Four Bands You Never Knew You Always Wanted

Anyone that turns on the radio for more then a few minutes will get an idea of what is ‘happening’ right now in the world of music. Sadly the music they play on the radio simply sucks. I was beginning to wonder if the great art of music was dead in these modern times. That, however, is on the great things about iTunes. It and places like it allow one to explore the underworld of music and find where all the good stuff still lives.

Ben Folds

Originally Ben Folds Five, was a band started in the early nineties with a semi-popular song called “Brick” on the air waves. Since then the lead singer, Ben, left the band and has mostly been on tour and selling CDs. He also has done numerous soundtracks for movies and shows but still doesn’t get much in the way of air time on the radio. His music is great due to the simple and complex beauty of his pieces which range from dark haunting hymns like “Landed”, “Bastard”, and “Leather Jacket” to laugh out songs like “Army”, “Song for the Dumped”, and “Underground”.

The Black Keys

What started as a song writing group for a few R&B singers quickly turned into the sweetest blues I have heard in a long time. They have a hard beat and a smooth groove to all their work and are defiantly worth looking into. My personal favorite from them is “When the Lights Go Out.”

Butthole Surfers

This band put out an amazing song called “Pepper” over ten years ago and have not had a lot of sales since then. They have, however, continued to make some really great music all be it dark music. This isn’t a band to share with the kids but their lyrics are true poetry even though it is strange poetry sometimes. I would suggest “Whatever”, and of course “Pepper”.

Burning Airlines

This band is really a side project of a few heavier hitters like Jawbox and friends of Foo Fighters members. They have a hyped up and high tempo sound with great bass lines and moving guitar not to mention their awesome lyrics. “Cuz we are all headed west, no matter what we believe.” (Deluxe War Babies) Oh I love it!

All these bands are great in their own rights and have very different sounds and in all honesty, different is good after hearing the same songs on the radio every day. So, check these guys out and see if you can groove with them as much as I do.