Just been listening through my Locust Fudge collection (German indy folk rock).
For all those not down with the kids: [url] http://www.myspace.com/locustfudge [/url]
What other bands are there out there?
Old and probably forgotten, Swervedriver... Classic 90's shoe gazing at its best.
Brain Donor
If you like a bit of blues/rock'n'roll have a listen to Red Jackson
Ween
almost forgot Blade! still the best hip hopper in the world IMO
Not really that obscure but I always thought more people should know about Boards of Canada.
Oh I like this sort of thing!
Life Without Buildings. Unfortunately they only produced one album - In Any Other City - but it was excellent. One of their singles featured in the original Earthed film; The Leanover.
Temple of the Dog - another one ablum wonder, and not really a band, more of a collaboration between the remenants of one band and elements of Sound Garden. But it was a collaboration that produced a brillian album and led to the formation of Pearl Jam.
"...led to the formation of Pearl Jam".
For that alone, they should be consigned to the rubbish bin of history.
What a load of tosh!
tish tish, Pearl Jam shall live but only because of their one good choon 'Evolution'
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There are a lots of bands and recording artists out there who never got their due or were ripped off in some way. Including some really well-known ones, paradoxically. Cheesyfeet's posts about X-Factor winners reminded me that it's seldom the people who have the talent that make the money...
Western Australia's finest dub/reggae band, the [url= http://www.myspace.com/sunshinebrothers ]Sunshine Brothers[/url]
good to see Swervedriver above.
Anyway, my go and I think you should all listen to the Black Angels, especially the first album. Stomping dark psychedlic guitarry stuff. The band are great, they all swap instruments throughout a gig which is impressive. I like, I like alot.
i like the black angels too, passover was a great album - is anything else in the pipeline?
Frightened Rabbit, go listen now, go on, I dare ya.
The Del Fuegos
The Jayhawks (not that obscure, but excellent nonetheless)
[url= http://www.myspace.com/everythingeverythingUK ]Everything Everything[/url] are my current favourite upstarts that fit this bill- more ideas and talent in both the studio and live than most could even dream of.
Whatever happened to Thee Hypnotics?
The Em&M's - they do indeed rock (in my garage three evenings per week and Sunday afternoons unless one of them has been grounded).
yoassarian - they released a second album sometime last year called 'Directions to See a Ghost'...not as immediate as Passover but it's a definite grower. Best loud.
and I forgot to add, why aren't Fu Manchu bigger?
agreed re: Fu Manchu
Magnetic Fields.
Quite well known in indie circles probably, but deserve a much wider audience for the quality of Stephen Merritt's songwriting.
I will be shot for saying this by many but....
I really think Mansun were class, they missed the boat by being different and obscure, up their own arse on many track but take a listen to 'The chad who loved me'...
the Fall
Must Be Tuesday. Totally under-rated and one of my fave bands. I'd rather they didn't get too big though so *ssshhhh*
"Weddings, Parties, Anything". Australia's finest
"Left Hand Down". NZ's finest
check out NZ band called Golden Horse, the female lead singer MMMMMMMMM
Sleater Kinney
The Mountain Goats
John Darnielle is THE BEST lyricist in the world.
fact, not up for debate.
also add onto there, Tom Mcrae, I am Kloot, Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies, the Crimea, Gogoll Bordello, the Frames, Andrew bird, Clann Zu and The Dears
all ace, all deserve more recognition
The Fall are the archetypal cult band though, I'm sure they'll get their dues eventually.
A mention for the Jazz Butcher (who incidentally has a sing called Southern Mark Smith), a brilliant songwriter and lyricist who might have been huge if he was a bit less clever-clever.
I get the feeling that one man's obscure is another man's everyday fare!
I would personally put forward "The Dodos". I reckon that Visiter [sic] was one of the best albums of 2008.
Have a soft spot for Electrelane and Broadcast too.
sleater-kinney- good call.
Apparently named after the sign for a turn off on a highway in Washington state. -Can't think of a British equivalent whihc would sound so good...!?
Grandaddy
Sparklehorse
Giant Sand
Robert Wyatt.
The Flowerpot Men.
Mute Math
Hilltop Hoods
Andy Mckee
Colin Hay
Dirty Vegas
Eve 6
Simian
Lazlo Bane
Maylene and the sons of disaster
My Vitriol
Nerina Pallot
Regina Spektor
Team Waterpolo
The Tossers
Mad Dog Mcrea
Tycho
White Buffalo
And probably more but thats all that springs to mind.
This kind of follows on from somebody asking for some new music ideas, and a couple of bands I like have been mentioned here; The Dears, Sleater Kinney, Sparklehorse, (responsible for one of the most incoherently drunken but still amazing gigs I've ever seen), and Andrew Bird. I'd add Hillman Minx, who bought me and a mate a drink after their support slot 'cos we were enjoying them so much, Tiger, Mechanical Bride, The Joy Formidable, Ooberman, Pretty Girls Make Graves, and Bellatrix.
Shackleton, I agree, lovely album. Wilco, and the Early Years deserve much more attention.
Might have to dig out No Shouts No Calls, and give it a spin... 🙂
Liz Green definately, seen her live twice but only own two songs by her. Don't think she has an album out yet.
Going to ATP in a few weeks, hope to see lots of great stuff I've never heard of. It's the raison d'etre of that festival I think.
Peter Poddy - Red Jackson? From Brighton? I didn't think anyone else would know them...
"les savy fav" great band.
I heard of a little band called U2, doubt you'll of heard of em. They might make it to the big time.
Try;
Fat Freddy's Drop
Empire of the Sun
St Germain (Sp?)
Bat for Lashes
Beirut
Ben's Brother
Crystal Castles
Flow Dynamics
The Nextmen
Mr Scruff
Lykke Li
Not sure if they all qualify as obscure, but some of my current favourites!
A band that most people don't seem to know about but who I utterly love;
Marmaduke Duke, side project of Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro and JP Reid of Sucioperro.
Quite hard to find an example track as they're all quite different!
Hundred Reasons... OK, they were briefly slightly succesful but they're still going and nobody ever notices. One of the best british bands of recent years I reckon.
Wigan's finest .
The one and only...
The Stags.
You didnt think I was going to say Verve didya?
Look on the 'tube for thestagssoundgreat
The Shins
Lambchop
Thea Gilmore
There are so many - but I quite like it like that, though I doubt they do!
lucero, pedro the lion, maritime, seafood, onelinedrawing
[url=
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da funk
Dr Phibes and the house of wax equations were a band I always thought should have went further.
Another one from the past was Ayrshires finest The Nyah Fearties.
Flogging Molly..........sort of Celtic punk band. If you like the early Pogues you'll love them.
Any time i mention any of these i just get blank returns RIDE & Kitchens of Distinction. Something i'm just getting into - Hanoi Rocks.
another vote for sparklehorse, saw them in sheffield when the first album came out and it was an amazing gig, one of the best I've been to
the first Lowgold album is a beauty too
cowboy junkies
Iron and Wine
Bob Mould and his bands Husker Du(80s) and Sugar(90s) are well known, but still lack the mainstream recognition they deserve.
His solo work is also of the highest quality.
Also anyone remember Electrasy? Morning Afterglow is a beautiful song...
No idea why the Iowa Beef Experience didn't hit the big time.
Nor the Butthole Surfers.
The Stupids
Miteigi Nemoto
Loop
the Chameleons, three great albums and zippo recognition.
Check out also the newly reformed Weta.
Hoodoo gurus, the clouds and the black sea, all quality oz stuff.
I like listening to:
Moe
RAQ
Jack Pearson and the Nationals
Jimmy Herring
Cinematic Orchestra (their music is everywhere and used on TV so often, few have heard of them)
The Cave Singers
Black Mountain
Alela Diane
Alice Russell
Koop
Ane Brun
Matthew Herbert
William Elliot Whitmore (unless you caught him on Jools last Friday)
65daysofstatic
65daysofstatic
Yes! Love them!
65DOS don't count as obscure, they've been used on Match of the Day 
Good to see there's a few other Sparklehorse fans knocking about - my riding mate memorably called it, "F00kin smack 'ed music" when I stuck it on in the car on the way to Inners 😀
Drugstore are a blazingly good band and woefully under-appreciated. Felt produced (IMHO) one amazing album, [i]Me and a Monkey on the Moon[/i].
Mansun
Mew
Yeah Goldenhorse (Kirstin Morrel is the singer and phwoar indeed)
Fat Freddys Drop
Opshop
Shihad
Slint
the first Lowgold album is a beauty too
Good to see Lowgold getting a mention, decent band just a not very mainstream! Keep music miserable 🙂
blinking heck there's loads! a German chum has reccommended Fury at the Slaughterhouse go on this list (don't bother there really cheesey).
Eve 6 - I remember them, was a bugger getting both albums. Sounds dated now 🙁 MBUK used one of their choons in a freebie cover video
I went to see 65daysofstatic last week in Manchester, they were great! fully recommended.
Also good to see 'bat for lashes' getting a mention above, the new album's great.
Tom Mcrae, I am Kloot, Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies, the Crimea, Gogoll Bordello, the Frames, Andrew bird, Clann Zu and The Dears
+1 for The Frames, but... Tom Mcrae?!
Lister - good to see Husker Du/Bob Mould/Grant Hart/Novamob get a mention. That's about a quarter of my music collection, they certainly produced a lot of stuff over the years.
Can I add
American Music Club
Tindersticks
Death Cab for Cutie
Nada Surf
Mark Lanagan
to the mix....
Love on Ice - Only really known for one song, off the Bill & Ted's soundtrack, but what a song!
Love/Hate - Party metal mayhem
The Four Horsemen - Think what would happen if AC/DC, ZZ Top, the BLack Crowes and Run DMC got really drunk and you're about there!
Thunder - Hardest working rock band in the UK. Simply superb!
Heaven's Basement - new up and coming rock band, again from the UK
[url= http://www.youngbloodbrassband.com/site/site_index.html ]Young Blood Brass Band[/url] jazz/ hip hop/ 30 members / tight
Just catching up on recent posts, there are a bunch of mentions here I second; Tom McRae, who can best be described as not being at home to Mr Cheerful, The Shins, The Stills, who's latest album is just astonishingly good, Death Cab For Cutie, Black Mountain, The Like, The Dears.
Sorry, tho', but I can't agree on 65daysofstatic. I saw them by accident in Oxford, after the band I had tickets for, Asobi Seksu, got bumped from their headline spot at one venue to support at the Academy. Asobi were brilliant, but 65days... were just dull. For the first time in thirty five years of gig going I walked out of a headline set after twenty minutes and went down the pub.
ditto Mansun & The Chameleons
don't know if New Model Army class as "obscure" but my fave band for the last 27 years
Try also Puressence:
Another vote for Frightened Rabbit
also listening to
Love.Stop.Repeat
Pictish Trail
Aidan Moffat and the best offs
just been looking through those, with a little part of me hoping somebody else would have mentioned..........
six by seven, or
....and you will know us by the trail of dead
but they didnt. so im still in a special select little group of people 🙂
sufjan stevens
adem
the album leaf
devendra banhart
beiruit
the postal service
sol seppy
to name a few
Not a band that I think of as obscure, but given the blank looks I get when I mention them to anybody... Pavement anyone?
how about
The Mystic Valley Band
bright eye's
Desaparecidos
yes i know there all the Conor Oberst, just different styles but just as good as each other
the thing is, what does obscure mean? That they are not on Radio One, or not on Drowned in Sound?
But another vote here for the already mentioned Joy Formidable [url= http://www.myspace.com/thejoyformidable ]http://www.myspace.com/thejoyformidable[/url]
Someone mentioned earlier... the sadly gone Grandaddy. Tuneful, commercial, just damn lovely and shoulda been huge. Played non stop in my house and even the last album was as good as their best. Some going! 8)