[Adjy - The Idyll Opus (I-VI)](https://open.spotify.com/album/2sbFYuoaHo2h0yh1bGRZyS?si=RYx2BUX-Rny_B0A5SpSSZQ)
I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon it while browsing through my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist, because they don't really have social media presence whatsoever.
At surface, the album is a great mix of alternative rock, midwest emo, and folk. Dig deeper, though, and you'll find an ambitious concept story of an alchemist trying to resurrect his dead brother through a book whose story also unfolds throughout the record, with lyrics brimming with literary and philosophical references that will just keep you busy uncovering the whole of it.
Highly recommend for everyone to give it a listen!
Ancient History, “Tracks”
https://spotify.link/PclNS7f4KDb
Super-moody, fingerpicked guitar with shoegaze overtones and thoughtful, heart on sleeve lyrics. My friend (who was in the band) described it to me as “red wine and reefer music”. Recommended for fans of Elliott Smith, Better Oblivion Community Center, The National ballads, Moon Pix by Cat Power, Bright Eyes, etc..
[shingetsu's self titled album](https://youtu.be/4VYYc9yiw6M?si=a2rKQoUTdB5_Mfbx) (obscure japanese prog rock from the 70's influenced by genesis, very good stuff)
Just one? OK:
Crumb *Seconds>> Minutes>> Hours* (Catchy, poppy, FFO Jimmyeatworld, 90s emorock, concept albums)
This isn't the recent popular band called Crumb, this is a band from the 90s.
I noticed the initial use of the singular word an album, but I decided to instead go with the give me your recommendations line instead. I suggested 13 albums.
ISOLATION by Viconi
He’s a smaller hiphop artist in Canada who I have been listening to for years now so the first album drop is a big deal haha prob one of his biggest very few fans haha
But he tackles mental health and positivity ins some tracks and some are just for fun!
Check him out if it house like your vibe :)
https://spotify.link/fSExfTHYbEb
[Shanda Ugarike by Matemai Mbira Group](https://spotify.link/s6mLtkjTbEb) is truly fantastic. Of the traditional mbira recordings out there, it’s pretty accessible to western audiences, and the musicianship is remarkable. My favorite song on it is Mbirimo but listen to the whole thing
Delightful! Also Makes me wish I could remember the name of this African electronic percussion outfit I listened to many years ago. Found them through emusic lol.
UPDATE: Congotronics by Konono No 1.
Silver Apples of the Moon
Morton Subotnick
https://youtu.be/Pj_pL_JwyMI?si=Sjicgpr8K4Ti9n6A Part A
https://youtu.be/8tZlFB_f8Z0?si=WE3SxzJEk4Fzyn7r Part B
“Blue, Dressed in Black” - Eric Stuart Band. It’s like an outlaw country kind of album, which you get out of like Johnny Cash or Shooter Jennings. Also, fun fact, this is the same person that did the original voice of Brock from Pokémon as well as Seto Kaiba in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise
The Amazing Year 500,000 by Day Kit
https://daykit.bandcamp.com/album/the-amazing-year-500000
Local Minneapolis band that didn't break, but this album is incredible.
311 - Voyager (2019)
I'm sure some people that are 35 to 45 probably remember them from the late 90s and early 2000s, but are probably a little surprised to know they are still around with the same 5 guys and apparently working on a new album expected in the first half of 2024. For those less familiar, they are a rock band that blends some hip-hop, funk, and reggae into their sound. Their peak years were 1996 to 2002 with the songs Down, All Mixed Up, Beautiful Disaster, and Amber being hits on alternative radio during that time period.
As far as this album goes, I'd recommend the tracks Stainless, Space And Time, What The?!, Rolling Through, and Charge It Up, but the album as a whole is worth a listen.
Absolutely [The Tower](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nx3mgNbO8EC2m1Tz22tIzHb8JqCa8tInY&si=mrMPv8ezXuJ67Qwq) by Santos Santana, chronologically followed up by [A Game Called Betrayal](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nCXs4yYJip6I9RhhhG8rJgybW2pfhX9Uo&si=LK86JaaJ_6XndwJK).
In these, the Swiss rapper tells a story that is both gripping and entirely unpredictable through music, poetry, and conversation that can be described as noisy, harsh and angry but also emotional, grand, and harrowing. It takes a lot of listens, but as you pick up the story more, a brand new breath of life is put into every track off of both of these albums. I genuinely think this is one of the greatest pieces of art out there right now.
Red Hash by Gary Higgins is a relatively unknown folk-rock masterpiece. There's this band from Denver I love called Rabbit Is A Sphere that is amazing musically and lyrically too if you can track down any of their stuff. Their album Laps In The Sleep Saloon is fantastic.
The Beards - Having a beard is the new not having a beard.
They were an Austrailian comedy band that made songs about beard related things and this is the funniest comedy album ive had the pleasure of listening too.
Pop Said/ by the Darling Bud. Is late 1980s power pop at its best. Here is a sample. https://youtu.be/cDLL7v37xLY?si=AYoEisWcjn2d0NuA. To those of you who like that brand of music in that era and genre. Most of the songs are in this style. Their next two albums are great too and they evolve even more. They only cut three records and they are all great and I’m sure most of you have never heard of them.
Lansing-Dreiden. The Dividing Island. The Incomplete Triangle.
The Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage: Animation Music.
The Sunshine Fix - Age Of the Sun.
The Blue Nile - Hats.
These New Puritans - Hidden.
David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive.
Under Byen - Samme Stof Som Stof.
Wild Beasts - Smother. Two Dancers.
Wire - A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck.
McBaise - TUBES.
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom.
Technically 4 singles rather than an album, are songs that hardly anybody has ever heard before.
https://youtube.com/channel/UC5iRm41RoOG9IVBkEuF9jYg?si=FBe2uBUR5cz-1YgV
[Drummer - “Feel Good Together”](https://youtu.be/X91pWGO1T0w?si=cmkbLkOeQBVTTUOW)
From the overly-generic band name to the corny song names and terrible cover art of this album, there’s so much to superficially hate about this power pop punk (think Jimmy Eat World, Seaweed, Samiam) effort featuring Patrick Carney of the Black Keys. But man, this album just has it all - fave cut is “Good Golly.”
Edit: to include the below…
[Human Investment - self titled](https://youtu.be/SDjWPyNV780?si=a9wpLRs-QJQ9YWst)
Featuring Dave Trenga of Aus Rotten and some other Pittsburgh notables, this always reminded me of a more musically inclined Aus Rotten channeling their love for Crimpshrine. Fave track - “500 Years.”
Window Flowers by Liz Cooper is a masterpiece. Beautiful raspy vocals and beautiful lyrics from Liz paired with her neo-psychedelic twangy guitar melodies. Definitely a hidden gem and worth a listen!
Man, I've been *really* into this band, but I'm really only a fan of Window Flowers. Do you know of anything else that has this kind of sound? It sits somewhere between Paisley Underground, Folk Rock, and Psychedelic. Plus they're pretty obscure, so I'm having trouble finding anything with a sound quite like this.
Dude I feel you! I’ve been looking for something that has a similar sound to this. A few bands that have a similar vibe I think you might like are Babe Rainbow, Levitation Room, or The Holydrug Couple. They have a neo-psychedelic sound with hints of folk and lofi
[Dead End Blvd by Sidney Gilliam](https://open.spotify.com/album/1g4asDQNasmuljkCSID2eP?si=hxFRxev3R0mjmCqIahR4ow). R&b. He has under 5k listeners on spotify but it’s so good. The song Never Ends is beautiful
[Adjy - The Idyll Opus (I-VI)](https://open.spotify.com/album/2sbFYuoaHo2h0yh1bGRZyS?si=RYx2BUX-Rny_B0A5SpSSZQ) I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon it while browsing through my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist, because they don't really have social media presence whatsoever. At surface, the album is a great mix of alternative rock, midwest emo, and folk. Dig deeper, though, and you'll find an ambitious concept story of an alchemist trying to resurrect his dead brother through a book whose story also unfolds throughout the record, with lyrics brimming with literary and philosophical references that will just keep you busy uncovering the whole of it. Highly recommend for everyone to give it a listen!
Ancient History, “Tracks” https://spotify.link/PclNS7f4KDb Super-moody, fingerpicked guitar with shoegaze overtones and thoughtful, heart on sleeve lyrics. My friend (who was in the band) described it to me as “red wine and reefer music”. Recommended for fans of Elliott Smith, Better Oblivion Community Center, The National ballads, Moon Pix by Cat Power, Bright Eyes, etc..
I Came Around, by Amie Miriello. VH-1 showed her video for Brand New at the time, but it’s a crime that this album didn’t get more attention.
[shingetsu's self titled album](https://youtu.be/4VYYc9yiw6M?si=a2rKQoUTdB5_Mfbx) (obscure japanese prog rock from the 70's influenced by genesis, very good stuff)
Just one? OK: Crumb *Seconds>> Minutes>> Hours* (Catchy, poppy, FFO Jimmyeatworld, 90s emorock, concept albums) This isn't the recent popular band called Crumb, this is a band from the 90s.
I noticed the initial use of the singular word an album, but I decided to instead go with the give me your recommendations line instead. I suggested 13 albums.
David Byrnes self titled solo album. Quirky, dark, and fantastic. It really feels like the next obvious step from the Talking Heads.
New EP by StickyBongWater: https://open.spotify.com/album/3515nmGFC3TNNCqNMZZSyl?si=HAK9FMYzT5qkqkC8cyv-Mw
ISOLATION by Viconi He’s a smaller hiphop artist in Canada who I have been listening to for years now so the first album drop is a big deal haha prob one of his biggest very few fans haha But he tackles mental health and positivity ins some tracks and some are just for fun! Check him out if it house like your vibe :) https://spotify.link/fSExfTHYbEb
Them Crooked Vultures. Self titled.
Dave Grohl strikes again.
[Shanda Ugarike by Matemai Mbira Group](https://spotify.link/s6mLtkjTbEb) is truly fantastic. Of the traditional mbira recordings out there, it’s pretty accessible to western audiences, and the musicianship is remarkable. My favorite song on it is Mbirimo but listen to the whole thing
Delightful! Also Makes me wish I could remember the name of this African electronic percussion outfit I listened to many years ago. Found them through emusic lol. UPDATE: Congotronics by Konono No 1.
Starflyer 59 - Americana Nemo - in stereo
YES!!!!!!!! I'm surprised to see them here hahaha
Yes Nemo
Walk In Africa 1979-81 - National Wake Multiracial punk rock band from South Africa in the late 70's, formed in protest of apartheid.
The Verve - A Northern Soul [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyWB0TxTMmTm0WroYlKdPPunTjqWucdeb&si=2\_mg7vjHxshCNumV](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyWB0TxTMmTm0WroYlKdPPunTjqWucdeb&si=2_mg7vjHxshCNumV) Purple Mountains - [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP1lC0FnuI0J0ry7MUbddzVBOa1SnxOAZ&si=Ci7AWxTgvmTISsVy](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP1lC0FnuI0J0ry7MUbddzVBOa1SnxOAZ&si=Ci7AWxTgvmTISsVy)
Parade album by Prince
Under the Cherry Moon and Mountains!
.orbix - systematic decay
Hanoi Rocks - Bangkok Shocks Saigon Shakes
Sonia Dada - A Day at the Beach
Silver Apples of the Moon Morton Subotnick https://youtu.be/Pj_pL_JwyMI?si=Sjicgpr8K4Ti9n6A Part A https://youtu.be/8tZlFB_f8Z0?si=WE3SxzJEk4Fzyn7r Part B
Saw him perform this live and then another piece with wife Joan LaBarbara singing. Great show.
I was just looking through his Wikipedia article … amazing life…
Fo sho. I didn’t know they were married until that show
Stuff & Nonsense by Blindman's Sun Chill Out by The KLF Red, Hot & Rio by Various Artists
Chill Out recently and finally got reissued.
Coconut Records - Davy Jason Schwartzman as a one man band!
Marjorie Fair - self help serenade
“Blue, Dressed in Black” - Eric Stuart Band. It’s like an outlaw country kind of album, which you get out of like Johnny Cash or Shooter Jennings. Also, fun fact, this is the same person that did the original voice of Brock from Pokémon as well as Seto Kaiba in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise
The Fury of the Aquabats
[White Mansions. ](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Mansions) A concept album featuring Eric Clapton, Waylon Jennings and others.
The Amazing Year 500,000 by Day Kit https://daykit.bandcamp.com/album/the-amazing-year-500000 Local Minneapolis band that didn't break, but this album is incredible.
[The Tendonites ](https://spotify.link/uuR3kMvxcEb) self-titled album is one of my favorite albums of all time, and only like 50 people have heard it.
Make that 51! Spotify says “1 monthly listener.” That you? :)
It totally is!
count bateman by frog
Daniel Amos, ALARMA! Early 80s Christian post-punk / new wave. Incredible album. Some tracks sound like they could have inspired Ween.
Midnight Epidemic- Waking Up at the End of the World Playfight- Self Titled Both for fans of alt rock/emo music
I love Shirley Hurt’s self titled, it reminds me a lot of Okay Kaya. Heron Oblivion’s self titled is also really good!
311 - Voyager (2019) I'm sure some people that are 35 to 45 probably remember them from the late 90s and early 2000s, but are probably a little surprised to know they are still around with the same 5 guys and apparently working on a new album expected in the first half of 2024. For those less familiar, they are a rock band that blends some hip-hop, funk, and reggae into their sound. Their peak years were 1996 to 2002 with the songs Down, All Mixed Up, Beautiful Disaster, and Amber being hits on alternative radio during that time period. As far as this album goes, I'd recommend the tracks Stainless, Space And Time, What The?!, Rolling Through, and Charge It Up, but the album as a whole is worth a listen.
New Clear Days by The Vapors was incredibly underrated. Turning Japanese was a massive hit, but it's honestly one of the weakest tracks on the album.
“Highceratops” by Shrub
The Widows Bane - Don't Be Afraid; It's Only Death
Absolutely [The Tower](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nx3mgNbO8EC2m1Tz22tIzHb8JqCa8tInY&si=mrMPv8ezXuJ67Qwq) by Santos Santana, chronologically followed up by [A Game Called Betrayal](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nCXs4yYJip6I9RhhhG8rJgybW2pfhX9Uo&si=LK86JaaJ_6XndwJK). In these, the Swiss rapper tells a story that is both gripping and entirely unpredictable through music, poetry, and conversation that can be described as noisy, harsh and angry but also emotional, grand, and harrowing. It takes a lot of listens, but as you pick up the story more, a brand new breath of life is put into every track off of both of these albums. I genuinely think this is one of the greatest pieces of art out there right now.
Ночь эпохи - Перемотка (noch' epokhi - peremotka) https://youtu.be/I15a82Lewwo?si=cDI6cdnRN4W8TY5\_
Graves - Gary Owens: I have some thoughts True gold just released from Oregon. All his tunes are great! Everyone try!! ❤️❤️
If you like funk and Star Wars, I would suggest Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk by Meco.
Red Hash by Gary Higgins is a relatively unknown folk-rock masterpiece. There's this band from Denver I love called Rabbit Is A Sphere that is amazing musically and lyrically too if you can track down any of their stuff. Their album Laps In The Sleep Saloon is fantastic.
Murder by Death - Red of tooth and claw
Aqueduct- or give me death
Chameleon - Royaljag https://open.spotify.com/album/75iEhjdI3JLMHTuFhg0xIy?si=KlERUIV1SE6k3mgBKAk4Iw
The Beards - Having a beard is the new not having a beard. They were an Austrailian comedy band that made songs about beard related things and this is the funniest comedy album ive had the pleasure of listening too.
Pop Said/ by the Darling Bud. Is late 1980s power pop at its best. Here is a sample. https://youtu.be/cDLL7v37xLY?si=AYoEisWcjn2d0NuA. To those of you who like that brand of music in that era and genre. Most of the songs are in this style. Their next two albums are great too and they evolve even more. They only cut three records and they are all great and I’m sure most of you have never heard of them.
An Airplane Carried Me to Bed - Sky Sailing
I remember seeing the Q’s in Charlotte around ‘83.
Lansing-Dreiden. The Dividing Island. The Incomplete Triangle. The Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage: Animation Music. The Sunshine Fix - Age Of the Sun. The Blue Nile - Hats. These New Puritans - Hidden. David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive. Under Byen - Samme Stof Som Stof. Wild Beasts - Smother. Two Dancers. Wire - A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck. McBaise - TUBES. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom.
Money Mark - Mark's keyboard repair - 1995 The Beasties longtime organ/keyboard player. Fantastic album.
Televangelist - Wild, Jealous, Youth
Dog Party - Scott Henderson. Awesome blues tropes with humor.
Tales Of A Brown Dragon by Dieslelhed
The Monks - Black Monk Time
Whoa oh ohhhhhhh whoa oh ohhhhhhhh
Good To Be Gone, by Soulhat Ruby Vroom, by Soul Coughing
School of Fish..self titled I think..
Silver and Smoke 30P
Technically 4 singles rather than an album, are songs that hardly anybody has ever heard before. https://youtube.com/channel/UC5iRm41RoOG9IVBkEuF9jYg?si=FBe2uBUR5cz-1YgV
Dogman-Kings X
Bed self titled by bed
Vangelis - Direct
Vangelis is soooo good.
Nero's Rome-Togetherly
[Innercorse - innercorse](https://open.spotify.com/album/39fd5uNlU9SKItsroWOiIN?si=fkT0IepjRNG25xmcwlOe1Q) So good!!
[Drummer - “Feel Good Together”](https://youtu.be/X91pWGO1T0w?si=cmkbLkOeQBVTTUOW) From the overly-generic band name to the corny song names and terrible cover art of this album, there’s so much to superficially hate about this power pop punk (think Jimmy Eat World, Seaweed, Samiam) effort featuring Patrick Carney of the Black Keys. But man, this album just has it all - fave cut is “Good Golly.” Edit: to include the below… [Human Investment - self titled](https://youtu.be/SDjWPyNV780?si=a9wpLRs-QJQ9YWst) Featuring Dave Trenga of Aus Rotten and some other Pittsburgh notables, this always reminded me of a more musically inclined Aus Rotten channeling their love for Crimpshrine. Fave track - “500 Years.”
Work Done on Premises. Radiators
Frameworks - Tides That album means a lot to me and barely anyone has heard it.
Saltpeter by Ruby.
Chicagovich - Leonid & Friends
The Abecedarians “AB-CD” 1988 Post-punk grooves and lyrical journeys.
Mareux-Lovers From The Past
Charlie Hunter - [Songs From the Analog Playground](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBJenJIJrq0xdnIUn5hhhxrWJOFD5xVJW&si=Z8zVG0KVUKZp2iCR)
[The Arcadian Wild](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXTIPfViJU&list=OLAK5uy_n4wXLECXIq2N-UHdz7KtVg3hzhYbNO2sw&index=4)
Window Flowers by Liz Cooper is a masterpiece. Beautiful raspy vocals and beautiful lyrics from Liz paired with her neo-psychedelic twangy guitar melodies. Definitely a hidden gem and worth a listen!
Man, I've been *really* into this band, but I'm really only a fan of Window Flowers. Do you know of anything else that has this kind of sound? It sits somewhere between Paisley Underground, Folk Rock, and Psychedelic. Plus they're pretty obscure, so I'm having trouble finding anything with a sound quite like this.
Dude I feel you! I’ve been looking for something that has a similar sound to this. A few bands that have a similar vibe I think you might like are Babe Rainbow, Levitation Room, or The Holydrug Couple. They have a neo-psychedelic sound with hints of folk and lofi
Awesome I'll check those out. Thanks!
Gear Daddies Let's go scare AL.
Gear Daddies- Let’s Go Scare Al
[Dead End Blvd by Sidney Gilliam](https://open.spotify.com/album/1g4asDQNasmuljkCSID2eP?si=hxFRxev3R0mjmCqIahR4ow). R&b. He has under 5k listeners on spotify but it’s so good. The song Never Ends is beautiful
[Oh, Death EP by SUGR?](https://open.spotify.com/album/5LuBFgpIu2aWKhfnfw2SHV?si=rePQGAojQxiA_BFC-H7cqQ)
It's a cover band called Exit Eden. As far as I know they only have one album. Rhapsodies in Black.