5 best underrated or unknown bands and why?

I agree with Dogeatpuppy. Gomez is a great band and as a bonus, the recordings are far superior to other rock bands.
My favorite disk is Bring it On.

Lambchop

A great mix of moody electric guitar, piano and a few other instruments that is classified as country but that surprises most people, as their sound is more like Cowboy Junkies with a male vocal but more involving as far as I am concerned.

I have played their CD called: Is A Woman for 3 friends and 2 of them bought the next day and enjoy it.

Yes PhilJolet i would have to agree with you on Lambchop. I picked it up last week (Is a Woman)and wondered why none of the audio magazine guys have raved about it yet. Super Good. I'll have to check out their older stuff now.

Thanks.

JO JO ZEP & the FALCONS. Great band from Australia. Lead singer plays sax and is a real good singer. Some of their songs have a reggae lilt and I like to cook in the back yard while their stuff cooks on my turntable. I don't know if they are still together.

Bshapperd,
I have a few of their other CDs, I forget the names but they were recommended by All Music Guide as their best and they do not have the flavor of Is A Woman. They are distinctly more alternative sounding (which is usually fine with me) and I find myself not listening to them as much as Is A Woman.

Another good group is called: Ida.

Their CD called Will You Find Me? is a very nice mix of vocals harmonizing with acoustic guitar and organs and an eclectic mix of wind instruments. This album is very tastful and again, like Lambchop, I prefer this to the others that All Music Guide rates as their better albums.