Active from: 2009 - current Sound Like: California Surfer Guitar Rock with indie sensibilities and an old school Weezer sense of humor
At first I was almost reminded of Vampire Weekend who really doesn't do much for me. Upon 2nd and 3rd listenings this band's music feels a lot more complex and cynic. They have a song about youthful longing for sex/love and how fake or wrong (but good) the journey with someone can be.....all of this, while watching Twin Peaks!!! How the fuck can you go wrong with that? Like I said they almost reminded me of Vampire Weekend, but they are missing that bands sun shiney spin to their guitar licks. Give them a couple listens. They'll grab you. This is going to be one of the bigger "bands to see" this year at SXSW. Start looking for your day shows now. I know they will be at the Villiage Voice Media day show at La Zona Rosa on March 19th. Keep an eye out on the Interwebs on RSVP and info to get into that show.
Sounds Like: Slightly David Lynchian (maybe with a rainbow coming out his ass) mellowed out dance music
Memory Tapes is producer Dayve Hawk. He also produces music as Memory Cassets, Wierd Tapes as well as Memory Tapes. Outside music he is a stay at home dad in NJ who claims to be bad with computers. He has a Blogger site to discuss his music.
Sounds Like: 1987 J.J. Fad/Queen Latifah era fun rap with 90's dance vibe
Her moniker refers to her older brother J2K of Flosstradamus. The music: Is it epic? Is it gonna make you think? No. Is is gonna make you shake your ass and dance? Yes! The whole album isn't a bulls eyes, but the dance hits and right on target. Skip "Big n Bad" she samples on of the more horrid overplayed dance hits of the 90's. I caught her at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX and had a blast. I highly recommend checking out her live show.
Label: 4AD Active from: 2007 Sounds Like: Early 90's alternative electronic with fuzzy guitars
I'm totally in love with band! The remind me of my 1st days going out to clubs and dancing my ass off. Their are doing their 1st U.S. tour right now, but are going no where near my loving Austin, TX.
Sounds Like: Cool Kids rip off, but lyrically more 80s centric
The Cool Kids opened up the road for Hip Hop to go back to its roots. Taking us back before Gangster Rap and hip hop’s current manifestation and infatuation with money, bling and status. Taking us back to when hip hop was fun. It was about kids entertaining themselves. Yes, a lot of underground hip hop kept that beat alive. There are tons of great intelligent fun hip hop out there. See Jurassic 5, Blackalicious or even their MC Gift Gab. However, I think it took our culture’s current crush of their fantasy version of the 80’s along with music’s continuing respect for its roots. Bring in the new youth and here you go. Out in Cali a hybrid of breakdancing called jerkin had developed. It basically is poppin with more focus on the lower body and foot work. The New Boyz have brought that dance into the lime light with "You're a Jerk." I love their lyrics. It is very reminiscent of UTFO. There are insults flying back and forth but they are all in good fun. They are also making it their own. Hip hop in SKINNY Jeans...the hipster look has invaded hip hop my friends....look at those bright ass 80's colors. Check'em out:
Sounds like: Indie pop with heavy 60's folk leanings, sung while sitting on a washing machine on spin cycle.
Lightning Dust is the side project of Amber Webber and Joshua Wells of Black Mountain. Lightning Dust was created to challenge themselves and to go for a completely different sound. Amber states she was looking to explore her goth side. She went for a "more theatrical sounding" vocal which I guess means MORE VIBRATO! Throughout the whole album you'll flirt between being annoyed by it and easily dismissing it's effect on the song. Still for some reason, probably my soft spot for 60's female folk, I totally dig their new album, Infinite Light Lightning Dust - I Knew
Sounds like: Jimmy Somerville got a gig with a modern atmospheric indie rock band
I think my "Sounds like" says almost everything you need to know to decide if you want to check them out. Their sophomore full length album, Two Dancers, comes out fully to the US 9/8 (was available earlier on eMusic). The lead singer, and Jimmy Somerville impersonator, is named in true soap opera style, Hayden Thrope. So far my favorite track is Hooting and Howling due to it poetic description of guys fighting over girls, but also just to fucking fight. This is definitely a band worth checking out the lyrics on:
Carry me hooting and howling, to the river to wash off my hands of the hot blood, the sweat and the sand. Any rival who goes for our girls will be left thumb sucking in terror and bereft of all coffin bearers. A crude art, a bovver boot ballet – equally elegant and ugly. I was as thrilled as I was appalled, courting him in fisticuffing waltz. Now I’m not saying the lads always deserve a braying. And I’m not saying the girls are worth the fines I’m paying. We’re just brutes bored in our bovver boots. We’re just brutes clowning ‘round in cahoots. We’re just brutes looking for shops to loot. We’re just brutes hoping to have a hoot… Hooting, hooting and howling.
I fell in love with the song when the phrase "equally elegant and ugly" strummed across my ear hole.
Wild Beast - Hooting and Howling
This next video is off their 1st album and shows a lighter hearted side. Hayden Thorpe's vocals on this one are almost laughable at 1st but still a good song. Slightly hypnotic (read almost seizure inducing) fun visuals on this one. Hypsters and their bad mustaches are funnny.....and sometimes damn cute. Wild Beasts - Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants
Bonus Material For those not in the know, Jimmy Somerville, was the original lead singer of Bronski Beat who later moved on to moderately successful carriers as the lead singer in The Communards and as a solo artist. Check out Bronski Beat's hit Smalltown Boy (1984) and tell me if you don't hear the vocal simularities.
Active from: 2005 to current Sounds like: Slightly sparse electric haunted 80's influenced
I found it a bit hard to describe this band. Not that they are that radically different. They do feel vaguely familiar, but every time I almost think of who they may remind me it evades me again. Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim frequently take turns on vocals in most of the songs, but also play instruments as well. One of the things I think I like best about this group is its use of negative space. They don't feel the need to fill up every second with sound. It doesn't feel rushed, too spaced out, or even sad. I guess the best description would be melodic indie pop. It may take a second listen to really fall for them, but once you do....Check out the following videos. They are coming to Austin, on November 19, be there, I know I will.
Sounds like: Indie Whiteboys do R. Kelley style R&B
Discovery is the side project of Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles of Ra Ra Riot. Neither of which are bands I'm a fan of. Vampire Weekend has that same California sunshine guitar riff from Sublime and Ra Ra Riot, just doesn't do it for me. I was very presently surprised when I gave this album a shot. Its a great fusion R&B bass lines, electronic synthesizers and vocals, indie sensibilities and camped up R&B lyrical content. Check out the handy dandy embedded player I found on their website.
Ok, right now the The Drums are getting lots of Buzz on the Blogosphere. And I get it, so far what I've heard is fun. Sorta a gayish indie rock take on the Beach Boys, but I could be saying that cuz the song is Called "Let's Go Surfin." As I watched the video, I thought I recognized something about the singer.....Other then he looks like Johnny Lawrence of Karate Kid. Then it hit me....This is the freaky side to side dance guy from Elkland who I saw open for Erasure three years ago. Check out the video for The Drums and then check out Johnathan Pierce in his previous band Elkland. Ah, the interwebs, how I love thee. When checking out Elkland make sure to take note of his oh so masculine dance. You get a real good view around 1:46 to 1:56:
Sounds like: Minimal Dance Rap (sometimes reminiscent of Princess Superstar and Peaches, but not always)
Amanda Blank began her career collaborating with aritst such as Spank Rock, MIA, Santogold, Diplo and N.A.S.A. She gained notoriety on Spank Rock’s “Blow” and on the track “I’m a Lady” that is featured on Diplo’s 75 minute mixtape “Top Ranking.” This song was a collaboration with Diplo and Santogold. It is a reworked partial cover of LL Cool J's "I Need Love." It gained such popularity over the internet that they put together a full track from it titled “A Love Song” on her freshly released LP, “I Love You.” She opened for Santogold recently and I caught her show here at Stubb’s. She puts on a great show, she has a great stage presence, is very charismatic and energetic.
Consisting of one singer and two producers, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, Miike Snow is bound to sound very polished. Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg are better know as Swedish production team Bloodshy & Avant. They've worked with tons of big pop stars such as Britney Spears and Madonna. Surprisingly this album does not sound mainstream at all. It is still pop, but chilled down a degree and still retains a more independent mentality. Probably due to Andrew Wyatt’s, formally of The A.M., song writing. The name was taken from Japanese film director Takashi Miike. This and the fact that their album cover makes me think of Jagermeister is reason enough to check them out.
We all feel a little cheated with the fact that The Stone Roses only released 2 albums between a 5 year label battle. Well, reincarnation through inspiration. Swedish guitarist Tomas Kubowicz loved the whole Manchester Brit Pop movement and set out writing and singing what he loved. Evolving as all projects do he now leaves the vocals to Jonathan Sutcliffe and concentrates on guitars and writing. Take yourself back to 1989 and listen up.
Sounds like: Indie guitar pop, sorta like label mates Frightened Rabbit (but to be that is prob cuz they both have Scottish accents)
Like most I was 1st drawn to check out this band just because of the band name. Very catchy (but not cheesy) fun indie guitar pop with accents (and lets face it, we Americans are suckers for singers with accents). The story goes that they were discovered by their label through label mates Frightend Rabbiet's Myspace page.
Sounds like: Tori Amos or Kate Bush but more depressing, self-deprecating and quirky
Polly Scattergood and a great voice and her music is slightly haunting. Listening to the album you may think sister needs to see a therapist. She spends the whole album beating herself up for her shortcomings and failures. However, many of us have then in that place in our lives. She doesn’t come off whiny and in some very odd way she is slightly empowering at times. It is hard to explain, but it is definitely worth checking out. On a side note: Her album cover reminds me of Mary Hopkins for some reason.
Polly Scattergood – I Hate the way (had to go the youtube route, couldn’t find any mp3s on line. Just audio and sill picture of album cover
Sounds like: 60’s Female pop folk with underlying bits of show tune
God Help the Girl is a Side Project of Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian. His plan was to write the sound track to a coming of age story of a young woman, record the album and then film the movie. I could go on, but Paste Magazine has a good story on the whole shebang here.
Sounds like: Girl Power Norwegian Polka with alternating punk and rockabilly attributes
Who doesn't love a good ol' polka? I know I do! Play it like rockabilly or punk song AND by an all girl band from Norway?!?!?!!?? How, I ask, can you go wrong? Katzenjammer: German for cat's yeowl is playing Bonarooo this year. Put on your best liederhosen and TANZ!
Sounds like: If New Order was still making relevant music but without the leftover dark undertones from Joy Division. Simmer and stir with live instruments.
I 1st got a hold of Deastro last year on their sleeper Keeper's. I enjoyed the album, but never blogged on it. They generated some buzz this year at SXSW but I never got around to seeing them. Only a year later, Moondagger was released. Randolph Chabot Jr. (brain child behind the electronics) is definitely fine tuning his craft and kicking out smoother music. While primary electronic music he is using real instruments (and musicians) as well. The use of a real drummer (not a drum machine) give the songs a more diverse and authentic feel. On a side note for us Austinites, how can you go wrong with a song name like, "Daniel Johnston Was Stabbed In The Heart With The Moondagger By The King Of Darkness And His Ghost Is Writing This Song As A Warning To All Of Us" Check out some of the tracks from Moondagger: Deastro - Parallelogram
