The Best Bands You've Never Heard

This page is dedicated to some very talented artists who are NOT in the mainstream of popular music. You may have heard of some of them but, in general, they are "underdogs" which are worthy and just waiting to break out. I hope you'll give some of them a listen.

King's X Although King's X got much of its radio and MTV play among a host of simple pop-metal bands, its music was a great deal more complex and distinctive. King's X blended intricate, Beatlesqué vocal harmonies with hard rock riffs, complicated song structures, and lyrical metaphors often concerning Christian spirituality (but never overtly) to win an audience of both metal and progressive rock fans, plus considerable critical acclaim. Still, after almost 11 years and 8 albums, they are not known to the general public. I've seen them once in concert and it was a real thrill.
Grim's Pick: Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. Visit the Official King's X Site

Power of Omens is a progressive metal band out of Texas. I don't think I've ever heard a band quite like this before. The talent in this band is amazing in every respect, from every direction. The music is a little more "technical" than I usually care for but the shear energy and mood of their debut CD hooked me. Even if you're not a progressive metal fan, which I haven't been, anybody who appreciates great musicianship and techniqué should definately give them a listen.
Grim's Pick: Eyes of the Oracle. Visit Power of Omens

Chalk FarM first came to my attention when a local radio station ran a live feed of the band's rehersal out of some studio in New York. They only played three songs but, that was enough to get my interest. I bought their debut cd as soon as I was able to find it and, if it was possible to wear out a cd, I would have had to replace it several times over. Rocking out, yet unapologetically melodic, Chalk FarM's songs focus on the struggle of the Every person to resist apathy and acquiescence, to rise above-and have the strength of his/her convictions in-a world either hone mad or lulled to sleep. Whether rhythm-driven or built from acoustic subtleties into expansive yet uncluttered, clear-eyed views of social conditions or musing more on the way such conditions can corrupt intimacy, the songs on NOTWITHSTANDING will make you feel, and think, and, one hopes, even act.
Grim's Pick: notwithstanding. Visit the Official Fan Page

Sass Jordan , possessor of the grittiest female voice since Joplin. Sass first came to my notice, and everybody elses, when her single "Make You a Believer" became a radio favorite here. I was impressed enough to run out and buy the cd, Racine, and the follow-up, Rats, when it was released. There is a great deal of the guitar/bass unison approach that characterizes heavy style, but Jordan has enough blues in her to give it another dimension. She's not a total "unknown" here in the USA but, I get enough blank stares when I mention her name to want to include her here.
Grim's Pick: Racine. Visit the Sass Jordan Web Page

Cool For August Expansive, encompassing, enveloping - the sound of Cool for August is a 360 degree experience, a full sonic immersion and the closest thing to a totally-involving encounter you're likely to hear this side of the millennium. With music launched from such diverse stylistic sites as early David Bowie and Roxy Music, The Who and Joy Division, Peter Gabriel and U2, Cool for August retools the concept of big, bold and audacious rock and roll. I saw the band open for The Nixons a while back and was totally in to their music. Give 'em a listen.
Grim's Pick: Grand World. Visit Cool For August by IFA

Guster became one of the most successful bands to hit the U.S. East Coast scene in the late 1990s. Through relentless touring and humorous stage banter with the crowd, the band developed a strong grass-roots fan base which spread rapidly with a strong presence on the Internet. The Boston trio developed a unique sound with two acoustic guitars and a bongo set, successfully defying the typical industry pigeonholing. They wrote short, infectiously catchy tunes about love, suicide and absurdist rock star lifestyles. Through word of mouth alone, the band sold over 40, 000 copies of independent debut Parachute and their second effort, Goldfly. I saw them live, opening for Sting here in Columbus. I picked up their latest cd right at the show.
Grim's Pick: Lost and Gone Forever. Visit the Official Website of Guster

Poe 's voice and lyrics are instantly identifiable, while the music is eclectic and diverse, moving from loping dance beats to metallic guitars to swing-jazz to acoustic ballads to...The songs on the album, Hello, are very different. You have a song like "Trigger Happy Jack," which has a bonehead guitar part and a kinda funny little groove, and a song like "Hello," which has more of an ambient hip hop groove, and feels a lot more mechanical in a way. I caught Poe in concert on two occasions in '96 when she was touring as the opener for Seven Mary Three. She appealed to the psycho in me, I suppose.
Grim's Pick: Hello. Visit Atlantic Records - Official Label Site

Satchel was on the side stage at Lollapalooza '96 but, because I had never heard of them, I didn't bother leaving my grassy little spot to catch their set. My loss. I finally did see them opening for Better Than Ezra later the same year and... WOW. I went out the very next day and scoured music stores until I found their current cd, The Family. The album made me really happy and really sad at the same time. It's sort of graceful and heartbreaking and hopeful, and lead singer, Shawn Smith's voice sounds amazing. Satchel makes many different kinds of music--all of which sounds like the work of a singularly gifted band, but a band without self-imposed boundaries, without an easily -defined style that's simply repeated over the length of an album.
Grim's Pick: The Family. Visit the Satchel Showcase

Brother Cane is a good, old-fashioned Hard Rock band out of Birmingham, Alabama. They aren't unknown but, I'd like to see them go all the way. They've had hits with "Got No Shame", from their self-titled debut, and "Fools Shine On", from the follow-up, Seeds, and most recently, "I Lie in the Bed I Make", from their Wishpool album. I finally got to see them in the Summer of '98 as an opening act for Creed and thought they were way good enough to be headlining their own tour. If you haven't heard of them, do yourself a favor and pick up any, or all, of their cd's.
Grim's Pick: Seeds. Visit The Official Brother Cane Site

Atomic Opera Another great Houston-based band that few have heard of. Those of us who have are avid in our appreciation of this group of guys. I first their music while listening to an interneet radio station, YTSEJAM Radio, which features progressive metal music. Much of this stuff is wasted on me but AO stood out. I ordered their debut cd through their web site and have been blissfully happy ever since. I just hope they make their way to Ohio someday soon.
Grim's Pick: For Madmen Only. Visit the Atomic Opera Home Page

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	King's X Although King's X got much of its radio and MTV play among a host of simple pop-metal bands, its music was a great deal more complex and distinctive. King's X blended intricate, Beatlesqué vocal harmonies with hard rock riffs, complicated song structures, and lyrical metaphors often concerning Christian spirituality (but never overtly) to win an audience of both metal and progressive rock fans, plus considerable critical acclaim. Still, after almost 11 years and 8 albums, they are not known to the general public. I've seen them once in concert and it was a real thrill. Grim's Pick: Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. Visit the Official King's X Site
	Power of Omens is a progressive metal band out of Texas. I don't think I've ever heard a band quite like this before. The talent in this band is amazing in every respect, from every direction. The music is a little more "technical" than I usually care for but the shear energy and mood of their debut CD hooked me. Even if you're not a progressive metal fan, which I haven't been, anybody who appreciates great musicianship and techniqué should definately give them a listen. Grim's Pick: Eyes of the Oracle. Visit Power of Omens
	Chalk FarM first came to my attention when a local radio station ran a live feed of the band's rehersal out of some studio in New York. They only played three songs but, that was enough to get my interest. I bought their debut cd as soon as I was able to find it and, if it was possible to wear out a cd, I would have had to replace it several times over. Rocking out, yet unapologetically melodic, Chalk FarM's songs focus on the struggle of the Every person to resist apathy and acquiescence, to rise above-and have the strength of his/her convictions in-a world either hone mad or lulled to sleep. Whether rhythm-driven or built from acoustic subtleties into expansive yet uncluttered, clear-eyed views of social conditions or musing more on the way such conditions can corrupt intimacy, the songs on NOTWITHSTANDING will make you feel, and think, and, one hopes, even act. Grim's Pick: notwithstanding. Visit the Official Fan Page
	Sass Jordan , possessor of the grittiest female voice since Joplin. Sass first came to my notice, and everybody elses, when her single "Make You a Believer" became a radio favorite here. I was impressed enough to run out and buy the cd, Racine, and the follow-up, Rats, when it was released. There is a great deal of the guitar/bass unison approach that characterizes heavy style, but Jordan has enough blues in her to give it another dimension. She's not a total "unknown" here in the USA but, I get enough blank stares when I mention her name to want to include her here. Grim's Pick: Racine. Visit the Sass Jordan Web Page
	Cool For August Expansive, encompassing, enveloping - the sound of Cool for August is a 360 degree experience, a full sonic immersion and the closest thing to a totally-involving encounter you're likely to hear this side of the millennium. With music launched from such diverse stylistic sites as early David Bowie and Roxy Music, The Who and Joy Division, Peter Gabriel and U2, Cool for August retools the concept of big, bold and audacious rock and roll. I saw the band open for The Nixons a while back and was totally in to their music. Give 'em a listen. Grim's Pick: Grand World. Visit Cool For August by IFA
	Guster became one of the most successful bands to hit the U.S. East Coast scene in the late 1990s. Through relentless touring and humorous stage banter with the crowd, the band developed a strong grass-roots fan base which spread rapidly with a strong presence on the Internet. The Boston trio developed a unique sound with two acoustic guitars and a bongo set, successfully defying the typical industry pigeonholing. They wrote short, infectiously catchy tunes about love, suicide and absurdist rock star lifestyles. Through word of mouth alone, the band sold over 40, 000 copies of independent debut Parachute and their second effort, Goldfly. I saw them live, opening for Sting here in Columbus. I picked up their latest cd right at the show. Grim's Pick: Lost and Gone Forever. Visit the Official Website of Guster
	Poe 's voice and lyrics are instantly identifiable, while the music is eclectic and diverse, moving from loping dance beats to metallic guitars to swing-jazz to acoustic ballads to...The songs on the album, Hello, are very different. You have a song like "Trigger Happy Jack," which has a bonehead guitar part and a kinda funny little groove, and a song like "Hello," which has more of an ambient hip hop groove, and feels a lot more mechanical in a way. I caught Poe in concert on two occasions in '96 when she was touring as the opener for Seven Mary Three. She appealed to the psycho in me, I suppose. Grim's Pick: Hello. Visit Atlantic Records - Official Label Site
	Satchel was on the side stage at Lollapalooza '96 but, because I had never heard of them, I didn't bother leaving my grassy little spot to catch their set. My loss. I finally did see them opening for Better Than Ezra later the same year and... WOW. I went out the very next day and scoured music stores until I found their current cd, The Family. The album made me really happy and really sad at the same time. It's sort of graceful and heartbreaking and hopeful, and lead singer, Shawn Smith's voice sounds amazing. Satchel makes many different kinds of music--all of which sounds like the work of a singularly gifted band, but a band without self-imposed boundaries, without an easily -defined style that's simply repeated over the length of an album. Grim's Pick: The Family. Visit the Satchel Showcase
	Brother Cane is a good, old-fashioned Hard Rock band out of Birmingham, Alabama. They aren't unknown but, I'd like to see them go all the way. They've had hits with "Got No Shame", from their self-titled debut, and "Fools Shine On", from the follow-up, Seeds, and most recently, "I Lie in the Bed I Make", from their Wishpool album. I finally got to see them in the Summer of '98 as an opening act for Creed and thought they were way good enough to be headlining their own tour. If you haven't heard of them, do yourself a favor and pick up any, or all, of their cd's. Grim's Pick: Seeds. Visit The Official Brother Cane Site
	Atomic Opera Another great Houston-based band that few have heard of. Those of us who have are avid in our appreciation of this group of guys. I first their music while listening to an interneet radio station, YTSEJAM Radio, which features progressive metal music. Much of this stuff is wasted on me but AO stood out. I ordered their debut cd through their web site and have been blissfully happy ever since. I just hope they make their way to Ohio someday soon. Grim's Pick: For Madmen Only. Visit the Atomic Opera Home Page