10 Great Songs You Haven't Heard

OK...i know the subject is pretentious. It isn't meant to be I assure you. I'm positive many of you have heard the songs on this list and maybe one of you even introduced me to it. All I mean is these songs are shamefully not popular and are likely to remain that way. Isn't it great to discover a song on your own though? Digging around in some old record store and pick an artist that intrigues you only to be amazed when you throw the album on? These are the types of songs that aren't shoved in your face everywhere. They aren't popping up on somebody's Facebook every other day. They aren't being used in commercials and hitting #1 on the charts. These are great songs you haven't heard....until now

1. "Degausser" - Brand New

From Brand New's absolutely brilliant album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me this song just lures you in within the first few seconds of it. Playfully adding layer after layer of tantalizing sounds as the song reaches it's peak. Brand New have been building a modest fan base over the years, but have stayed out of the major spotlights. Early on the only thing people were talking about involving the band was their "feud" with Taking Back Sunday.

2. "Careful" - Guster

I keep this one in my holster all the time. Anytime I feel like making a new Guster fan I simply put on "Careful". Works like a charm. Perhaps one of the catchiest chorus' in modern music it's a wonder this song hasn't been written twenty times before. Guster may not have the largest audience but their fans are rabid. Crossing vast distances to attend a tiny acoustic show or wearing a ratty old band shirt at a concert in hopes of being spotted by the band and get a chance to make a live request. Guster is happy to make each show worth the effort.

3. "Sang Real" - Dredg

Maybe you've heard of Dredg from their song "Bug Eyes" as it's been used in several movies. "Sang Real" however is an enchanting piece. Coming from the colossal concept album Catch Without Arms it's dreamy feel makes you want to listen to it again after it ends, just to be sure that you heard what you thought you did.

4. "Down To Rest" - O'Death

O'Death lived and breathed the folk rock scene long before it took off in 2010. Hailing from Brooklyn O'Death have enjoyed a solid following in the US and Europe by doing things the old fashioned way. Touring like mad and promoting the crap out of your EPs. "Down To Rest" comes off their first record with a recording company 2007's Head Home.

5. "From Now On" - Dikta

Dikta are an indie rock band from Iceland...i'm not even going to attempt to type out the band member's names here. Don't think my keyboard could handle the characters...
I first heard this song on a flight to Iceland and it haunted my trip...I needed to find the song and more about the band that made it. Though their first release Andartak is strictly in Icelandic subsequent releases have included English lyrics, perhaps as an attempt to reach a more global audience.

6. "Fine Tuned" - The Statues

The Statues were a group from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. I say "were" because i'm not sure if they still perform under that name or at all. I first saw them when they opened for Cuff The Duke in 2003 and was so impressed I not only bought a CD but a shirt as well. Hopefully by mentioning them here someone will browse on in and give me some more information about their whereabouts these days.

video here

7. "Question Everything" - 8 Stops 7

The peculiarly named 8 Stops 7 were one of those bands that kind of got forgotten with the whole swicth from the 90's to the year 2000. It seemed they were gaining momentum, but just kind of vanished as the centuries turned over. "Question Everything" is a killer track though...in the days before Google i struggled trying to find what this song was. Heard it playing in the background of a pub and only caught a few key lyrics...in fact...I forget how I hunted it down. Perhaps it found me....GOLLY!

8. "Surprise, Surprise" - Brett Dennen

Maybe the only reason you haven't heard this one is because it's still quite new. Hasn't really had a chance to take off yet. Well, a few years old I guess the album Loverboy was released in 2011. Enh, benefit of the doubt. Brett Dennen has been making solid music since 2004 he's been recognized by critics and columnists as an artist to watch and has toured with the likes of Jason Mraz and Pete Murray. Check him out

9. "Alone With The Sea" - Hurt

Something about a song about the ocean that just instantly gives it an epic feel. Hurt formed in 2000 and have six studio albums to their name. Vol. I & Vol. II are twin albums that feature with similar themes such as fear, loss, sorrow and abandonment. Vol. II where 'Alone With The Sea' can be found is the slower, more pensive of the two. This song almost demands a second listen.

10. "Strawberryfire" - Apples In Stereo

The Apples In Stereo are another Indie Rock back known for their dabbling in psychedelic sounds and experimental albums. "Strawberryfire" has a Beatlesesque feel to it, not only for it's name's similarity to "Strawberry Fields Forever" but the tone and pacing make it an homage to that era and style. It was immediately nostalgic.

Now you HAVE heard them!!

Thanks all

JZ