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User
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Soundoffs 189
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Album Edits 12,101
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Last Active 07-27-22 7:57 am
Joined 12-20-10
Review Comments 854
| Bands That Have More Going On Than on the Surface
A look at bands and artists who have a lot more to offer than masses may lead you to believe. | | 1 |  | Len
Get Your Legs Broke
The main inspiration for this list, the Toronto brother-and-sister alt-rock band Len are known for their 1999 massive hit "Steal My Sunshine", which is my personal all time favorite summer anthem. However, if one digs deeper into their catalog, more specifically with their first two albums, you'll find that they're grossly underrated and satisfying efforts. Their 1995 debut "Superstar" even experiments with some slight shoegazey elements, and their 1996 magnum opus "Get Your Legs Broke" has a fascinating display of fuzzy, feelgood alternative elements with none of the corny rap-pop that dragged down the potential of their 1999 smash "You Can't Stop the Bum Rush". | | 2 |  | Bis
Return to Central
Bis started out as the youthful Scottish antithesis to the massive britpop craze that swallowed the world whole in the mid 1990's, but soon after, proved to be something much more. By the time they released their 2001 masterpiece "Return to Central", the Bis trio successfully evolved into an electropop entity with absolutely none of the spunky pop punk crunch that gave their earlier material such praise. As a result, "Return to Central" is often overshadowed by Bis's previous efforts, although it really should receive a different sort of gander of the same acclaim. | | 3 |  | Whale
We Care
Whale were a satirical take on the gloomy alternative rock explosion of the early 1990's from Sweden that got their big break in 1994 with their "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe" single, which maintains a decent cult following today, thanks in large part to a shoutout from Minecraft in 2012. But what many missed was how awesome their 1995 debut, "We Care", really was. It took influences from trip hop, grunge, avant-garde, indie pop and plain alternative rock, making it a very dizzying release to those few who bought it based on the dying buzz of the "Hobo Humpin'..." single back in 1995. Certainly one of the best debut albums of its time, and one that should garner much, much more attention. | | 4 |  | Collapsed Lung
C**ler
British alternative hip hoppers Collapsed Lung are remembered now for two primary reasons: the fact that one of their vocalists morphed into the chap-hop (shiver) project Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer and their "Eat My Goal" single, which lingered in the UK charts in 1996 and 1998. Their only album that really got spotlighted was their 1995 debut "Jackpot Goalie", which, although fun, greatly pails in comparison to their 1996 follow-up album "C**ler". Think of a (slightly) more serious take on Bloodhound Gang, and this is what you'll get. Certainly not for everybody, but those looking for fun music from the 1990's should absolutely take a look into Collapsed Lung's vastly underestimated release. | | 5 |  | The Residents
Commercial Album
Long considered to be the almighty gods of avant-garde music with a career that is closing in to an astonishing five decades, The Residents are truly the thinking man's soul musically speaking. Unlike fellow avant-garde superhero artists like Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa, The Residents never really got the acclaim and recognition they strongly deserve. Going on five decades of constant worldwide activity, the mysterious fellows are more than worthy of a listen, even if you're the polar opposite of a fan of the arts. | | 6 |  | Atari Teenage Riot
The Future Of War
Enraged German cyberpunkers Atari Teenage Riot had a slight buzz in 1996 with their "Speed" single, but unfortunately it seems nothing much came out of it, thus having the majority of attention directed to their 1995 "Delete Yourself" album. And while "Delete Yourself" was a fine album, their brightest moment came in 1997 with their follow-up album "The Future of War", which has, to this day, much less attention focused on it. It's a shame because "The Future of War" completely tramples "Delete Yourself" just in terms of greater influences being explored, making it a much more entertaining and fulfilling listen. Truly underrated in the purest sense. | | 7 |  | Dubstar
Disgraceful
British indie pop band Dubstar had their fair share of success with their 1995 single "Stars", more specifically in the UK and Israel, where it peaked respectively at number 15 and number 1, although that was about the peak of it. The album that housed the single, "Disgraceful", failed to garner anywhere near the same attention, and is little more than a cult hit today. It's unfortunate because the album, along with their 1997 follow-up "Goodbye", is a barrage of warm, atmospheric electro-dream pop. It is definitely worthy of more attention than it receives. | | 8 |  | Art Bears
The World As It Is Today
Indeed, it is debated to this day as to what exactly the English act Art Bears fell under musically speaking. It is usually agreed that it's somewhere along the lines of far, far out there progressive rock and avant-garde music that borders on an emotional breakdown of the highest tier. Presumably due to their highly challenging sound, Art Bears haven't broke out of the underground depths they came, but their music is absolutely as raw and captivating as artsy music from that time period can be. | | 9 |  | Ace of Base
The Sign
...Ace of Base is just awesome. Fuck you. | |
combustion07
03.24.18 | Interesting list. Definitely gonna check some of these | mortifierftw
03.24.18 | Great list idea. I had no clue Len started as a shoegaze band | OldCrime
03.24.18 | Inquisition | SandwichBubble
03.24.18 | How could I miss a list with Art Bears present
bis sucks though ;) | discovolante
03.24.18 | Bullshiiiit. Bis are amazing. Cool people too lol. |
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