I have a fairly wide range of musical tastes. I thought it may be fun for people to share some hidden gems. I’ll start
Johnny Clegg & Savuka - South African mixed race group that was active during apartheid. Mixture of English and Zulu lyrics with lots of unique African sounds.
My favorite kind of topic!
I am currently over the moon about Waxahatchee and Allison Crutchfield, two separate acts who sound a lot alike, in large part because they are identical twins and back each other up. Lo-fi indie power pop about being twenty-something. A little mopey, but mostly joyful. Wonderful summer music.
I don’t know if Spoon counts as a hidden gem; it’s a perpetual critical darling that has been active for 20+ years. (Although nowhere near as long as Johnny Clegg – he must be at or near retirement age!) Sharp, well-constructed songs that are rarely about anything comprehensible but somehow sound perfect. Liking Spoon is probably an index of musical hipsterdom, but that’s not a reason to avoid them.
A band that has given me a lot of pleasure over the past decade is Okkervil River. Literate, sometimes ironic singer-songwriter rock. The most recent album, Gone, is uncharacteristically slow and orchestral, but very beautiful. My favorite albums are The Stage Names and The Silver Gymnasium.
Another artist who after 25 years seems permanently stuck between universally acknowledged genius and obscure cult figure is Raphael Saadiq. He has played in Prince’s band, fronted Tony Toni Tone and Lucy Pearl, and produced D’Angelo and Solange, among many others. He was featured in Luke Cage. His 2008 album The Way I See It is almost perfect, 60s soul music updated with utmost cool. He’s wonderful live, and one of the few artists who really, truly attracts an audience that’s diverse in terms of age and race. He supposedly has a new album coming early this summer.
If you like “old school” funk/soul with a modern twist, try Saint Paul and the Broken Bones. Also give Vintage Trouble a whirl. While neither is particularly ‘new’ they’re incredibly impressive and worth seeking out. Both of these bands seen live will leave you excited and ready for more.
LOL, these guys?
https://youtu.be/9WylXCbJ1Fw?t=40s
Not going to lie, I kinda like it! B-)
I get a lot of my new music from XM radio and DI.fm. They’re pretty good about rotating their selection regularly. Some of the better songs I’ve heard recently (assuming you like house/chill):
Mako - Run for your life (Attom Chill Remix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsoGc3ds_bE
Me without you - Le Youth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A-LpO3jo9Y
The Hip Abduction: https://thehipabduction.com/album/the-hip-abduction/
Satin Jacket - Olivia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgQ4Q9K1Afw
Disclosure - Boiling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV85g8ocTIg
I have tickets to see Paul McCartney this summer. From what I understand, he got his start in a British quartet named “The Beatles”. They were very popular in Hamburg, Germany in the early 1960s: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4JhKYwHyoYU
The Suburbs - a Minneapolis-based band from the 80s. They had a few semi-hit songs, but mostly were just a regional band. A bit of guilty pleasure. Nothing deep or interesting about them. Probably influenced by the fact I saw them live in a small club. (I have only seen 15-20 live bands in my many years)
I’ve been listening to Disclosure since they first came out. Also love the music of Bonobo.
If you like bluegrass/folk this young band is great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEhp-A_PUaE
Pretty good garage rock band: https://elsilvercabs.bandcamp.com/