The Best Bands You've Never Heard

[Dillinger]

I thought it would be fun if people could post here about some really great bands they like that most of the rest of us probably have never heard of.

So - I don't mean, "Clapton is God" or the latest Blink182. Turn us on to something new! Add their web page if you can. Mention their best CD - or a couple of their better songs we might try and download.

 

[CelestialBody]

Bird3

 

[Dillinger]

eX-Girl

Guess I'll go first... the band is eX-Girl - their website is http://0505.net/ex-girl - lots of great info on their site including excerpts of some of their songs in RealPlayer format.

The three musicians who form eX-Girl are from the frog planet Kero Kero. Their mission is to save the human race with Kero Kero music, which features unearthly vocals and odd, unpredictable songs. (The word kero is the Japanese equivalent of the frog utterance ribbit). Their 4th CD is out - called "Back to the Mono Kero" and it is their US debut CD as well (on Ipecac Recordings - http://www.ipecac.com ).

They are sort of a Japanese neo-power-pop trio - only sort of... underlying their overt cuteness are staggering vocal parts, clever writing, intricate arrangements, and inspiring musicianship worthy of heeavyweights such as Frank Zappa, the Art Bears, and Captain Beefheart's Magic Band.

I highly recommend them...

 

[CelestialBody]

Re: eX-Girl

 

[modest mouse]

I feel like I have about 50 I want to post but I'll go with one for now, more to follow. Great idea Dillinger.

Le Tigre

Band formed in New York City after Kathleen Hanna moved to the East Coast after tearing things up with Bikini Kill.

Three radical feminist lesbians crank out politically charged songs on ultra lo-fi equipment. Scathing lyrics just under the surface of sugary pop songs.

They get me to shout along the chorus of "Men Suck". Songs about Guilianni shutting down the strip clubs and whatever else comes along.

Their albums are...
Le Tigre - s/t
Le Tigre - from the desk of mr. lady(ep)
Le Tigre - feminist sweepstakes

The s/t is the best and brightest of the bunch.

If it sounds at all interesting give it a try.

http://student.bard.edu/~ba935/front.html

http://www.mrlady.com/inside.htm

http://busygrrrl.homestead.com/letigre.html

 

[Emeraldtryst]

Something fantastic that not everyone may have heard of.

Faith and the Muse. Sort of goth-ish, but less depressed.

They've got 3 CD's out that I know of

Annywyn Beneath the Waves
Elyria
Evidence of Heaven

I think that it's worth checking out.

 

[loki]

Pernice Brothers - If you liked the zombies you'll like this band.

Yo La Tengo - beatifull, etheral jams.

Wilco - just damn good, if you haven't picked up 'summerteeth ' then you're missing the best disc of the last 5 years.

Big Star - Yeah they where a 70's band but not many have heard of them. great Beatle-like power pop.

Guided By Voices - best played loud

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Effigy... better than placebo.. but noone has any chance of ever getting any of their CD's

Heather Nova... WAY underrated chick singer.

 

[Aphrodisiac]

A band called :

Texas


She has an amazing voice and they have some cds out. I am sure many have heard thier songs but are not very familiar with them.


Spanish singer

Juanes


He is an amazing singer.

 

[Magnus 67]

Good idea. Here are mine

Ray Condo and his Ricochets (rockabilly meets swing)
Combustible Edison (weird lounge)
Black Velvet Flag (80’s LA punk done in a lounge format)
Disposable Hero’s of Hiphopracy (the name says it all)

 

[Dillinger]

Web sites for any of these bands? Places one can hear excerpts of their songs?

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Disposable Hero’s of Hiphopracy (the name says it all)

Hipocracy is the greatest luxury...

Television... the drug of the nation.

 

[Magnus 67]

Damn, I wish they did more than one CD.

 

[StondTmplPilot]

It's been a long time since I have heard of anything from them, but there was this local band here in Kalamazoo, that played the clubs at the same time that the Verve Pipe was doing the Michigan Circuit. They were Marsh Road, and they blew the Verve Pipe away. Their music was similar to the Verve Pipe, but they were much less prone to sappy assed lyrically dominated songs. I don't know if they still exist, but if they do it would be worth a listen to if you like the Verve Pipe.

 

[Magnus 67]

Loki
A Great wilco did 2 CDs with Billy Brag called Mermaid Ave. Billy got the approval from Nora Guthrie’s to put music to many of Woody’s songs. Both are phenomenal. IMHO even better than Summerteeth

 

[Guest]

Imperial Teen
The Strokes

 

[Black_Bird]

CRACK THE SKY!!!

Crack the Sky is really big in the Baltimore/Washington area - but never made it national. They made a video for MTV during the 80's - but their video, called "Skin Diver", was rejected (is it any wonder why?)

Crack the Sky is like the alternative music of the 70's and 80's... Great band!

 

[InnesLane]

Keep in mind I'm an old shit...

but I just love J.J. Cale, and it seems hardly anybody knows who he is. The guy has been around since the early seventies and has something like seventeen albums but most of his most famous songs you've only heard covered by someone else.

Examples:

After Midnight
Crazy Mama
Bringin' It Back
Call Me the Breeze
Cocaine
(and a lot of others)

Back in the seventies there was a state of mind we post-hippie, pot-smoking long-hairs really related to. It was "laid back". J.J. Cale epitomizes being laid back. He just kicks ass (but in a very laid back kind of way).

his web site: http://www.jjcale.com/main.html

 

[Iwah]

All I really know is local stuff, which is about the only reason for staying in this hellhole of a state (unfortunately I don't buy into the whole living for Big Red football, so that doesn't do it for me). The three I'm listing all have audio you can listen to.

It's all punk so if that's not what floats your boat, sorry.

8th Wave - www.8thwave.com

The JV All Stars - www.jvallstars.com Their page is really slow to load sometimes, but go to the "take" section for some mp3s.

Split Second - www.geocities.com/splitsecondband that's their main site, you can DL their s/t EP from mp3.com, just do a search for 'Split Second' (there's two split second's on there, the first one is the one from here. The quality on these is pretty bad but I'm pretty sure they've got a new disc coming out so maybe they'll put up some better quality mp3's when it does.

Also, if you go to
SLAM Omaha and check out the listening room, they're got good quality mp3's of all 3 of those bands plus tons of others (The Fonzarellies are also worth checking out)

 

[Guest]

Some great semi-known bands...

Fountains of Wayne
Ivy
My Bloody Valentine
The Posies

 

[Marxist]

Follow For Now....they had a record deal before they broke up. The best black rock band of the early 90's. Check out their cover of Public Enemy's "She Watch Channel Zero". Awesome.

 

[loki]

Loki
A Great wilco did 2 CDs with Billy Brag called Mermaid Ave. Billy got the approval from Nora Guthrie’s to put music to many of Woody’s songs. Both are phenomenal. IMHO even better than Summerteeth

Yeah, I just picked up the first one, California Stars is my new favorite song. I'll have to listen to the disc a few more times before I decide if I like it better than Summer Teeth.

Also on the local side there used to be aband around here called Dread Zepplin, a reggae band fronted by an elvis impersonater that covered all of Zep's songs. They were a fun band, I haven't seen them in a while so I don't know if their still around.

 

[Dillinger]

This is great - I haven't had a chance yet but I do want to check all these bands out.

Special thanks to those of you who provided web links - makes finding info on the band a lot easier.

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Rambling Rose]

I remember Follow for Now, Marxist. They used to play here as well, along with Dread Zeppelin.

My picks go to:

Southern Culture on the Skids www.scots.com
Big Sandy and his Fly Rite Boys www.bigsandy.net
Nashville Pussy www.nashvillepussy.com

and an added push for local bands:

The Sugar LaLa's
The Nowhere Squares
The Gudgers
The Apocolyptic Blues Band

 

[Willing and Unsure]

a local group for me.. 3 guys from my high school.. real sweethearts too (i love em to death).. they do great heavy metal

their site


ok... i'm slow.. i forgot to mention their name.. Pooch Carver..