Your favorite lesser known band

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

So escapists, what bands do you like that aren't considered " mainstream" ?
I'm talking more Be your own pet and Karnivool , rather than Tool and Metallica.

Cookie for mentioning Karnivool. Love that band.

As for the bands/artists I'm about to mention, I'm not entirely sure if any of them are mainstream, and I can't really be bothered with looking that up just now, so I'll just have to guess... so don't murder me and then eat my flesh if some of them are mainstream, please?
Here goes:
Karnivool (can't hurt to mention twice)
The Stranglers
Lykke Li
Lisa Miskovsky
Metric
Blackfield (one of Steven Wilson's side projects, I strongly recommend you check it out, and you should also check out Steven Wilson's solo album)
Antimatter (Anathema offshoot, basically, but I love 'em)
Anathema (no idea if they're popular nowadays or not)
Emiliana Torrini (I'll assume shes not very well known)
Fiona Apple
Indukti
Riverside
Michal Jelonek
KT Tunstall (I didn't know she existed until just recently, so I'll assume not "mainstream" once again)
Lunatic Soul
Ludovico Einaudi
The Smiths
Katie Melua (again, don't really know how popular she is, but I'll mention her just in case)
PJ Harvey
Fever Ray
Guano Apes
The Cardigans? Don't know if they're still popular or well-known tbh.

Considering I have music from over 150 artists, this is a fairly tiny list. Though there are far more relatively unknown artists in my list, I just don't like 'em enough to mention 'em here.

Never really considered Fiona Apple a lesser known band, probably because I listen to her all the time, but still a great singer. The Smiths are awesome though, "How soon Is Now?" is one of my favorites from them.

Great list though, I'm gonna have to check some of those bands out since I've never heard of some of them.

 

[Rodrigo Girao]

Synthpop/freestyle act Information Society was huge back in the late 80s / early 90s. Now it's quite less known, yet they retain an absolutely staunch fanbase in Brazil, Spain, Mexico, and Japan. Count me in, it's still one of my favorite bands ever. Trivia: singer Kurt Harland is also a notable game music composer (see the Legacy of Kain and Death Jr. series).

 

[zombiestrangler]

Miracle of Sound, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, and They Might Be Giants are my current favorites that could be considered lesser known.

 

[ElBastardo]

Primus.


Primus sucks.

Second! I thought they were too popular though so I picked LCFFFB

 

[deshorty]

Frightened Rabbit. I can't really get youtube where I am, but look them up.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

Primus.


Primus sucks.

Second! I thought they were too popular though so I picked LCFFFB

Too popular? Kind of. Their genre is listed as "Primus" in iTunes though, and they're very very alternative. I doubt any member of the public will be able to name one of their songs or what they play, beyond "oh, they're those guys who made that annoying South Park theme."

A lot of bass players are infatuated with Les Claypool though. For obvious reasons.

 

[Whateveralot]

I'd say Twin Atlantic. But I think they're pretty big in the UK, I've just never seen or heard anything of them here (that be in the Netherlands).

Another band that I really like is Barcelona.

 

[Nexus4]

Aberdeen City, only one album ever released.

 

[Rabish Bini]

'...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead'

I win everything ever

 

[skeliton112]

Skindred is probably one of if not my favourite band.

<youtube=mNaT0t67E14>

 

[Yopaz]

.. All of my favourite bands are lesser known.

.... Am I a hipster.

Only if you listen to it because they're not well known.

Same for me really. Most of what I listen to is fairly unknown to most.

However I guess this is the band that is the least known.

 

[Nathan Crumpler]

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P244Ti8WT4I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>
Avalon

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pNGCJzPzAp0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>
Cynic

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PDi0n2DxpNc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>
Natred

 

[peruvianskys]

I've been listening to a lot of World/Inferno Friendship Society. It's sorta klezmer punk with folk/vaudevillian influence.

 

[Nathan Crumpler]

Okay, I don't know how to imbed...

 

[Nathan Crumpler]

http://youtu.be/PDi0n2DxpNc
Natred

http://youtu.be/pNGCJzPzAp0
Cynic

http://youtu.be/P244Ti8WT4I
Avalon

 

[peruvianskys]

Okay, I don't know how to imbed...

Post "[YouXXXXXXtube=_______]" where the blank is the video id at the end of the url. And take out X's between you and tube.

 

[Cureacao]

Hands Like Houses. Weird name, brilliant music. It's hard to classify them in a genre but the closest I can think of is Hard rock/Metal/Awesome. They're quite refreshing and are one of the most creative bands I have heard in a while, focusing heavily on melody; both guitar and vocal. Just check it out:

 

[The_Echo]

A very significant portion of the music I listen to is "lesser known." (Almost half!) The genres are all over the board. It's kind of ridiculous. In no particular order...

Spoiler: BIG FRACKIN' LIST

Man on Earth [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVbFA8VeTog]
Me Talk Pretty [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip3ulhH0efw]
Atomic Tom [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lACNgphTkKM]
Anarbor [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ6fFbqeWiI]
Dive [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70kjpmYILgw]
We Butter The Bread With Butter [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIkD5Ncl1wI]
Shemales From Outta Space of Death [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_GtK3N6aU8]
At War With Gods [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PLq-pQSitI]
Bionic Ghost Kids [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgx-4QhQ5mQ]
Is Tropical [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25TLbS5r5J0]
Les Elephants Bizarres [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc06x9z8u7o]
Hanni Kohl [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlSR9H9E2nM]
Wolfgang Parker [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFPd3nkk-Ck]
Esser [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFWXkGjAqJM]
Haribo Macht Kinder Froh [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-bJTnE-T60]
Panzerballett [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZbxZaXSb7I]
Hollowick [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KJjjvqLCMQ]
Yesterday I Had Roadkill [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSEiBDG8qaw]
Ready, Set, Fall! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VxradHqKfY]
Get Up Texas [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1XVamWTgUw]
Working For A Nuclear Free City [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ktQlN3jJ4]
Versus the Ocean [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLUoGWpSfXc]
Versus the Throne [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUrFq0WMxa8]
The Pennyroyals [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JrBdlJLuG0]
I Am Abomination [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRzBzHf9JaQ]
Harvey Danger [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBgmC_USeoM]
Streetlight Manifesto [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXR3ptOgbU]
Exist Trace [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGF11yexNYI]
The Vanguard [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr6sMAfOqu8]
Cheeseburger [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N1KIO2ttow]

I guess I have a thing for underground bands.

 

[peruvianskys]

If you want "pretty unheard of," Sunn O))), Boris, Stars of the Lid, Tenhi, and Labradford, see note above.

You're into drone music eh? If you like Sunn O))) and Stars of the Lid, check out Fuck Buttons.

 

[Blue2]

Billy Talent
Mindless self Indulgence (NSFW)