Got a favorite new artist no one's ever heard of? Share here.

Don't worry, we won't tell.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

Answers

I'll start. A friend just burned me Neko Case's "Furnace Room Lullaby." Why had I never heard, or ever heard of, her before?

I must find out more. You should too.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

Oh, God, Hannah, Neko Case gives me the chills. She is so amazing. The final track on that album (which I'm pretty sure is the title track) is so haunting. I'd give my eye teeth to sing like Miss Case. Her album The Virginian is also quite good. And here's Neko's Ladies. If you like her, you might also like Kelly Hogan & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts. Kelly sings backup on a bunch of the songs on Furnace Room Lullaby.

As WriterGirl knows, I'm hopelessly devoted to The Magnetic Fields and Saint Etienne, but they're not really unknowns at this point. I guess my big favourite obscure acts are the Tindersticks (very moody, orchestral dark-tinged Britpop) and Mick Harvey, who's mainly known for being in Nick Cave's band the Bad Seeds. He put out two albums of Serge Gainsbourg songs translated into English, and they are so swoonariffic it isn't even funny. I think I might have to listen to that right now, actually.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

I'm so very unhip so there aren't too many unknowns I know of. There is a local guy, Anton Barbeau, who I think is spiffy. He's a little weird sometimes but I like him all the same.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

I love Jennifer Nettles. Live she is amazing.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

Jen Nettles lived next to me in college!

Um.

Hannah, if you like Neko Case (and her Boyfriends), you'll LOVE Kelly Hogan. She's an Atlantan, and once upon a time, she was with a band called the Jody Grind. Tragically, many of the band members were killed in a car accident on North Avenue in 1992, I think (right after I fell in love with Kelly's voice - thank you, KTRU).

She then put two solo albums out (in addition to the two Jody Grind albums, and in a sentimental nod, "Lefty's Deceiver" features photos of their shows at the Clermont Lounge) - they're fabulous. She moved to Chicago a few years ago and I bet you could find a show in your area - she and Neko Case usually play together (I saw Neko open for her in a show at the Star Bar about two years ago, i.e.) I prefer her first solo album, but you must at least listen to "Papa Was A Rodeo" on the second album. I'd get you the names, but they're downstairs.

But yeah. Kelly Hogan. Love her.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

In a funny coincidence, T, "Papa Was A Rodeo" is one of the best songs on the Magnetic Fields amazing, 3-disc opus 69 Love Songs. The world of small-time rockstars is truly a tiny one.

Also, in case nobody got back to you about Maria McKee's band from back in the day, they were Lone Justice, and they surely did kick some alt-country ass.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

The thing I loved about Neko Case is that her band is called "Neko Case and Her Boyfriends."

She is amazing. Might I also suggest Laura Nyro? You would like her.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

Oh, Laura Nyro is my heroine. Well, one of 'em anyway. In fact, I wrote a thing on her for my soon-to-be-erased-by-Homestead old website. Here it is... http://www.homestead.com/vacuous/laura.html

I also really like Mick Harvey's Serge covers (I'm a big Serge Gainsbourg fan too, but I can't speak French, so it's cool to know exactly what perviness he's singing about). I like Tindersticks too (and my band are actually playing at the same music festival as them this Sunday, which is making my Tindersticks-worshipping bandmates almost cry whenever they think about it, which is all the time).

As for other obscure favourites..well, I really like the last Jim White album, 'No Such Place', which is sort of alt-country, produced by one of Morcheeba. Could be awful, but it's actually pretty great. And I love the Make Up, but I don't know whether they count as obscurities.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Oh, why do I always forget this? Immediately, you must get Patti Griffin. Her album "Living With Ghosts" is so good.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

It's so good I just had to get up and put it in the cd player. Yeah, yeah. It's 7:35 in the morning. It's the ultimate break-up album. Makes me glad I'm now on the other side of the last year.

Diamonds, roses... I need Moses to cross this sea of lonliness.

She's toured with some big people. She was just here with Emmylou. Of course, I missed it.

(Also, the songs are very easy if you wanted to, say... learn them all on guitar to play for your friend Al when she comes to visit you.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Which can be easily accomplished by going here: http:// members.tripod.com/~Lifey/patty.html and clicking on "Living With Ghosts. AB Chao. What?)

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Oh, a topic I can sink my teeth into!

First, if you haven't bought Slobberbone yet, go out now and do it. The best Denton, Texas has to offer.

Also, Slaid Cleaves new album kicks butt. He is just an incredible singer/songwriter.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Yes, well, the Slobberbone goes without saying. I mean, y'all, they have a song called Josephine that is so amazingly good... that whole album is good, start to finish, I have to say.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

They aren't really new (and I'm not even sure they're still together), but Brownie Mary was so good live that I had fun even though my car was being broken into as they were playing.

That Dog's "Never Say Never" goes on every mix tape I make for other people. Also going on my mixes are songs by Love Riot, but their singer just had a baby so they're on hiatus, last I heard.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

So many new CDs to buy. Will never have money.

Another great break-up album is "The Place You Have Come To Fear the Most" by Dashboard Confessional.

And I'm throwing away the letters that I am writing you 'cause they would never do, I would never do.

Good little Florida boys.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Oh, I looooooove Patty Griffin. Glad somebody gave her props. The only stuff I listen to that nobody's heard of, I already pimp ad nauseam on my site, so I won't jump in with anything else.

Can I say though, about Patty - EVERYbody covers her stuff, and she never gets any recognition? other than getting to open for them (Emmylou, Dixie Chicks, etc.).

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Well, pineapple, thus is the mark of a good songwriter. I have to say this about the Dixie Chicks, when they cover something, they COVER it. That song of hers they did, and a song of Bonnie Raitts... they are like exact duplicates of the originals.

I sort of like them because they made the banjo sexy, but Natalie Maines' voice can feel like a dagger in my ear sometimes.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

I agree! The Chicks' version of "Fly" was great, one of the best songs on the album.

And, I know that she's probably really happy with the money that comes with selling her songs... I just like her stuff too, so I wish people got into that.

But, re: songwriters - every time I hear that Tim McGraw cover of Bruce Robison's song "Angry All the Time", my ears bleed. Still, I can't be unhappy for Bruce, who will make some fat cash off it.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

I'm sure you all listen to her already but my only contribution is Jonatha Brooks.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

And everyone loves Saint Etienne as much as I do, right?

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Jonatha Brooks

Oh, yes. I love her. Love love. Although I much prefer her older stuff over Steady Pull.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

How about that Nikka Costa? Anybody know her? She rocks my little world.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

I don't think she's new, but I just saw her on Oxygen (don't laugh at me. Oprah has a good channel!): India Arie. Just watching and listening to her made me happy.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

WG -- I believe my kick-ass St. Etienne singles collection speaks for itself. :)

AB -- My sister was just raving about Miss Costa the other day. I heard she's Frank Sinatra's goddaughter or something. I'll check her out, for sure.

H -- I've only heard a few of India.Arie's songs, but so far it's all been good in that Erykah Badu earth mother kind of way.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

For whatever reason, India Arie reminded me a little of Tasmin Archer. I'm sitting here now trying to figure out where that little brain spasm came from, and I can't name a similarity, but I really think that if you like Tasmin Archer, you'd like India.

I'm the big India Arie expert and all. I saw her on Oprah TV once.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

Also, [Patti Griffin's] songs are very easy if you wanted to, say... learn them all on guitar to play for your friend Al

Ha HA! I now have so much more incentive to dust off the old gee-tar.

How did I live before I had this album? Seriously.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

People, Slobberbone is tourning the midwest. I KNOW! They play Columbus on December 10th and then Pittsburgh and Cleveland after that.

Get thee to slobberbone.com to get dates.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Is it bad that although I like Slobberbone's music a lot, I really, really, really hate the name "Slobberbone"? Seriously, I gag a little everytime I see that name. I don't know why.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

They are very much not "undiscovered," but I am having a Nickel Creek fest, y'all. I just cannot remove their CD from the player. Every song gives me goosebumps, and "When You Come Back Down" makes me cry.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

T - how can you dislike any band name that's so fun to say? Slobbahbone.

Plus, you can refer to them as "The boys of the Bone."

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

It's just that everytime I see the name "Slobberbone," I picture Clifford the Big Red Dog. And Clifford the Big Red Dog always made me gag because I would imagine all the slobber that he must have produced, and I really don't like dog slobber. I know, it makes no sense.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Huh. I see Slobberbone, I think badly produced amatuer porn.

Not all that new or probably unknown but Costeau makes some damn fine music.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Kenna, Ozomatli and Cibo Matto (everyone's heard of them, but not everybody's listening to them).

With those three, I can be very very happy.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001

Yall, the Be Good Tanyas are driving me crazy. I love-hate the "Light Enough to Travel" song... hate the line where she says "I broke the window of the logging company / just to get a little release," love the line where she bitches about going out to nightclubs and says "what kind of people go to meet people / where they can't be heard or seen?"

And I think I am going to have to buy this album! I'm being drawn to it, like staring at a gory car wreck.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

To echo Omar's (much) earlier post, Cibo Matto's awesome. If you can listen to Sci-Fi Wasabi and not immediately start singing along, you're a better person than I.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

I'm sure most of y'all have "The Captain" but I just heard Kasey Chambers' latest and it's amazing.

I went to her site to find out her tour schedule, and she's not touring, since she's going to have a baby in May. Who knew?

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Hannah, I know! We are all claiming that she's having Robert Earl Keen's love child, since she appears to have become in the family way while they were touring together last summer. hee.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Is anyone listening to the Avalanches these days? I bought their CD for Mr. Boy as a supplemental Valentine's present (actually, he picked it out after I turned him loose in the best record store in town), and can. Not. Stop. Listening. To. It. Think five hundred bajillion samples strung together in absolutely perfectimundo and brilliant and amusing and booty-shaking ways. It is pure Australian genius. Go forth and download!

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Going to see Slobberbone with the Drive By Truckers tonight. I could not possibly be more excited. Liv and I are going to wear our boots, and y'all, for a Southerner and a Texan to bust out their boots in Ohio is a special event.

Who knows. Maybe I'll wear my hat.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

PLEASE wear your hat. It will make them feel like home.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

John Mayer. CD "Room For Squares"

25 year-old cutie from Atlanta. He's precious.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Y'all. While Slobberbone rocked the house, I'm really in love with their opening band: Drive By Truckers. Am.az.ing.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2002

In an indication of how behind I am, I just now listening to Lyle Lovett Live in Texas, which I bought over the weekend. So far, very good. Penguins are indeed sensitive to my needs.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2002

that would be, I am just now listening. Sorry. Only one cup of coffee consumed so far.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2002

Well, better late then never. Its one of my favorite Lyle CDs, especially since it was recorded in San Antonio, my old stomping grounds.

And Francine Reed does indeed know about wild women.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2002

I have made reference to this in HYD, but I wanted to come here and reiterate the greatness of Leslie Braly and The Golden Mile. She happens to be an old friend of mine from Birmingham (she now lives in Seattle) but damn. This cd, Songs from Shannon has some really fantastic songs on it. The love songs, in particular are excellent, especially the first three.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I heartily reccommend Norah Jones, who is excellent. Best money I've spent on a CD in months. She's from Dallas, amazingly enough, and went to the U of North Texas. This is her first solo studio album. I have to tell you, her voice is so nice. Perfect combination of jazz/folk/blues.

Also, I got the new Bonnie Raitt album last night, and it is great, along with Timeless: A Tribute to Hank Williams, which is too good for words.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2002

Hmm, I don't know how easy she is to get outside the big metro areas, but I like Hikaru Utada quite a bit. So far her albums are about 95% in Japanese but I wouldn't be surprised if she came out with an English album soon. She was born in Japan but raised mostly in the US and she's equally at home singing and composing in both languages. She was featured in a Time magazine article not too long ago. Another group I like is Beasts of Paradise. They combine guitar, keyboard, didgeridoo, harp, gourd drums and vocals for an amazing sound. Not your usual combo of instruments, but it works, and the vocalist has a lush voice that brings it all together.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2002

Ditto what Al said about Norah. I love that song "Lone Star" very much. I can't get over her being Ravi Shankar's daughter... and also beautiful enough for a full-fledged girl crush.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2002

Ditto again on Norah Jones. That CD got me through a very trying week of rare book insanity. So soothing! So pretty! I hope she'll branch out with her vocal stylings on her next album. I love her delivery, but she kind of has only one speed, you know? I would put her in the same category as Madeleine Peyroux -- good, sassy brunch music.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2002

The new ...and you will know us by the Trail of Dead CD, Source Tags and Codes, is really, really frickin' good.

I haven't been into indie rock for awhile, with the exception of the occasional Built to Spill CD, and this CD has renewed my faith that great rock and roll still is being made.

Forget The Strokes and The White Stripes, get this CD.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2002

Sophie, you are right on about Norah -- it sort of is a "one-note- joke"... but as a debut CD, I can forgive.

-- Anonymous, April 15, 2002

Have I talked about Nick Lowe here? (No, unfortunately he is no relation.)

Anyway, I love him dearly and he has a new album out called "The Convincer" and I nearly just cried listening to it at my desk, that's how much I love it.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2002

Ahhhhh! I listened to that very album yesterday! Marcus made fun of me when I bought it a while back (b/c he thought Mr. Lowe looked campy in the cover photo), but he had to eat his words upon hearing the glory that is "Homewrecker." I could listen to that one song all day long. The whole album is that good, too. And if you have speakers on your computer, you can hear several in-studio concert/interviews he's done with Terry Gross on Fresh Air. I did that yesterday, too, with the result that I have developed quite the age-inappropriate crush on Mr. Lowe. He's a charming, witty man.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2002

Did anybody see my New Secret Boyfriend Jack Johnson on Letterman last night? love him. Really a whole bunch. He's from Hawaii, you know. He has such a nice sound.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2002

He's a charming, witty man.

Not unlike The Other Mr. Lowe was.

See, tell Marcus he doesn't look campy on the cover - he looks debonair. Big difference. My favorite song on there, for several reasons, is "She's Got Soul," followed by "Homewrecker."

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2002

I think the words "debonair", "swanky", and "distinguished gentleman" were all marshalled in defense of Nick's non-campiness. Plus, he totally ate his words after listening to the album, which, as we've mentioned before, rocks (but in a debonair, unhurried way). Oh, I love the last line of "She's Got Soul," where he goes "I mean she's really really got it goin' on." So simple, so direct! I can't get over how crisply, unfussily brilliant these songs are.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2002