The Beginner's Guide to Underrated Bands and Artists
MAD 4 IT
A blog for music junkies
Underrated
Written by Mad 4 It
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This list is for the songs, albums, and artists that I feel don’t get the credit they deserve and are way too often overlooked. These songs, albums, and artists hold a very special place in my heart because they each contain something that resonates with me so much, and reminds me of how special music truly is.
1. Flannel // The Cardboard Swords
The first time I heard this song was two years ago. I was a sophomore in college, really starting to expand my musical library, and oddly enough, the first time I heard this song was in the shower. I remember when it came on and I froze. I couldn’t move. I just let the hot water run as I listened intently to the song. I was so intrigued. It’s a breakup song, and a damn good one at that. I would categorize it as…sad, spoken-word, “emo” music. The song is incredibly poetic, and heartbreaking, but yet liberating at the same time. There is a section in the middle of the song where the band stops playing and vocalist, Tyler DeCoeur, speaks for about thirty seconds, and it gives me chills every single time I hear it. Every time that part of the song comes on I get goosebumps all over my entire body. It’s truly electrifying. My favorite lyric from the song is, “Life may or may not be about finding true love, but it is certainly not about begging for it from someone.” I live by this quote, and in my opinion it is one of the most powerful lyrics ever written. Go give this song a listen, and truly soak in the lyrics.
2. Bella Donna // Turnover
Okay, so Turnover isn’t exactly underrated, they have a following…but I do think some of their songs are overlooked. Their biggest album, Peripheral Vision (which is one of my all time favorite albums), contains all of their popular songs. I’m sure I’ll bring this album up in a later post and really focus on it, but for now, let’s talk about their underrated albums and EPs. Their newest album, Super Natural has a lot of underrated songs I think too, like Super Natural, Bonnie (Rhythm and Melody), and All That It Ever Was. I think it was really hard to come off of an album like Peripheral Vision and do well considering the popularity of it, but I feel they did really well following it up with Super Natural. Super Natural has a lighter and happier vibe to it, whereas Peripheral Vision was more ominous. Both albums did well, however, I think people will always favor Peripheral Vision. Turnover had another album in 2013 called Magnolia, which didn’t get a whole lot of recognition, but check out the song Most of the Time, it’s great and very undervalued as a song. The most overlooked of all is their Blue Dream EP, which was released in 2014. Every song on it is so beautifully written, and it awes me. Bella Donna is my favorite song on this EP, and one of my favorite Turnover songs of all time. It is so tragic and delicate. If you want your heart to ache, go give it a listen.
“And I hope someday we meet again, under different circumstances maybe, maybe just as friends because as lovers I shattered you, and even though you’ll never see it, picking up the pieces cut my hands up too.”
3. Way It Goes // Hippo Campus
I love this band so much. I think they are finally starting to gain some recognition, and are popping up in the media quite a bit, too. The first time I heard the song, Way It Goes, was on my road trip to San Francisco with my college roommates. It was about 3 a.m. and one of my roommates (who has a much better music taste and knowledge of music than I do) played this song as we drove. I fell in love with it. It’s more in the indie/alternative genre and has a groovy feel to it. It’s upbeat, it’s catchy, and it’s lyrically genius in my opinion. I can’t even choose the best lyrics from this song because as a whole it is flawless. Check out their whole album, and definitely this song.
“You put your records on, exclusively the old Pavement ones, a 90’s soul with Doc Martens on, a step…a step away from crying; degenerate, counter-culture, crying socialist, hip-to-lazed crazed abstractionists; we’re weird, but Lord knows we’re trying.”
4. O.K. Mom// Marietta
Marietta is another amazing band, and although I think a lot of their songs are incredible, I feel like O.K. Mom is so overlooked compared to other songs in their catalog. Lyrically, this song struck me and I can’t stop listening to it. If you’re a Modern Baseball fan you’ll like Marietta, they even did an EP together back in 2015. Go check them out.
“I’ve come full circle, almost without hesitation, but not completely without, I feel in my bones this shit gnawing at my reputation, I hate that I do that, just try to feel good about all of this good that you feel, you put it to me bluntly, but I erase the commonplace practices, I’m practically killed, my up-bringing brings me down.”
5. Mat Kerekes
So, if you’re a pop punk fan then you know the band Citizen (and if you don’t, go check them out right now). Citizen has a big fanbase and is one of my personal favorite pop punk bands, hands down. Their vocalist, Mat Kerekes, started branching out and creating his own project (he’s still in Citizen, too, don’t worry) back in 2014. Although a lot of Citizen fans do know about his solo project, it doesn’t get anywhere close to the recognition it deserves. Mat has a one of my favorite voices of all time. It is calm, delicate, and effortless on his solo album, but powerful and strong as the frontman in Citizen. His whole solo catalog is perfect. It’s incredibly melodic, and almost reminds me of lullabies. It’s hard to recommend songs because I love them all dearly, but everyone should listen to Reach off of his self titled EP, and In Every Inch, In Every Mile off of Luna & the Wild Blue Everything. He is also working on a new album, off of which he has released the single Ruby. Check it out.
“My sweet escape, you’ve been good to me. I’ll keep you here and I won’t feel a thing. My baby is crying and I am happy. A touch from another to put you to sleep from me.”
6. Beach Fossils
Beach Fossils, (definitely one of the coolest band names ever), is another band that I think should get way more recognition than they currently do. Beach Fossils have been around for quite awhile, since 2010 I believe, and have put out a number of albums. It’s hard to pick a favorite one because they are all great. They definitely have a dreamy vibe to their music, really entrancing and euphoric. I recommend all of their albums, but one of the most undervalued songs in their catalog is Distance off of their album What a Pleasure. It is subtle, sophisticated, and somber. Go have a listen.
“If I had known that I’d be fine, I would have taken some more time, just the distance of our lives, everything I know sometime, I’m so far, but feel so close, everything we lose becomes the most.”
7. Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties
Okay pop punk fans, who doesn’t love The Wonder Years? They’re fantastic and I’m sure I’ll talk about them in later posts, but for now let’s focus on the vocalist of The Wonder Years, Dan Campbell, also known as Soupy. Dan Campbell is another artist who decided to do a solo project while still continuing on with his band The Wonder Years. In his solo project, he is known as Aaron West. The project is a particularly personal depiction of Aaron’s life and tells the story of the hardships he faces over time. It is so well done, and a very compelling storyline. His album, We Don’t Have Each Other, is incredible from start to finish, and one of my most listened to albums. I highly recommend every song on this record, (especially My Apartment and Grapefruit), but I believe one of the most underrated songs on this album is Get Me Out Of Here Alive. I only think this song is overlooked due to the fact that the other songs on the record are just that amazing, but lyrically this song is right up there with the others. Check it out.
“I’m getting by. The only faith I had left was a lie. The leeches died, it turns out my blood was poison the whole time. If someone bombed heaven, the sky would look like it did tonight, all fractured and outlines. Get me out of here alive.”
8. Let’s Talk About Your Hair // Have Mercy
Although this song is really repetitive, I think it is so powerful. The message is something that everyone can relate to. Relationships are hard and sometimes it seems like the other person doesn’t care and that the relationship isn’t going anywhere. The message of the song is rather straightforward and clear, but it’s so intense and disheartening that it makes a big impact when you hear it all put together in a song.
“I know that you know that I know that you don’t really care. Let’s talk about your hair and how it’s grown and how we know that we’re not getting anywhere. Nothing is what it seems. Tell me about the man in your dreams and was it me?”
Hood Rat Messiah // Dikembe
Dikembe is a band that still hasn’t gotten they hype they deserve. I recently started getting really into this band and have found myself putting this song on repeat a lot. It’s from one of their older albums, Mediumship, which was released in 2014. I’ve heard this album was inspired by Brand New, so if you’re a Brand New fan go give them a listen. Hood Rat Messiah, although their second most popular song, was never truly recognized for its powerful, yet simplistic, lyrics. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking song. Go check out this awesome band.
“Safe to say mistakes were made, now all my lungs are heart-shaped, but I can’t find a better way to be, and I’m sick when you’re not safe.”
And there you have it. My list of the most underrated songs in my musical library (at the moment). I hope you love them all as much as I do.
xx
Maddisen V.