Archive | December, 2010

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #9 Sleigh Bells

17 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #9 Sleigh Bells

Altering the landscape of music isn’t easy. 2010 was a year of passive, derivative drivel, made by machines and not musicians. But in saying that, we have answers and hope. We found at least 20 bands that have changed music and one or two that stand alone. Sleigh Bells is one of those bands, fusing searing guitars, fractured vocals and deep beats. It’s the XX/XY duo redefined. It’s the Slayer of our age. It’s angry and Alexis Krauss is our top Indie Hottie for 2010.

We made bold predictions for Sleigh Bells and we’re still waiting for the tipping point. We’ve seen the TV commercials, we’ve read all the “hipster” blogs, but we’re still waiting for that moment. We’re proud to have been the ones to introduce them to you and we’re even more proud to put them in our Top 10 Best New Bands of 2010. We might even say they are the Most Important Band of 2010. Their three best tracks are posted below.

Vitals:
Band Members: Guitarist/beatbox Derek Miller and vocalist Alexis Krauss
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Sonic Soulmates: MIA, Slayer, Your high school cheerleading squad
Tracks of the Year:
“Crown on the Ground” – This is the best song of the year. Check back on 12.28.10 for the full list.

“Beach Girls”

“Infinity Guitars”

Follow:
Facebook
MySpace
Band Site
Twitter

Original BOD Post:
Sleigh Bells was originally posted on our Facebook profile. One of the first bands ever to be profiled. 3.24.10

They also made our “Best of 2010…So Far”

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis
Hummingbird Award #12: Memoryhouse
Hummingbird Award #11: Karkwa
Hummingbird Award #10: Lord Huron
Hummingbird Award #9: Sleigh Bells

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #10 Lord Huron

16 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #10 Lord Huron

I’ve never been more proud then when I read the year end reviews of Lord Huron. We’ve been spreading the Lord Huron love since the summer. We’ve seen him all over LA and we’re even on his MySpace page as the originals to spread his work. Leading our Top 10 Best/Most Important Bands of 2010, is our favorite hometown crush Lord Huron.

Vitals:
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Interesting note: Huron Lake shore, in Presque Isle, Michigan
Sonic Soulmates: Ariel of the Little Mermaid meets Grizzly Bear and they create the best summer soundtrack ever!
Buy the EP: Buy it here.
Tracks of the Year:
“Into the Sun”

Lord Huron – “The Problem With Your Daughter”

Original Band of the Day Post 8.2.10

Follow Lord Huron:
His site
MySpace
Facebook

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis
Hummingbird Award #12: Memoryhouse
Hummingbird Award #11: Karkwa
Hummingbird Award #10: Lord Huron

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #11 Karkwa

15 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #11 Karkwa

Wow Karkwa created a stir. The Canadian complexity of their sound is followed by a GIGANTIC fan following…oh and they won the Polaris Prize for 2010. We originally profiled the band before they won. American music fans have no idea how incredible music is outside of their borders. We’ve showcased bands from Sweden, Ireland, London, Tokyo, Colombia and of course Canada. But no one band created more buzz this year at New.Band.Day then Karkwa. Their big, complex Rock sound is so good. We love them here in Northern California and we hope the world finds out how great they are.

Vitals:
Band Members: Louis-Jean Cormier, François Lafontaine, Martin Lamontagne, Julien Sagot, Stéphane Bergeron
Hometown: Montreal, CN
Sonic Soulmates: The Arcade Fire, A little Radiohead a splash of Sigur Ros

Track of the Year:
“L’acouphène” MP3

Follow:
MySpace
Band site

Original Band of the Day Post: 7.23.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis
Hummingbird Award #12: Memoryhouse
Hummingbird Award #11: Karkwa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #12 Memoryhouse

14 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #12 Memoryhouse

Memoryhouse is so good, she actually gave me chills the first time I listened. I love The xx for one reason, it’s that simple solo guitar that intros Romy Madley Croft’s vocals. I find that so alluring and it really draws the emotion of the vocals. Memoryhouse is Guelph, Ontario’s Evan Abeele, classically trained and Denise Nouvion’s photographic mind, melded together to form a soulful Beach House/My Bloody Valentine.

Vitals:
Members: Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion
Hometown: Guleph, Ontario CN
Sonic Soulmates: The xx, Beach House, My Bloody Valentine
Tracks of the Year:
“”Sleep Patterns” – Simple guitars, electronic drum beats and Denise’s beautiful vocals.

“To The Lighthouse” – My favorite song off the EP and I really think it will make our 2010 Top 10…lovely tracks.

Memoryhouse “To the Lighthouse”

Original BOD Post 11.22.10

Follow:
MemoryHouse Blog
MySpace
Facebook

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #13 Tennis

13 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #13 Tennis

They’re the husband and wife, Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore, duo from Denver, CO. They bought a boat, sailed the Atlantic Coast and wrote beautiful songs. They define our XX/XY duos. It’s Hemingway meets Buffet, meets Vampire Weekend, meets 50′s bubblegum pop. I love the blend of the organ and her eerily timeless vocals. They are so fantastic and the more songs we hear, the more we know they will be bigger than big.

Vitals:
Hometown: Denver, CO
Members: Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore
Sonic Soulmates: The xx, Vampire Weekend, Dusty Springfield
Track of the Year:
“Marathon”

Follow: MySpace

Original BOD Post: 6.29.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #14 The Fresh & Onlys

11 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #14 The Fresh & Onlys

It’s important to remember that not all bands are derivatives of others. Really, after so many years and decades of hearing bands, it’s hard not to compare a band to someone else. I do it all the time here at NBD. It’s the best way to give you a frame of reference. So The Fresh and Onlys from San Francisco, released a song so amazing this year, it’s hard not to say you’ve heard it before. Just erase the past and listen to one of the BEST NEW BANDS and SONGS of 2010.

Vitals:
Hometown: The greatest city on Earth San Francisco, CA
Band members: Tim Cohen, Shayde Sartin, Wymond Miles, Kyle Gibson
Sonic Soulmates:….I can’t do it to you…just listen to the track!
Song of the Year:
“Waterfall”

Follow:
Facebook
Myspace
Original BOD Post: 9.21.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #15 Perfume Genius

10 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #15 Perfume Genius

Perfume Genius, Mike Hadreas, built a huge buzz and following on NBD back in August. He was the third most listened to artists on the site and we absolutely love him.

He is a Seattle native with a soft, fragile voice backed simply by a piano and lo-fi echoes. His songs stammer in minor chords and reflect on suicide, depression and loss. The amazing thing is that through the gray, you see his ability to spray one ray of sunshine. I think you’ll find that he stands above a ton of our favorite bands and gets a well deserved Hummingbird for making us reflect and stammer a bit.

Vitals:
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Members: Mike Hadreas
Sonic Soulmates: Bon Iver, Bright Eyes and a little Kate Bush
Track of the Year:
“Learning”

Original BOD Post: 8.16.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best New Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #16 Paper Crows

9 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #16 Paper Crows

This is our first fan driven Award. Paper Crows had the 5th largest audience views in 2010. That’s amazing for a band that has very little out there. We love Paper Crows here at NBD.

They met at music college in Killburn and they started recording in hidden session in Duncan’s bedroom. If this is what they create hidden in a loft, what will we get with a studio recording? Their first single was only released on October 11th, 2010, so these chaps are VERY, VERY new, so let us be the first to say…They will be your new favorite band starting today and all of 2011.

Vitals:
Hometown: London, UK
Band Members: Emma Panas and Duncan McDougall
Sound Soulmates: Kate Bush, a bolder XX and Portishead

Track of the Year:
“Stand Alight” – I posted the SoundCloud tracks because the original is sooooo good. Please listen.

Here is “Stand Alight (Monsieur Adi Remix)” MP3

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

Read the Original BOD Post HERE

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #17 Tame Impala

8 Dec

Best Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #17 Tame Impala

I love Dungen. I loved the classic 70’s heavy deep sound of classic Sabbath. I actually enjoyed the Swedish, who the hell needs English when the music surrounding the vocals were this good. So when listening to Perth’s own Tame Impala this year, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities. Where Dungen may be more Sabbath, Tame Impala takes off with heavier beats, a more stylistic approach to the vocals. Oh and they do sing in English. We love Tame Impala here at NBD.

Vitals:
Hometown: Perth, AU
Members: Kevin Parker, Dominic Simper, Jay Watson, Nick Allbrook
Sonic Soulmates: Dungen, Black Sabbath, Grizzly Bear
Track of the Year:
“Runway, Houses, City, Clouds”

Original Post: 6.24.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #18 Gamble House

7 Dec

Best Bands of 2010
#18 Hummingbird Award – Gamble House

Gamble House is what rock has become. Clean guitars, layered vocals and whole lot of So. Cal vibe. I love Grizzly Bear and the like…but there’s something clever and simple that Gamble House provides that I miss when I’m listening to the others. Maybe it’s the California plucking harmonies, no matter what it is, these guys deserve the love and that’s why they are #18 on our Hummingbird award list. The 18th best new band of 2010. Thanks boys.

VITALS:
Hometown: Silve Lake, CA
Members: Ben Becker, Keith Karman, Ben Cassorla and Brian Mclaughlin
Sonic Soulmates: Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. Yeah they have The Pet Sound
Tracks of the year:
“Bonny Doon”

“Rising Tides”

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

Read the original post: 9.17.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles –>
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #19 Miniature Tigers

6 Dec

Best Bands of 2010
#19 Hummingbird Award – Miniature Tigers

From Phoenix, AZ to Brooklyn’s Park Slope, Miniature Tigers have been on the edge of major stardom for 4 years. This years Fortress could qualify as the record of the year. It’s a beautiful mesh of Supergrass and minimalistic electronic beats. At times the band vibes like it’s 2006, then at times they pluck and prod their way like Panda Bear or Toro y Moi.

Vitals:
Hometown – Brooklyn, NY
Members – Frontman-guitarist Charlie Brand, Rick Schaier on drums and vocals, Algernon Quashie on guitar, keyboard and vocals, and on bass and vocals.
Sonic Soulmates – Supergrass, Panda Bear, Toro y Moi and Vampire Weekend
Track of the Year:
“Goldskull” – I told you it would be on our list of top for 2010.

Follow:
MySpace
MiniatureTigers.com

Original Post: 10.5.10

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles –>
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best Bands of 2010 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #20 Crocodiles

5 Dec

Best Bands of 2010
#20 Hummingbird Award – CROCODILES

Best 80’s retro re-love of our days in So Cal listening to Richard Blade and KROQ. It’s the layered sounds of Jesus & and The Mary Chain coupled with so cal skater vibes that bring Crocodiles to our list.

Vitals:
Hometown – San Diego, CA
Members – Charles Rowell and Brandon Welchez
Sonic Soulmates – Jesus & The Mary Chain, Love and Rockets and Echo & The Bunnymen

Fave Track:
“Sleep Forever”

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook

Original Post: Band of the Day 11.1.10

WHAT ARE THE HUMMINGBIRDS?

Tags: , , , , , , ,

THE HUMMINGBIRDS (The 20 Best New Bands of 2010)

5 Dec

You Want One of These

First of all let me thank you! This is the First Annual Hummingbird Awards and we owe it to you. This has been an amazing year for us here at NBD. We profiled over 200 bands, bands have thanked us and you fans have been supportive of us. So to close out this year, we going to count ’em down. It’s time, we’ve taken the last week to study our picks. We’ve found a few things..

1. You fans love your bands
2. Canada is producing some amazing music in 2010
3. Sweden and the Nordics are producing even better music (I’ll leave it to you to defend your music)
4. The Pet Sound was hot in early 2010, but it’s been replaced by….
5. XX/XY duos – WOW there a ton of female/male duos this year.
6. Singer songwriters will be all over our top 10
7. Arizona Turk has a lot to say about the list
8. We don’t give the award to bands that have already made it…we reward the ones who need it.
9. Our favorite band of the year is a shocker
10. Hummingbirds are amazing birds…Your Band Wants To Win a Hummingbird!

A Hummingbird is the most prestigious award a new band can receive. Hands down, if you win one, your life will never be the same.

2010 WINNERS

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis
Hummingbird Award #12: Memoryhouse
Hummingbird Award #11: Karkwa
Hummingbird Award #10: Lord Huron
Hummingbird Award #9: Sleigh Bells
Hummingbird Award #8: Crystal Fighters
Hummingbird Award #7: Efterklang
Hummingbird Award #6: Best Coast
Hummingbird Award #5: Jim Jones Revue
Hummingbird Award #4: Chapel Club
Hummingbird Award #3: The Radio Dept.
Hummingbird Award #2: The Pomegranates
Hummingbird Award #1: The Tallest Man On Earth

Read our Music Excavators Picks:
Editor Gems (Albums)
Editor Gems (Songs)
Arizona Turk Gems (Albums)
Arizona Turk Gems (Songs)
Music Muse Gems (Songs)

All the Hummingbirds

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Newer Entries →