(Music)Great Undiscovereds

[The 'Xir]

Some other music related threads have inspired this one, and I'm sure there has been similar threads like this but, I figured this might generate some new responses!

The Idea: List some of your favorite music albums, that you feel really are solid bodies of work, that for what-ever reason never acheived any significant commercial success, or are just underground albums that haven't been able to reach alot of people! Also, list where or how someone might be able to get them! This way other forum members can possibly find or experience some great music they might otherwise might have never heard!

I know I'll have tons more but here are a couple that fall under the category that had 'single' commercial success but for whatever reason the album or band never caught on:

Echobelly - "ON" (c)1995 Rhythm King Records 550 Music/Epic Records Catalog# BK 67368 --Female vocaled poprock--

Whitetrash - ST(self-titled) (c)1991 Elektra Entertainment(Time Warner) catlog# 9 61053-2 --pop rock, funkdified punk male group with the great 'Badass Brass" backup band--

Ruby - "Salt Peter" (c)1995 Creation Records Ltd/WORK(sony) catalog# OK 67458 --female vocaled alternative new wave rock--

and since we just celebrated St Paddy's day...

The Pouges - "Hell's Ditch" (get back to ya about their catalog info)

All the above albums should be able to be ordered at any major record store in the US and Canada.

Here's a great one from my area:

Los Blancos - "For Sale By Owner" (c)1997 Doctor K Records Catalog# 1951-2 Doctor K Records: P.O. Box 133...Syracuse, NY USA 13215 --Great classic Blues sound with one of the best young blues guitarist in Jose Alvarez appearing on the album!

So what do you guys have or like? I'll add some more when I get a chance!

[gibbspaulus]

Okay, the list of 'just missed', artists with not enough recognition>

Julia Fordham
David Sylvian
Tori Amos (in the Uk at least)
Kate Bush (int the US at least)
Murray Head

All have great, deep, 'feeling' music. You know, the kind that has a weight to it. Makes you feel special when you listen to it.

[EricRG]

Stereolab
My Bloody Valentine
Swervedriver

[Patient Zero]

I fail to understand how brilliant, innovative bands like VNV Nation, Covenant, Apoptygma Berzerk, etc. win the DAC (German alternative award) year after year, but they are practicaly unknown in the US.

[The Overlord Returns]

Originally posted by The Ghost of Jonna
I fail to understand how brilliant, innovative bands like VNV Nation, Covenant, Apoptygma Berzerk, etc. win the DAC (German alternative award) year after year, but they are practicaly unknown in the US.

Well, according to marshall mathers "Nobody listens to techno!"

[Patient Zero]

Actually none of those bands that I mentioned are techno, but who can argue with a man that names himself after a candy!

[The Overlord Returns]

Originally posted by The Ghost of Jonna
Actually none of those bands that I mentioned are techno,

Yeah, but neither is Moby..........

Lesson learned: eminem is an idiot

[2-1B]

Alice Peacock ! ! !

[Patient Zero]

Originally posted by The Overlord Returns
Yeah, but neither is Moby..........

Lesson learned: eminem is an idiot

?????? ?????? ???????

And I thought that I was confusing! I won't ask what you're talking about because then I would have to shoot myself by, for and with myself.

Actually, there are a lot of bands that I don't understand why they never made it when things like Menudo and Brittney Forks have. I can only assume that the type of audience that would appreciate it is just not where I am.

[El Chuxter]

Here's a few undiscovered gems from the top of my head:

Gibb Droll: Dharma. One of my all-time favorite blues albums by a great guitar slinger (some would say reincarnation of Stevie Ray Vaughan) from the Charlottesville, VA, area. There's a great cover of a Miles Davis tune ("All Blues," if I'm not mistaken) and one song called "Gentry Song" that is so good it's criminal it was never a #1 single, or even released on a major label. Looks like it's out of print, but amazon has a listing (and currently one used copy for $9.99) here.

Cork: Speed of Thought. A band made up of Eric Schenkeman (the former guitarist and only talented member of the Spin Doctors) and the drummer from Mountain ("Mississippi Queen"). An awesome roots-rock CD.

Ryan Adams: Gold. A slightly country-fried singer songwriter and critical darling who's never gotten a lot of commercial success, though Bono and the Corrs had a minor hit with a cover of his "When the Stars Go Blue" (from this album).

Pete Yorn: musicforthemorningafter. Another critics' fave with pretty much no commercial success. Think the illegitimate child of Kurt Cobain and Jakob Dylan and you've got the basic idea. There's a limited-edition (but still widely available) 2-disc version of this that goes for the same price and has some awesome covers of songs by Springsteen, Bowie, and others.

Bryan May: Live at the Brixton Academy. A British import of the former Queen guitarist doing incredible live versions of his Queen and solo work. Worth the higher import price for a kick-arse 14+ minute medley of "Now I'm Here", "Resurrection", his oft-played "Brighton Rock" solo, "The 1812 Overture", and the fast part of "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Izzy Stradlin: 117. Second and best album from the former Guns n Roses rhythm guitarist. More classic Rolling Stones with a slight punk edge than GNR, a solid work from start to finish.

Def Leppard: Slang. Def Lep's brief foray into grunge showed they had a lot more versatility than some gave them credit for, and, though it kinda wavers a bit toward the end, has some absolutely incredible songs at the start.

Scorpions: Eye II Eye. The Scorpions flirted with techno and electronica (if they're not the same thing) on this 1997 (?) CD. My favorite work by them by a long shot, and I generall hate heavily synthesized music.

The Donnas: Spend the Night. I'm surprised Caesar didn't beat me to this one. This is one of the best 70s hard rock bands, except that they're a bunch of teenaged girls recording in the 00's. I just picked this one up yesterday and am already in danger of wearing it out.

U2: If God Will Send His Angels. True, U2 already has more success than they could figure out what to do with in a hundred lifetimes, but this single is worth tracking down for "Slow Dancing," an awesome track with Willie Nelson on lead vocal. Even though it's a b-side (and for some reason didn't show up on their recent 1990-2000 b-sides disc), it's easily my favorite U2 track.

Frank Zappa: Just about anything (except for a couple of unlistenable 80s releases done entirely on synclavier). The guy was a freakin' genius and, except for the minor novelty hits "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" and "Valley Girl," is known only to his cult followers. One of the all-time best rock guitarists, an accomplished jazzman, a classical composer, and "Weird Al on crack" all rolled into one. He has more than 80 CDs to his credit (including a few posthumous releases), of which I have less than 1/4. I will wholeheartedly recommend the compilations Strictly Commercial: The Best of Frank Zappa, Have I Offended Someone?, and Cheap Thrills as the best places to start.