Underrated Bands and Singers.

[RedmanWasHere]

Inspired by the thread "Bands and performers who are really popular, but you just don't get it, I thought, let's go the other way and name bands or singers who don't quite get the same recognition of say a Bon Jovi, INXS, Rolling Stones or an Aerosmith.

I'll start off by nominating Ace of Base.

I grew up listening to them in the 90's and when I'm watching music related shows, this Swedish group barely get a mention.

 

[Cruyff14]

Death Cab For Cutie.

 

[omit]

Slint
Boris
Mogwai
Neutral Milk Hotel
Portishead
Tom waits

 

[sherb]

Fountains of Wayne

 

[Cthublhu]

Uriah Heep - they were huge in the 70s, sold millions of albums. Then, nothing. I don't think I've *ever* heard one of their songs on the radio.

 

[FlyingBurittoBro]

Slint
Boris
Mogwai
Neutral Milk Hotel
Portishead
Tom waits

derp. how is tom waits underated?

 

[DEVO]

Curve - Toni Halliday was the coolest chick of the 90's.
The Clouds
The Falling Joys

 

[Cursed Cat]

derp. how is tom waits underated?

agree - or Portishead for that matter.

I always thought that UK band Gomez where pretty underrated, very consistently good band, excellent live, three great singer-songwriters ..

 

[Zeke]

I always thought that UK band Gomez where pretty underrated, very consistently good band, excellent live, three great singer-songwriters ..

I was a massive Gomez fan until I saw them live. Spent the wholes set complaining about how cold it was and acting like they generally couldn't give a ****.

Not so much a fan after that.

 

[simba_]

derp. how is tom waits underated?

there is always a lot of these in these kinda threads.. he probably means under appreciated, as in, why is the industry so ****ed up that we have taylor swift shoved in our faces but guys like tom waits are, again under appreciated.

similar with death cab.. they aren't exactly small, they broke through the mainstream, but they'll probably always be under rated, probably because they blew up in the public eye after their best albums.

i don't know who to nominate, so i'll just say redman, as he's legitimately an awesome rapper but people (particularly here who might not listen to much hip hop) may just assume he's the lesser half to method man... so not true. his debut album is funky.

and maybe i'll throw in the vines because they've always been a favorite of mine but i feel they are very under appreciated. the first two albums have some incredible songwriting on them. i believe nicholls is one of those mad geniuses. you can just hear it in the melodies and the solos. even vision valley (album three) has good song writing, it's just the soul that starts to get sapped at that point..

 

[JP Sauce]

I was a massive Gomez fan until I saw them live. Spent the wholes set complaining about how cold it was and acting like they generally couldn't give a ****.

Not so much a fan after that.

That's surprising. I've seen them twice before and both times they were really upbeat and into it.

 

[Cursed Cat]

I was a massive Gomez fan until I saw them live. Spent the wholes set complaining about how cold it was and acting like they generally couldn't give a ****.

Not so much a fan after that.

really ?
where and when did you see them out of interest ?

I think I saw them the first time they came to Australia, and also when they came out to support 'In our Gun' - both gigs were great, the 2nd one was amazing (imo)

 

[Cursed Cat]

there is always a lot of these in these kinda threads.. he probably means under appreciated, as in, why is the industry so ****ed up that we have taylor swift shoved in our faces but guys like tom waits are, again under appreciated.
similar with death cab.. they aren't exactly small, they broke through the mainstream, but they'll probably always be under rated, probably because they blew up in the public eye after their best albums.

i don't know who to nominate, so i'll just say redman, as he's legitimately an awesome rapper but people (particularly here who might not listen to much hip hop) may just assume he's the lesser half to method man... so not true. his debut album is funky.

and maybe i'll throw in the vines because they've always been a favorite of mine but i feel they are very under appreciated. the first two albums have some incredible songwriting on them. i believe nicholls is one of those mad geniuses. you can just hear it in the melodies and the solos. even vision valley (album three) has good song writing, it's just the soul that starts to get sapped at that point..

can definitely sympathise with that point of view ...

in a similar vein, Supergrass were a group who were remarkably consistent throughout their 6-album career (I'll certainly concede their final effort was a notch below the previous albums though) - they had a following and most people would have some awareness of at least one or two of their songs, but I rate them as a truly great British band and reckon they should have been huge.
Another band who always delivered when I saw them live, too ..

 

[Zeke]

really ?
where and when did you see them out of interest ?

I think I saw them the first time they came to Australia, and also when they came out to support 'In our Gun' - both gigs were great, the 2nd one was amazing (imo)

They headlined a Southern Roots style festival down here 5 or so years ago.

Just really underwhelming. It was cold.

 

[Aldo]

I think Travis is a pretty underrated band, and it's lead singer Fran Healy isn't recognised enough for his singing ability. Everyone who has heard them knows he is an amazing singer, but not enough people have heard them. Whilst Travis themselves are not groundbreaking musically, they do have some great melodies and have been pretty influential. Chris Martin has said that Coldplay is pretty much just his attempt to copy Travis, but only ending up being a poor man's version of Travis.

 

[bungalow_bill]

I agree with Travis they're a brilliant band and I prefer them to Coldplay. They were big circa 2000 with 'why does it always rain on me' then gradually faded while continuing to make great albums.

Also Suede - didn't get the acclaim or record sales of fellow brit poppers Blur/Oasis

 

[raskolnikov]

*Waits for BB to post on this thread, saying how "ghey" Ace of Base are.


Anyway, as for underrated bands, Manic Street Preachers own this thread.

 

[hawk for 37]

The Fixx. Very under rated band from the 80's.
1st album (Shuttered Room) and 2nd (Reach the Beach) were both great albums.

The Sweet. Reputation was bogged down by their pop days, they produced some awesome heavy rock tracks. Listen to Sweet FA, Windy City and the 'Give us a Wink' album. Great musos and Brian Connolly was a fine singer before the grog got to him.

Locally, Shihad are criminally under rated. Couple of albums are a bit patchy but live, there aren't many better.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Dave Matthews Band - underrated outside of the US

 

[thurmanmunson]

Chocolate Starfish
The Poor
Mark Williams (Show No Mercy)
Scatterbrain
D*A*D

 

[Plugger35]

The Church - probably underrated more in Australia than overseas where they are highly regarded and have a big following in both Europe and the States. Most people only know them for their big hits in the 80s and early 90s like Unguarded Moment, Under the Milky Way and Metropolis and ignore all the great music they've produced in the last 20 years because they don't get much radio airplay here anymore.

The Panics - much like The Church they are more an albums band rather than a catchy singles band so don't get the attention or credit they deserve. All their albums are superb and I'd rate them as one of the best Australian bands of the last ten years, if not the best.

 

[Roddy]

In this country: Rush.

44 years together, 20 incredible albums, check out their list of accomplishments as a band:

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

And yet, very few are familiar with them in Australia. They've never been here, never will come here. I've had to go to North America 3 times just to see them.

 

[Hue_Jars]

I reckon Ash Grunwald is massively under rated. Hes probably my favourite artist. Freaking awesome songs and voice. Bluesy/rock/beats. Cant beat it.

Amazing live show too. One man band thing going on.

Gotta check him out.

 

[amj11]

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Should be much bigger than they are. Have put out some of the best rock songs (Berlin, spread your love etc) in the past 5-8 years but have never really got much attention. Absolutely amazing live as well!

 

[bunsen burner]

The Sweet. Reputation was bogged down by their pop days, they produced some awesome heavy rock tracks.

Can you youtube some of them?