As I said in my other 5 Bands piece, we all have bands we like which others don’t know about, or don’t like, and we don’t know why.

I like to think I have a wide variety of musical tastes. With the exception of top 40 radio dance music, hip-hop, rap, and metal, I like pretty much everything.  There are songs I like that fall into the previous categories, just not many.  Though my musical tastes have never been in sync with the general population, I think a lot of the bands that I love could be much more popular, if only people heard them instead of the same 10-20 songs played ad nauseum. So I’ve looked through my collection and I’ve come up with five bands of varying musical styles. Though the genres are different, I think any of them would be a great addition to your music collection and can provide a nice introduction to a genre you may not have listened to before. So, in no apparent order: 

The Mekons (Alternative Rock) 
Formed in Leeds, UK 30 years and 20 albums ago, these art school chums of Gang of Four started as a punk act. Ever sarcastic, they co-opted The Clash for their Never Been in a Riot. In 79 and 80 they released 4 albums of smart ass punk rock. Disappearing until 1985, they re-emerged with a new line up including accordionist Rico Bell and violinist Susie Honeyman, and released the punk country classic Fear and Whiskey. They have explored many genres in their career, but always with their own style. They bite the hand that feeds them on their major label debut and masterpiece Mekons Rock and Roll.  The opening lines to that album’s Club Mekon, sung by the incomparable Sally Timms say it all. “When I was just seventeen, sex no longer held a mystery. I saw it as a commodity, to be bought and sold, like rock and roll.” Check out Mekons Rock and Roll, So Good it Hurts, or Fear and Whiskey. 
 

The Beat Farmers  (Roots Rock)
The Beat Farmers are the best bar band I’ve ever seen. Ostensibly they were two bands at once. The main band was a straight ahead roots rocking band. The other side was when 6’ 4” drummer, the late Country Dick Montana would come out from the kit. Guitarist Jerry Raney would drum. You’d then be treated to some deep voiced songs of depravity, and a lot of beer spilled on you, and maybe some broken glass. Bring your kazoos for Happy Boy! Original guitarist Buddy Blue is gone now as well. Over a short career they released only 8 albums. Their studio albums do not do them justice, and only one of their two live albums comes close. Dick went out on stage in Canada, mid song, just like I’m sure that happy boy wanted to. Check out: Tales of the New West, the Rhino Handmade re-issue is best, Live at the Spring Valley Inn 1983, and Van Go, which was overproduced, driving Blue from the band, but still good. Also Blue’s Pretend It’s OK. 

Juluka  (World Music)
I love world music. One of the freeing things to me about it, is it allows you to hear the voice as an instrument, since you can’t understand the lyrics. Juluka was formed when white South African Johnny Clegg met Zulu laborer Sipho Mchunu. Using sign language until Clegg learned Zulu, they began to play music together, finally settling on a mix of Zulu inspired and Western pop rock inspired music. After releasing 9 albums from 1978-1986, Sipho left the band, going back to his tribal lands. He returned for one album in 1997, and also released two solo albums. Clegg went on to form Savuka afterwards, and I like them, but they have more of a  Western music style, and I miss the more heavily Zulu material. Clegg has continued to release records, now under his name alone. I saw Juluka in a small club in 1984, and it is still the second best concert I have ever seen in 20 plus years of concert going. Check out: Scatterlings, Ubuhle Bemvelo, and Universal Men. 

The Bevis Frond (Psychedelic 60’s style rock)
Nick Saloman is The Bevis Frond. He does tour with a band that includes Hawkwind bassist Adrian Shaw, but the albums are a solo studio project with all instruments played by Saloman. The prolific Frond released 18 full length albums from 1987-2004. The earliest are the most psychedelic, with some long jams songs with titles like Tangerine Infringement Beak. On every album, however, Salomon would have plenty of 3 to 4 minute hooky pop songs, done with his trademark guitar sound. As his career progressed, there were less 17 minute jams, and more of the hooky songs, but they remain guitar oriented albums.  Boston subway busker Mary Lou Lord had a very minor hit with his song Lights Are Changing. Check out: Any Gas Faster, New River Head, or London Stone. 

Blood Oranges (alt-country)
Boston bred Blood Oranges released their total output, 2 albums and 1 EP, all just before the alt-country music scene broke in this country. Using a bass/drums/guitar/mandolin base, they stretched traditional country and bluegrass a bit, and steered clear of the over-produced Nashville sound. Mandolin player Jimmy Ryan played a Stratocaster mandolin in those days, which looked like a mandolin sized electric guitar. Covering bluegrass and country standards, as well as plenty of originals, neither album has any filler. Jimmy Is the lead singer but bassist Cheri Knight, who has one very good and one excellent solo album to her credit, sings a few songs on each album.. Her version of the song Thief will bring goose bumps. Check out their whole catalog Corn River, The Crying Tree, and the EP Lone Green Valley. Also check out Jimmy Ryan’s solo album Gospel Shirt, and Cheri Knight’s Northeast Kingdom.