I think my favourite CD that no one has ever heard of is Mermaid Lounge, a compilation recorded at the Mermaid Lounge in New Orleans in 1996. From the rappy “All That” to the funky “Fistfull of Love”, the sounds of New Orleans local bands are fun to listen to. My favourite is the klezmer “Ariel Angelo” by the now defunct Myshkin Impossible, followed by “All That”. But I enjoy the whole CD. I may buy another copy before they run out.
Or “no one has ever heard of”. Anyway…
Famous Monsters self titled debut. Its the former bass player from White Zombie’s band. I figured, a name like that, the band is all dressed up like monsters, ex-WZ member, this thing should be heavy as all hell. Nope, its surf rock, and darn good surf rock.
hummmmmm…
i got a cd by a chick named patti rothberg. no one has ever heard of her and i see the disk in the used cd store all the time. i guess i’m the only one who likes her!
i also really like the swansons “shake”, but who has ever heard of them?
and who can forget R. Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders?
I love the Microscopic Septet.
Soprano/alto/tenor/baritone saxophones, plus a rhythm section of piano/acoustic bass/drums, with the bassist doubling on tuba. They do a snarky take on swing jazz, and did it long before the “Swing Revival” of the mid-'90s. And the brassless, all-sax lineup of horns makes for an eerie and unsettling monotone.
I’ve only got one of their discs, 1988’s out-of-print BEAUTY BASED ON SCIENCE, which is worth seeking out for the diabolically brilliant cut “Lobster in the Limelight,” and for “Waltz of the Recently Punished Catholic School Boys,” which incorporates the theme music from Get Smart.
I see on Amazon.com that their 1983 album, TAKE THE Z TRAIN, is back in print…gotta grab a copy!
Actually I have her cd.
I’ve got probably hundreds of cd’s no one (almost) has heard of. The ones currently in hot rotation are Bob Holroyd’s “A Different Space”, & “Latin Travels” compilation, (both on Six Degrees Records.) And Carlos Santana “Divine Light - Reconstruction & Mix Translation: Bill Laswell” Columbia/Legacy.
The Holroyd & Latin Travels are kind of world fusion, but very accessible. The Santana reconstruction is from songs on the Illuminations & Love Devotion Surrender albums, his Coltranesque period.
Zero Gravity, by Laika and the Cosmonauts. Surf music as perfomed by a bunch of Finns. Terrific stuff. They do Dick Dale proud.
This wouldn’t be the same The Swansons from New Haven, Ct. would it? If it is, then I’ve heard of them.
The Mathematician’s Air Display by Pekka Pohjola.
I’ve never met anyone who’s ever heard of either the album or the artist. I think maybe I’m the only person who ever bought it. You can, just about, get sites like the All Music Guide to cough up references which prove I’m not just imagining it. But otherwise it’s about as obscure as you can get this side of needing an ontological proof that it exists.
“In the Aeroplane over the sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel. Outstanding CD.
Well, let’s see. I have a lot of things in that category, including a few that never made it to CD and only appear on vinyl.
Kak by Kak
Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit
Emmett Rhodes by Emmett Rhodes
Electric Shocks by Roger Ruskin Spear
Siegel Schwall Band by Siegel Schwall Band
Rocking Duck by Grimms
Renaissance by Renaissance (not that Renaissance; the original Renaissance)
All good choices… I have all but the Grimms on vinyl, but the OP is cd’s.
How about Vivian Stanshall’s “Sir Henry At Rawlinson End.” I have it on vinyl and cd.
John Kilzer - Busman’s Holiday. It’s fantastic. No one I know has ever heard of it.
Intense, intense Japanese punk band by the name of There is a Light That Never Goes Out. Why they chose for their name 1) The title of a Smiths song which 2) Not a single one of their Japanese fans can fully memorize, let alone understand or pronounce, I do not know. But they have a double screaming vocal attack, a solid solid rhythm section, and everyone but the drummer is so ugly you thank god they found rock music or they would never get laid.
Wack-Ass Tubba Riff - by Fulflej
Heads Are Gonna Roll by The Hippos. Quite possibly my favorite CD ever, and not just for their cover of “Always Something There to Remind Me.”
Hmm, for sheer musical insanity, you can’t beat the absolutely wild Japanese psychadelic experiment that is
Acid Mothers Temple - “New Geocentric World”
It’ll peel the skin off your third eye, that.
And I’ll take this time to plug my friend’s band Unloco, and their CD “Healing”. They’re on tour right now, and they rule. Their website is here: Unloco
LC
the soundtrack to million dollar hotel
A tie between “Happiest Dogs” by Mighty Joe Plum and Marry Me Jane’s self-titled- which is also the soundtrack to If Lucy Fell.
BTW- Fireunderpantsboobs, I know who the Hippos are 
<hums “Wasting my life, waiting for you…”>
“Alone in my Basement” by Richie Castellano. Which is a literal description of the album. He plays everything, on a nicely-produced rock concept album.
“Live at Shatner Ballroom 2001.09.02” by Euphoric Side-Effects. My bud Ian’s jazz/funk band.
(and yeah, that’s William Shatner. There is a perfectly good explanation.)
-SE