Suggest one obsure album we all should hear

   Not exactly "obscure" but definitely stand alone. 
   Roxy Music / Roxy Music
   Al Green / The Belle Album
   Chicago / Chicago Transit Authority
   

Great record. FWIW, I was very much around in 1971 and nothing released by Crosby and his various affiliated cohorts was considered obscure...much closer to mainstream.

Thank you @cd318 for your recommendation of Tallulah Gosh. Been listening to them and Heavenly. They were before my time but appreciate you helping me explore them.

Denezy52

Some of my obscure and loved albums; 
Captain Beyond/ Captain Beyond
Guitar Noir/ The Aqua Velvets
Hot Rats / Frank Zappa
Soulive /No place like Soul
Panzerballett/ Stuka
808 State /ex:el

Super Session; Bloomfield, Kopper and Stills 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnIFxKTxP5s&ab_channel=MrRsgibson

Check out Jamestown Revival and album Utah; Duke Ellington The Great Paris Concert;  Frank Zappa The Big Swifts.  So much out there.....this is a fun and informative thread.

these may or may not be obscure to you but....

Mark Hollis (self titled)
Go Betweens - Sixteen Lovers Lane
Paul Kelly - Songs from the South

The last 2 are Australian and I have no idea if they are known elsewhere. I rate PK above Dylan (oooh)

David Lindley - El Rayo X
Elvis Costello - Live at Hollywood High (EP)

A few Artists I rate highly previously mentioned ,but different albums.My fav Dave Edmonds is Tracks on Wax 4.My favourite Kevin Ayers is The Confessions of Dr Dream -Ollie Halsall really howling on this album.Dont believe The All Music critics who may not have listened to it .My fav Jade Warrior is Last Autumns Dream ,a little different to Kite et al .Phil Manzanera’s Diamond Head is my favorite Manzanera album. Micky Jupp’s Juppanese.And my obscure choice would be (maybe not so obscure for antipodean members)Darcy Clay- Jesus I was Evil -he only put out one ep before his untimely death.About Darcy-https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/2018663590/jesus-he-was-exceptional-rememb...

T-Bone Burnett - The Criminal Under My Own Hat.

The Only Ones - Even Serpents Shine.

ps forgot to mention great idea for a post.I dont really mind multiple choices or items that are maybe not that obscure.One mans ceiling is another mans floor.

@bdp24  - I have "The Alpha Band"!

Fun post!!

Cool @reubent. David Mansfield can be seen in the film Heaven’s Gate, playing in the band at the dance in the tent. He looks about 15 years old!

For those who enjoy post-punk, the following albums are from a band called 'The Sound':

Jeopardy

From the Lion's Mouth

Not sure why they didn't achieve greater fame, but the music remains. I discovered them several years ago. Hope you find them enjoyable as I have.

For the Zappa and Beefheart fans, there is an instrumental version of Willie the Pimp from the Hot Rat Sessions (a demo?)  that I really enjoy.

The Persian Santur - Nasser Rastegar Nejad. 

William Topley... prolific during the late 90's and early 2000's and is still at it today. Much of his catalog is available on Tidal and the recording quality for most of his material is quite good. Some samples from different albums:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmeHGVLQpqc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bIgYrQOMNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avl9HsOc4bw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dSZyah83tg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX8ewhLZkqU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojkEGneWhhQ
with the Blessing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z3APxo336o

@Denezy52 I agree with Captain Beyond, although I think Sufficiently Breathless is a superior album, personally. Also:
Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You 
Audience - House On the Hill 
Illusion - Out of the Mist (original members of Renaissance)

Tony C & the Truth, DEMONOPHONIC BLUES
Ron Wood, GIMME SOME NECK

Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters 
Space Rock at its best
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahPDs36n2Mw&list=PLWfGw2maX1M6P7xh930Kp1wpvvTPKD-yf

Bald Bill Hagen and his Trocaderons Play Music to Strip By.I heard this on an Infinity Servo Static One system 50 years ago and was blown away. 

Here's a haunting song from a haunting album. The lyrics are just...lovely and creepy. Great sonics too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwGWRrIlz68
Aqualung (no not that one) 'Strange and Beautiful'

OK, here's a different take on "obscure". Lots of stuff already mentioned are older, forgotten bands/albums, or lesser/not well known bands/artist. My next offering is a newer offering from a well know band from the past. It's obscure only because the band has fallen out of favor (for some unknown reason I cannot understand).

Without further ado........

The Alarm - "Equals"

This 2018 release is not quite the "equal" of some of the early Alarm albums. But heck, not many newer rock records can match vintage The Alarm IMHO. All I can say is that I own 1000+ LPs and this I've played this one as often as any of my others over the last 2 years. Highly recommended for any fans of The Alarm, or anyone else for that matter.

Link to a review that pretty much mirrors my feelings:

https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-alarm-equals-album-review

The Wonderful World of Three Blind Mice JASRCA CD........very rare 

Obscure? Crawler. Behold! No, seriously, listen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxyg2cHQdUw

@millercarbon,

Haven't heard Crawler in at least 20 years....way too long.  I saw them live twice -- in 1977 as the opening act for Robin Trower and in 1978 as the opening act for Kansas.  "Stone Cold Sober" was getting massive airplay on FM stations across the country, and Crawler was on tour for almost a straight year opening for Robin Trower, Cheap Trick, Foreigner, and Kansas.  After the Kansas tour, the keyboardist quit to tour with The Who and the band folded.  

Although I was nothing close to stone, cold, sober both times I saw them, I DO REMEMBER they put on one hell of a live show.  Geoff Whitehorn, their guitarist, had an amazing "Santana-like" playing style.  After Crawler, he played with Paul Rodgers and Bad Company, Roger Waters, and since 1991 he has been the guitarist for Procul Harum.  I always found that ironic, since Robin Trower established himself with Procul Harum, left them to form his own band, and Whitehorn played in a band that opened for the Robin Trower Band and then he joined Procul Harum.

Anyway, thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Vinx - Rooms in my father’s house. .Neo Calypso? Nice transparent recording with a big stage and some nice bass dynamics when called.
https://youtu.be/222kfNI3rlE

Chico Freeman - Tangents (w/Bobby McFerrin). All time great free jazz recording. Turn this song to 90+ dB to see what your system can do!
https://youtu.be/7LWpsfKlAR0

  Zodiac Cosmic Sounds.I bought it in the late 60's loved it.Now I see it's been reissued on vinyl and CD.Electra records.Upgraded to a mint original stereo LP maybe 5-6 years ago as my original worn out loaded with noise.Still captivates me over 50 years later.

@1111art,

Thanks, man.  This has been my favorite post in this Forum since I joined Audiogon.  I've seen some great new music, and hidden gems I found I actually had in my 50+ years vinyl collection.  I'll throw out a couple that I have not seen mentioned. 

"Bedtime Stories", the first solo album by David Baerwald, released in May 1990.  Baerwald was one of the "David's" in the band "David + David", who released the Platinum selling 1986 album, "Boomtown".  "Bedtime Stories" is a romantic album based on tales of suburban ennui and decay, featuring Joni Mitchell on guitar and backup vocals -- an amazing sounding album and incredible songwriting.  In 1992, he co-founded the "Tuesday Music Club", a collection of Los Angeles musicians and songwriters that were the creative force behind Sheryl Crow's debut album, "Tuesday Night Music Club".

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0nm9YD0EsNrj5JwVKHMBqPYljy0oiyW9

Another is the self-titled debut release by "Satellite Paradiso" in May 2016, an all-star project from John Ashton, formerly the lead guitarist of The Psychedelic Furs.  The core band is Ashton, vocalist Fred Schreck (The Ancients, Crush), bassist Robert Burke Warren (The Fleshtones) and drummer Frank Coleman (Jayne County, Bentmen).  Additional musicians includes bassists Sara Lee (Gang of Four, B-52s) and Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz); drummer Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke); guitarist Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys, Rocket From the Tombs); Mercury Rev's Anthony Molina and Jonathan Donahue; Flo & Eddie’s Mark Volman (The Turtles, Frank Zappa, T.Rex); and original Furs members Duncan Kilburn (sax) and Roger Morris (guitar, keys).  Brilliant album.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mobNlHBhgILTWaVoCAwuhsvTLLSjBHVIA

50 years on after the breakup of the Beatles and no one ever seemed to  capture the same magic.

Or maybe they did. 

What about the group that featured Stig O Hara, Dirk McQuickly, Ron Nasty and Barry Wom? 

Collectively known as the Rutles.

With songs penned by Neil Innes their self titled album was recorded in a mere 10 days. Innes was even taken to court some time later over copywright infringements by the owners of the Beatles catalogue. 

It's certainly an album any Beatles fan should be familiar with.

The Rutles - The Rutles (1978)

Of all the songs perhaps I Must Be in Love gets closest to that of the fab four.

https://youtu.be/54KBPA20b9Q

http://www.ozellamusic.com/en/release/rain-sultanov-influence-2/

https://avishaicohen.bandcamp.com/. Dark Nights

Avishai Cohen & Pierre Dunker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUTrB0Wl3b4

If you like country/western.....Jamie Johnson (any)

Bear with me, it’s worth it. This is the coolest ’liner note’ I’ve ever read.Exotica music was a big trend in the 60’s. Les Baxter’s ’Original Quiet Village’ was one such album.
A condensed version of the liner notes:
Three different men are mentioned, a bank manager, an airline pilot, and an actor, all who simply vanished from their respective lives.
The only thing they had in common was the fact that this Les Baxter album was spinning on all of their turntables.
I’m listening to it now, so if I never respond again, you’ll know why.

This link may work if you just click on it. If not, Copy/Paste this link in your browser if you want to read them. I photographed the back of the album. Hope it works. You have to wait a few seconds before it shows up. (don’t do it with the wife around-seems there’s some ’adult’ type ads to entertain you while you wait)...

https://imgbox.com/qVElRHCa

Neil Young  "Mansion on the hill"
It has one of the greatest Neil Young songs of all time;
   "Don't spook the Horse"
You owe it to yourself to hear it.

@unreceivedogma never thought I’d see Fœtus recommended on this forum! Great pick.

Lux Prima - Karen O + Danger Mouse

Likely obscure around here since most people seem to dislike new music. Best album in the last decade. I listened to this one everyday for a month or 2 when it came out in 2019. Today I listened to it with my new fibre streaming. The sonic quality was incredible compared to the previous listens.

Tragically Hip - Fully Completely

Apologies to Canadians but I think the rest of the world still does not know this legendary band.

Robert Walter-There Goes the Neighborhood

An oldie but a goodie...Will Powers...Dancing for Mental Health

Always Heavenly: The Paris Sisters Anthology


Apart from I Love How You Love Me the rest of this very listenable collection was unknown to me.



Here’s a great 2016 write-up courtesy of Kris Needs at Record Collector Magazine.


"Girl group dream-pop has rarely sounded so exquisite as when San Francisco sisters Albeth, Priscilla and Sherrell Paris, who had been performing and recording since childhood, saw their supernatural harmonies hotwired by Phil Spector and sent to new levels of sensual heaven on 1961’s sublime I Love How You Love Me.

As this fabulous collection (unbelievably their first due to the number of labels they recorded for) shows, the sisters recorded many more gems through the 60s – the desolate What Am I To Do epitomising their rare depth and billowing maturity.

From Priscilla’s spectral sigh to the time-stopping starbursts realised with producers Jack Nitzsche and Terry Melcher on outings such as He Knows I Love Him Too Much and their stellar version of Bobby Darin’s Dream Lover, there’s much here to savour."

https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/always-heavenly-paris-sisters-anthology

Former Sex Pistol, Steve Jones, "Mercy" & The Del Fuegos, "Boston, Mass" - boy the late 80s... what fun!