Any suggestions for good obscure music?

Greg Brown is a current favorite of mine as well. What a great voice.

Hmmm, obscure...guess I'd have to know your tastes to know which direction to go other than recommending others who might sound like Greg Brown. In that vein try Jeffrey Focault (I'd recommend his first album, Miles from the Lightening). Also, try his group effort with fellow musicians Kris Delmhorst and Peter Mulvey, Redbird which begins with Greg Brown cover (Ships) and is a great collection of tunes. In a darker, more cynical take on that same alt-country direction with some compelling male vocals try Richard Buckner. I like his early albums, "Devotion & Doubt", and "Bloomed". You also may enjoy Ray La Montagne, though I wouldn't necessarily catogorize him among the obscure. Both his albums are great.

Taking off from that to female vocals, try the Canadian group, [url=http://www.begoodtanyas.com/]The Be Good Tanyas[url]. Just saw them live and they are definitely worth catching if they come near you on their current tour. I love their album, "Blue Horse". Another really unique favorite on the female vocals is the harpist, Joanna Newsome. Her only album is "The Milk-Eyed Mender", but she has a new one coming out soon. That one's an acquired taste and may take a few listens to warm up to her.

I'll stop there and let someone else pick up...

Marco

Timrhu - Along with the interesting input you're getting here, you may also want to check out Pandora, which not only will suggest songs based upon your input, but will play them in their entirety. You'll get some good input there too. Also, I based on your mention of John Prine's storytelling, I'll strongly reiterate the recommendation for Jeffrey Focault. You will not be disappointed - I'd bank on it!

Slaw3 - I have, and enjoy, 3/5 of your suggestions so I'll definitely check out the others. Good suggestions!

Soniqmike - I've heard a few cuts from William Shatner's CD , and they were all humorous or satirical. Not bad at all, but these cuts don't sound like what you are describing. Maybe he has more than one CD out(?).

Steuspeed - Thanks for the book suggestion...I didn't even know she was an author as well. I do have her solo CD and enjoy it as well - If you have not heard "Redbird" definitely check that one out too.

Good thread! Thanks Timrhu.

Marco

Hey Groovey = You hit on two of my all time favorites: Sharkey's Day - If you haven't yet, check out Laurie's collection titled, "You're the Guy I Want to Share my Money With", including a couple by Buroughs. Hard to find, and more spoken pieces than musical, but if you like Buroughs his contributions are amusing here as well. For more conventionally accessible Anderson tunes I'd recommend "Bright Red" - her stuff is great!

I'm also a big Tom Waits fan and Rain Dogs along with Swordfishtrombone are right at the top of my list.

I've got one for you given you're tastes here...this may be pushing it a bit as it's dark material, but have you heard Woven Hand? I've recently been listening to their CD "Blush Music"....they take the Bill Withers tune, "Ain't no Sunshine when She's Gone", and turn it into an apocolyptic dirge with sound loops that'll make you want to string up a noose. Not for everyone...not for many...but I am strangely drawn to it.

You know, I can see two tiny pictures of myself And there's one in each of you eyes. And they're doin' everything I do. Every time I light a cigarette, they light up theirs. I take a drink and I look in and they're drinkin' too. It's drivin' me crazy. It's drivin' me nuts.

-Anderson/Buroughs

Marco

Grant - I do like the Kronos Quartet colaborations with Glass like the soundtrack to Dracula.

Getting more adventurous, how about Rachel's - ever metamorphosing in their performances, they are also probably closest to the kind of Avante-garde Classical that Kronos is most known for. I like their CD's Selenography and Systems/Layers.

Timrhu - Another obvious jump from Greg Brown and John Prine would be Richard Thompson. There's a good collection called, "Action Packed". His wife, Linda Thompson is also wonderful and their collaborations are great as well - oh yeah, son, Teddy Thompson is damn good too...so just a few more. All in the family!

i've also been listening to the epynonymous cd of a guy named john davis, who's the majordomo of the successful power poppers, superdrag. apparently, he was driving drunk one night when he found god and decided to make a "christian" record. now, no disrespect intended, but normally i'd rather swap spit with satan than listen to this genre, but the damn thing is beautiful--sorta like a lost brain wilson masterpiece--really really tuneful stuff. and obscure.

LMAO...I will definitely check this one out as I actually can name quite a few Christian artists at the top of my list of favorites (16 Horsepower, Over the Rhine, The Innocence Mission, to name a few). I otherwise completely get where you are coming from with the sentiment - but could say that about any number of secular artists too.

Also, love Kozolek's stuff, especially sun kil moon. Another favorite of mine that your reference brings to mind is Alexi Murdoch, who, though sounds as if he's channeling Nick Drake at times, but will not bring on the overwhelming desire to slit your wrists. Beautiful songs and great songwriting and guitar playing - I wish he'd put out more work...I think he is his own label and is a perfectionist about what he does put out. No doubt it will be worth the wait. For now, the available CD is "Time Without Consequence"- Highly recommended! Pending the loomis seal of approval.

Dude, LOVE Richard Buckner - though last time I saw him live he was in a particularly dark state of mind...yeah, a bad day. The earlier albums are better...last one was getting into the Nick Cave meets Damien Jurado territory.

I've never heard of Kilgour. Thanks for spending my money!

One back at you, and for anyone into the alt-folk genre, for lack of a better title: Jeffrey Foucault...I've liked everything he's put out, but "Miles from the Lightening" is a good place to start. Great voice, great lyrics, great guitar playing. His wife, Kris Delhorst is very good too, as is their joint venture, Redbird,but his solo stuff is really great, and he's great to see live if you ever get the chance. Buckner is truly a dark horse.

I sifted out a couple of vids that actually have OK sound to get some idea of these two recommendatons:

Alexi Murdoch, "All my Days"

Alexi Murdoch, "Orange Sky"

Jeffrey Foucault, "Northbound 35" Sings with his wife Kris Delmhorst in this vid. Wonderful lyrics!

Oh..and one more that comes to mind...Sufjan's hauntingly beautiful and simultaneously chilling song, John Wayne Gacy Jr.. It comes to mind as one of my favorite Jurado songs is equally as creepy...a spoken piece titled, "Amateur Night."

for some reason, sufjan stevens reminds me of yanni.

He runs hot and cold for me, but I do like that particular song. Now that you've gone and polluted my mind with that thought, I'll never listen to him quite the same! :-I

I'll second a vote for Buckner's early work, especially Bloomed. Sorry you didn't click with Focault...for me I prefer his stuff over Buckner's, especially from a songwriting standpoint. Buckner's definitively darker overall. I'll check out archive and the further recommendations, Loomis...thanks!