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underrated or unheard of musician/band

Hopefully this thread will lead us all to new non-commercialized things to listen to. There is a ton of talent hiding out there so here we go, lets uncover some!

Hacienda Brothers. Twang all the way with a touch of south of the boarder, some blues and some rockabilly sometimes all in the same song (it works trust me). They have , among others, Dave Gonzolas, the guitarist for the Palidans (rockabilly hardcores) a great pedal player and Chris Gafney doing vocals. First album just came out. Definately a live show band.

Dave Alvin great songwriting IMO. every song tells a story and most of them aint happy. Covers roots rock, country, blues. Museam of hearts is a good start as is king of california.

Curtis Salgodo. Another live show guy. The songs are good but the recordings don't carry his passion. not to say the recordings aren't good. Soul, R&B and Blues. has done stints with roomfull of blues and santana.

Tinsley Ellis. king of blues and Blues rock. great playing, great voice and usually great songs. Would smoke Clapton on a bad night IMO. Killer live shows and the recordings carry the ball as well.

Afro Celt Sound System Celtic music blended with electronic under tutalidge, if not leadership, of Peter Gabriel.

Sonia Dada. white chicago rock band meets black street singer group and the rest is history. Great live, great late at night loud. Kida funky, kida soulfull. Vocals as you might expect are very good.

Ray Condo and the Ricochets. Unfortunately Ray passed last year so live shows are out. Too bad because the consistantly rate as some of the most fun i've ever seen. Country Swing and honky tonk.

Danny Gatton and (i'm in a big brain fade here on the first name. Robert i think. age sucks) Gordon "The humbler." OK among guitar players he ain't unknown and being rated as a god by guitarists and winning guitar players best player selection ain't exactly underrated he fits based on being called the workds greatist unknown guitarist. Jaw dropping rockabilly here and it was only their 4th gig together. The soundman at a one night gig knew he was on to something so he grabbed a take of the night. Unfortunately Danny couldn't overcome the blues and did himself in a number of years ago.

Shoogie Otis. Just gotta check it out.

I'll think some more and add some more later.
piezo
mcfavre4
85 posts
 
Similar age and taste Beatlebum. I turned 40 in Septemeber. Love the Tubes. I thought my musical taste would change as I got older. It has with regards to what I am open to but I am still into the same type of stuff I looked for when I was in my early 20s. I think there is a lot of really good music being made today. I find my stuff through internet radio or browsing through Borders headphones.

Other notables I have caught on to over the past few years:

Grandaddy
Beachwood Sparks
The Shins
The Stills
Tin Star
My Morning Jacket
AC Newman
Franz Ferdinand
Modest Mouse
The Walkmen
The Damnwells
Stereophonics
philefreak
416 posts
 
"The Waifs" They're an independent,so you wont hear about them unless you have a good college NPR station. They're from the land down under and anything you can find is great the latest live album "A Brief History" is just great!
philefreak
416 posts
 
I also agree on the Beth Orton. All of hers is great! Beatlebum and Ozfly, you guys must be or at some time lived in good ole North Carolina? Christine Kane is excellant! Check out " The Waifs"!
blkadr
731 posts
 
New (to me) artists you must hear:

The Duhks - self titled young band from Winnapeg, produced by Bela Fleck who guests as well as Edger Meyer, Victor Wooton and others. The first track 'Death Came a Knockin' will hook you. You will hear them, might as well get it now.

Amy Correia - 'Lakeville' Understated singer/writer, when from prison she tells her child to 'Hold On' you may be surprised how she touches you.

Mary Gauthier - 'Mercy Now' with a crawling spokenword style she paints the kind of picture...'Wheel Inside the Wheel' "Souls ain't born, souls dont die...soul ain't made of earth, ain't made of water, ain't made of sky"...

Tony Joe White - remember the classic swamp song 'Polk Salad Annie'(give this a listen with new ears)? One guest artist Shelby Lynn does this song in her shows now. Well hes still around, and his last release 'The Heroines' suggests hes still got it. Some great tunes form the swamp king.

Now something else old - the Strawbs. From Brit folk band roots to sometimes heavy electric this is one of my favorites. I just saw these guys do an acoustic show a few months ago, last time I saw them before was about 30 years ago. From 'Dragonfly' to 'Grave New World' to 'Bursting at the Seams' to 'Hero and Heroine' to 'Ghosts' some of their later albums were weak but I always loved the way they could in one line go from sweet and beautiful to dark and dread.

And now for those of us who loved early King Crimson a couple albums that I love are from the Italian band that ELPs label produced - PFM. Premiata Forneria Marconi 1973 and 74 albums both featured lyrics by Pete Sinfield. Start with 'Photos of Ghosts' and then a little harder with 'The World Became the World'. Fabulous musicians and creative writing.

Sample some of this stuff and see what you think. A lot of whats posted above I have heard, a lot I plan on checkng out. Great thread.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Oh, I almost forgot, direct from the obscurity files, for your consideration, Ramatam. One of the only female-fronted guitar bands, two albums, "Ramatam" and "In April Came The Dawning Of The Two Red Suns". Lead guitarist, April Lawton, rumored to be the girl friend of Ten Years After guit wiz Alvin Lee, was just terrific. The first album features the quite overrated ex-Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell. Next up, Ten Wheel Drive, one of those large horn section bands a la Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago, only jazzier, Singer Genya Ravan really had great chops and the band was just tight. Weird material and overly studied arrangements probably did them in.
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