Top 5 Under the Radar Albums

There is so much music that exists and thus, it will always be superfluous. There is beauty in that idea, though - everyone has the freedom to create and be artistic within music, regardless of what may be gained from it, such as fame or fortune. But, the mass media machine inundates us with so much music that it is hard to get to everything. This makes the stamp of many albums ephemeral and, even worse, can allow them to completely miss their time in the spotlight that was and remains to be deserved. I suppose that's just the nature of the beast. Nevertheless, it is sad to see brilliant albums shunned, whether it's due to timing or just a lack of effort to get it out there.

Determining the albums that didn't get the recognition they deserved requires one to experience the time when the album was released. I could argue that Can's Ege Bamyasi was shunned back in 1972, but I wasn't alive then, so all the information I have is hearsay.

Here are some of the albums that didn't get the recognition they deserved in recent history, ones that I was there to see come and go in the public eye, but remain my own treasures. Be sure to listen along at the bottom.

1. Sunset Studies - Augie March


This Australian oufit released it's debut full-length in 2000 and built a decent native following. However, the album did not see an international release and, from a global perspective, went far under the radar. Glenn Richards' vocals and lyrics are as compelling as any frontman in music. The opening track, "The Hole In Your Roof," begins with an electro-drone as guitars and drums trickle in. It sounds as if Talk Talk made a pop version of "New Grass". As it builds, Glenn Richards' supple voice coos and the guitars begin to drive hard until it all drops back into the initial electro-drone. "There is No Such Place" was a single from the album, one that failed to achieve the "single" popularity worldwide, which was a terribly sad result of limited promotion outside Australia.

2. Big Lionhearted and the Gallant Man - Boddicker


This album was released in the Spring of 2007 and garnered praise from several great media outlets including Rolling Stone Australia. However, the album didn't catch on as many people speculated it would - heartbreaking because Boddicker's yelping delivery makes his simple lyrics come off with such candor. Songs about love have never sounded so genuine. And, his music is effectively eccentric, forcing you to dissect the layers of what seem to be folk/pop/rock songs, but are much, much deeper. "When I Go Out" begins with a muffed guitar strum that has a percussive element to it. A piercing organ chimes in as oddball guitar effects bubble up. Then it rockets off into outer space where it explodes into the most luminescent array of shrapnel that my ears have ever heard. "Mississippi Beautiful, You Know I Love You," is a traditional rock song, but a rather unconventional love song. Again, it is lyrically simple, but is delivered in a quirky enough way to come across genuine.

3. Sharpen Your Teeth - Ugly Casanova


Ugly Casanova was a side project, but also a supergroup, similar to Rockstar Supernova, but good. The band was headed by Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) and included Tim Rutili (Califone), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), John Orth (Holopaw), and Brian Deck (Red Red Meat). This album is filled with odd, yet strikingly more accessible songs than early Modest Mouse records. Although it was released on Sub Pop, the album didn't seem to explode, as a supergroup's album should. Brock's erratic behavior hindered promotion for the record and also limited touring. So, many Modest Mouse fans have not heard some of Brock's greatest lyrical achievements. "Barnacles" begins with a whirled guitar melody and creates the atmosphere for a slumbering tune about the perils of breaking up, but not letting go. "Hotcha Girls" toils with the inner turmoil of growing old, the loneliness it brings, and the best memories from the past that can't be re-lived. This song is sung, and I assume written by John Orth, whose voice perfectly matches the dreary autumn tone of the message.

4. L.S.T. - Shugo Tokumaru


Shugo Tokumaru's debut album, Night Piece, was a scattered collection of electonic-infused folk songs that held the characteristics of Superman. The tempos would jump from one to another in a single bound, from slow, drifting time signatures to ones that are faster than a speeding bullet. Overall, they were more powerful than a locomotive, mainly because of the contrast between these random song structures and Tokumaru's soft voice. His sophomore effort, L.S.T., was a more refined sound, production-wise, but maintained the erratic nature of his debut. More significantly, Tokumaru accentuated his best attribute, his pillowy voice, singing like Sufjan Stevens, climbing octaves in a whispering manner. "Kiiro" begins with washboard clacks and a blend of twinkling melodies. Then, what seems like an entirely different song jumps in and as the chorus begins, a stablilizing flute builds a platform for Tokumaru's voice to shine. "Yukinohaka" is a more consistent song and far more atmospheric but, similar to "Kiiro," the chorus is where his voice shines, injecting a sense of urgency into the song. I recently spoke with Tokumaru via e-mail and he is on the verge of signing an international record deal. Hopefully this occurs soon because he is one of the most talented hidden gems that we'll ever see.

5. Now It's Overhead - Now It's Overhead


Headed by Andy LeMaster, Now It's Overhead includes Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor from Azure Ray. The album came out on Saddle Creek in 2001 and many critics praised the label's turn from folk, but didn't seem to take kindly to the band's sound. Thus, you might think it would be more appropriate to call this album underrated. However, the album still didn't get much of a push from the label and, hearing how accessible it is, could have found a much wider audience. "Blackout Curtain" is the opener and begins with a rattling drum beat while Fink and Taylor's breathy vocals create the atmosphere. The chorus is accapella, sounding almost African and choir-like. The drumming in "Wonderful Scar" rolls over the guitars like big rig wheels while LeMaster sings a lovely vocal melody from high to low. Throughout the song, Fink and Taylor's ambient vocal harmony is present and, although it is seemingly unnoticeable, it is vital to the song as a means of tying each instrument, change, and melody together.

So, these are the albums that came to mind when I thought of the topic. What albums do you think fell under the radar? Or, what albums do you consider underrated? I'd love to hear about any genre and any time period. Hopefully I'll discover something new to love.