Underrated Bands/Musicians

[pax]

This is a thread for bands and musicians who don't seem to get their due, either from critics or from music buyers. Here are a few I can think of:

--The Cardigans
They had one "hit" ("Lovefool," which I think was from the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack too...?) and then went back under the radar, but their music is soooooo cool. Nina Persson, the lead singer, has an almost childlike voice, similar to what's-her-name who sings for the Innocence Mission (Karen something...?). They are Swedish and are better than ABBA. I really love Life, which was their second album (I think).

--Embrace
Whatever happened to Embrace? Have they done anything recently? I liked their CD called The Good Will Out...sort of a crunchier, more emo-ish Oasis.

--Black Eyed Peas
I think they get shadowed by the Roots (just to name one fusion-y hip-hop group), but Black Eyed Peas are quite good in their own right. Check out their disc called Bridging the Gap.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Elastica
the greatest Britpop group you've never heard of

 

[Jack In The Box]

Elastica
the greatest Britpop group you've never heard of

great band

I think that Super Furry Animals, I don't know in the USA but in my country very few people have the opportunity to enjoy their music

 

[IWasBored]

silverchair, in the u.s. atleast

 

[HelloAngel]

I'll probably get flamed to hell and back for this.. but I find Starsailor doesn't get the attention they deserve.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Doves. While Coldplay gets all the attention, Doves are really the band that ought to be getting it, imho. Much more diverse musically, sonically, etc. More depth. Less repetitiveness.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I'm in love with this guy/group. Great songwriter. Tons of emotion. Kicks ass too.

 

[dsmith2904]

INXS, I think the band has gotten lumped in with '80s pop and people don't give them enough credit for how great their songs were, how talented all of the guys were and what an incredible front man Michael Hutchence was.

Culture Club, Boy George wrote some really heartfelt, amazing songs and had such a beautiful voice, but his life and image have totally overshadowed all that.

 

[Dorian Gray]

I've always thought the wallflowers needed more attention... dylan's lyrics are pretty amazing, and the music is pretty cool

 

[Sweet Tart]

Doves. While Coldplay gets all the attention, Doves are really the band that ought to be getting it, imho. Much more diverse musically, sonically, etc. More depth. Less repetitiveness.

so true

thought i love coldplay too.

 

[Strato Edge]

David Gray. In the U.S. at least.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Elastica
the greatest Britpop group you've never heard of

ok, let me expand on that, because it sounds like I'm confusing 'underrated' with 'a band that no one's heard of'. Elastica are underrated because when you think Britpop, perhaps you think Blur, Oasis and Pulp, but never Elastica (despite their chart singles). Justine's relationship with Damon Albarn probably overshadowed the band's musical work anyway, and they liked to lift their hooks and riffs from everywhere, which didn't go down too well with some critics. Fact is, they're an amazing band.

I would say Kylie too. Great, fluffy pop songs that unfortunately are despised by the majority of "serious listeners" who don't like great fluffy pop songs.

 

[celia]

Dave Matthews Band!!!! (In the UK no one knows who they are!!)

Bif Naked

Feeder

 

[brettig]

yeah Feeder's last album deserved to take them to a far wider audience.

 

[HeadsOnSticks]

I'd have to whole-heartdly agree with both Pax & Yertle. The Cardigans are true masters of the pop song. "Life" "First Band On The Moon" are 2 amazing records. I really liked "Gran Turismo" even though people felt it was too "dark." Whatever that means. As far as I'm concerned, the darker the better. Their new disc "Long Gone Before Daylight" is their best by far. I think there's a thread somewhere in here about album reviews that I posted something in. Go find it.

Elastica are also amazing. "Elastica" and "The Menace" are fantastic. I put a song of theirs called "My Sex" on Pax's ICDE mix. Waaaay confessional. A sort of answer song to Blur's "No Distance Left To Run." Boy, that was a bad breakup.

More underrated artistes:

Neil Finn (the master. )
N.E.R.D.
311
The Church
Afghan Whigs
Ben Harper
Ben Folds Five
Better Than Ezra (How Does Your Garden Grow )
Blur
Drive Like Jehu
Fiona Apple
FISHBONE
Kool Keith
Lucinda Williams
Michael Penn
Mos Def
Nelly Furtado
Oingo Boingo
Rocket From The Crypt
Squeeze
Supergrass
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
The The

 

[beegee]

Fiona Apple

absolutely.

 

[womanfish]

I have a feeling that Heads On Sticks, paxetaurora and I have very similar CD collections.

Every time you guys post about the bands you like, I can't agree more.


I was going to mention Cardigans especially, they are awesome. But also Lucinda Williams, Better Than Ezra, and N.E.R.D.

Also one of my favorite bands is Fountains of Wayne. They also had just one hit, but they are incredible. They are the pop masters in my opinion. If you don't own Utopia Parkway or Welcome Interstate Managers, you really need to check em out. Oh hell, their first album is really good too.

Also, The Pernice Brothers. One of the best bands I have heard in a looooooooong time. And they are off the radar.

 

[HeadsOnSticks]

I have a feeling that Heads On Sticks, paxetaurora and I have very similar CD collections.

Every time you guys post about the bands you like, I can't agree more.


I was going to mention Cardigans especially, they are awesome. But also Lucinda Williams, Better Than Ezra, and N.E.R.D.

Also one of my favorite bands is Fountains of Wayne. They also had just one hit, but they are incredible. They are the pop masters in my opinion. If you don't own Utopia Parkway or Welcome Interstate Managers, you really need to check em out. Oh hell, their first album is really good too.

Also, The Pernice Brothers. One of the best bands I have heard in a looooooooong time. And they are off the radar.

Yes, FOW are great! I love their new album, but my fave is "Utopia Parkway." The song "Hat & Feet" has this funny, 70's kid's TV show vibe to it. it's a very warm sounding song. Sing along with me kids:

I'm just a hat and feet
That's all that's left of me
A spot on the sidewalk
A mark on the street
I'm just a hat and feet
I'm just a hat and feet
You dropped a bomb on me
I didn't even see
Like a falling piano
From out of the window
Now I'm just a hat and feet
I'm just a hat and feet

I'm just a sitting duck
That ran out of luck
I'm the unhappy guy
That didn't look up high
I started running when I saw it coming
It got faster and louder til I took a powder

Now
I'm just a hat and feet
That's what 's become of me
Flat on the sidewalk
Stuck in the street
I'm just a hat and feet
I'm just a hat and feet

 

[BVS]

The The

I love The The, I saw them live back in 94, they opened for Depeche Mode, they were amazing live.

Underated:

Grant Lee Buffalo
James (here in the US)
Sinead O' Connor (here in the US)
Ours

to name a few

 

[HeadsOnSticks]

Infected by The The is t.i.t.s.!

 

[Jack In The Box]

Gomez
The Delgados
Elbow
James
etc.

in my country

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i agree with a lot of the choices here, some of these bands i've never heard of, so they must be definitely underrated.

my pick would be japan. the average person hasn't heard of them, but when you listen to either their early or later stuff, you can name a ton of bands who you know were influenced by them.

 

[Rono]

My vote goes to New Model Army,..

More than 40 gigs every year,....every 2 years a great cd,...powerfull and social colored lyrics for more than 20 years ( the last 10 without a record deal) and still going strong without loss of energy and human intrest,.......

NEW MODEL ARMY,.....

 

[Salome]

Will Oldham/Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Tindersticks
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

 

[HeadsOnSticks]

i agree with a lot of the choices here, some of these bands i've never heard of, so they must be definitely underrated.

my pick would be japan. the average person hasn't heard of them, but when you listen to either their early or later stuff, you can name a ton of bands who you know were influenced by them.

Japan= waaaaaaaaaaaay cool!

 

[Salome]

and Guided by Voices should by right have reached a Beatles like status around the time they released Alien Lanes and Under the bushes, under the stars

 

[meegannie]

Elbow
The Delgados
Super Furry Animals
Haven
Elbow
Elbow
Elbow
Elbow

 

[Bono's shades]

Kate Bush
Midnight Oil
Crowded House/Neil Finn
Doves

 

[sulawesigirl4]

I forgot Elbow. Though meg made up for my lapse.

Elbow

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I gotta agree with Midnight Oil and James.

I'd love to hear more by Feeder. The songs of theirs that I've heard are fantabulous. Same goes for the Cardigans.

I'd like to add Angie Aparo to the list. The only other person around here who's heard of him is MVD. He's very huge in the Atlanta area and the South, but otherwise, the world is unaware of his genius and his remarkable voice.

 

[zonelistener]

Now defunct, but always underated:

The Replacements
Public Image Limited
RIDE