJs working at it. Mostly, it’s just a CD player set on autopilot and that song happens to be in rotation. Since there are no introductions, I have to google lyrics. Which, while usually very successful, completely failed me in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Londonite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/35 "2005-10-10T13:48:59Z")
Thee More Shallows - the lovechild of Grandaddy and Sparklehorse raised by GodspeedYouBlackEmperor ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/36 "2005-10-10T13:52:31Z")
For just plain nice, easy listening: The Carpenters, John Denver For incredible lyrics and overall good music: Al Stewart For contemporary New Age/Jazz: Enya, Acoustic Alchemy For some of the most incredible guitar work ever: Michael Hedges ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/37 "2005-10-10T14:48:12Z")
For the Los Angelino’s out there…Oh heck for EVERYONE I strongly recommend that you check out **Weed Patch**. An excellent combination of (as their web site proclaims) indie-rock and Americana in a sound that can be refered to as “fucked up folk.” They’ve got some streaming music on their web site. [Weed Patch](http://www.weedpatchmusic.com/) Personally, I like the songs _Let go of the wheel, Like California, and Sandy Koufax_ the best. Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/38 "2005-10-10T16:01:21Z")
One of my favorite bands is Domestic Problems. Originating out of the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, they took their name from the Aretha Franklin diner scene in the Blues Brother’s movie. Elwood says something along the lines of “Ma’am, this is more important than any domestic problems you may be having.” Their style of music is similar to the Barenaked Ladies, but with an added trumpet (who plays mandolin as well) and a saxapone (who plays flute as well). They also added a keyboardist in their later years. They’re currently on an indefinite hiatus from performing and recording. The website is here: [http://www.domesticproblems.com/](http://www.domesticproblems.com/) ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/39 "2005-10-10T16:43:36Z")
Joe Henry. His most recent release is _Tiny Voices_ and it’s brilliant. He’s a singer/songwriter who writes songs about ordinary people exraordinarrily. _Tiny Voices_ sounds like a discussion among a group of carny people sitting around the Midway after the show has closed. They’re drinking beer and matter of factly telling stories about their lives. Joe Henry is a great talent writing great songs and it’s a crime that he’s not better known. James McMurtry is also unjustly neglected. He plays pretty much straight traditional rock. Think John Mellencamp. What makes him special is his song writing ablity. Each song is a short story usually about lost, alienated or displaced people struggling to understand about how they got to be where they are in their lives. He can be ironic, sarcastic, mordant, poetic and sometimes LOL funny. His father is Larry McMurtry and James has inherited his writing gift. For a real change of pace, I suggest The Maedieval babes. They sing music from the medieval ages and the early Rennaisance in many different languages. The harmonies are wonderful and the music is treated respectfully, sometimes in traditional arrangements and sometimes more modernly. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316/40 "2005-10-10T17:21:19Z")
Three words… Asylum Street Spankers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-secret-music-what-music-should-we-know-more-about/325316.md?page=3)