If I go back to the 70’s, an obscure LP that is great “ease into the day” music (or possibly hookah bar happy hour) is Sopwith Camel; The Miraculous Hump Returns from the Moon. Hard to describe but enjoyably cool at first listen and repeatedly so.
Captain Beefheart; Clear Spot.
Shawn Phillips; Second Contribution
Bobby Blue Bland; Dreamer
not obscure but possibly under appreciated Van Morrison; His Band and the Street Choir. |
Bruce Cockburn-"Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, Singles 1979-2002"
This album contains "Wondering Where the Lions Are", "Lovers In a Dangerous Time", "If I Had a Rocket Launcher", and "A Dream Like Mine" all on the same album, plus 12 others. The CD that I have includes a bonus CD of Live material. Great intro to Bruce Cockburn, if you’re not already a fam.
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Babe Ruth...First Base
Iron Butterfly...Metamorphosis
Chick Corea and Return to Forever...Musicmagic
Fools Gold...Mr. Lucky |
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Gene Clark/ white light
gary Wright/ shaved beaver oh I meant dream weaver |
"Live at the Bill Graham's Fillmore West" featuring Mike Bloomfield, Taj Mahal, Nick Gravenites etc. (One of my all time favorites except skip the song "Oh Mama" because Bloomfield's singing is as bad as his guitar playing was great)
Magazine's "Play" album
"June 1, 1974 Kevin Ayers- John Cale-Brian Eno-Nico" |
Al DiMeola - Land of the Midnight Sun (1976)
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Check out the first song on the only album Solid Oak by Top Drawer. Wicked good! Rest of the album is so so.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HB4ensVdcFQ |
As requested by the OP, I will only list one even so I have at least a good dozen that would beat the pants off the likes of Fleetwood Mac Rumors and Steely Dan Aja as far as audiophile quality goes.
Kevin Ayers- Diamond jack and the queen of pain.
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Willy Porter.....Dog eared dream. Just great stuff! |
Here’s something I’ve been listening to lately. Not an album per se but the band..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N5s9tfUkoAPatience is duly rewarded! Oh and +1 to those who mentioned Angel. I think I wore out their debut album on my turntable back then. Thanks for all the great suggestions! |
Dawg and 'T' - Live at Acoustic Stage
Some really on-fire pickin'! RIP Tony Rice |
Mark Knopfler-Privateering |
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Is her style part Janis and part Eva Cassidy? Joanne Vent - Stormy MondayAs best as I can tell recording is from 1999 and it was the only one she made. I've ordered a Korean re-issue via ebay. I have to admit that my enjoyment listening to this is in how it reminds me of Eva's rendition. Vent was a backup singer (Jerry Jeff Walker etc). Anyone have any other thoughts on this gal? |
PORANGUI - AYAHUASCA REMIXED
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Any quality album on command records you do not hear about them but they sound absolutely awesome try a tony mottola album or one of their percussion albums first to see if you like them but you will love the sound almost nothing ever recorded like it.
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Anything by “Treat Her Right”, Mark Sandman’s precursor to Morphine, “Tied To the Tracks” is fantastic storytelling and Sandman’s voice is unmistakenly cool |
Mount Fuji DoomJazz Corporation Succubus
(not my favorite, I was following the unspoken but coming to be expected ’obscurity’ instructions) aka, Mark Isham does DMT, shrooms, and acid .... while composing a leather and whips horror soundtrack. Very much worth a listen, IMO. Speaking of Isham, the soundtrack for Romeo Is Bleeding. uncommonly good. |
David Foreman on Arista 1976. Some may remember the only single, "Smokey China Tea". Just played after recovering stored albums. Still great. |
Rather than an album I’ll suggest a group. Cue up anything by Infected Mushroom. |
I will suggest two:
VHS or Beta - "Bring on the Comets" A pop masterpiece.
The Essence - "Nothing Lasts Forever" An incredible moody album with great hooks. The DJ who exposed me to it labeled it as the best breakup album ever. |
Elend - The Umbersun
Al di Meola - Cielo e Terra |
Everyone should experience CRACK THE SKY unfortunately because of their label, it nearly impossible to get their early stuff. If you come Across the first Three albums, "Animal Notes" "Safety in Numbers" and the "Live" album you will be forever changed. |
@knighttodd - I saw Angel, in support of their new album (at that time) "White Hot". Opening act was Godz and the headliner was Blue Oyster Cult. Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY, April 2, 1978. Still have the ticket stub :~) and a distinct memory of seeing the lead singer - Punky Meadows for the first time. Talking about Glam Bands. Wow! Made a statement...... |
@knighttodd.
Angel!
great band! |
Azam Ali - From Night to the Edge of Day
Dodie - Intertwined (may not count as obscure any more)
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Grand Opening and Closing
Kepler Quartet - Ben Johnston String Quartets Nos 6, 7 & 8 (100% intonal notation, may melt your brain) |
Socrates García Latín Jazz Orchestra, Back Home. Pure sonic bliss! |
I'm going to suggest two if you don't mind. Both from the early '90s and both local Cincinnati Bands that I saw many times back in the day.
Psychodots - "Psychodots"
Ass Ponys - "Electric Rock Music" |
Angel/ White hot. Best song under Suspicion. |
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Van Dyck Parks -- Song Cycle
Pere Ubu -- The Modern Dance |
Evan Christopher — Clarinet Road, Vol. 1: The Road to New Orleans
(I’ll adhere to the “only one” constraint, but let me know if you want more. 😊) |
I personally wouldn't call Pink Martini obscure but there you are. I'm not even so sure about Genevieve Waite or the Incredible String Band being obscure either. I'd hope not. So my nomination would be Talulah Gosh, purveyors of 1980s pretty pop, which some might call twee, and with an image that might not be to everyone's taste. Great music though. Here's one track off their album Rock Heroes vol 69 (or the more complete and readily available compilation Backwash). Talulah Gosh https://youtu.be/ZxY4Q2TmQAw |
Felix Laband- Dark days exit (2005)Gabor Szabo- Dreams (1968)
United Future Organization - V (2002)
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CAN - Tago Mago
Ursa Major - S/T (‘72)
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Also “One Two Punch” by Liquid Soul on Telarc Label. |
tpreaves:
Love me some EQT! |
“Yellowstone: The Music of Nature” by Mannheim Steamroller. |
God, I'm having fun listening to (and buying some of) these suggestions! Thanks guys. Here's a group/album that is my favorite (makes you feel good-like the person you know you could be) album. Midlake The Trials of Van Occupanther https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_2tlr_UFY |
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Pink Martini - Splendor in the Grass"
My nephew is the tour manager of Pink Martini, Thomas & the crew. |
Dr John - Gris Gris, 1968.
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Eric Quincey Tate Group.......Drinking Man's Friend |
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom
Anna Von Hausswolff - Ceremony
Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum
Captain Beefheart - Doc At The Radar Station
Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician
Screaming Trees - Uncle Anesthesia
Henry Cow - In Praise Of Learning
Hawkwind - Warrior On The Edge Of Time
Gentle Giant - Octopus
Wire -154
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