Here's some music I like that nobody I meet has ever heard of
Hey y'all. At the top of this let me just say I'm not a music writer, critic, creator, or any of that. But being human and all, I like sharing things I resonate with. So here's some of that. Hope you enjoy!
Note this is only my interpretation of these artists' work, their intent or how they strike you might be entirely different. I've also never been one to really dig in and research artists themselves, I tend to know them only through their art.
Ben Caplan
Ben Caplan is a Canadian folk artist with a crooning baritone and a knack for doing whatever the hell he wants, and I think that's neat. Whether you want a song about getting that girl's phone number, the evils of fossil fuels, or the classic "I've been missing my woman," Caplan has got you covered in his own, unique way.
And if none of that strikes your fancy, how about an entire album written for a stage play about Jews escaping persecution in Romania by fleeing to Canada only to find a not so warm welcome. Including songs that swing from the jaunty "Truth Doesn't Live in a Book" to the dark and brooding "Plough the Shit."
Caplan isn't for everyone, as the sporadic disinterest from friends I've introduced his work to can attest, but if his stuff is for you then it is for you.
Thank You Scientist
Changing gears: if you've ever thought "I wish prog rock had, like, way more brass" then Thank You Scientist is for you. And if you've never had that thought then Thank You Scientist will make you wonder why you didn't.
Like energetic songs pushing ten minutes? Got you covered.
Want an X-files reference? How about FXMLDR.
Just after a standard sample of what they sound like? Here ya go.
I don't have much else to add to these guys honestly. They're unique, they're talented, and I never fail to have a good time listening to them.
Emery
Emery defies genre in their own fashion. They're metalcore, but not really, it's just the best tag to hang on them. They've managed the incredibly difficult task of having nearly every album sound different, but still somehow sound exactly like "Emery."
I'll admit this is a more personal addition to the list. My journey from the pits of religious fundamentalism in my youth through questioning and doubt in my early adult years to a final escape from religion nowadays is mirrored in their music, and I sorta grew up alongside them in that respect.
Lest you be afraid that they're a dreaded "Christian rock band," they aren't. Or, at least, they never quite fit that bill. Their lyrics were rarely explicitly religious, but their world view inevitably seeped into their music. Listening back to their first few albums now is quaint in its own way for that reason - like reading a journal from a much younger and more naive self. It's not that the younger self was "bad," they just didn't have all the information, experience, and maturity you have now. There's no way they could have. I think it's rare you find that kind of personal growth crystalized and reflected in music.
But anyway, how do they sound? Well, that depends on the album. There's pop/rock with splashes of screamo from "I'm Only a Man." There's the more straightforward and raw sound of "We Do What We Want." There's the starting-screamo-ending-jazz song "Thrash." And there's the kinda screamo-punk "You Stole God From Me."
Again, this band isn't for everyone for more reasons than sound alone, but they're authentic and wear their hearts on their sleeves. For better or worse I think we need more of that humanity, even if it doesn't speak specifically to your story.
Honorable Mentions
It's hard to just pick some music when there's so much music, so here's some more music!
Falconer- melodic fantasy metal with a bardish sounding lead singer. No synths, no sweeping orchestral swells. Just drums, guitar, and a story teller. I would recommend you ignore their middle albums where they changed singers for tour reasons though. Those never quite hit the same note.
John Fullbright - country but good. He tends more towards ballads, but has a few twangy good times interspersed.
Ripe - I guess they can be called neo-funk? I don't know much about that genre. Still, for you brass fans out there, here's a bit more for you.
In Closing
I don't have much more to add. It's 4:30AM and I'm deep in the throes of insomnia which is partially why I'm writing all this out to begin with. I was hoping I'd get sleepy. I haven't.
Still, it feels wrong somehow to just end this post without some sort of conclusion so... Hey look, music! I hope you like it! Or some of it anyway.
And please for the love of all that's pure and good in this world, if this music strikes a chord with you and you know an artist you think I'd like do let me know. It's so hard to find music in our algorithmic digital hell. I want to hear all the music.
P.S. Yes, all puns are intended.