Few things are more annoying than that one person who listens to “stuff that’s just so underground. You wouldn’t know it because you only listen to popular music.” Taylor Swift described this best when she said: “And you would hide away and find your peace of mind / With some indie record that’s ‘much cooler than mine’.”
Unlike most of these types of people, I listen to a lot of music that is genuinely so obscure, I am willing to bet that nobody at Shorewood High School – who isn’t acquainted with me – has ever heard of these bands. Not a single soul!
Also unlike people who love to gatekeep the “underground music” they listen to, I have a passionate desire to share these hidden gems with the world.
In this article, I will do just that. I encourage you to give these little-known wonders a try, because all of the bands I am about to discuss have genuinely changed my life with their music.
The Gadjits
The main reason that nobody has heard of this group is because they broke up over 20 years ago. The Gadjits were a ska/rock-and-roll band from Kansas City, Missouri. They were active from 1995-2003, and they wrote music at an incredibly young age: upon being signed by record label Hellcat Records in 1997, the average age of the band members was only 17.
The Gadjits are my favorite band of all-time.
Their first two studio albums, the aforementioned “At Ease” (1998) and “Wish We Never Met” (1999), are somehow beautiful and gritty, slow and fast, quiet and loud, all at the same time.
The Gadjits are wonderfully versatile: they can be slow, sultry and groovy, yet one track later, they can rock your socks off. They can even accomplish all of the above in one song! They can craft anything they wish, and they did craft something unique and awesome with every single track on “At Ease” and “Wish We Never Met”.
Lead vocalist Brandon Philips’ voice is just heavenly, particularly on tracks like “Manuhkin” (my favorite Gadjits song) and “Wise Up”.
What about lyrics? The subject matter of The Gadjits’ songs are very relatable to teenagers: they sing about the ups and downs of dating, as well as partying, speeding tickets, uncertain futures, and – in the rather wholesome track “Angel and a Devil” – the dangers of drug addiction in adolescents.
This band is overflowing with energetic youthfulness, but they are also so talented, it’s scary.
Best songs: “Manuhkin”, “Tell Yourself”, “Carnival Sense”
Pain
My current obsession and second favorite band of all-time, Pain is probably the most underrated band in history. Even in the rather small ska/punk scene, they are so often overlooked (which just breaks my heart).
Originating from Birmingham, Alabama, Pain were active from 1994-2000, and again from 2019-present under the new name Salvo.
I think Pain’s music is too fabulously unique to be classified as any genre, but if I had to pick a couple labels, I would say they’re punk rock and ska.
Pain’s sound/vibe has more variety than the bulk section at your local WinCo Foods. I would honestly describe their music as “weird”, but in a good way.
Most of their music – if I may use slang – goes hard. They are so high-energy, I can’t help but dance like crazy when listening. Tracks like “Right On”, “Suckerpunch”, and “The Bottlerocket War” are – if I may use even more cringey slang – epic.
Meanwhile, “Ellen” is hilarious, “One-Legged Girl” and “Futz Said Julie” are whimsical, and “Upright” and “Full Speed Ahead” are downright inspirational (“Full Speed Ahead” makes me cry).
Pain excels at achieving any sort of energy they want to, and their lyrics are impeccable and very creative.
This band means so much to me. Their music never fails to cheer me up, no matter the circumstances.
Best songs: “Suckerpunch”, “Right On”, “Antidote”
Keep Flying
A personal pick, this band is one of which I have hugged every member at least once.
Self-described as “punk with horns”, these guys are a quite small band from New York. Touring with much larger acts such as Less Than Jake and Bowling For Soup has helped the band grow, but they deserve all of the attention in the world.
Keep Flying are a hilarious group of people, yet their music is raw, emotional, and beautiful. These guys are not afraid to talk about how they feel.
The vulnerability of their songwriting shines in tracks like “Reason” and “Safety Harbor”. Keep Flying’s lyrics discuss topics such as depression, anxiety, identity crisis, and broken relationships.
On the other hand, “Surviving The Night” and “Fashion Statement” are inspirational anthems. The former, in particular, brings tears to my eyes, and evokes pure emotion from crowds whenever they play it live. It’s truly magical.
You must listen to this band. If not because their music rocks harder than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, then because this amazing group of guys (whose music genuinely saved me from my own feelings during some rough times) deserves your support.
Best songs: “Left Behind”, “Late Reply”, “Surviving The Night”
Bearings
The most popular, most mainstream band on this list, Bearings are still a criminally underrated group.
They are a pop punk band from Ontario, Canada. Also the youngest and newest band on this list, they released their first studio album, “Blue In The Dark”, in 2018.
“Blue In The Dark” is beautiful and emotional, with several acoustic tracks, while their 2020 album “Hello, It’s You” is more pop-y and light, while still packing a punch in terms of lyrics.
If the three bands above are too out-there for you, Bearings sounds more like what you might hear on the radio, but they are still very small, very unknown, and very much deserving of your attention and love.
I have also met the members of Bearings, and I must say, they are very cute.
Best songs: “Sway”, “Blue In The Dark”, “Aforementioned”
