New Music
 

Thought I'd start a thread... inspired by everybodys top flawless albums. My intention here would be to post those obscure artists you've been recently turned on to, and very taken with. Not as scutinizing as 100% enjoyment, but just those rare gems you come accros, that the radio would never be caught playing.
I spoted a few on the aforementioned list that I was oblivious to, this would be the thread to describe them in.

I liked little music in the nineties... but the few that made my list were truly incredible.

I picked up an album just by fluke on my lunch break one day last year... I was drawn to the cover for some reason. (I'm arbitrary like that)
It was Poe, the album was Haunted.
I found it to be a dark and moody mix of smooth rhythms and layered melodies. The whole album has a feel, it's... well it's haunting!
The album was inspired by two factors that I feel essentially work to describe its character. Poe found these old tapes of her deceased father, who was apparently a teacher. She actually samples them throughout the album. Sick or ingenious, it beautifully gels the whole thing together.

Secondly, it was written also to be a companion to her brothers novel, House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, a cutting edge tale of a haunted house.

[This message has been edited by Nathan Carter (edited February 27, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by Nathan Carter (edited February 27, 2002).]

Amen to that Nathan! Poe's album is beautiful. I saw her when she opened for Depeche Mode last year, and that was the first time I'd heard anything off Haunted. My husband went and bought it soon after.. I then borrowed it from him and have never returned it!! Though there are a couple of songs that I skip, it's a good CD.

I'm listening to Into the Labyrinth by Dead Can Dance so all the music that is coming to my mind is sort of soft and meloncholy.

Robbie Robertson's Music for Native Americans is a wonderful listening experience. Great for late night drives with the windows down.

I also tend to like Type O Negative.. especially October Rust. Some of the stuff is a little over the top as far goth rock. Even with that, there are songs on that CD that are just amazing.

Just about anything by Tom Cochrane, especially Songs of a Circling Spirit and Ragged Ass Road. Known mostly for his hit single "Life is a Highway", he is really a talented acoustic guitarist and song writer with an amazing voice.

Well, I could probably fill this thread to the next page, because I predominantly listen to independent music. Over the years I've stumbled across hundreds of groups that remain fairly unknown, and for what reason, I have no idea. But one that I really enjoyed from beginning to end, and listened to for almost a month non-stop (and I mean, absolutely no other albums), was "the areoplane over the sea" by "Neutral milk hotel". It's one of those albums that no matter how many times I've heard it it doesn't get old.

Alucard, I suspect a lot of good groups remain unknown due to being drowned out of exposure contracts etc by the flood of clone music (eg formula rap or boy/girl band does good, so a myriad others get airplay, but anything interesting/outside the formula-box is too risky for corporate execs to give a shot unless "discovered" by someone with a lot of drive and interest in seeing the group/artist get a chance).

Very true, corwynn. Right now, popular music is a business rather than an art form -- Which is exactly why I go to the more underground labels to find groups. Pop is currently very formulaic, and sadly, the formula's they are copying are not ones I'm particularly fond of. I enjoy almost all genres of music, though some more than others, but I really can't get into what's big right now. But I can't say i really mind all that much. There's so much music out there that I'm constantly finding new groups to listen to. And actually, it's kind of fun to dig new, good musicians up. It's kind of like a tresure hunt.

Don't know if they are new anymore, but I don't recall hearing them on the radio at all...

A couple of years ago I was in the music store and I liked what was being played, so I asked and the band was Drain STH, a grungy/hard rock girl band. Picked up their album that day and still regularly listen to it.

Theres a lot of good metal that wont get played on the radio!

Nevermore
Iced Earth
Black Label Society
Onward
Conception
Dream Theater
Sentenced
Jag Panzer
Tad Morose
Testament
Nocturnal Rites
I guess this list could go forever, so Ill cut it off!

Anybody heard of The Tiger Lillies?

heather alexander

Thoughts and descriptions?

Why are these artists worth taking the time to check out? What influences are behind their music from what you can tell?

It would be nice to get turned on to my next sterio hogger... but I need to know what I'm going after

The tiger lillies:

<Imagine Kurt Weill conjuring up images of prewar Berlin while a falsetto vocalist screams, squeaks and squawks his way through every number like some rambling madman, and you've got the picture.> http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif
http://www.tigerlillies.com/system/index.html

I have no idea why you should listen to this but its exellent. Stand up bass, accordian, drums and a "opera" vocalist. Very strange, very funny. They are coming to Bergen in may to put up a cabaret. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Eirik

Hmmm I'll give a description of a few if ya want:

Black Label Society:
The guitarist/vocalist/songwriter's claim to fame is being Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist for the past 14 years. The music is chock-full of heavy heavy grooves. Vocals are very gruff sounding. Once again, the guitars, bass and drums are very heavy, and decently fast. Theres always an acoustic tune or two thrown in for good measure. Kind of has a "southern" thing to it as well, sort of a Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Pantera. The dude absolutely wails on the guitar. He is easily one of the best around!
To sum it up: Its music to drink to!

woops, forgot to do more than one like I said I would.

Dream Theater:
EXTREMELY talented. Take a vocalist with incredible range and a crystal clear voice, an amazing keyboardist, and a drummer, bassist, and guitarist who are among the BEST in the world at what they do, throw in some really heavy sections, some lighter, almost jazz-like sections, and influence from 70's prog acts like Rush, Pink Floyd, ELO, and Yes, along with 80s prog metal like Queensryche and Fates Warning and you get Dream Theater. Despite the influences, they do not sound the least bit dated, but in fact sound VERY modern. Fans of non-heavy music would probably still like this.

Iced Earth:
Good 'ol traditional heavy metal. Quite fast, good singer, great rythm guitar. Iron Maiden's gallop with Metallica's crunch and Slayer's aggression. Good stuff.

Conception:
VERY interesting band. Very atmospheric metal. Amazing singer and guitarist. People who don't like metal could still like this. Id say this is one of the best bands of the 90s.

Anywhoo, I dunno if any of this is your cup of tea, so Im done!

later

Forgive me Pete... I should have mentioned that Iam a rabid Metal fan... I already know of many of the bands you had mentioned, barring a few, which look to be worth a gander given your descriptions.

Zack Wilde is one of my all time favorites, but I havn't had a chance to check out his latest project, I was disapointed with Gov't Mule... I saw them at a gig here at the Roxy some 3 or 4 years ago... but Black Label Society sounds promising.

The only other band I'm oblivious to would be Conception, I'll definately go track them down, would you suggest an album in particular?

Oh... and speaking of Maiden, I just got around to buying Brave New World, it is nothing short of incredible. I put it up there with Power Slave and Piece of Mind

I would suggest, to anybody looking for a new kinda groove, to look south of the border. There are a staggering number of awesome latin bands out there. Bands that do everything from heavy metal to just plain acoustic stuff. I talking about going well beyond Shakira, whose older material is way better than her new stuff.

Try Cafe Tacuba- kinda punky/folky(mexican)/electronica at times

check out the albums "Re:" and "Avalancha de exitos" - specifically the song "metamorfosis"

I would also highly recommend Fobia, Molotov(rock), Control Machete(hard rock), Puya(metal), Fernando Delgadillo (awesome, awesome singer/guitar player).

Also a group that I have just discovered called "Nortec collective" song: "Al lado obscuro de mi compadre" they seem to be mostly techno but very, very off the beaten path, cool techno

I would also recommend a lady by the name of Natacha Atlas. She is french/lebanese and I can't really describe what her sound is. Arabic/electronic/symphonic/pop?????? I've never really heard anything else like it. Most of it is in either Arabic(Lebanese??) or French



[This message has been edited by kassimir funk (edited March 27, 2002).]

I have an album by an Irish band called No Sweat, it is totally brilliant... but they just dissapeared of the planet... but this band could do a storming full out rock track, and then lilt out a fine soft ballad... I often wonder what happened to them... no internet information to be had.

Nathan:

For Conception, I'd suggest "In Your Multitude". Its my fave, and from the reviews Ive read its widely considered their best album.
Its their third album. It takes the thrashier elements of their first one(The Last Sunset), combines it with the more power metal leanings of the second one(Parallell Minds), and takes it in a bit of a new direction.
The fourth and last one(Flow), goes into completely new territory, with a bunch of atmospheric samples and whatnot, but at the same time doesnt sacrifice any of the heavy stuff.
So try "In Your Multitude" first.

Actually, you may have heard of the band Kamelot. Their singer, Roy Khan sang on all 4 Conception albums. (To be honest, Ive never heard a Kamelot song, but the general conclusion Ive heard is that Conception is much better).
Enjoy, bro!

later!