One of our favorite new bands is here to stay Ex Cops
UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2013 (1.8.13) Ex Cops
Ahh man, back to the grind. Real life is busy and crazy this week, but NewBandDay life is calm and ready to take over the world. We received our Christmas gifts and man were we stoked. Ex Cops, with their kick ass 2012 EP is prepping with a new LP on 1/22/13 True Hallucinations. Grab it on vinyl here…The sound reminds us of Best Coast but with a dude on lead and with the new single holy cow they sound like Teenage Fanclub or even a little like Girls. With the addition of the players Kai, Leif and Sam, this record is sure to crush in early 2013.
Vitals: Founded: 2011 Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Members: Brian Harding, Amalie Bruun, Kai Kennedy on lead guitar, Leif Young Huckman on bass, and Sam Bair Sonic Soulmates™: Trackables™: “James” – New single very Teenage Fanclub!
I love Girls but I think we love Christopher Owens more…
UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (11.5.12) Christopher Owens
I don’t know how I feel about this. It would be like Jack White going solo after the first two White Stripes records. Christopher Owens leaves Girls after a second record that quite possibly was the best record of this decade. His solo record is good, which shows us that the band Girls had far more depth. The Tullesque flute coupled with the electric guitar sounds like early Fleetwood and later Midlake combined. I’m sold, but dude don’t burn us and give your Girls bandmates a chance and do another record in 2013. We really do, did and still do love Girls —> read for yourself WE WERE RIGHT!!!
Vitals: Founded: 2012 Hometown: SF, CA Members: Christopher Owens Sonic Soulmates™: Midlake, Girls, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull Trackables™: “Here We Go”
We're like the AAA for Coachella, they might be in small print, but they're great bands none the less.
I got a comment from someone that said all the music we feature sounds like “Underwater Radiohead Drivel” I wrote him back and had him listen to the 132 bands that we featured, that weren’t of that ilk. I do agree that most of today’s band can be categorized into three camps “URD”, “Spectorian Female dream sounds” and “Folk Americana”. Seriously, rock has been long buried because most of America has accepted that Nickelback is rock music. So we’re stuck in this weird moment in music….it doesn’t upset us, it just drives us to find something special. We really did pour through the bands of 2011 to find the bands that will make a difference. If the Coachella line-up is any indication, we weren’t the only ones to notice how great they were. Here is the list of our best of 2011 bands playing in Indio this year:
Other Lives – #1 2011 Hummingbird Award Winners EMA – #4 2011 Hummingbird Award Winners The Vaccines – #3 2011 Hummingbird Award Winners Girls – 2011 Best of Tracks and Album Winners and one of our favorites in 2010. Yuck – 2011 Best of Tracks and Album Winners and one of our favorites in 2010. Keep Shelly in Athens – BOD in 2010 Real Estate – 2010 mid-year Best of and BOD 2.5.10
Gardens & Villas – Featured BOD 11.11.11 We Were Promised Jetpacks – Featured back BOD 4.27.10 The Big Pink – They played last year and we featured back in early 2010
Personal Loves but not necessarily featured on NBD for various reasons:
Pulp
Destroyer
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Laura Marling
Editors Picks Top 10 Gems Albums and Tracks of 2011
So that’s it. One more year down the drain. Good, I love moving forward. This has been one of those odd years where the new bands were good, the sophomore albums were unusually FANTASTIC. Really, I had a hard time clearing our albums from Girls, Toro Y Moi, Cults, White Denim, etc. These albums are so great that I truly believe we are at a water shed moment in the music industry. Where the social connected world has created ARTIST, who can create and share. We listen, we judge, they create more and boom, we have great records. I hope the Apple created .99 cent song world is over and that we’re headed back to an age of records. Oh well. We’re not there yet, so I’ll share my final lists for 2011. It was a great year for the Muse, Turk and me. We have new little Hummingbirds fluttering around our homes, even more inspiration to weed out the Top 40 drivel and put on some quality music for our little ones to dance to.
EDITORS PICKS Top 10 Albums of 2011
10. Cults – Cults
9. White Denim – D
8. Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting
7. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
6. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
5. Yuck – Yuck
4. James Vincent McMorrow – Early In The Morning
3. Donkeys – Born With Stripes
2. Other Lives – Tamer Animals
1. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
If want to grab these and our Hummingbird winners on vinyl just grab them here
PLEASE SUPPORT THESE BANDS. I read a post from the lead singer of Pepper Rabbit last night and he stated “It’s very hard to be an “indie band” these days. You spend 100% of your time trying to get the band to another level, 75% of the time on tour losing money, and the rest of your time in either complete elation, or complete doubt.” So support them, love them, show them how much you care. Share them in this new socially connected world and claim them as yours. Claim them like a lover because they work their asses off to do it for you. I love new bands and I will spend every hour of my life finding something new for you.
"Street Joy" is such a good track, that you'll have to hear their whole collection - White Denim
Best New Band of 2011
#8 Hummingbird Award – White Denim
Yeah we don’t really give a hoot that they’ve been playing music since 2006. A couple of records under the belt and D finally gives them a break-thru moment! The new record D is rock your socks off good. “Street Joy” is 2011′s “Bittersweet Symphony” or something like that. It’s so good, you’ll want to Spotify the bands first record. I just used “Spotify” as a verb. Crap…I was so irritated when I actually had to accept “text” as a verb, now that kid at the 7-11 is gonna say “Dude just Spotify me the song.” White Denim is like our faves here at NBD, Tame Impala. If that gives you any indication of their sound then why the hell are you reading this post, get listening.
Vitals:
Hometown: Austin, TX
Members: Josh Block (drums), Steve Terebecki (bass), and James Petralli (guitars, vocals)
Sonic Soulmates™: Tame Impala, Boyish U2, Shabazzzzzz
Trackables™:
“Street Joy” – So so so so so so GOOD!
2011 is shaping up to be the year of second records. Or at least the “Next” record for many of our NBD favorites. Seriously, I think this new age of releasing EPs has helped turn these bands into better album makers. These records are great! Seriously better than we expected. Just download the new Girls record and you’ll hear for yourself. That’s right, albums from our favorite “Already Profiled” bands. Below find the links to these artists and the link to their new records. And yes they are in order of our favorite. Support the bands and their plans! If you click through to a Facebook link, it’s only because we featured those artists on our FB page before we launched the blog.
1. Widowspeak – The new album is here and it’s VERY VERY good. The two tracks on their profile are included on their self-titled record.
“Puritan” – If haven’t been listening then are you okay? Because everyone’s talking about Widowspeak.
3. Yuck – Yuck S/TEverybody has them on their list now. It’s cool. At least we can say we profiled them over 18 months ago. Love these guys because they bring back what I loved so much about The Smashing Pumpkins, dual overlayed guitars and the Sonic Youth obsession. These Canadians may be the lone leftovers of last year’s obsession with the maple leaf. Great band!
“Georgia” – Wow. 90′s rock. Sonic Youth meets The Pumpkins meets Screaming Trees meets flannels and boots.
5. Cults – Cults S/T – These tracks ended up in our inbox about 16 months ago. They were sly and anonymous, but everyone seemed to get the same mail. We called around and everyone said the same thing “Did you hear that track” we were all in shock, and we wanted more. Well we got a record and it is just as good. So good.
6. Washed Out – Within and Without – Chill summer music, perfect for the beach or a romp under the sheets. So shows the album cover. We loved him back in 2010 and 2011 has been a break-out year for him.
“Amor Fati” – Spacey dreamy track from one of our favorite digs.
7. Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine – I’ve spent the better part of 35 years focusing on music and what I like. My tastes are my tastes, but I’ve never been more moved when I heard TYM for the first time. Now he’s three LPs and a few EPs in and his maturity is showing.
“Still Sound” – Another groove from our favorite winter sweater boppin’ fave.
8. Nurses - New album Dracula is so friggin good. The Muse and I saw this Portland trio open live at the haunted Brookdale lodge in Santa Cruz for last years NBD #1 artist Tallest Man on Earth. The track is below and it’s good!
“Fever Dreams” – Hard to describe this track. Just listen
9. Real Estate – Days Really one of our favorite finds from 2009 that carried over to 2010 and has stayed with us. The album comes out next week, but we know it will be great.
“Green Aisles” – Can you see the excitement. Well you can at least listen to it.
White Denim in Austin, TX is like wearing cowboy boots in LA. Fashion Police...
Band of the Day (8.23.11) White Denim
Two words solidify my love for White Denim, no not Meghan Fox no the two words that leave my mouth every time I hear White Denim…Hummingbird Award. Yeah that’s right, they are that good. Yeah and I don’t really give a hoot that they’ve been playing music since 2006. Five years is enough time for a band to really hit their shit. And I swear their new record D is rock your socks off good. I love the diversity of the 80′s deep bass rock, similar to early U2, and the droniness of 2011 found on “Street Joy” like that of Girls. They get all fuzzy at times like our faves here at NBD, Tame Impala. If that gives you any indication of their sound then why the hell are you reading this post. Listen and follow brother. And by the way, you tell me, but I think this qualifies and I do think I declared that 2011 was the re-birth of rock…..
Vitals:
Hometown: Austin, TX
Members: Josh Block (drums), Steve Terebecki (bass), and James Petralli (guitars, vocals)
Sonic Soulmates™: Did you see that I trademarked it…Tame Impala, Boyish U2, Shabazzzzzz
Trackables™: Trademarked that shiat as well.
“Drugs (PBJ Remix)” – My present to you.
The Bay Area has a scene and it's not non-Shalant with The Shalants
Band of the Day (8.4.11) Shalants or The Shalants
Nothing more homer love for home town heroes. Shalants are bluesy and ballsy and they hail from San Francisco. Their recently released self-titled album is that good. “That Good” means that you must tell your friends that Shalants are your new favorite band. Listen to “The Mercury Twins” below and you’ll be screaming for more. So I posted another track just so you stopped begging. Trust us and we’ll trust you. They’re part of the emerging SF psych surf, garage scene that includes some of our faves like Sonny and the Sunsets, Girls and The Fresh & Onlys.
Grab the album here…support these lads
Vitals:
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Members: Miller Carr Robin Macmillan Jacob Silver Brett Eastman
Sonic Soulmates: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Tom Waits, The Walkmen, The Kinks and Neil Young + Sonny and the Sunsets, Girls and The Fresh & Onlys.
Trackables:
“The Mercury Twins”
“The Deserter” – I promise that this will be the track you talk about to all your friends.
Follow: MySpace
Facebook —- Come on boys get with the times
The Arizona Turk is one the primary contributors to New.Band.Day. He’s been a fixture since 2010 and his picks are ahhhhmazing. They may seem confusingly unfamiliar, but that’s why we love him. His picks sound odd today, but if you look back over the past several years, you’ll notice that those bands are just now […]
She is our #1 Band Crush of 2012. Hands down a well deserved Hummingbird. After 3 years and four LPs she’s taken artist sensibility and created a wonderful record.
Don’t deprive yourself of Jessie because she may have crested to the mainstream. Just don’t be that guy…enjoy Jessie for the fact that she is one of the best new artists of 2012.
UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2013 (5.24.13) Marriages Oh hey how are you? Yes we’ve been tweeting and not blogging, sorry. We got sucked into the world of twitter passing along new music, so if you’re in the mood follow us @newbandday So you all know the Arizona Turk, right? I am convinced he’s […]
The Perfect Playlist for the End of Times. That’s right you Top 10 Doomsday Delights all compiled and ready to gooooooo!!! Now enjoy your final 39 days.
The Perfect Playlist for the End of Times. That’s right you Top 10 Doomsday Delights all compiled and ready to gooooooo!!! Now enjoy your final 39 days.
Three new nectarly fresh records to listen to…in their entirety. Don’t be a song slut, please listen to what they recorded. Do you just eat filling in the Oreo? I didn’t think so.
RT @EYJr: Best wishes to the Rockies organization. Thankyou for my time with you. Truly a blessing to be with the city of Denver. Thankyou … 6 days ago
STAFF PICKS – Our own Arizona Turk finally put pen to paper and sent us his 2011 GEM list stuffed with reverb, sonic soundwaves and spacey dreams. My mind is a whirl with all this great stuff. Read his list, like the bands on Facebook and listen to his playlist on Spotify. There are some real GEMS in here….Top 10 Bands, Tracks and Albums of 2011.
No other band put a dent in our 2011 universe, then Other Lives. They are big now, but even back in May of 2011, the band was still small. Now they’re touring with Radiohead and they are so deserving of our #1 Hummingbird Award for 2011. Get the album, tell your friends you’ve been listening since early 2011, and make them your new favorite band of 2011 and for all-time.
We don’t care that everyone knows who they are…they deserve to be voted onto the list of Hummingbird Award Winners. Listen and enjoy what everyone in The UK loves. They are better than any rock band since…The Strokes.
I love you, I hate you, I love you again, don’t leave me…please. That’s how we feel about our 4th Best New Band of 2011. EMA is Amazing and we want you to love her as well.
Age ain’t nuthin but a number. That’s right this 64 year-old soulman brings electrifying emotion to our ears. His Daptone Record is quality and well deserving of the Hummingbird.
Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #1 The Tallest Man on Earth
He is the reason why I love music, why I love to share music, why we endure the crap…he is the gem that was excavated one Winter morning back in February, and now he is THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW ARTIST OF 2010. Thank you Kristian for making and creating.
Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #2 The Pomegranates
Fuzzy Cincinnati, Ohio surf rockers bring a fantastic new album to 2010. I think these guys have just enough quirk to break-thru. They’ve been grinders on the road and with 3 LPs and a few EPs, they deserve the accolades. Love them and so will you! Hear two new tracks now a grab the Daytrotter session NOW! They DESERVE THE HUMMINGBIRD!!!
Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #3 The Radio Dept.
They were voted #1 in our mid-year Best of 2010 list. They are perfection in motion, they’re Pet Shop Boys sounds are a new way to make the [Second] Wave worth it’s rise. The Radio Dept. has an amazing album and will make our final three Best Albums of 2010, posted later this week. We love The Radio Dept. and we know you will!
Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #4 Chapel Club
Chapel Club is Morrissey trapped in a Interpol video. They destroy the stereotypes of the Second [New] Wave, and make it fun to listen to again. They mix The Smiths, Interpol, My Vitriol, Glenn Danzig and Joy Division all into one. The single “The Shore” is brilliant and we are thankful that the Arizona Turk pulled an all-nighter to find this gem. Merry Christmas
Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #5 Jim Jones Revue
Seriously the Best Band of 2010 and they’re only #5…WOW, this is much harder than I thought it would be. They’re Little Richard, The Misfits and Jerry Lee Lewis all wrapped up in an angry little package. I love em soo much, I hope this endorsement gets you to listen. Listen to 2 new tracks.
This is the final post of 2010. The Top 10 Albums from Me the Editor. Damn it’s been a great year musically. If you said this year in music sucked, then you weren’t listening or reading. If you have a friend and you’re a friend then pass along NewBandDay.com to them. It’ll be their New Years Resolution, or yours if you’re looking to be a better friend. The albums are here. So go download them…NOW! See you next year.
