Love this album by North Carolina band Hooverville. A couple of lifetimes ago I lived in North Carolina for about 2 years and I found this gem in a record store in Chapel Hill when I went back there for the first and only time since, about 12 years ago. I don’t think they ever did much else and more or less disappeared, which is a pity. Just a lovely slice of Americana.
Well, I’d suggest Charlie Haden’s 2004 Album, “Land of the Sun”. Except that it won a Grammy, so not unknown enough. So how about John Stewart’s “Mother Country”, which surfaced on the Apollo 11 documentary last year? Odd song, but I love the images in it.
Yet it wasn’t particularly well received when first released with many reviews being updated over the years. I’m still surprised how few people have heard this.
So for me, it does qualify. 
Here’s one of mine, which I only discovered about a year ago through the “What are we listening to” thread on this forum. It’s quickly become a firm favourite, and I think the review is spot on:
(I have others, if this isn’t hidden enough!)
PS - thank you to whoever posted this last year…
Jackie Leven has (quite rightly) already been mentioned on this thread. Doll by Doll were his band prior to going solo. Their lush and melodic music was completely at-odds with their tearaway punk persona. Each song is beautifully crafted and Leven’s exquisite vocals excel. Standout track is the hymn-like ‘Main Travelled Roads’.
Hidden Gem? Really? ROFL. Better than @Martin_Webster no 3 post at least yours is at number 65.
https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-100-1-1426116
Oh I think it’s a gem alright, just not exactly hidden.
Here’s the original NME review … “A SICK AND DEMENTED FELLOW LIKE JEFF MAGNUM shouldn’t normally be let loose on the drinking public.” 6/10
BTW, it’s no. 98 in their all-time top 100, not no. 3.
That’s no. 98. Neutral Milk Hotel … or #3 in the list. As ever, the charts are in reverse order.
#100 or rather the chart topper is …
- The Smiths, The Queen Is Dead (1986). Rough Trade. What distinguishes it as the greatest ever made? For one thing, timelessness. It is a state-of-the-nation address which seems impervious to the passage of years. Morrissey and Marr compliment each other perfectly. It is one of those select few albums which seem to transcend its influences, working them into something singular and new.
Ah! Thanks for that. Doing it on my phone whilst cooking isn’t probably the best idea 
Undeniably a great album, but I have to agree with Ged - Number 98 in NME’s Greatest Albums of All Time isn’t exactly ‘hidden’ 
Thing is, no one liked it until it was reissued and I’d say it’s not widely known by the casual listener. So, are we looking for an album that is largely unheard by this forum yet universally accepted as a gem? That’s not going to be easy … especially with one suggestion each.
I’ve already used my go. 
I think it’s more like (and I’m guessing what the OP meant BTW) a hidden, to the great unwashed, album that YOU think is a gem. And perhaps a little explanation of why it is one.
@ged_hickman1 is right, I was thinking along the lines of an album that’s a gem to you, not a universally accepted one. Also, having listened to most of the albums in this thread, I’d be quite happy for a few of them to stay hidden. I suspect the gem aspect of ‘hidden gem’ is quite idiosyncratic 
My hidden gem is not available on tidal or qobuz (it might be on Spotify I’m not sure) but was originally released on vinyl in 2009
@Tim_Rhodes, I hadn’t come across this album but it seems to be a re-release of Foxbase Alpha from 1991, at least as far as I can tell (i.e. same track list). Is it different in some way?
It is a complete reimagining/reworking of foxbase alpha by Richard X. If you like alpha you will love beta 
Edit: my post above is slightly inaccurate actually, it was released in cd only in 2009 for the Saint Etienne fan club. And is now available in vinyl.
I could put a few here. I’m going with the one playing right now, because it’s playing.
In which case I’ll go find it and download it now
Edit: done!
