The Obscure Album Thread
09-16-08, 10:42 AM
#1
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The Obscure Album Thread
Lately, I have been cleaning up my digital copies of albums I have. I had been a member of eMusic for almost a year and I found some rather interesting stuff that I probably wouldn't have found through mainstream (Amazon, iTunes, and the like) outlets. So it got me thinking there has to be posters that have some really obscure stuff others might like or are interested in.
The following is the criteria (with a little tweaking if needed) to get the discussion going on if something is "obscure" (granted the term is relative, but generally speaking it would be something that you would have to dig for in a local record shop, not a Best Buy or a Walmart, also this is to have all the information in front of you):
Band or Artist name
Album Name
Year released
Record Label
Genre
Connections (meaning was this person in a more famous band or had great success elsewhere)
Key track
A brief explanation as it why it is obscure
Obscurity Factor (scale of 1-5)
Overall Score (scale of 1-10)
(Suggestions welcomed if anything should be added)
So to get things started, here is my choice:
Band: Up, Bustle & Out
Album: One Colour Just Reflects Another
Year Released: 1996
Record Label: Ninja Tune
Genre: Trip-hop, Electronica, DJ
Key Track: The Hand Of Contraband
Obscurity Explanation:
For me this one is in the obscurity bin because it is radically different then a lot of other trip-hop style music. For instance, take two mainstream examples, Massive Attack & DJ Shadow. Massive Attack is known for their dark textures, smooth flow lyrics, and standard instrumentation. Massive Attack is also widely considered to be the invetors of trip-hop. DJ Shadow on the other hand is more along the lines of a construction paper mural. There is something majorly artstic about what he does and everything, no matter how off the beaten path it is, makes sense in his scheme. His songs are much more layerd than Massive Attack, in the sense that there isn't a steady stream of things going on, the sound changes and evolves at a moments notice.
One Colour Just Reflects Another is what the sound track to a remake of Streets of San Francisco sounds like. From the opening moments, traffic sounds are blended with smooth beats and heavy bass. Jazz, funk, soul, world music and even waves crashing are all mixed in together for a very unique spectrum of music. start to finish this is a different type of trip-hop because it is incredibly upbeat (in comparison to most stuff, which is dark in texture or subject matter) and not too much of a "heady" experience.
Obscurity Factor: 4, given how it goes against the trip-hop grain
Overall Score: 9, there is not a bad song in the bunch, but some might be turned off by the world music if they are unfamiliar with it
There you go folks, comments are welcome on how to improve this
The following is the criteria (with a little tweaking if needed) to get the discussion going on if something is "obscure" (granted the term is relative, but generally speaking it would be something that you would have to dig for in a local record shop, not a Best Buy or a Walmart, also this is to have all the information in front of you):
Band or Artist name
Album Name
Year released
Record Label
Genre
Connections (meaning was this person in a more famous band or had great success elsewhere)
Key track
A brief explanation as it why it is obscure
Obscurity Factor (scale of 1-5)
Overall Score (scale of 1-10)
(Suggestions welcomed if anything should be added)
So to get things started, here is my choice:
Band: Up, Bustle & Out
Album: One Colour Just Reflects Another
Year Released: 1996
Record Label: Ninja Tune
Genre: Trip-hop, Electronica, DJ
Key Track: The Hand Of Contraband
Obscurity Explanation:
For me this one is in the obscurity bin because it is radically different then a lot of other trip-hop style music. For instance, take two mainstream examples, Massive Attack & DJ Shadow. Massive Attack is known for their dark textures, smooth flow lyrics, and standard instrumentation. Massive Attack is also widely considered to be the invetors of trip-hop. DJ Shadow on the other hand is more along the lines of a construction paper mural. There is something majorly artstic about what he does and everything, no matter how off the beaten path it is, makes sense in his scheme. His songs are much more layerd than Massive Attack, in the sense that there isn't a steady stream of things going on, the sound changes and evolves at a moments notice.
One Colour Just Reflects Another is what the sound track to a remake of Streets of San Francisco sounds like. From the opening moments, traffic sounds are blended with smooth beats and heavy bass. Jazz, funk, soul, world music and even waves crashing are all mixed in together for a very unique spectrum of music. start to finish this is a different type of trip-hop because it is incredibly upbeat (in comparison to most stuff, which is dark in texture or subject matter) and not too much of a "heady" experience.
Obscurity Factor: 4, given how it goes against the trip-hop grain
Overall Score: 9, there is not a bad song in the bunch, but some might be turned off by the world music if they are unfamiliar with it
There you go folks, comments are welcome on how to improve this
09-16-08, 12:14 PM
#2
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Three albums that are now difficult to find but got me through college yea these many years ago:
Album: Joy: 1967-1990
Artist: Ultra Vivid Scene
Year: 1990
Label: 4AD
Description:
Ultra Vivid Scene was a one man band consisting of an American named Kurt Ralske ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Ralske ). A classically trained musician, he was around at the time of Creation Record's heyday and was very influential to My Bloody Valentine and the whole dreampop sound. This was his second album, and it's clearly not dreampop. It's bright, catchy, mostly electronic-flecked guitar-pop and almost uniformly excellent. Lots of "shoulda-been-a-hit" type songs. Also, this album is one of the best sounding and best produced albums I've heard: extremely well mixed and clean sounding. It's ideal demo material.
Sidenotes:
- All three of UVS's albums are worth seeking out. The self-titled first album is more noisy, experimental pop along the lines of Jesus and Mary Chain. The third album (Rev) is a masterful guitar-based rock album with long-form songs and a somewhat unsettling feel.
- Ralske's now a more "serious" and well respected multi-medium and digital artist.
Why obscure?:
- All of UVS's albums have been out of print for years and weren't big sellers when they were in print. One of those undiscovered gems of a band.
________________________________________________________________
Album: Ejector Seat Reservation
Artist: Swervedriver
Year: 1994
Label: Unreleased (mostly... see below)
Description:
One of my favorite unsung bands, Swervedriver was truly star-crossed. Label troubles, personnel issues, distribution issues, shady managers etc, etc, etc... they had it all go wrong.
Although they were linked with the dreampop sound, Swervedriver really had nothing to do with that scene. They made loud, driving, catchy pop rock with just a touch of psychedelia and retro-sixties vibes. Their second album (Mezcal Head) is probably better known and is excellent, but I think "ESR" is their true high point. The album has loads of great neo-psychedelic rock songs ("Last Day on Earth", "The Birds", "I Am Superman" particularly stand out) and is consistantly excellent. they'd make a great "soundtrack band", if you know what I mean.
Sidenote:
- Gluttons for punishment, Swervedriver has recently reunited and are currently on tour. They kicked it off at Coachella this year, where they apparently delivered a great if sparsely attended show: ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudoskid0511/2494850321/ ). Man, they really deserve rediscovery.
Why obscure?:
Swervedriver were never very big sellers, and ESR had a particularly bad birth. Their label dropped them the week before the album's release and subsequently deleted the album. It was eventually (after a year of waiting) released in the UK, but wasn't officially released in the US until Sony briefly did so in 2003. It's now OOP, good luck finding a new copy. Not too hard to find on Ebay, though.
________________________________________________________________
Album: Heavens
Artist: Big Dipper
Year: 1987
Label: Homestead... now Merge
Description:
A nervy, nerdy band with a Devo-esque attitude, Feelies-like post-punk sounds and early-REM "rural American" vibes, The Embarrassment ( http://www.embarrassment.org/ ) were one of the better bands of the mid-eighties American college scene. In fact, they've become somewhat legendary in some circles these days (ok... in certain small circles).
When the Embarrassment broke up, their singer and guitarist, Bill Goffrier, moved from Kansas to Boston and started a indie-pop "supergroup" of sorts called Big Dipper with members of the Volcano Suns (another "legendary" college band).
Their debut (recorded at Fort Apache, where most of the best Massachusetts indie rock of the time was being recorded) is a flat-out masterpiece, IMO. It's an album with strong internal contradictions: it's mostly guitar pop but played with complete ferocity and conviction with some nasty lyrics and themes. Lots of great hooks, some genuinely terrific lyrics and nicely constructed songs, but shot through with garage band/ early-Replacements exuberance. Heady stuff.
Sidenotes:
- The band's entire catalog was recently reissued ( http://www.amazon.com/Supercluster-B.../dp/B0012IWHT6 ) for eighteen bucks. Get it today!
- The band was, somewhat unbelievably (but reasonably, given the promise of the debut) given a major label contract in 1989. Their second album "Craps" is another sad story of major lable meddling and missed opportunity. It's still pretty good, but nowhere near as good as it could have (and would have) been.
Why obscure?:
These days almost no one has heard of these guys. Search any north-eastern hepcat college student or Cambridge/Somerville hipster's record collection circa 1990 and you would have found a copy of this album. The reissue makes it somewhat less obscure, but prior to that the album was out of print for years.
Album: Joy: 1967-1990
Artist: Ultra Vivid Scene
Year: 1990
Label: 4AD
Description:
Ultra Vivid Scene was a one man band consisting of an American named Kurt Ralske ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Ralske ). A classically trained musician, he was around at the time of Creation Record's heyday and was very influential to My Bloody Valentine and the whole dreampop sound. This was his second album, and it's clearly not dreampop. It's bright, catchy, mostly electronic-flecked guitar-pop and almost uniformly excellent. Lots of "shoulda-been-a-hit" type songs. Also, this album is one of the best sounding and best produced albums I've heard: extremely well mixed and clean sounding. It's ideal demo material.
Sidenotes:
- All three of UVS's albums are worth seeking out. The self-titled first album is more noisy, experimental pop along the lines of Jesus and Mary Chain. The third album (Rev) is a masterful guitar-based rock album with long-form songs and a somewhat unsettling feel.
- Ralske's now a more "serious" and well respected multi-medium and digital artist.
Why obscure?:
- All of UVS's albums have been out of print for years and weren't big sellers when they were in print. One of those undiscovered gems of a band.
________________________________________________________________
Album: Ejector Seat Reservation
Artist: Swervedriver
Year: 1994
Label: Unreleased (mostly... see below)
Description:
One of my favorite unsung bands, Swervedriver was truly star-crossed. Label troubles, personnel issues, distribution issues, shady managers etc, etc, etc... they had it all go wrong.
Although they were linked with the dreampop sound, Swervedriver really had nothing to do with that scene. They made loud, driving, catchy pop rock with just a touch of psychedelia and retro-sixties vibes. Their second album (Mezcal Head) is probably better known and is excellent, but I think "ESR" is their true high point. The album has loads of great neo-psychedelic rock songs ("Last Day on Earth", "The Birds", "I Am Superman" particularly stand out) and is consistantly excellent. they'd make a great "soundtrack band", if you know what I mean.
Sidenote:
- Gluttons for punishment, Swervedriver has recently reunited and are currently on tour. They kicked it off at Coachella this year, where they apparently delivered a great if sparsely attended show: ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudoskid0511/2494850321/ ). Man, they really deserve rediscovery.
Why obscure?:
Swervedriver were never very big sellers, and ESR had a particularly bad birth. Their label dropped them the week before the album's release and subsequently deleted the album. It was eventually (after a year of waiting) released in the UK, but wasn't officially released in the US until Sony briefly did so in 2003. It's now OOP, good luck finding a new copy. Not too hard to find on Ebay, though.
________________________________________________________________
Album: Heavens
Artist: Big Dipper
Year: 1987
Label: Homestead... now Merge
Description:
A nervy, nerdy band with a Devo-esque attitude, Feelies-like post-punk sounds and early-REM "rural American" vibes, The Embarrassment ( http://www.embarrassment.org/ ) were one of the better bands of the mid-eighties American college scene. In fact, they've become somewhat legendary in some circles these days (ok... in certain small circles).
When the Embarrassment broke up, their singer and guitarist, Bill Goffrier, moved from Kansas to Boston and started a indie-pop "supergroup" of sorts called Big Dipper with members of the Volcano Suns (another "legendary" college band).
Their debut (recorded at Fort Apache, where most of the best Massachusetts indie rock of the time was being recorded) is a flat-out masterpiece, IMO. It's an album with strong internal contradictions: it's mostly guitar pop but played with complete ferocity and conviction with some nasty lyrics and themes. Lots of great hooks, some genuinely terrific lyrics and nicely constructed songs, but shot through with garage band/ early-Replacements exuberance. Heady stuff.
Sidenotes:
- The band's entire catalog was recently reissued ( http://www.amazon.com/Supercluster-B.../dp/B0012IWHT6 ) for eighteen bucks. Get it today!
- The band was, somewhat unbelievably (but reasonably, given the promise of the debut) given a major label contract in 1989. Their second album "Craps" is another sad story of major lable meddling and missed opportunity. It's still pretty good, but nowhere near as good as it could have (and would have) been.
Why obscure?:
These days almost no one has heard of these guys. Search any north-eastern hepcat college student or Cambridge/Somerville hipster's record collection circa 1990 and you would have found a copy of this album. The reissue makes it somewhat less obscure, but prior to that the album was out of print for years.
Last edited by Hiro11; 09-17-08 at 07:52 AM.
09-16-08, 12:21 PM
#3
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I used to dig through the $1 bins at Rhino Records in Clairmont and at Mad Platter in Riverside constantly, so I have tons of obscure stuff that very few other people would know about. Nothing that really became "top shelf" enough in my collection to get regular rotation however. I do have the Dogstar CD (Keanu Reeves' band) and the band that Jason Nustead(sp?) was in after Metallica. Back then I figured, it's only a $1 so even if I don't like it, it's worth it to find out, and definitely worth it if it is a good disc.
09-16-08, 03:32 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
The album I always bring up in these discussions
Album: 16 and Savaged
Artist: Silverhead
Year: 1973
Label: MCA(vinyl in US) Deep Purple Records(vinyl in UK)Repertoire(CD)
Genre: 1970's hard rock
Singer was actor Michael Des Barres, who replaced Robert Palmer in Power Station. Guitarist was Robbie Blunt who later went on to write and play with Robert Plant.Bassist Nigel Harrison later was in Blondie.
I bought the 8-track because the chick on the cover looked like an old girlfriend is how I discovered it.
Album: 16 and Savaged
Artist: Silverhead
Year: 1973
Label: MCA(vinyl in US) Deep Purple Records(vinyl in UK)Repertoire(CD)
Genre: 1970's hard rock
Singer was actor Michael Des Barres, who replaced Robert Palmer in Power Station. Guitarist was Robbie Blunt who later went on to write and play with Robert Plant.Bassist Nigel Harrison later was in Blondie.
I bought the 8-track because the chick on the cover looked like an old girlfriend is how I discovered it.
11-11-08, 10:24 AM
#6
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Wanted to bump this because I grabbed a few CDs for the car and these two meet the requirement....enjoy
Band or Artist name: Medication
Album Name: Prince Valium
Year released: 2002
Record Label: Locomotive Records
Genre: Nu-metal (I guess, this one is a tough call)
Connections: Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe, Life of Agony), Logan Mader (Machine Head), Kyle Sanders (Blood Simple), Roy Mayorga (Soulfly, Stone Sour, many others)
Key track: Underground
A brief explanation as it why it is obscure: Here was a super group of sorts that came together with a lot of great pieces. At the time, 2002, there was a lot of nu-metal coming out that was watered down and very radio friendly. Medication in a way, plays against that, since there isn't really a radio friendly sound to them. Although one could say "Underground" does that, but the songs intention (Whitfield Crane's dead friend is the subject) really doesn't allow for that. Sadly though, this was a one and done band...and some have found success elsewhere.
Obscurity Factor: 4, Even though some will see this as run of the mill nu-metal type music, most people are unaware of this band. They made this album and an EP and they were done. It is a shame to, because this band was better than most of the "popular" bands at that time.
Overall Score: 8, the comparisons to many other bands is a given, but Whitfield Crane is a superior vocalist that allows this to rise up above the rest.
Band or Artist name: Ghost of the Canal
Album Name: Five Episodes from the Subconscious
Year released: 20002
Record Label: Lakeshore Records
Genre: Jazz
Connections: Most of the members are from the band Candiria
Key track: Richard Dreyfus
A brief explanation as it why it is obscure: To begin, Candiria is probably one of the most original bands in all of metal (Between the Buried and Me are the only band that is in the same atmosphere as Candiria). Anyone who has heard their music can attest to that fact. And one of the styles Candiria was known for was free form jazz. So what happens when the band (minus the vocals) decides to record an album...well you get Ghosts of the Canal. And this comes as an experience more so then a time passer. I recommend listening to this album with headphones on in the dark, it has to be experienced fully to understand the uniqueness and originality.
Obscurity Factor:5, outside of Candiria fans, I don't think there is anyone who really knows about this band
Overall Score:
10, this one blew my mind the first time I heard it and has done so with each listen since.
Band or Artist name: Medication
Album Name: Prince Valium
Year released: 2002
Record Label: Locomotive Records
Genre: Nu-metal (I guess, this one is a tough call)
Connections: Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe, Life of Agony), Logan Mader (Machine Head), Kyle Sanders (Blood Simple), Roy Mayorga (Soulfly, Stone Sour, many others)
Key track: Underground
A brief explanation as it why it is obscure: Here was a super group of sorts that came together with a lot of great pieces. At the time, 2002, there was a lot of nu-metal coming out that was watered down and very radio friendly. Medication in a way, plays against that, since there isn't really a radio friendly sound to them. Although one could say "Underground" does that, but the songs intention (Whitfield Crane's dead friend is the subject) really doesn't allow for that. Sadly though, this was a one and done band...and some have found success elsewhere.
Obscurity Factor: 4, Even though some will see this as run of the mill nu-metal type music, most people are unaware of this band. They made this album and an EP and they were done. It is a shame to, because this band was better than most of the "popular" bands at that time.
Overall Score: 8, the comparisons to many other bands is a given, but Whitfield Crane is a superior vocalist that allows this to rise up above the rest.
Band or Artist name: Ghost of the Canal
Album Name: Five Episodes from the Subconscious
Year released: 20002
Record Label: Lakeshore Records
Genre: Jazz
Connections: Most of the members are from the band Candiria
Key track: Richard Dreyfus
A brief explanation as it why it is obscure: To begin, Candiria is probably one of the most original bands in all of metal (Between the Buried and Me are the only band that is in the same atmosphere as Candiria). Anyone who has heard their music can attest to that fact. And one of the styles Candiria was known for was free form jazz. So what happens when the band (minus the vocals) decides to record an album...well you get Ghosts of the Canal. And this comes as an experience more so then a time passer. I recommend listening to this album with headphones on in the dark, it has to be experienced fully to understand the uniqueness and originality.
Obscurity Factor:5, outside of Candiria fans, I don't think there is anyone who really knows about this band
Overall Score:
10, this one blew my mind the first time I heard it and has done so with each listen since.
11-11-08, 06:49 PM
#7
DVD Talk Godfather
The answer I always give in these threads:
Basehead — Play With Toys
AMG says: "An alternative rap cult favorite, Play with Toys is the mysterious Basehead's shining moment. Originally released by the long-gone Émigré label -- an American 4AD wannabe with a design wing and everything -- the album is Basehead rapper/producer/leader Michael Ivey's snoozy vision of "slacker rap," which is organic, lazy, smart, and head over heels in love with beer for some reason. Hops and barley and their negative effects on the body are the topic of "2000 B.C.," a slow shuffling track with loose guitars, real live drums, and Ivey's echoing mumbles pining the loss of 2000 brain cells. "Ode to My Favorite Beer" opens with the sound of a pop-top, then slides into a strange soundscape that comes very close to the dream pop of A.R. Kane, making another 4AD connection. When Ivey delivers "Clair and Cliff Huxtable never lived around here" on the great "Better Days," he's depressed, not ghetto proud like the hardcore ballers would sound. Filled with these lackadaisical, down-and-out moments, this debut album with a hangover isn't for everyone. It really didn't have much of an influence once alternative rap and indie rap began to flourish, either, but Toys deserves its cult status and sounds like little else in the hip-hop universe."
Bottom Line: Imagine if Skip Spence made a hip-hop record.
(Sorry, I gotta run, I'll fill this in further later).
Basehead — Play With Toys
AMG says: "An alternative rap cult favorite, Play with Toys is the mysterious Basehead's shining moment. Originally released by the long-gone Émigré label -- an American 4AD wannabe with a design wing and everything -- the album is Basehead rapper/producer/leader Michael Ivey's snoozy vision of "slacker rap," which is organic, lazy, smart, and head over heels in love with beer for some reason. Hops and barley and their negative effects on the body are the topic of "2000 B.C.," a slow shuffling track with loose guitars, real live drums, and Ivey's echoing mumbles pining the loss of 2000 brain cells. "Ode to My Favorite Beer" opens with the sound of a pop-top, then slides into a strange soundscape that comes very close to the dream pop of A.R. Kane, making another 4AD connection. When Ivey delivers "Clair and Cliff Huxtable never lived around here" on the great "Better Days," he's depressed, not ghetto proud like the hardcore ballers would sound. Filled with these lackadaisical, down-and-out moments, this debut album with a hangover isn't for everyone. It really didn't have much of an influence once alternative rap and indie rap began to flourish, either, but Toys deserves its cult status and sounds like little else in the hip-hop universe."
Bottom Line: Imagine if Skip Spence made a hip-hop record.
(Sorry, I gotta run, I'll fill this in further later).
11-12-08, 08:15 PM
#8
Artist: Ed Gein's Car
Album: You Light Up My Liver - Live at CBGB!
Year Released: 1986
Label: CBGB/Celluloid
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Connections
Key Track: "Surf Nazis"
Obscurity: Not available at a Best Buy or Walmart...
Obscurity Factor: I would guess 5
Overall Score: 6.5/10
A roommate in college purchased this album from the used CD bin at a campus record shop. Initially I gave him a hard time about this band but over time it grew on me -- probably because it sounded so raw and "live." It's funny how music stays with you, especially in your formative years.
