The second act of David Axelrod’s musical interpretations of William Blake’s epic Songs of Innocence and of Experience pulls the distorted rock guitar back a tad in favor […]
Rock
Can’s first album following the departure of vocalist Damo Suzuki is an experimental trip featuring looping hypnotic grooves that, at times, sound like proto-electronic-dance music. Guitarist Michael Karoli […]
Short-lived but influential to the 1970’s punk/new wave movement, The Modern Lovers were signed to Warner Bros. but broke up before any album was recorded. Their “debut” was […]
One of the best kept secrets of the ’60s folk scene, singer-songwriter Fred Neil Never was never quite comfortable with the music industry and would eventually walk away […]
The AB’s debut album is a collection of soulful fusion jazz that’s often looped in with other “city pop” releases on Moon Records, but transcends many of the […]
Featured in the “Cosmic” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Between the Universes by Tritonus is a progressive, psychedelic krautrock gem featuring warm, analog synthesizers and […]
Part of the ’80s New York avant-garde scene, multi-instrumentalist Rhys Chatham studied under electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick and minimalist composer La Monte Young. Chatham’s second album Die […]
Featured in the “Mellow” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Harbor is a surprisingly dark album from the George Martin-produced British soft rock band. While the […]
John & Yoko’s first album after a long hiatus from music following the birth of their first son Sean, Double Fantasy received largely negative reviews from critics but […]
Featured in the “Psychedelic” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Melody & Menace is the self-released debut from Toronto-based progressive rock group Terraced Garden. Led by […]
Possibly David Sylvian’s greatest solo work (it’s hard to pick), Secrets of the Beehive is a deeply introspective work of slow, electronic art rock featuring an all-star supporting […]
Barton Smith’s gorgeous “one-person orchestra” tape compositions using a mixture of acoustic, electronic, and found instruments. While clearly experimental in approach, the music was actually composed with the […]
You can’t go wrong with an album cover featuring a fluffy cute dog pasted onto Superman’s body… A legend in the Japanese rock scene, Katoh launched his career […]
Much like their debut Electronique Guerilla, Heldon’s sophomore album is still very much inspired by Robert Fripp’s “Frippertronics.” However, along with the usual No Pussyfooting tape guitar loops […]
The short-lived late ’60s psychedelic Brit-pop boy band Grapefruit sounds very much of their time, but that doesn’t mean the songs aren’t still great. Closely tied to The […]
“There was a strange existentialness to her; she was at once both cool and warm and her style of singing stretched words to the point where they were […]
One of the co-founders of internationally known Dutch band Focus, guitarist Jan Akkerman would head into a more jazz-rock / fusion direction after leaving the baroque inspired prog […]
If you’re a follower of Dean Blunt, you may have heard Joanne Robertson’s quietly affecting vocals on The Redeemer, Zushi, or 2017’s collaborative effort Wahalla. The Glasgow-based singer […]
One of the great masterpieces of the late 60’s psychedelic rock scene in Los Angeles, Arthur Lee and Love’s Forever Changes is a harrowing look into the end […]
Gene Clark was a founding member of the legendary country-folk-rock band The Byrds. His story is a bit of a sad one as his songwriting talent and heavy […]
The sole album by Joseph Byrd’s The United States Of America is a New York avant-garde classic that pulls influences from both the Fluxus and hippie movements of […]
Quite underrated, laid-back kosmische with acoustic guitars, synths, organs, piano, flutes, drum machines, extended solos and broken english from brothers Klaus and Rolf Fichter (formerly of Yatha Sidra). […]
Marnie Weber’s Songs Hurt Me is a seminal performance art meets post-punk album from 80’s Los Angeles. A multifaceted artist, Marnie cut her teeth in Los Angeles’s punk […]
Featured in the “Psychedelic” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, For You is the private pressed solo debut of Angelo Noce Santoro. A founding member of […]
Implosion is a two-piece ensemble formed by self-taught musicians Gianni Rosati (guitars) and Stefano Focacci (keyboards, bass, drum machines). Driven by a very much independent approach, the duo […]
A holy grail from the 70’s Zamrock scene reissued by Egon and Now-Again, Introduction sets the stage for the pioneering garage-psych rock band that dubbed itself W.I.T.C.H. (We Intend […]
Thirsty Moon… we first heard “Südwind” on Chee Shimizu’s excellent “Follow My Dream” mix on the Lovefingers blog. Released on seminal kraut label Brain, Blitz features some seriously infectious […]
Brazilian songwriter Walter Franco moves away from his early freak folk to present a more psychedelic and rock-oriented MPB album. On Revolver, Franco explores a sort of avant-garde […]
Composed entirely with his own voice, Todd Rundgren’s A Cappella features overdubbing techniques with the legendary E-mu Emulator. The power of sampling is in full effect with Rundgren’s […]
Peter Green was the founder of Fleetwood Mac and worked with the band from 1967–70 before leaving the group and releasing The End of the Game in 1970. […]
Featured in the “Floating” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Bad Anima is guitarist/vocalist Katsutoshi Morizono’s first solo album to feature vocals after a series of […]
A wild fusion of genres (classical, blues, rock, jazz, comedy) in classic Zappa style, One Size Fits All opens with the wonderfully complex “Inca Roads” which features George […]
When Jeff Parker, guitarist of influential Chicago band Tortoise, joined us this past summer for a dedicated listening session, it was clear that his musical influences ran deep […]
Psychedelic rock pioneer Kevin Ayers was the first member of legendary Canterbury group Soft Machine to launch a solo career. His four albums on Harvest remain unheralded prog-rock […]
An interesting one to be listening to now that it’s firmly Fall, but there’s no wrong time for balearic music right? On the Beach is a yacht rock […]
One of the unsung heroes of the Laurel Canyon scene, Laura Allan has appeared on albums by Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Carmen, Crosby-Nash, as well as Crosby’s […]
Released nearly two years after their first no. 1 hit The Game, Queen’s Hot Space was a departure from the group’s typical layered arrangements and orchestral sound into […]
J.J. Cale might best be known for his tune “Cocaine,” which Eric Clapton famously covered on his Slowhand album, but there’s much more to the singer-songwriter than a […]
A textural masterpiece, Cocteau Twins third album Treasure is possibly the group’s finest work and a definite 4AD record during the label’s creative peak. Robin Guthrie, Simon Raymonde, […]
Featured in the “Mellow” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Only Love Can Sustain is Argentinian rock legend Luis Alberto Spinetta’s first album released outside his […]
HQ (aka When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease) is legendary English singer songwriter Roy Harper’s progressive folk rock album featuring Trigger – a one time super group […]
Like many of our favorite records, Paul McCartney’s quirky, experimental pop album was poorly received by critics upon release but has since gained a cult following and recognized […]
Internal conflicts, contract obligations, touring commitments… The Stones were dealing with the whole nine when tasked to turn in a new album to follow up their underwhelming 1980 […]
Bruce Springsteen’s sixth studio album Nebraska is a DIY loner classic released long before the term “bedroom producer” was a thing. The album was recorded with the assistance […]
Featured in John Peel’s Top Ten Albums of 1973, Scottish pop rock band Blue’s debut is a confident showing of twelve original songs each with a distinctive sound. […]
The debut solo album by Mexican ambient pioneer Jorge Reyes, Ek-Tunkul is a powerful statement of purpose from an artist whose sound was wholly his own. After leaving […]
Named after a collection of William Blake poems, Song of Innocence is the debut solo album by Capitol Records’ multi-talented musician, producer, composer, arranger David Axelrod. The album […]
A classic obscurity from the legendary Lovefingers blog, What a Night is carefree, disco-rock from Austrian keyboardist Richard Schoenherz’s of the iconic Supermax. The Moog synthesizers, Rhodes, and […]
David Crosby’s solo debut If Only I Could Remember My Name is psychedelic folk-rock perfection from The Byrds / CSNY legend backed by other Laurel Canyon heroes including […]
The debut solo LP by The Velvet Underground’s electric viola player John Cale, Vintage Violence is a deeply personal singer-songwriter album by an artist reflecting on his life, […]
One of the first albums by a female artist to have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, Tracy Chapman’s self-titled debut is an essential listen with humble […]
Fans of Vangelis’ epic soundtrack compositions may be surprised to learn that the Greek synth god’s first true solo effort actually sits in a more folk, psych, progressive […]
Featured in the “Psychedelic” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Phase II – Go Go Pongs is the second and last album by amateur guitarist Klaus […]
Undoubtedly the best of the three H.P. Lovecraft albums released in the late 60s / early 70s, H.P. Lovecraft II is a cosmic, West Coast mushroom trip that […]
Low Profile is the first album by the laid-back Dutch guitar hero Spike Wolters, a little-known Oegstgeest bedroom artist who home-recorded and privately released a series of progressive, […]
Numero Group has spent the last seventeen years reanimating rare music from all around the globe. One of our all-time favorites is their 2012 ode to the FM […]
A name like Philamore Lincoln would seem enough to intrigue a potential record buyer into a blind buy. Yet Philamore’s lone album, The North Wind Blew South, released […]
Dubbed “one of pop music’s sneakiest masterpieces” due to its low-key but lasting popularity, Donald Fagen’s post-Steely Dan solo debut The Nightlfy is a semi-autobiographical concept album looking […]
This is the type of record you put on and before you know it you’ve played it 2 or 3 times in a row… The post punk outfit […]
A true “balearic” full length album from cover to cover, Reaching For The Sky is the second and arguably greatest album from the short lived Dutch pop rock […]
An undisputed masterpiece from Lovely Music’s “Blue” Gene Tyranny, here are some words by NY label Unseen Worlds, which recently reissued it for the first time ever last […]
One of the more underrated singer-songwriters from the 70’s, Colin Blunstone began his career as the lead singer of the English rock band The Zombies. After releasing a […]
Japanese traditional music meets jazz, prog, and psych rock on this masterpiece by Osamu Kitajima on Island Records sub-label Antilles. Released during a time when a majority of […]
Lucio Battisti released a slew of successful rock and pop albums in the late 60’s and early 70’s, but it would take him a few years before the […]
French Composer and piano virtuoso Benoit Widemann began his obsession with harmony as a child and quickly found his place in the 70s prog rock scene in Paris. […]
Not to be confused with the French electronic duo, Long Island’s Air is a jazz-rock band from the 70’s consisting of four core members – Tom Coppola, John […]
Featured in the psychedelic section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Photo Musik is an underrated gem from French guitarist Christian Boulé. Boulé was a peripheral member […]
Happy Ambrosia is a little known kraut release by Alto, a side project by Kraan “alto” saxophonist Johannes Pappert. The band was apparently not a proper band and […]
David Sylvain’s first taste of international acclaim came by way of his band Japan. Struggling to win over fans in the mid 70’s UK punk era, Japan ironically […]
Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother’s Neu! were one of the central groups of the 70’s krautrock movement. Their first record, simply entitled NEU!, created its own paradigm, and […]
The album that started it all for the great Haruomi Hosono, Apryl Fool’s self-titled debut is an extraordinary and influential album from the late 60’s “Group Sounds” era […]
Between was an instrumental krautrock group in the 70’s formed by composers Peter Michael Hamel and Ulrich Stranz with the purpose of creating “music between the worlds.” While […]
Richard Schneider Jr.’s Dreamlike Land is a German rarity that has a distinct sound within the web of krautrock and Can offshoots during the 70’s. It may be […]
After finding success in composing hits for other artists in the early 60’s (such as the Monkees’ “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like a) […]
Anatolian rock was deeply influenced by the psychedelic cultural movements of the 1970s, and Barış Manço played an important role in developing the style that defined the genre. […]
Kathy Smith began as a fixture around the Los Angeles hippie and folk scene of the 60’s and 70’s, playing regularly at venues such as Paradox, the Troubador, […]
Eno’s 1975 precursor-to-ambient albums Another Green World and Discreet Music entered Bowie’s ears and infiltrated his psyche at a very interesting point in the rock star’s career: when the damaging repercussions of […]
To say that Le Noise is one of Neil Young’s of most experimental and underrated records would be an understatement. The record, along with its accompanying live DVD, […]
Heard about this one on Japanese record collector Yozo Kumitake’s excellent Originals Volume 9 compilation CD. Savanna Silver Band were a mostly unknown latin jazz rock group that […]
Famously deleted from the catalogue of Asylum Records, with David Geffen pointedly trying to erase it from history, No Other is the lost and recently found masterpiece by […]
The one and only recorded release from the ambitious German jazz-rock group that would eventually share their name with a majorly successful US boogie outfit, Shake It showcases […]
Known for their hypnotic kraut sound, Ashra’s third record Correlations pushes them further into rock territory. Having made the first two records as solo efforts, band leader and […]
Batteaux is a long treasured and notoriously under appreciated 70’s underground folk-funk classic. The only release by the Batteau brother duo is a perfect mix of balearic blue […]
An obscure jazz-rock holy grail from Sweden that touches on elements of pastoral folk as well as progressive rock, but ultimately sounds quite unlike any of the aforementioned […]
In 1968, the Everly Brothers had nothing to lose, at least as pop artists. They hadn’t charted in three years, hadn’t been in the Top 10 for a […]
The Go-Betweens were formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by friends Grant McLennan and Robert Forster. The two would share songwriting duties throughout the band’s existence, developing an […]
If spacey electronics are your thing, this is your record! Released in 1976, Patrick Vian’s Bruit et Temps Analogues, was way ahead of its time in terms of […]
Harumi’s self-titled debut and sole release is one of those quintessentials as far as rare records go. It checks literally all the boxes necessary for what you’d expect […]
Guru Guru’s Hey Du is a classic kraut record on Brain that we first heard on the legendary Lovefingers daily mp3 blog. A1 Starway was featured as a […]
Like a lot of great music we enjoy, Roger Melt’s Pleine Lune is completely unique and difficult to place, and also the only solo release from the Geneva-based […]
Stuck in traffic? Put on The Monks. Having a weird night? Put on The Monks. Having a magnificent day? Put on the Monks. Let the mood-shifting power of […]
Sensations’ Fix is the brainchild of Italian musician Franco Falsini. In the sixties, Falsini developed his musical chops playing in a beat style band in Florence before moving […]
A record that we’d instantly pick out of the stacks based on cover alone, Paul Parrish’s The Forest of My Mind is a wonderful trip through mellow, psychedelic […]
What started as a “just for fun” side project from a little known guitarist has since become a rare and quite sought after 70’s private press, breezy psychedelic […]
Part of a myriad of excellent side projects from the various members of Wire after their temporary dissolution in 1981, AC Marias was created by bassist Graham Lewis, […]
Pram were an experimental pop group from Birmingham, England formed in 1988. Influenced by the likes of The Raincoats, Faust and Alice Coltrane, the band’s unique sound garnered […]
It’s no accident that Paranoid is considered one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time. “Paranoid is important because it is the blueprint […]
He may be a household name in Brazil, but Erasmo Carlos never quite made it to the level of international stardom like contemporaries Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal […]
Joni Mitchell’s 8th studio album Hejira has the imagery of highways, small towns and snow, in large part because it was written on a cross country road trip […]
A collaboration between English jazz vocalist Dianne Ford and German fretless bassist Manfred Lins, Lonely Shadow is the one and only record made by the low-profile duo. Mostly […]
The groundbreaking album that started the shoegaze movement. Undoubtedly one of the most revered records in alt rock history, Loveless by Kevin Shields’ My Bloody Valentine captures a […]
Much more than just a rare groove classic, Eugene McDaniels’ Headless Heroes Of The Apocalypse is a psychedelic-soul jazz album with a powerful message. McDaniels, who is also […]
Harmonia were a Krautrock supergroup formed in 1973 by Michael Rother of NEU! and Dieter Moebius and Joachim Roedelius of Cluster. In 1971 an antiquarian, hoping to start […]
A great way to travel when you’re stuck at home is to listen to Houston-based trio Khruangbin, whose band name is the Thai word for “flying engine” or […]
Old Rottenhat is the fourth solo album from ex Soft Machine drummer/vocalist Robert Wyatt. This album was released ten years apart from his last solo release and features a […]
A stark, off-kilter, angst-driven, supercharged debut album by British/German political-journalist-turned-singer Annika Henderson, performing as Anika, backed by the experimental electronic rock band BEAK>. The album consists primarily of […]
Nudge your Serge Gainsbourg record over a smidge to make room for another fabulous, eccentric Frenchman in your collection: Michel Polnareff. Polnareff’s is well worth a full listen, […]
Shoes were formed in the early 70s by longtime friends John Murphy and Gary Klebe in Zion, Illinois before the two even owned their first instruments. The duo […]
If you have a road trip playlist, this album is a perfect addition. There are some songs that just make you want to hit the road and embrace […]
A one-time musical anomaly created from the ashes of influential UK post-punk trio This Heat, Lifetone’s For A Reason brings together the political angst and energy of This […]
Featured in Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound guidebook for record collectors, Bazar De Los Milagros is a masterpiece album from one of the true legends of Argentinian rock. Nebbia […]
In 1969, four young, ambitious musicians—Haruomi Hosono (bass, vocals), Eiichi Ohtaki (guitars, vocals), Shigeru Suzuki (guitars) and Takashi Matsumoto (drums, lyrics)—found each other in Tokyo. They bonded over […]
Maria Monti, a talented Italian folk singer and actor who appeared in films by Bernardo Bertolucci and Sergio Leone, was backed by some incredible talent on her fifth […]
Hard Candy, Ned Doheny’s blue eyed soul opus, offers a lesson in everything going right for a record, yet still failing commercially. After his debut album failed to […]
Another Green World is Brian Eno’s transitional record from glam rock to the ambient minimalism that he would later be more recognized for, and essential listening for any […]
Talk Talk’s commercially disastrous, cult classic Spirit of Eden is an absolute must listen for any music fan. Recorded over three years in “an endlessly blacked-out studio, an […]
Italian multi-instrumentalist and composer Pepe Maina describes his music as “ambient & prog rock music for dreams and illusion.” His debut album Il Canto Dell’Arpa e Del Flauto […]
Bobby Brown’s debut is a difficult to classify outsider opus that has become a sort of grail for rare psych collectors (it’s featured in the highly renowned Acid […]
Tim Buckley’s third album represented many important changes for the young songwriter. He stopped working with the lyricist of his first two albums and began to write his […]
This record finds Neil at a crossroads musically somewhere between country, rock and blues. While the title suggests summer breezy, On The Beach finds Neil in a more […]
