Books, Movies, Music & Entertainment - Best obscure bands/music you think people should know?

I've had a really rough week-end, but that's another story ...

Point is, I've been poking around these forums rather a lot while listening to all my mp3s, and it occurred to me: what're some bands you guys can suggest that you think are great, but which for some reason haven't made it really big?

my suggestions, in NO particular order:

Raissa
The Starseeds
The Januaries
Pete Yorn
Morcheeba
emm gryner
the Devlins
cynthia basinet
Blue Rodeo
Moloko
Lovage
the Nields
Me first and the gimme gimmes
Paris Combo
Supreme Beings of Leisure
Pink Martini
Hooverphonic
etc

-alex.

edit: whoops, I just realised that I probably should've put this in the other forum; hang on ...

Frank Zappa

Continental Drifters: Great roots rockers

Clumsy Lovers: New Grass band, better live, just signed with a new label, may be poised for greater success.

Good Rats: My favorite disks are "Ratcity in Blue" and "Tasty".

I'm kind of dated, but I love the band Gong, a rock-jazz band from the 70's (Steve Hillage started there, I think).

Sonia Dada -Too good to get radio air play and too unique to describe adeqautely.

http://www.soniadada.com/

I like a bunch of the one-hit wonders that no one ever plays anymore:

Fastball
Letters to Cleo
Ben Folds Five
Refreshments (actually, this group probably never had any hits)

Refreshments (actually, this group probably never had any hits)

Don't they do the theme music for "King of the Hill"?

I like a bunch of the one-hit wonders that no one ever plays anymore:

Fastball
Letters to Cleo
Ben Folds Five
Refreshments (actually, this group probably never had any hits)

Ben Folds actually has just released 2 ep's in the past few months... working on a new album to follow his last fairly successful solo album...

also... the Refreshments rule !! too bad they are also not together anymore... the drummer, and lead singer are in another new band called "Roger Cline and the Arizona Peacemakers" good countrified fun rock... check them out at http://www.azpeacemakers.com

I'll add to the List:

Nick Drake
Dashboard Confessional

I know there are more... I just blanked

Jeff

My Bloody Valentine
the Silver Jews
T-Rex
the Pixies

Mondo Diao - a great Swedish rock band (part Who, part Stones, part Beatles, part Hives, part soul)

Thievery Corporation - eclectic garage/electronic with a potent political message that doesn't preach

The Streets - English rap with wit

Tortoise - great Chicago instrumental, experiemental rock stuff

Ben Folds (with the Five or without) defenitely don't qualify as one-hit wonders, some of the best and most thoughtful piano based pop/rock being produced these days.

How about Pulp, James, both great bands bit not on your billboard lists probably. How about G Love and Special Sauce? Or Uncle Tupelo (now Wilco and Son Volt)?

My top three-

Jane Siberry- idiosyncratic folksy-techno-pop, with the voice of an angel, though she's been focusing on interpretations of traditional and classical songs lately.

Neko Case and Her Boyfriends- alt-country at it's best. Case earned her chops in a punk band before moving into country music.

Cesaria Evora- this African singer has a voice like honey and whiskey- mellow and rich in all the best possible ways, with unexpected depths.

other folks on my short list-

Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum
Dar Williams
Gal Costa
Josh Ritter
Morcheeba (previously mentioned, but worth mentioning again)

My Bloody Valentine
the Silver Jews
T-Rex
the Pixies

T-REX!!!!!!
Marc Bolan is immortal!

John Cale: "Paris 1919" King Crimson: "Starless and Bible Black" Captain Beefheart: "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" Frank Zappa: "The Yellow Shark" Quicksilver Messenger Service: "Happy Trails" Djam Karet: "Suspension and Displacement"

John Cale: "Paris 1919" King Crimson: "Starless and Bible Black" Captain Beefheart: "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" Frank Zappa: "The Yellow Shark" Quicksilver Messenger Service: "Happy Trails" Djam Karet: "Suspension and Displacement"

Kick ass list!

I've got Hot Rats in my lp collection. Love to listen when I'm in a Zappa mood.
Old King Crimson is also great.

Wagonchrist
Hive (not The Hives)
The Scientist

Sammy "Swing and Sway" Kaye and his "College All Stars"

Antiloop (their song "Believe" is da bomb).

Scooter.

Sasha and Digweed. (also good stuff when they're solo)

Safri Dao.

Here is one you've never heard of:

Zot. Great 80's synth rock band. One of the early MTV generations. Lots of potential. Nothing happened.

I like a bunch of the one-hit wonders that no one ever plays anymore:

Refreshments (actually, this group probably never had any hits)

I think the Refreshment's Banditos got enough airplay to be eligible for one-hit wonder classification.

"You can look deep in my eyes like I was a supermodel, uh-huh..." Love that line.

If anything, they have to be given some credit for ripping off David Lowery of Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker fame's mojo to pull off their sound.

I'm kind of dated, but I love the band Gong, a rock-jazz band from the 70's (Steve Hillage started there, I think).

My dog! Did you ever hear Gongs Live floating anarchy 1977?
Hippy heavy metal-WILD record, all live no dub.

Kaleidoscope (early David Lindley band) - eclectic: cajun, rock, blues, middle-eastern rock

The Nazz

I'm kind of dated, but I love the band Gong, a rock-jazz band from the 70's (Steve Hillage started there, I think).

Wow, another Gong fan! I saw their newest incarnation live a few years ago.... nothing more cosmic. Also, like you said, Steve Hillage is great.

Similarly, Soft Machine is one of my all time favorites. Strange that they aren't more well known.

Also need to add:

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
National Health
Hatfield and the North
Henry Cow
Fat Mama
Dirty Three
Caravan
Sound Tribe Sector Nine

WILD TURKEY first album BATTLE CRY , formed by Glen Cornick after he was thrown out of Jethro Tull in the early 70´s .

Elliott Smith (just died recently, no chance for fame)
Nickel Creek (newgrass, alt-country, gaining popularity)
North Mississippi Allstars (countrified rock)
Death Cab for Cutie (Transatlanticism rocks)

T-Bone Burnett
The Senators
10 000 Maniacs
The Call
Basia
Maria McKee
Lone Justice
Matt Bianco
The Beatles (Just Kidding)
Adam Again
The Saints
Closer
Rockin' Rabbis

8 Foot sativa is a pretty cool band but there music is mosty heavy metal....:P

Here in San Diego we have a local talent that one independent radio station plays a lot..Don't think she is known elsewhere. Maybe Houston..Read she did some gigs and radio interview there.
Her name is Eve Sellis...You would be lucky to hear her....
Her voice has maybe some of the qualities of an Eva Cassidy..I know that is asking a hell of a lot.. Just that her style seems a little reminiscant of Cassidy.

I am listening to the Hindu Love Gods right now and trying to calm down enough to go to bed.

Elliott Smith (just died recently, no chance for fame)


Or quite possibly, better chance for fame...see, Nick Drake, etc.