Obscure music you think everyone should know

Green Carnation, 'Days of Light, Days of Darkness'
You could describe this album as black metal, although I've also heard it described as prog-metal. It's an epic 60-minute track that literally had me mesmerized when I popped it into my CD drive as work music. (Very Bad Idea -- only peeled off the headphones about 20 minutes later when $BOSS wandered past my office and gave me a funny look. ^_^;; )

If you pick this album up, I suggest finding an hour and change when you have a nice quiet spot to listen undisturbed.

The Wild Swans' "Bringing Home the Ashes"
Post-punk era music from Liverpool -- haunting, reflective stuff. One of my treasures; it's next to impossible to find this for a price less than outrageous, but I found it in a Half-Price Books bin. And picked it up for a mere (sorry) song on a whim - "Hey, this sounds interesting, I'll give it a whirl." Suffice it to say, that was a whim I've never regretted.

C'mon. The Aphex Twins are huge! And Afro Celt Sound System is awesome, too!

Personal Fav: Skinny Puppy

I know they were big, but very few people have heard of em anymore.
I also recommend:
Assemblage 23
Front 242
Kraftwerk (c'mon, it's classic!!!)
John Cage (noise music at it's best)
Whitehouse
Doubting Thomas
Boyd Rice

I doubt many people will like this stuff (wide variety of music in that list there, but still all underground), but if you want to take a listen... well I'd recommend it.

i will echo endorsements of poe and rasputina

i will add:

vanessa daou: zipless or make you love. either album really.

morcheeba: big clam mainly.

massive attack: mezzanine

this mortal coil: blood

Excellent! Keep them coming

In general I have one thing to say for this sort of conversation: EMusic. Many of my picks in this category were aquired there. If you heard my SLive show you've probably heard many of these. I don't have specific album recommendations for most, but tried to include relevant links (usually first thing that comes up on google).

Amy Rigby Really great down to earth female country-rock sort of thing. I personally love the bitterness in Cynically Yours

Brave Combo In short, "nuclear polka", but more than polka. Local Dallas band that has a TMBG sort of flair and variety to them. Look for their collaboration with Tiny Tim for a lark.

Freezepop Featured in a couple PS2 games, Frequency and Amplitude, Freezepop is upbeat synthpop with geeky undertones.

Hypnotic Clambake Sort of the same folk-on-acid feel as Brave Combo, but usually with klezmer instead of polka. Another look-see for TMBG fans.

Lemon Jelly One I blame eltee for, downtemo relaxin music. Especially like Nice Weather for Ducks.

Moxy Fruvous Even though they're Canadian I won't hold that against them. More that might fall in the 'geek rock' category.

Pizzicato Five I feel they go hand in hand with Cibo Matto, mentioned many times here.

Rev. Gary Davis Excellent guitar and banjo work in blues, ragtime, and gospel; a must hear if you are into that sort of thing.

The Come Ons One of my favorite finds on Emusic, from Detroit they have a strong Mowtown influence with a classic R&B feel.

Ursula 1000 I think they call this "loungecore"? Blend of lounge and electronica into a swingin', swanky sound.

Vanessa Mae Talented classical violinist, with some unique takes on things as well. Her "electric violin" version of Classical Gas is one I really like.

Wendy Carlos Less unknown than others I suggest, one of the early electronic music pioneers. Her Moog renditions of classical music are not to be missed. Especially recommend that series, with Switched on Bach, Switched on Bach II, The Well-Tempered Synthisizer, and Switched on Brandenburgs. Familiar music as she did the soundtrack for A Clockwork Orange.

XTC Not so much unknown as underappreciated in my book. Along with TMBG my other favorite band. Oranges & Lemons being my personal favorite, followed by their two recent releases, the Apple Venus pair.

awesome! sweet! yes! great!

according to some things you've listed, you may enjoy a few of my original 'songs'. follow this link and listen to these: "can't find" and "mindset".

trust me.


also, i'd like to agree with Poe and Rasputina as well.. this is one bandwagon i gladly jump on!


NOW for my next suggestion..

Diamanda Galas - ..just wow! most hate her stuff. some like some of it. i, personally, love a bunch, say "it's alright" to some of it, and go 'thpppt' to a few songs as well. but she is mega-talented and extremely intelligent.
..try going to this page, then check out "Baby's Insane" and "I Put a Spell on you". cool stuff.. then have fun running around the site.. getting frightened. yeah, she's good.. but she's spooky too.


edit: added link

Penelope by Pinback

Soul Coughing - Not a single song by these guys I don't like

G. Love & Special Sauce - They are just so.....Philadelphia.

Wesley Willis - You gotta at least hear a song of his. This guy is schitzo.

They're great A friend hipped me to them a few years back. "Philadelphonc" is a really fun album, especially Rodeo Clowns and No Turning Back.

I loved Soul Coughing's first album, but didn't dig the second nearly as much.

Were you buy chance a Morphine fan? If not, you should be. And if so, they've reformed as Twinemen with a new woman singer. I saw them live last summer and it was a great show and their album is very good... they still have that unmistakable sound.

Papa's Culture is another obscure band I really dig. Great beach music.

hi, i'm new here, and was deciding to just lurk but i'm glad i found this thread.

i heartily agree with poe, vanessa mae, and pinback. poe's haunted whupped my ass, vanessa mae's violin just makes my head and heart explode, and whenever i hear pinback's "penelope" i just fall in love with the whole world.

and here are a couple of bands that have caught my fancy within this last month ...

Cursive -- a small band from Omaha. just heard their song on local radio here. i was all in a tizzy after that.

Muse -- from the UK. they've been compared to radiohead, but i haven't followed radiohead much to agree or disagree.

yeahyeahyeahs -- saw the video before i heard "Maps" and i really love listening to them more. got their cd and it's worth it, imho.

and lastly, i'll rave about ...

The Darkness -- i got the cd too, and i can listen to it from beginning to end. they're quirky, loud, and just effin rock.

okay ... i'm done. great mentions, everyone. i'm putting off logging in game just to check all these links.

just me, lash

Ruby Vroom is still my fav but something about Irresistable Bliss makes me wanna dance in my chair. Chip, have you checked out El Oso? If you liked Ruby more than IB this might be an album you wanna check out.

I love Morphine! I actually saw them a few years ago at the Newport in Columbus weeks before the singer died. Most fun I ever had at a concert. Now you tell me they've reformed as Twinemen with a female lead? I gotta check that out. Thanks for the info Chip!

*Skips away giddy with excitement*

Didn't even know about that album, and the samples sound really good! Guess it's time to give them another chance. "Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago" is still the best song about an acid trip ever written

And YAY! Glad I was able to hip you to Twinemen! I was so psyched when I found out about them. It's a bit more downbeat than Morphine was, but they haven't lost their flavor. I can listen to the song "Golden Hour" on repeat indefinitely, hehe.

I was introduced to Kings of Leon last week. Theyre a rock quartet... sometimes raw, always tight, and good driving music

Billy Mitchell - Song of the Woodpecker

If you haven't heard this then you can consider your life null an void. Seriously..

I just set up a Live365 stream in preparation for 1.4. If anyone would like to check it out you can find it at http://www.live365.com/stations/310105 Enjoy!

Find this gem if you can...
Jon and Vangelis - !st album(self-titled) Jon Anderson of Yes and Vangelis put together some beautiful music! Soooo... Get some "Blue Pyramid" or whatever is around, some really good 'head'phones, and get up on the roof(while you can!). And don't forget some very dark shades and the glow-in-the-dark gymnastic ribbons...

theres a prize for anyone else who has a copy of of "you're gonnna die" by destroy all monsters. especially if they like it

smaller prizes for other nostalgia:
richard thompson's "beeswing",
this mortal coils "song to the siren" or roy harper's "another day"

Morcheeba, Portishead, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Hooverphonic, The Bub Band... more to come...

Roni Size
Changed the face of the DnB revolution at the turn of the century, is still revered as one of the most dynamic producers in his arena.

Not really obscure, but AFI is always rockin' the emo/punk fusion.

If you like hip hop that isn't pop, the entire orphanage crew which is Blueprint, Illogic, Slug, Aesop Rock, and Eyedea. Sage Francis is really getting big and he fits right in with those guys.

Oh and since Aphex Twin was posted here, I'll complete the list of "not obscure artists but in the electronic genre so you won't see them on the front shelf at Hastings" with Juno Reactor, Crystal Method, Underworld, Dirty Vegas, Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, and BT.