You may have never heard of these bands, but the underground scene can provide some valuable music that might just be the next big thing. Here are five of The Badger Herald’s selection of low-key albums to add to your playlist.
Basic Rhythm – Raw Trax
Industrial music has always been a great outlet for some of the most eccentric, underground jams. Raw Trax has hard-hitting industrial drums from start to finish, but every so often an oddly soulful sample shows up. Basic Rhythm managed to combine the polar opposite genres with sped-up vocals from old, unidentifiable vinyl records and a subtle sax lines to create some Pretty Lights meets “The Matrix” style bangers.
Timothy Rhyme – Vintage
Underground LA rapper Timothy Rhyme with DJ and producer Phil the Pain released an album back in 2012 that was too smooth to overlook. The duo truly encapsulate the vintage theme — hence the name — by piecing old, sometimes classic samples in one long, easy transition. Phil the Pain’s scratching plus the dexterity of emcee Timothy Rhyme formulate a classic “old meets new” record that has been passed over in recent years.
Wild Firth – Wild Firth
Indie rock will always be a substantial force in the low-key DIY communities — and Wild Firth of Appleton, Wisconsin is a perfect portrayal of indie music in the suburbs. Their album’s style of loosely held together guitar lines and distant vocals are vindictive for their indie form. Wild Firth is filled with slick bridges, build-ups and surprises like the sax solo on “Henry.” All make for a classic sounding, underground indie rock album that sounds straight out of the ’90s.
The Humble – Act Accordingly
The Humble’s modern, southern rock takes over on their EP Act Accordingly. Greatly resembling old Kings of Leon records, The Humble attacks the genre with diligence as they pull the chords for a slightly unoriginal but enigmatic experience. The track “Runaway” may as well be a “Use Somebody” cover, but its ending jam takes all the concern away when they rock out for a few bars of plain old good music. It’s a fun album to listen to, and it makes us appreciate why the Kings of Leon ever became famous in the first place.
Pinegrove – Cardinal
Part of the recent emo-revival movement, Pinegrove brings all their talent to the table on Cardinal. Easily the most famous band on this list, Pinegrove will be opening for The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No longer Afraid to Die in Madison next week, so it felt right to review their new album. Cardinal is a representation of chemistry among musicians and it’s a must-listen for anyone who enjoys the East Coast rock scene. This album is not the emo-pop style of early 2000s bands like AFI, but a much more raw, full style, that at times can actually make someone cry — or mosh.
