Is there an obscure band, musician, song that you love? Share with us. Post it on this thread..

Stunningly gorgeous song and video from little known Liverpool band. Like a Michael Head/Lemon Jelly mash up.

 

Brian Sands - Orangutango (US 1979)
This was a private pressing from the Cleveland, Ohio area. I still have my copy that I bought directly from Brian Sands (RIP)
This song finds a sweet spot between Tyrannosaurus Rex and John Lennon. Hope ya like it.

 

29 Palms
(1992)

"Funny Peculiar"

​

 

I must have heard this on the radio, because it dates to the early or mid '80s, I think.

From the LP Landing (which I have), Trek with Quintronic, As We Sing:

 

Some may have heard of Crack the Sky but everyone should hear the song Nuclear Apathy.

 

Garland Jeffreys, Don't Call Me Buckwheat, great songs and a great audiophile quality album!

 

That's a good question about the Sonic Temple Session, all I've seen of those is what's on Youtube. I can vouch for the quality of his vinyl releases, they're all very high quality pressings (Coyote and Once Upon a Hell of a Time are both 2x45RPM as well). The mastering of the vinyl of the El Torpedo album is significantly less compressed than the CD. That CD came out at the peak of the loudness wars and was sonically crushed, so the vinyl is definitely the way to go for that album.

Glad to hear you enjoy the music, this thread did its job! Cheers.

 

Another band unfairly relegated to near obscurity, Hoboken’s The Bongos:

 

Bloomington, Indiana-based alternative pop band "The Mysteries of Life" led by the husband-and-wife team of singer/guitarist Jake Smith (formerly of Antenna) and drummer Freda Love (formerly of Blake Babies and Antenna).

 

One of my favorites: a fish-out-of-water on this board, but known well enough for his choral work, and his contemporary classical composition. Paul Halley is not a household name, but has contributed some of the most easily-accessible, light music in my lifetime.

He was probably first known as the Musical Director for the Cathedral of St. John The Divine in New York City. Paul Winter asked him to become a part of his Consort, and he contributed greatly to a singular body of work in a particular niche of jazz, involving the recorded voices and melodies of wolves, whales and eagles.

He helped write the worlds' first "Earth Mass": Missa Gaia, which is still performed around the world on Summer and Winter Solstice. His improvisations with saxophonist Winter were always a major highlight of every tour.

His contributions to modern choral liturgy are stunning, and memorable. Including his work with childrens' choirs. But some of my favorite keyboard works (within the nebulous realm of "New Age" recordings), are his instantly-accessible piano solo works, and his piano/organ/harpsichord pieces.

Paul Halley is more of a familiar name in the world of church choirs, than rock-obsessed Hoffman Board participants. "Obscure"...? Okay, 'Boomer.

 

Queen meets Sgt. Pepper's in the 90s. Or maybe Smile of the nineties.

In a similar but more obscure fashion with very similar production and vocal styling.

Inara George
https://www.discogs.com/artist/278380-Inara-George

 

One of my favorite artists, Seattle's Visqueen. Organic indie-rock infused power pop. Hard to pick their "best" song, so I'll just say is Blue is among the top 30 (they had three albums).

 

Hip-hop concept artist from Boston

 

simply gorgeous tune from a band called Arco who came and went too quickly

 

heartbreaking song from the debut album by Oddfellows Casino

 

I dunno if they're that obscure at the end of the day, for sure they never been 'celebrities'. Love this band/album.

 

"Greenland", by a band called Thinner. Actually a B-Side, which I didn't know when I recorded it from the John Peel show. Absolute belter.

Thinner - "Greenland" - Link takes you to Soundcloud.

 

Gin Wigmore, Gravel and Wine.

 

Smoke Fairies

 

my usual 'go to' in these type topics:

terence boylan - s/t & suzy

two fabulous singer/songwriter albums form the early 70's with a ton of guests and really great tunes......if you can find either one of them

 

One of my late 80s favorites that was a major departure for Face to Face moving far away from the electronic/dance sound of their first two albums. Some great guitar work from Stu Kimball and wonderful vocals from Laurie Sargent. Too bad there was no follow up to this one. . .

https://www.discogs.com/Face-To-Face-One-Big-Day/master/319965

One Big Day

 

This one. An obscure band from Hannover that made one album ca 1984.
This song I like most.
Great 60s garage feeling with a psychedelic lollipop and an extreme "german" english.

 

Another one from 1977.
Have never heard again from this artist.
Thrilling!
His name was NOVAK.

 

Love them. "Omaha" is one of my faves.

While we're on the subject...first bass player in Visqueen was the world's only Kim Warnick, founding Fastbacks member - another perennially underappreciated band, more on the punk side of power-pop (but still so tuneful). This is one of my mid-period FBX favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xozsZdwIgk

After Ms. Warnick left Visqueen, the next bassist was Ronnie Barnett, founding member of the Muffs - another criminally underappreciated band, again more on the punk side of power-pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQFVGLAZWWI

 

I can't even say how much I love the Falk - he's unbelievable, especially the first two records (and a lot of the b-sides and unreleased stuff from that era that pops up on the internet from time to time).

"...Presents Author Unknown" is an all-timer. I was lucky enough to see him do a set at a record store in Seattle in 2001 - he was amazing, just him and an acoustic guitar charming the living hell out of a small but thankful audience.