Most Underrated Bands?

Seeing as my "most overrated bands" thread turned out to be a big hit, I thought I'd turn the concept on its head. What about the most *underrated* bands of all time? The ones that you love, but which only turn up on the back pages of rock history. They might even reach some cult status, but they'll never do the huge "stadium shows" that other bands of equal or lesser talent pull off all the time.

So who's your pick? I think it has to be Jonathan Richman; from his days with the first Modern Lovers to today, JR has created some of the most unique music in the realm of rock. An easy runner-up would be Belle and Sebastian (going with the "bands" part of the thread), sure they've got critics all abuzz but barely scratch the surface of the charts.

I don't know if Belle & Sebastian are underrated. I do like them very much, so do the critics and they have a lot of fans as far as I know.

Maybe some underrated bands/singers are:

Edwyn Collins, Prefab Sprout and The Divine Comedy.

Although they are liked by many people they would still deserve more attention by the public.

Texas Is The Reason were underrated... and so were Sensefield, Get Up Kids, Promise Ring, Bradford, Adorable, New FADs...

Consolidated!? Ha ha I remember one of their old videos actually had the line "It is imperitive that men are more sensitive to women's needs" and I had a song of theirs called 'The Sexual Politics of Meat' "the patriarchal gaze sees not the corpse of flesh but appetizing food" and other p.c.-fascist drivel.

Classic comedy!

Ordinary Boys, British Sea Power, Doves, Futureheads, Interpol. All bands not getting the respect they deserve while shite like the magic numbers, bore patrol and razorshite get rammed down everybodys throats.

Doves are very good but I don't think they are under-rated they always get very good reviews and even Barney likes them.

Maybe Elbow is underrated they are similar to Doves but I like them a bit better.

I don't like the Ordinary Boys, I've seen them live in Sheffield in 2004 and I found them very boring.

The Bolshoi

The best band you never heard of.

Three words: Shake Some Action. 1976, The Flamin' Groovies.

I agree that Adorable are very good.

My first round of votes go to:

Section 25 The Wake (yes, I actually really love them) Chapterhouse (for their first album, anyway) Crispy Ambulance The Durutti Column Minny Pops

Bomfunk MC's pre-2003; Orbital (never got as well known as they should, even though they did get some level of fame...)

MYOB wrote: Bomfunk MC's pre-2003; Orbital (never got as well known as they should, even though they did get some level of fame...)

I agree about Orbital. Great band, even good live.

Church of the KLF wrote:

MYOB wrote: Bomfunk MC's pre-2003; Orbital (never got as well known as they should, even though they did get some level of fame...)

I agree about Orbital. Great band, even good live.

I always thought the live was a bit pre-concocted, but it was still amazing, as was the atmosphere, always.

Agree with them being the Q '50 bands' list; got to see their Oxegen performance last year - last show they'd even play in Ireland, obviously. Amazing performance (NINETY minutes at a festival...), packed tent, right up the front.

asian dub foundation. such a cool sound; they're one band who deserve to make it big.

the smiths

I've heard of The Bolshoi, can't remember what any of their tunes sounded like though, that was back in the 80s.

Always thought that Voice Of The Beehive, Aztec Camera, The Walkabouts, Hunters And Collectors, and Jeremy Enigk's solo album, should've been better received than they were.

Besides Asian Dub Foundation, whatever happened to The Avalanches?

Saint Etienne - I'm always embarrassed to admit I like them, but I like them a lot. Their first 2 albums are really good. They have a dedicated following in north america but it seems the uk doesn't rate them at all.

Modest Mouse - same with modest mouse. Big in north america but I dont think ive ever seen any mention of them in the uk press. Great songwriters

the jesus & mary chain, mighty lemon drops, & james.

Landon Bradley wrote: Saint Etienne - I'm always embarrassed to admit I like them, but I like them a lot. Their first 2 albums are really good. They have a dedicated following in north america but it seems the uk doesn't rate them at all.

Modest Mouse - same with modest mouse. Big in north america but I dont think ive ever seen any mention of them in the uk press. Great songwriters

I always thought they had a bit of a following. I know they've just released a new album, just from word of mouth. I Haven't bothered with them myself for ages and haven't heard any recent stuff but their first few albums were fairly big sellers over here.

I'd nominate One Dove. They only released one album (Morning Dove White) and it was generally perveived as disappointing. Produced by Andrew Weatherall and Steven Hague, I can only put the criticism it received down to timing. The mainstream music press wanted to move away from club music at the time (1993). If it had been released 6 months earlier they'd have probably loved it. If it was released today you probably wouldn't even think of it as a club album and it would still sound fresher than 95% of what has been released.

Combines the laid-back grooves Weathrall was king of at the time and the melodic sensibilties you'll already know Hague for, without losing any sense that it's a One Dove album album. A veritable, bona fide lost classic.

disco inferno. not the song of course, but the early-mid 90's band. from england somewhere. their recording technique was similar to my bloody valentine, but, at least in their mid-period, you never really hear guitars. more like airplanes going overhead, water, cameras going off, etc. very abstract at times, but great pop songwriters too.

i dont think ive ever met anyone in america who has even heard of these guys. maybe they were bigger in england... i dont know. anyone even heard of them?

Landon Bradley wrote: Saint Etienne - I'm always embarrassed to admit I like them, but I like them a lot. Their first 2 albums are really good. They have a dedicated following in north america but it seems the uk doesn't rate them at all.

they're a lot bigger in the UK than they are over here!

excellent band, by the way. you'll find quite a few st. etienne fans on this site.

as for james (kamar's mention)--you couldn't get away from them for a long time in the UK. especially 'sit down.' for years after that song came out, in university pubs across the country drunk students were 'sitting down' on a regular basis.

kamar wrote: the jesus & mary chain, mighty lemon drops, & james.

James are not a known band in Sweden. But I know about them, and have almost all their stuff.

I really love some of their work, but far from all. But as they are not rated in Sweden, I can't say they are overrated.

Same goes for Comsat Angels.

IMO (based on swedish knowledge of bands)

can- maybe their not underated, but i have yet to hear them mention on this site. i think they were an influence on new order. Oh yeah, i just remember they were on the BEMUSIC comp.

American Music Club - ACE

The Byrds...especially the post-"Mr. Tambourine Man" editions (though I basing that solely on the Gram Parsons version). I just picked up "Sweetheart of The Rodeo" and it's fantastic

[darkgreen]Green[/darkgreen] wrote: I've heard of The Bolshoi, can't remember what any of their tunes sounded like though, that was back in the 80s.

Always thought that Voice Of The Beehive, Aztec Camera, The Walkabouts, Hunters And Collectors, and Jeremy Enigk's solo album, should've been better received than they were.

Besides Asian Dub Foundation, whatever happened to The Avalanches?

Well I've even never heard of them :( I've always appreciated your wide music knowledge and love. I won't even try to imagine a band that is underrated, coz obviously if I know it, it has got some respect and popularity.

Besides there are a lot of great albums by interesting artists but as a whole their profile is not convincing musically, I guess that's what make an artist genius - he is a perfect master of measure. :)

So who is underrated... I would say Arabesque.. nah that's crap. Dreadzone? Oh yeah - Monaco! :D

Electronic is kind of underrated.

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[darkgreen]Green[/darkgreen] wrote: I've heard of The Bolshoi, can't remember what any of their tunes sounded like though, that was back in the 80s.

Always thought that Voice Of The Beehive, Aztec Camera, The Walkabouts, Hunters And Collectors, and Jeremy Enigk's solo album, should've been better received than they were.

Besides Asian Dub Foundation, whatever happened to The Avalanches?

Well I've even never heard of them :( I've always appreciated your wide music knowledge and love. I won't even try to imagine a band that is underrated, coz obviously if I know it, it has got some respect and popularity.

Thanks a bunch Ian, it was easy for me back in the day, it was either the "new" stuff, or joining the ill-informed with their Kansas and Foreigners.

Stone Roses,Big audio dynamite,James,Charlatans,Durutti Column,Northside,Happy Mondays,Alan Parson's Project,The Jam,Madness,Lightning Seeds,and except for on NOOL New Order...Some of these bands have a degree of recognition, but I feel they are underrated all the same

Hank Wiseass© wrote:

Landon Bradley wrote: Saint Etienne - I'm always embarrassed to admit I like them, but I like them a lot. Their first 2 albums are really good. They have a dedicated following in north america but it seems the uk doesn't rate them at all.

Modest Mouse - same with modest mouse. Big in north america but I dont think ive ever seen any mention of them in the uk press. Great songwriters

I always thought they had a bit of a following. I know they've just released a new album, just from word of mouth. I Haven't bothered with them myself for ages and haven't heard any recent stuff but their first few albums were fairly big sellers over here.

I'd nominate One Dove. They only released one album (Morning Dove White) and it was generally perveived as disappointing. Produced by Andrew Weatherall and Steven Hague, I can only put the criticism it received down to timing. The mainstream music press wanted to move away from club music at the time (1993). If it had been released 6 months earlier they'd have probably loved it. If it was released today you probably wouldn't even think of it as a club album and it would still sound fresher than 95% of what has been released.

Combines the laid-back grooves Weathrall was king of at the time and the melodic sensibilties you'll already know Hague for, without losing any sense that it's a One Dove album album. A veritable, bona fide lost classic.

Agreed! I should have thought of One Dove. I think White Love is a classic. Great pick.

1. Blancmange

2. Heaven 17

LE Roberts wrote:

1. Blancmange

Blancmange, kinda forgot about them. I think that was the band whose album so depressed Julian Cope that he cooked it a bit on his stove top, and then skated round the floor on it.