Most Underrated Bands

[Strangelet]

We had a good thing going here so I'm ressurecting it.

ANd i'm adding Rocket from the Crypt as a top contender for the title who, incidentally, have a new live album out R.I.P. supposedly a recording of their last show.

Also Hole's Celebrity Skin. Its like everyone decided courtney love was a female cobain couterpart with Live Through This, only to get bored with the idea by the time Celebrity Skin comes out, which is infinitely better and shows the band as a legitimate act.

[holden]

problem with the underrated idea is that there are hundreds of reaaaally talented indie or unsigned bands that have gone unnoticed. Not sure how a band is underrated if it's made it big...do you consider sales? Popular opinion? Critics' reviews?
I'm trying to think of major label bands with particular albums that have been passed over unjustly and should be reassessed...

[Strangelet]

problem with the underrated idea is that there are hundreds of reaaaally talented indie or unsigned bands that have gone unnoticed. Not sure how a band is underrated if it's made it big...do you consider sales? Popular opinion? Critics' reviews?
I'm trying to think of major label bands with particular albums that have been passed over unjustly and should be reassessed...

um... I don't think many of us are equipped to turn this conversation into anything more scientific than the subject just being a vehicle to talk about music we're into, that we might feel isn't given due credit, whatever that means.

at least that's what I figured....

[the mongoose]

Death in Vegas
Kasabian
Evil Nine
Dieselboy
Underworld;)

[ceramic'cow]

Kasabian

It's Underrated bands, mate. You've got it back to front. Kasabian are shite, and if I hear Radio 1 cream themselves over their next turgid batch of singles I'll probably cry. They just sound like a less interesting, more repetitive version of XTRMNTR era Primal Scream.

For my two-cents:

Tom McRae is a great singer/songwriter who's first three albums never gained the popularity that they deserved. And to think, people buy James Blunt records in their droves. Admittedly, his last effort fell a little short of previous work, but Just Like Blood is one of my all-time top 5 albums. Listen to any track from that album,or Dose Me Up, The Girl Who Falls Downstairs or A and B Song for a taster

Elbow are a great band from Manchester, who have a loyal, devoted following and receive great critical praise, but have yet to really hit the big time. I'd recommend most of their work, but particularly Scattered Black & Whites, Newborn, Forget Myself and Switching Off. Plus, their latest album is just out, and supposedly extremely bloody good.

There's plenty of others, obviously, but that's not a bad start.

[Strangelet]

Elbow are a great band from Manchester, who have a loyal, devoted following and receive great critical praise, but have yet to really hit the big time. I'd reccommend most of their work, but particularly Scattered Black & Whites, Newborn, Forget Myself and Switching Off. Plus, their latest album is just out, and supposedly extremely bloody good.

good call on elbow, agreed. they hit the spot perfectly whenever that spot that they hit perfectly is the the spot I'm currently interested in hitting. thanks for the update on the new album .

[m.g.]

Yello
The Aloof
Japan

[kid cue]

Ruff Sqwad
JME
The Books
Alpha Omega
Shiina Ringo

[crank]

Elbow are a great band from Manchester, who have a loyal, devoted following and receive great critical praise, but have yet to really hit the big time. I'd reccommend most of their work, but particularly Scattered Black & Whites, Newborn, Forget Myself and Switching Off. Plus, their latest album is just out, and supposedly extremely bloody good.

There's plenty of others, obviously, but that's not a bad start.

Yes, the new release is excellent. You can find it out there on the internetweblets. Good call on this. VERY Good Call.

[Caprice]

Miracle Legion/Polaris

The Verve

Collective Soul

4hero

(more will come im sure)

[Leon]

I only have one song by Elbow (Leaders Of The Free World) but I love it and I'm sure all their other stuff is great. gonna check it out.

[ceramic'cow]

I only have one song by Elbow (Leaders Of The Free World) but I love it and I'm sure all their other stuff is great. gonna check it out.

If you want to hear a more diverse Elbow, check out their first record, Asleep in the Back. It's got some of the beautiful stuff that they do so very very well (scattered black and whites, as previously mention) but also a lot of darker, harsher sounding stuff. Check out Bitten by the Tailfly (which is fucking HUGE live) for an example of that, and Any Day Now for a perfect example of the combination of the two.

I fucking love elbow.

[pafufta816]

king crimson, and more specifically robert fripp. his music was always praised, but his producing and recording skills were far advanced for the time. combining an surreal qualities and simplicity he crafted songs for 3-4 peter gabriel albums, daryl halls first solo album, contributed to bowies berlin era album heroes, revolutionized the tape recorder with brian eno.

blah blah blah, just check out his discography: http://www.elephant-talk.com/discog/fripp/

i gurantee you'll find quite a few good albums in that discog there.

[Spooky Shoes]

Grant Lee Phillips (Buffalo).
Meat Beat Manifesto.
Lee Norris (Metamatics, Norken, Nacht Plank)

[matt]

If you want to hear a more diverse Elbow, check out their first record, Asleep in the Back. It's got some of the beautiful stuff that they do so very very well (scattered black and whites, as previously mention) but also a lot of darker, harsher sounding stuff. Check out Bitten by the Tailfly (which is fucking HUGE live) for an example of that, and Any Day Now for a perfect example of the combination of the two.

I fucking love elbow.their brand new album the seldom seen kid is fucking awesome - probably the best they've ever done and i don't say that lightly.

it's funny actually as i've been reading quite a few of the rave reviews it's been getting and at least three of them have mentioned the fact how critics can never understand why a band as good as elbow doesn't achieve the commercial success and sales level they deserve whereas coldplay and snow patrol sell by the bucketload...

[nosajmunson]

Boom Boom Satellites - Lots of goodies in their body of work.

65 days of static - Really got into them once I gave them a chance.

Mad Capsule Markets - Although they have disbanded, you've got to give them props for being Japan's only Digital Hardcore Techno Surf Punk Rock Electronic Metal band.

Ani DiFranco - She has an endless reserve of creativity. She puts out almost an album a year and always tours. Just when it starts to get old, she changes it up and starts something new, again.

Walls of Jericho - The hardest working band in hardcore/metal music today. They are on tour 300 days a year. Their shows never get old. And Candice's vocals will melt your ass if you're too close to the stage. Just listen to "There's No I in Fuck You!"

[crank]

Miracle Legion/Polaris

I'm assuming they are one in the same?

Snacks and Candy!

[big screen satellite]

from the world of electronica:

way out west
futureshock
hybrid
peace division

[kid cue]

it's funny actually as i've been reading quite a few of the rave reviews it's been getting and at least three of them have mentioned the fact how critics can never understand why a band as good as elbow doesn't achieve the commercial success and sales level they deserve whereas coldplay and snow patrol sell by the bucketload...
it could be because their name is Elbow. i'm serious.

[BrotherLovesDub]

Lee Norris (Metamatics, Norken, Nacht Plank)


100% agree. Lee Norris rules.

[BrotherLovesDub]

from the world of electronica:

way out west
futureshock
hybrid
peace division


sorry matt, but i think each and every one of those listed were in fact, overrated during their peak. they have not been able to continue making quality music that isn't reliant on the current trendy sound (tech house, prog breaks) to boost their cred.

*bangs gavel*

motion denied!

[Spooky Shoes]

100% agree. Lee Norris rules.

I can't pick a favourite album, too much choice and there are a couple that I haven't heard yet. :)

[BrotherLovesDub]

first heard Norken with one of these releases. can't recall which was first but i got them around the same time.

http://www.discogs.com/release/93719
http://www.discogs.com/release/43819

this is my fav. Norken album, naturally: http://www.discogs.com/release/53506

the sleeve is gorgeous, the first full length i heard in this style and still sounds as good as it did then.

Our Memories of Winter has been on my mp3 player for about 4 months now, pretty much the only thing that hasn't been removed in that long.

for Metamatics, http://www.discogs.com/release/5325 that album is incredible. the packaging is super deluxe too (edit: i was wrong, was thinking of the packaging for the Clatterbox album on Clear http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?what=R&obid=5317). suppose it's a bit too big and fragile but that always made me care for it like it was my precious.

[Spooky Shoes]

for Metamatics, http://www.discogs.com/release/5325 that album is incredible. the packaging is super deluxe too. suppose it's a bit too big and fragile but that always made me care for it like it was my precious.

I have the hydrogen release of that which I love, Our Memories Of Winter is one of the albums I am short and I wouldn't mind getting the Clear release of that.

[Caprice]

I'm assuming they are one in the same?

Snacks and Candy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Legion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris_%28band%29


más o menos..

[crank]

100% agree. Lee Norris rules.

Yeah, that NOrken Retrospective is quite tasty.

Oh and: Trashcan Sinatras are a Great scottish band who've been around the block for neigh on twenty years!

[den]

Mad Capsule Markets - Although they have disbanded, you've got to give them props for being Japan's only Digital Hardcore Techno Surf Punk Rock Electronic Metal band.

I can't say anything to back up this band, but when I was a college radio dj, I would always play their song 'Island'. Fantastic.

[TheRev]

On the electronic front:
Radial (http://www.myspace.com/106497352)

from the DJing perspective:
Ben Sims

on the rock tip (and I'm not up on rock press so these guys could have tons of press but I just discovered them)
Tokyo Police Club (http://www.myspace.com/tokyopoliceclub)

[Leon]

On the electronic front:
Radial (http://www.myspace.com/106497352)

from the DJing perspective:
Ben Sims

on the rock tip (and I'm not up on rock press so these guys could have tons of press but I just discovered them)
Tokyo Police Club (http://www.myspace.com/tokyopoliceclub)

DUDE I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!

It's really cool that you know Radial, a Dutch group. I've been listening to their liveset at Deflect for the past 2 weeks on repeat. If you're interested, I can hook you up!

And yes, Ben Sims rocks the place.

[TheRev]

DUDE I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!

It's really cool that you know Radial, a Dutch group. I've been listening to their liveset at Deflect for the past 2 weeks on repeat. If you're interested, I can hook you up!

And yes, Ben Sims rocks the place.

Is this different from the one they have on their myspace? Snagged both of them and have played the hell out of each of them, though like the earlier one better since they let "Blue Eyes Over a Dark Sky" play out a bit longer. LOOOOOOVE the vocal sample on that one.

But yeh, those guys and Bas Mooy have been holding it down with some good harder techno that isn't nosebleed hard.

[Leon]

Is this different from the one they have on their myspace? Snagged both of them and have played the hell out of each of them, though like the earlier one better since they let "Blue Eyes Over a Dark Sky" play out a bit longer. LOOOOOOVE the vocal sample on that one.

But yeh, those guys and Bas Mooy have been holding it down with some good harder techno that isn't nosebleed hard.

It might be the same then... And yeah, the "blue eyes over a dark sky" track is awesome. If I'm right, he also says something like "when there's nothing left to consume, you will consume yourself. When there's nothing left to sell, you will sell your soul/self". Or something.

I really like the 2 tracks that go before that as well.. One with the pumping beat and a noisy beep and dark pads, and after that a track with REALLY nice fast-ish breakbeat influenced (?) beats and a deep bass.

edit: just looked it up, it starts at 18:28 in that set :)

Hmmm.

[TheRev]

It might be the same then... And yeah, the "blue eyes over a dark sky" track is awesome. If I'm right, he also says something like "when there's nothing left to consume, you will consume yourself. When there's nothing left to sell, you will sell your soul/self". Or something.

I really like the 2 tracks that go before that as well.. One with the pumping beat and a noisy beep and dark pads, and after that a track with REALLY nice fast-ish breakbeat influenced (?) beats and a deep bass.

edit: just looked it up, it starts at 18:28 in that set :)

Hmmm.

Unfortunately don't have track IDs on that one :(

But the full vocal is:

Blue eyes under a dark sky

Need that cause suffering
??? your own suffering
Kill you to kill my pain
Kill you to eat my cash
Kill you to consume
Try to fill this whole
Yet the more you consume the bigger the whole gets
You will never be whole
Your god is not listening
your god is numbers
Your god is paper
Your god is ???
Step inside the machine
controlled by men
when there is nothing left consume
You will consume yourself
When there is nothing left to sell
Will you sell yourself?
Life is a commodity
Your a commodity
A saleable product
The shelves are full and the stores are overcrowded with products that are cheap and disposable
Nothing you say or do will stop this ???? (obscured by the beeps)
We are all heading for debacle
With the arriving (?????)
How much is enough
But it may never be enough
If it gave us power, would you inhale money?
Would you inject power if you could get it into a syringe?
Into the blood - straight to the brain
WE are all presented with these narcotics everyday
Everyone takes a little
Our addictions are in varying degrees
But we are all dependents
You will never be free
You won't ever be free
You odn't even know what freedom is anymore
Reading history books
You should read them everyday
History is stored.
Your past is a lie.

Blue eyes under a broken dark sky

Hands down one of the best vocals in techno ever in my book. The original is by Dirty Bass. That remix is actually by Boy Constrictor (one of the dumbest names in techno....), aka 1 half of Radial.

[Leon]

Unfortunately don't have track IDs on that one :(

But the full vocal is:

Blue eyes under a dark sky

Need that cause suffering
??? your own suffering
Kill you to kill my pain
Kill you to eat my cash
Kill you to consume
Try to fill this whole
Yet the more you consume the bigger the whole gets
You will never be whole
Your god is not listening
your god is numbers
Your god is paper
Your god is ???
Step inside the machine
controlled by men
when there is nothing left consume
You will consume yourself
When there is nothing left to sell
Will you sell yourself?
Life is a commodity
Your a commodity
A saleable product
The shelves are full and the stores are overcrowded with products that are cheap and disposable
Nothing you say or do will stop this ???? (obscured by the beeps)
We are all heading for debacle
With the arriving (?????)
How much is enough
But it may never be enough
If it gave us power, would you inhale money?
Would you inject power if you could get it into a syringe?
Into the blood - straight to the brain
WE are all presented with these narcotics everyday
Everyone takes a little
Our addictions are in varying degrees
But we are all dependents
You will never be free
You won't ever be free
You odn't even know what freedom is anymore
Reading history books
You should read them everyday
History is stored.
Your past is a lie.

Blue eyes under a broken dark sky

Hands down one of the best vocals in techno ever in my book. The original is by Dirty Bass. That remix is actually by Boy Constrictor (one of the dumbest names in techno....), aka 1 half of Radial.

Thanks for that! That sure is a great text. Could you maybe hook me up with the track in some way? :p Having a hard time finding it.

For those who are interested in Radial, download this set:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/euo81b

[IsiliRunite]

J Dilla
The Roots
The Orb
Fluke

[Tiger]

as i mentioned in the original thread before it went missing, the longcut are one of the best live bands i've seen and massively underrated. they just need to find a producer who can harness their visceral live energy & sound

i'd also say black rebel motorcycle club, they've produced 4 very good albums and are another excellent live band

dj's- i'd say christian smith. one of best techno djs i've seen who always rocked the clubs when i caught him spin; but never got much press

[ceramic'cow]

Broken Social Scene - amazing band who make fantastic indie/pop tunes that still manage to have a great depth

[Sean]

I have to go with Meat Beat Manifesto on this one. Jack Dangers seems to be well respected, but never seems to get widely recognized for his work.

And his new album is brilliant. :D

[Spooky Shoes]

And his new album is brilliant. :D

Agreed, there will be two versions with slightly different track lists, a Jack Dangers album called Music For Planetarium released simultaneously and a non album bonus track called Bush Of Lies available for free download from his site.

[ndrwrld]

^ and a North American tour ! ! :D:D
altho i'll be missing the Toronto show because i'll be in NYC, luckily enough for me, they are playing in NYC when i'm there.
happy boy i be.

[Spooky Shoes]

^ and a North American tour ! ! :D:D


European dates to be announced, my fingers are crossed...

[patrick]

Yello



Man! I just checked out a few Yello albumns and they are delicious!! Thanks! It is some great 80s esque stuff!

[Rog]

eyerer and chopstick- make my day GET ON IT:D