little known musicians we should hear

Good for you Jasman. Yes, "What I deserve" is excellent....I'll pick up her new one when I get to town.

Hank Cramer: You can find him via "Google". I believe his CDs can be ordered from Amazon.com

...David Olney was his favorite songwriter- try any of Olney's albums; the latest, "Omar's Blues", however, isn't his strongest.

Amen to Jade Warrior- the "Elements" retrospective on Island is excellent.

Pearls Before Swine (Tom Rapp)- unsurpassed 60's folkadelia. Rapp put out "Journal of The Plague Year" a coupla years ago, 1st new music in 25 years. Brilliant songwriter.

If talent translated directly into dollars, Graham Parker and John Hiatt would be gazillionaires........buy anything and play it LOUD.

Guy Clark's new release "The Dark" is very, very good.

Subdudes- they may not be together still- great New Orleans gumbo funk.

I wouldn't necessarily classify these all as 'little known', but here's what comes to mind:

1. XTC (Albums Nonesuch, Skylarking, English Settlement, Apple Venus 1 & 2..) These guys put out perenially outstanding music. Boggles the mind how little they're revered. This may seem like sacrilege to some - but I would stack up Mr. Partridge & Mr. Mouldings songwriting catalog(and the intelligence/wit of their lyrics in particular) against the Beatles' any time. Just go listen to songs like "Satellite", "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul", "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead", "Knights In Shining Kharma", "The Man Who Murdered Love".

2. Patrick O'Hearn, Richard Burmer, Steve Roach or Harold Budd - great ambient artists. Some really good stuff if you're into it. MP3.com has some free downloads for those interested in checking it out.

3. David Sylvian - formerly of the group Japan. Hard to classify, but almost any album a 'must listen'

4. Horselips (Album - The Man Who Built America) Obscure Irish band.

5. Have to echo the comment about Peter Gabriel's "Passion" - Haunting sonics.

I'm sure I'll think of more....

Chris

Rammstein.