Joe's Jams 08.14.08: Good Songs By Underrated Artists
Posted by Joe Rivett on 08.14.2008
What do Nate Dogg and Don Felder have in common? They make others sound better.
A couple 411 staffers profiled their most underrated bands. I'm going to take it a step further and profile my most underrated artists/bands from different genres and give you an idea of a good song to download from each group/artist.
Nate Dogg
The best rap songs are the ones that feature Nate Dogg. I became a fan of his when he teamed up with Warren G doing the song 'Regulate' on the Above the Rim Soundtrack. According to Wikipedia, he has been featured in over 60 chart topping hits! Despite his success, most people can't name a Nate Dogg album. My favorite is Music and Me and my recommended song to download is - I Got Love
Crash Test Dummies
When most people think of the Crash Test Dummies they think of 'mmm mmm mmm mmm'. I think this song is overrated. The song was from the album God Shuffled His Feet and the song peaked at number 4. I find the song kind of boring and dull. Yet, the rest of the album is superb. They had a nice mix of hard rock, country, with a mandolin player. The lyrics were always catchy and funny such as "How does a duck know what direction South is? And how to tell his wife from all the other ducks?" The Crash Test Dummies first made it big in Canada with the song - Superman's Song. This song is great because it is about how tough it is being Superman and how he probably just wanted to quit being a hero and join Tarzan in the jungle.
Don Felder
When people think of the Eagles, they think Don Henley. Some people think Hotel California. But if you are going to think Hotel California then you have to give credit to the guy who wrote it – Don Felder. Without Felder writing Hotel California, the Eagles may have just remained a solid country/folk group. This song with the addition of Joe Walsh to the band made the Eagles one of the greatest rock groups ever.
The Moody Blues
I get upset when I see that Madonna makes the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Moody Blues somehow aren't there. This is one of the most innovative bands ever. They combined rock music with an orchestra better than any group ever. Years later the Trans Siberian Orchestra decided to combine heavy metal and an orchestra. But the Moody Blues did it first and did it well. Nights in White Satin still remains one of the greatest love songs ever. For a less known great song I recommend - Lovely to See You
Wyclef Jean
I remember seeing a Wyclef Jean concert at a college. I didn't know what to expect. Would he rap? Would he rock? Actually, he played classical guitar and I became a Wycelf Jean fan. He can do it all but he doesn't get much credit because he doesn't specialize in one type of genre. He recently released a new album and he did a duet with Paul Simon that I recommend called - Fast Car
Barenaked Ladies
I've been a Barenaked Ladies fan now for over 12 years being that I live so close to Canada. Not only have they put out solid albums but their live shows are incredible and fun. The song "If I had a million dollars" drew me in and became the coolest New York Lotto song. Somehow the song 'One Week' became their breakout US hit. I never liked this song. For a good Barenaked Ladies song I recommend - She's On Time which is about how happy a man is when his girlfriend has her period.
