# The "recommend an obscure CD" thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892 "2003-07-16T15:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![desapar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@desapar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desapar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/61 "2003-07-23T19:01:10Z")
Obscure I don’t know, but definitely interesting and overlooked. Here are a few from the top of my head: **The Books** - _Thought for Food_ Recommended Tracks Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again Motherless Bastard **A Silver Mt. Zion** - _He Has Left Us Alone…_ Recommended Tracks Sit In the Middle of Three Galloping Dogs Movie(never made) **Arab on Radar** - (?) Recommended Tracks Inventor **Loud Family** - _Interbabe Concern_ Recommended Tracks Screwed over by Stylish Introverts Some other good artists: The Weakerthans Manitoba A.R.E. Weapons Sigur Ros Mogwai Death Cab for Cutie Circulatory System ---
**Author:** ![Fnoonf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f6c823/32.png) [@Fnoonf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fnoonf)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/62 "2003-07-24T03:28:59Z")
I feel a sudden explosive need to point out albums by a few great bands that, while having devoted fanbases, seem to go unnoticed by a positively criminal amount of people. \*\*Belle & Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister Piano Magic - Low Birth Weight Smog - Dongs of Sevotion\*\* Beautiful melodies, tremendous atmosphere, great songwriting. Can’t really go wrong with these. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/63 "2003-07-24T04:15:38Z")
Forgive me if these have been posted already, I raced to the end to post my three favorites: Todd Rundgren - “A Wizard - A True Star” - early '70’s psychedelia meets screaming guitars meets an early Moog meets Motown… John Hartford - “Aereoplane” - Do you remember The Glen Campbell show? Do you remember that guy sitting in the background, playing a banjo? That was John Hartford. He wrote or co-wrote most of G.C.'s biggest early hits. He got together with a bunch of bluegrass LEGENDS, fired one up… and did this outstanding bluegrass album. The Moving Sidewalks album (good luck finding this on CD…) Billy Gibbon’s (ZZ Top) first band. A cross between Jimi Hendix blues and Pink Floyd strangeness. With “I Want To Hold Your Hand” thrown in for good measure. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/64 "2003-07-24T04:29:49Z")
p.s. Thanks JohnBckWLD for the John Lee funk tip!!! ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/65 "2003-07-24T13:59:18Z")
I second **desapar** ’s recommendation of The Books. I’ve only heard three songs, but this is seriously amazing shit. They play guitar, violin and drums and use a lot of samples, but it doesn’t sound like samples are usually used. There’s crowd noises, voices and seagulls all blended together to make something stunningly musical. It’s very impressive. I’d buy it if I could get it here. I particularly recommend the first track, _Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again_ ---
**Author:** ![fishead788](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@fishead788](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishead788)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/66 "2004-03-08T17:12:27Z")
> [@HeatMiser](#): > > _UK_’s self-titled album is an often-overlooked bit for fans of 70’s prog-rock (Yes, ELP, King Crimson et al). Not quite as pretentious as ELP, it features some fine work by guitarist Alan Holdsworth (playing real guitar as opposed to the guitar synthesizer featured so prominently in his later work) and some subtle jazz influences as a result. Get yer hands on “Bundles”. Something Holdsworth did with Soft Machine in the late 70’s. He also did some great stuff with a group called Gong. And don’t forget Tony Williams Lifetime. All non-synth killer guitar work. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/67 "2004-03-08T18:00:00Z")
Mirah’s **[Advisory Committee](http://www.krecs.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=KRAD&Product_Code=KCD135&Category_Code=M)** is the best record I’ve heard in a long damn time. Phil Elvrum of the Microphones produced, so it has that great unpolished, lo-fi vibe going on, but it’s also beautifully arranged and played, and Mirah herself is a fine singer and really great songwriter. Follow the link and download the sample tracks. (The K Records site has some [great mp3s](http://www.krecs.com/Audio_Video/) for free download.) ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/68 "2004-03-08T18:04:54Z")
Some of the lesser known stuff from my MP3 list: Heroic Doses – S/T Jedi Mind Tricks – The Psycho Social LP John Parrish – How Animals Move Kev Hopper – Whispering Foils The Long Winters – When I pretend to Fall UnWound – Leaves Turn Inside You ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Husker\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Husker_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/69 "2004-03-08T19:07:59Z")
> [@gex gex](#): > > **Interpol** - Turn On The Bright Lights > > The songs are incredibly catchy, but the guitars don’t really play identifiable hooks. Most of the time they just ring eerily and flow over the tight rhythms and melodic basswork and great vocal melodies. If you look at each individual part, it doesn’t seem to be made of much at all, but when you add them together they explode into dark, vicious torrents of sound or float ethereally about the room. You should check out **Script of the Bridge** by the Manchester post-punk band The Chameleons, from 1983, which Interpol completely rips off, even more so than Joy Division. Your great description of ‘TOTBL’ (which I still adore, mind you) could perfectly be applied to ‘SotB,’ without skipping a beat. Stand out tracks: ‘Second Skin,’ ‘Don’t Fall,’ ‘Monkeyland’ and ‘Thursday’s Child.’ > [@Nonsuch](#): > > Mirah’s **[Advisory Committee](http://www.krecs.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=KRAD&Product_Code=KCD135&Category_Code=M)** is the best record I’ve heard in a long damn time. Phil Elvrum of the Microphones produced, so it has that great unpolished, lo-fi vibe going on, but it’s also beautifully arranged and played, and Mirah herself is a fine singer and really great songwriter. Follow the link and download the sample tracks. (The K Records site has some [great mp3s](http://www.krecs.com/Audio_Video/) for free download.) Seconded! ‘Cold, Cold Water,’ which you can download for free if you follow the link, is one of the best songs released in the 00’s. I’ve raved about it before on this board, probably two or three times. Her new album ‘C’mon Miracle’ is pretty good too, but I haven’t listened to it enough to determine if it measures up to ‘Advisory Committee,’ it doesn’t sound like Elverum produced it though, but I could be wrong. Also seconded, **mouthbreather’s** recommendation of ‘Leaves Turn Inside You.’ ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/70 "2004-03-08T20:10:21Z")
The CD “You Have Been Warned” by the now-defunct Seattle band A Midnite Choir is amazing–they were sort of an offshoot of [Circus Contraption](http://www.circuscontraption.com) but were IMO even better. I’m having a hard time finding any info on AMC on the web–their web site seems to be gone. Also, the self-titled debut CD by [The Standard](http://www.thestandardsite.com/) is really good; I’m pretty certain it’s out of print, though. Hey, you asked for “obscure”. And don’t get me started on the Chris & Carla CDs… ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/71 "2004-03-08T20:38:55Z")
[Poe through the Glass Prism.](http://franklarosa.com/vinyl/Exhibit.jsp?AlbumID=79) Site contains an audio file of The Raven. Any Baby Boomer Dopers remember it? I first heard the song in a high school English class in '88. For some reason, I remember the teacher saying they were from Scranton, but I can’t confirm this. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/72 "2004-03-09T01:36:55Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Halifax, Nova Scotia had a burgeoning power-pop scene for a wild period in the 90’s, and one of the best records out of that place and time was _Mock Up, Scale Down_ by The Super Friendz, released in 1995. It sounds like good power-pop should–all catchy hooks and sing-a-long harmonies. I don’t think its sales total actually reached five figures. > > Nonetheless, I saw the 'Friendz last month in Toronto, now that they’ve reformed and released a new album. They played almost all the songs from _Mock Up_, and **everybody** there knew all the words! Obviously that record had a real effect on the kids… Speaking of good artists from NS, Rick White from **Elevator To Hell** and Dallas Good from **The Sadies** have gotten together and formed a band called **The Unintended** … their new self titled album is full of great pysch-country (emphasis on the psych). ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/73 "2004-03-09T06:53:45Z")
How’s this? The self-titled and posthumous lone album by _Circle C_. I don’t even know if it was ever released on CD. Nonetheless, I’ve never heard anything about the band anywhere, even on the 'net. (Though I haven’t done a search for them in years.) Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/74 "2004-03-09T08:08:38Z")
I’d like to add anything by [Steve Tibbetts](http://www.frammis.com/) to the list, with a particular favorite being [The Fall of Us All](http://www.frammis.com/fall.htm). Jimi Hendrix meets Ravi Shankar. Mind-bending stuff. Amazon’s got some [sound clips](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000031YF/qid=1078819666//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i13_xgl15/002-6880836-1901605?v=glance&s=music&n=507846). ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/75 "2004-03-09T12:18:26Z")
[A Storm In Heaven](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000WJK/ref=sr_aps_music_1_2/202-6172017-2650226) by Verve (who later renamed themselves The Verve). Lots of people have heard Urban Hymns, which was a massive departure from their old sound, and a bit dissapointing really. It’s surprising so many people have never heard this album, considering the number of fans of Radiohead, and other alternative bands. It’s well worth a listen, especially tracks such as Star Sail, Blue, See You In The Next One and Already There. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/76 "2004-03-09T12:33:34Z")
> [@Dragon Phoenix](#): > > Merlin by Kayak. A Dutch symphonic rock band. The ‘A-side’ is a 20+ inute long suite of songs based on the Merlin legend. It is great. That was a year ago. Meanwhile Kayak have taken these five songs, added a number of others and (re)recorded the lot together with a symphony orchestra. The result is breathtaking. The CD is called _ **Merlin-Bard of the Unseen** _, and if you like progrock, do yourself a favour and try to get hold of it. I think it’s the best pop/rock CD ever. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/77 "2004-03-09T13:31:18Z")
_Guitar Beat_, the Raybeats. ---
**Author:** ![electrozion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@electrozion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electrozion)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/78 "2004-03-09T14:36:42Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > **Mr. Bungle** - [Any] > > Disco Volante is the most… “pure” in a sense, but it’s the least accessible. I love Mike Patton and all his bands (never really got into Faith No More, though) So I’ll recommernd anything by Fantomas. No, wait - even better: The Dillinger Escape Plan w/ Mike Patton – “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” It’s just a 4 track EP, but it really is obscure, especially their version of Aphex Twins “Come to Daddy”. ---
**Author:** ![kimfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@kimfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimfair)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/79 "2004-03-09T15:16:12Z")
I would second the noms for Old 97’s Too Far to Care (I also love Hitchhike to Rhome) The Loud Family - Interbabe Concern (I would recommend as better their Plants, and Birds, and Rocks and Things) Billy Bragg and Wilco - BOTH volumes of Mermaid Avenue are excellent Also I’d recommend: Game Theory - Lolita Nation - out of print and expensive is this CD from the band that became The Loud Family. If you like THe Loud Family, you’ll love this! The Bevis Frond - any of his later records like Valedictory Songs, New River Head, London Stone etc. Great neo-psychedelic pop. Mekons - Rock and Roll, Curse of the Mekons, So Good it Hurts - original punk-era band that has had neo/alt-country phases, rock and roll phases, and everything in-between. ONe of the best unknown bands EVER! ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892/80 "2004-03-09T18:47:23Z")
> [@TOTBP](#): > > How’s this? The self-titled and posthumous lone album by _Circle C_. I don’t even know if it was ever released on CD. Nonetheless, I’ve never heard anything about the band anywhere, even on the 'net. (Though I haven’t done a search for them in years.) > > Anyhoo… I don’t know if it was the same band, there’s a band from Vancouver call _Circle C_ or _Copyright_. If it is the one you were thinking of, they still (quietly) exist. Check it out… [Copyright](http://www.divineindustries.com/CopyrightStory.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recommend-an-obscure-cd-thread/188892.md?page=5)