I have an eclectic taste in music. Here's an assortment I doubt you have heard before, but might introduce you to something new. If many of you have even heard of these bands before, I'd be a bit surprised. Hopefully you will find something interesting to explore from this sampler of videos!

John Hartford, Dusty Miller Hornpipe and Fugue in A Major for Strings, Brass, and 5-String Banjo

I'll start this post with a performance from John Hartford, banjo and fiddle player extraordinaire. He may be best known for his ballad Gentle On My Mind, but he was also a living library of folk music.

Stavesacre, ...The Band Played On

In the beginning, I was only sure of
Of my insignificance
And the world outside my window
Where would I begin?
I heard you say the words and I believed them
I was out of step but not alone
It seemed so right when little else did
And I believed that there was hope

Stavesacre was a 90s Christian rock band with more musicianship than most, and a peculiarly introspective lyrical style.

Joy Electric, Disco For A Ride

Worthy to be recieved
By who? You think you're king
Clarity come draped
Ignore your gravest mistakes
The mountains of books still read
Of bronze and barren deeds
You have paved the way
For what you have in store

Joy Electric was a solo experimental electronic project by Ronnie Martin, brother of Starflyer 59's Jason Martin. Both preferred to record their own music instead of chasing popularity or imitating secular acts to be the "Christian version" of something else. It's weird, but I like it.

The Last Bison, Dark Am I

Staring through every window
Staring till the glass does break
Hiding on the mountainside
Descend the cliffs and let me see your face

Do I get hipster credit for remember when when "The Last Bison" was just called "Bison?" This indie-folk-pop-rock band is worth a look if you like acoustic instruments with an extra dose of artistic pretense that is not unwarranted.

Dime Store Prophets, Yeah Sure OK Monet

Well you reach down deep, and find nothing unique
Truth is getting so hard to paint
Just chasing the wind, no place to begin
Mister, you're not the first
Try working with dirt
Yeah sure ok Monet

Back to some 90's CCM alternative rock. This tune references Ecclesiastes and Job while describing the futile pursuit of wholeness without Christ using a barrage of art metaphors under a driving guitar rock-and-roll sound.

Clear, Follow the Narrow

With great intrigue he stares ahead at the divide
An old picket gate spans across both trails
One more narrow, the other more wide
Unsure of his route, he digs deep, down into his pockets
Dirty hands unfold a worn, wrinkled map for guidance

Now for a weird blend of styles from celtic folk to pop. Clear is a band from central Minnesota, not far from where I grew up, but they didn't make it big until about the time we moved west, and I never knew the members or saw them perform live or anything.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

• Matthew 7:13-14 ESV

Mainstream Christianity seems to have missed that narrow gate as it follows the cultural norms and tries to take the lead in a broken society through politics and commercialism. If you're following the crowd, pause a moment and rethink your course. [/sermon]

Project 86, The Forces of Radio Have Dropped a Viper Into The Rhythm Section

I'm
Analog
Two-inch tape
Vintage, warm with a potent
Hiss
Venomous
Memories
Always ready to strike like this

P86 is a wild band, and their albums shift in style as they experiment musically. The lyrics are often filled with obscure metaphors and symbolism in odd meters, but it's always at least adjacent to hard rock and metal. If you like to play loud music at loud volumes, take a listen!

I don't really have a conclusion for this potpourri of video links. I know some may not work internationally, so I apologize if intellectual property laws break any of them. Please share your own obscure nostalgia-triggering music or folk-tinged favorites in the comments!

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