Band of the Day (2.8.11) Dead Ghosts

8 Feb

Garage Rock that is Really GOOD DEAD GHOSTS


Band of the Day (2.8.11) Dead Ghosts

I have to admit that this year is shaping up to be a fantastic music year. Can’t quite get a grasp on what trends are hitting or where we’re headed but it’s clear that the bands are getting better and that we’re going to have one kick-ass summer. That being said, I feel as if we’ve neglected a few bands or genres for that matter. We got so excited with the return of rock that we forgot to profile garage bands. Those fantastic dudes that grind out 2 minute tracks ripping and shreading their way through an album. This years fave so far has to be Dead Ghosts. Why, because they’re a cross between Harlem of last year, The Vandals, a tame Dead Kennedys, The Walkmen and The Byrds. They got a little doo-wop in em too. They’re no JJ Revue, but they’re good. Buddy Holly cool. The boys are from Vancouver, their record was released late 2010 and it’s 13 tracks of pure garage bliss. I think only two tracks surpass the 3:30 mark…haha, gotta love Canadian surf garage rock.

Vitals for Dead Ghosts
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada
Members:
Bryan – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew – Guitar
Michael – Drums
Moe – Bass
Sonic Soulmates: The Vandals, Buddy Holly, JJ Revue, Dead Kennedys, The Walkmen, The Swamp Rats, The Ronettes’
Must Hear Tracks:
“When It Comes to You” – By far the best track of the record and it’s the first one….Premature Musication!

“What to Do” – Buddy Holly meeting Kids in the Hall…LOVE THAT SHOW. The best thing to come out of Canada in 1991!

“I Want Your Love” – The Walkmen meet The Shirelles

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Band of the Day (2.7.11) James Vincent McMorrow

7 Feb

Best New Singer/Songwriter James Vincent McMorrow does Bon Iver better photo by Julie Ling. julielingphotography.com

Best New Singer/Songwriter James Vincent McMorrow photo by Julie Ling. julielingphotography.com


Band of the Day (2.7.11) James Vincent McMorrow

James Vincent McMorrow took Ireland by storm in 2010. He’s an offspring of the sad trapped indie folkster. Bon Iver was the leader in the physically trapped away from isolation singer songwriters. Bon Iver chose the chilly midwestern plains of Wisconsin. Then Damon McMahon of Amen Dunes trapped himself in a Catskills cabin. Now James Vincent McMorrow’s stunning collection of songs recorded over 5 months in an isolated house by the sea of Ireland. McMorrow wrote, performed and recorded the album by himself. He released it on a limited basis in Ireland in February 2010. Last week Americans were granted access to this perfection of sound. Buy Early In The Morning Now… I promise it will be your favorite record of 2011. Guaranteed!!! The uber DYI thing is great when you have the skills. I’ve heard many a record this year of others attempting this and failing miserably. I actually think James Vincent McMorrow crushed it, and I think he may be the most talented of the bunch. He adds clean acoustic guitars, wailing slide guitars, banjos and the pipes that rival James Blake, Neil Young and Cody Chestnutt. Our nomination for a Hummingbird has already been submitted.

Vitals:
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Members: James Vincent McMorrow
Sonic Soulmates: Bon Iver, Perfume Genius, Damon McMahon of Amen Dunes
Must Hear Tracks:
“If I Had a Boat” – McMorrow’s smokey voice sings of freedom from that trapped place in his seaside cottage. Quite possibly my favorite track of the year.

“Like the River” – Winding through the acoustic mind of McMorrow sounds much like that or Ray Lamontagne.

“This Old Dark Machine” – Andrew Bird styled recordings. Love it.

BUY THE RECORD!!!!

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Band of the Day 2.2.11 Suuns

2 Feb

Suuns the best NEW BAND of 2011 --- REALLY

Band of the Day 2.2.11 Suuns

Arizona Turk reminds me on a daily basis to write about one his 2010 gems Suuns. It’s not that they aren’t worthy of a BOD nod, it’s just that they got lost in the shuffle. Suuns of Montreal, CN really are worthy… Their album, Zeroes QC, was released late 2010, and it received tons of accolades. They have groove rock tracks, mixed with heavy electro beats. They’re part Clinic, part MGMT, part Beck and part Thievery Corporation. These Canadian lads have the groove of MGMT and the swagger of David Bowie. I love their sound. It’s so unexpected, it’s kinda shocking. Give em a listen and love em like we do!

Vitals:
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Members: Ben Shemie, Liam O’Neill, Max Henry, Joseph Yarmush
Sonic Soulmates: MGMT, Clinic, The Besnard Lakes, The Kills, Thievery Corporation with some Beck vocals
Must Hear Tracks:

“Arena” – Probably the best tack on the record

“Sweet Nothing” – If David Bowie recorded a track with MGMT.

“Up Past The Nursery” – I feel a little Beck with MGMT here

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Band of the Day (2.1.11) Fotos

1 Feb

German mood rock will lead the Hamburg scene to fame

Band of the Day (2.1.11) Fotos

So last year we profiled Karkwa, a French Canadian rock band that was quite brilliant. They created a bit of a stir for us here at NBD and we love em. Even though their lyrics are French, it’s hard not to love their sound. Fotos is a German foursome that got their break from Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene. Now I don’t understand a lick of German, but the energy and mood mix of their 2nd Wave sound is quite impressive. There’s quite a scene happening in Hamburg these days. Bands like Kettcar and ClickClickDecker are part of this trend building and I think you’ll find Fotos to be the band that may just break here in the US. They have 3 albums, the most recent Porzellan, was released in 2010. The band is grinding out the tunes, videos and tour stops. It will take one or two tracks in English to do it, but their music is so strong that I think it’s quite possible. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

Vitals
Hometown: German Indie-Combo from Hamburg, Cologne and Wuppertal Hamburg, Bitte Bundesland/Region auswählen, De
Members:
Vocals: Thomas Heßler;
Guitar: Deniz Erarslan;
Bass: Frieder Weiß;
Drums: Benedikt Schnermann;
Sonic Soulmates: Interpol, German Radio Dept.
Must Hear Tracks:
“Porzellan” – Mellow mood rock and it sounds like English to me. 🙂

“Alles Schreit” – Shoegazy and their best track. It’s Radio Deptish with a spell of electric guitar.

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Band of the Day (1.31.11) Chalk and Numbers

31 Jan

Authentic pure quality sound of 60's bubblegum love pop - Chalk and Numbers


Band of the Day (1.31.11) Chalk and Numbers

Well you all are familiar with Tennis from our 2010 Hummingbird awards? Right? I used “Y’all because I am catching a connecting flight in Dallas right now. Well, the 60s pop XX/XY duo was a hot thingy in 2010. Many bands attempted it, many failed. Tennis succeeded because it captured the finest of The Walkmen, griity, somber rock guitar with what amounts to a perfect set of female vocals. Chalk and Numbers is even more of the 60’s bubblegum pop. Yeah 2010 was the year of it, but 2011 is the year others perfect it. Hell there were many many MP3 players before the iPod. It just took Apple to make the best one, with the content store…Chalk and Numbers are authentic and if you added some pop and crackle, you’d swear it was a 45 from 1963. I’m not equating Chalk and Numbers to Apple, but I am comparing them to Tennis. I think they’ve nailed the sound and the tamborines just close the deal for me. I’m sold. Hell it’s fun music, so enjoy it and let Chalk and Numbers know you love em too. Got the band tip from these “new to the scene” chaps from @_DeadJournalist on Twitter…Muchas Gracias. Find him here

Vitals
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Members: Sable Yong and Andrew Pierce
Sonic Soulmates: Spectoresque, The Shangri-Las, Tennis, Jenny and Johnny, Fitz and the Tantrums
Must hear tracks:
“Here With Eachother” – It’s The Byrds with a little Tennis and whole lot of 60’s bubblegum love all over it.

“I Really Want to Work This Out” – Just so good.

Grab their new EP at BandCamp for free or a small price!

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Band of the Day (1.28.11) Disappears

28 Jan

Rock re-appears with Disappears


Band of the Day (1.28.11) – Disappears

2011 is Becoming Rock Heaven! Another fantastic rock band, these boys are from Chicago and they are brilliant. Bottom-line Lux from Disappears was an amazing record. It was part Lou Reed par Iggy Pop/Stooges, part REM. Odd dichotomy, but it works. The title track “Lux” is so dizzyingly close to the weird Velvet Lou Reed echoed chants, that I thought it was him…but as you dig deeper, the distorted scuzzy tracks from their first album were on the verge of something really good. It reminds me of Bleach , the true Nirvana fan record. No big studio budget, just the three-some in the studio, Kurt screaming and Dave pounding away and a frenetic pace. Then Nevermind hit the streets and we all realized the garage screaming hatched perfection. I’m not comparing the boys sound to Nirvana, but I am comparing the evolution of the band. They could be big, it takes the voice of the fans to make it happen, but from the little I’ve heard from the new record Guider, this may just be the Chicago boys moment! Take a listen

Vitals
Hometown: Chicago, IL, USA
Members: Brian Case, Damon Carruesco, Jonathan van Herik
Sonic Soulmates: REM, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop
Must Hear Tracks:
“New Fast” – Newest bestest track from Guider

“Gone Completely” – The best track from Lux…F’n LOVE IT!

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Band of the Day (1.27.11) – MillionYoung

27 Jan
cred: David Andrako www.davidandrako.com

cred: David Andrako http://www.davidandrako.com of MillionYoung

Band of the Day (1.27.11) MillionYoung

Chillwave was a 2010 phenom, at least it was the talks of the blogs. Our faves in the category, Washed Out and Toro Y Moi, were chilly and wavy, but they had a flavor of groove. Both captured the airy space sound, but they coupled that with beautiful harmonies and layered sounds. MillionYoung, of Ft. Lauderdale, So Florida, captures the finest of chillwave but he adds in a layer of clean guitar that really makes for a great sound. Where he may get a little out of tune on some tracks, he makes up for it on the tracks where he stays on track, in tune. MillionYoung is a pseudonym for South Florida’s Mike Diaz. His first EP was released in 2009, “Sunndream”. His second EP was released in early 2010, entitled “Be So True”. He’s potentially got the chance to dethrone our chilled leaders…you be the judge, listen below…

Vitals
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, South Florida, FL, USA
Members: Mike Diaz
Sonic Soulmates: Toro Y Moi, Washed Out,
Must hear tracks:

“Gravity Feels” – Wow there is a lot going on here. At around 3:00 minutes the song hits a new level, love this track.

“001” – Very Toro Y Moi…really like this track as well

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Band of the Day (1.26.11) The Vaccines

26 Jan

UK boys on the rise...Best New Band of 2011? The Vaccines


Band of the Day (1.26.11) The Vaccines

Buzz buzz buzz, well sometimes bands just deserve it. The Vaccines have been buzzing through London on the backs of two quality singles. The first, released in August, 2010 “If You Wanna” — hear below — quickly gave The Vaccines the air coverage they needed. It’s a 50’s diner track coupled with Surfer Blood vocals. It’s a GREAT track. The second single, “Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)” was released in November. A fast paced track that gets from here to there quickly. Much like the career arch of The Vaccines. Traditionally we wait on these so called buzz bands for do something impressive before we feature them, but these may just be The Strokes of this decade. Their songs are anthems, not just power pop punk, but 1:50 anthems that beg for you to hit repeat. With DNA attached to The Horrors and Jay Jay Pistolet, the band has the world a buzzin’ so we’re in, count us one of the many who believe the hype. I personally believe that this band will rise to the top and get the US recognition it deserves. We have to make it our duty to help these GREAT London acts make a name for themselves in the US. IT’s TIME. So we say “Today you just found your favorite new band.” 2011 is Rock Heaven

Did we mention that this is the Year of Rock? Well check this out…see Coachella line-up, three rock headliners, see Wolf People, see Black Pistol Fire…we believe The Vaccines will lead this charge! It’s time.

Vitals:
Hometown: London, UK
Members: Justin Young, Árni Hjörvar, Freddie Cowan, Pete Robertson
Sonic Soulmates: The Strokes, Chapel Club, Surfer Blood
Must Hear Tracks:
“If You Wanna”

“Blow it Up”

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Band of the Day (1.25.11) Ex Libras

25 Jan

Three peeps making complicated music - London Boys Ex Libras

Band of the Day (1.25.11) Ex Libras

A three-piece that formed in a Hounslow library, in Hounslow, London are often compared to the “apocalyptic” nature of Radiohead, with Thom Yorke vocals. They describe themselves as “post-backbeat” — a term more associated with hip-hop, but you can hear their slow tempered beats derived from hip-hop DNA. Their most current release, “Cut(s)”, is a re-deux of their 2010 “Suite(s)” album, stripping down 5 tracks, adding loops, cello to create a self-coined “blood-relative” to the aforementioned “Suite(s)”. Ex Libras is a like a bottle of great bordeaux, their sophisticated, deep, dark, emotional and built for those who are aware. If you know your wines, then a bottle of bordeaux tastes so much better. If you know your music, Ex Libras sound so much better. Their sophisticated, mature and so worth the listen/fanhood! Follow them now and you won’t regret it.

Vitals:
Hometown: Hounslow, LONDON, UK
Members: Amit Sharma / Kieran Nagi / Ross Kenning
Sonic Soulmates: Suede, Talk Talk, xx, Radiohead,
Must Hear Tracks:

FROM “Suite(s)”
“Underachievers (Live)” – Add the drums and guitar riffs and you see a complete band…hear stripped down versions below…

FROM “Cut(s)”
“For Us, For Me” – Minimalistic xx/Talk, Talk stylings bring a soulful moody track from London boys.

“Teenage Eyes” – Swell Season meets Thom Yorke, meets the xx in an alley way, I think Thom Yorke wins…great track

Buy Cut(s) — Released in November 2010

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Band of the Day (1.24.11) Whitesand/Badlands

24 Jan

Minneapolis is home to 2011's well crafted Whitesand/Badlands

Band of the Day (1.24.11) Whitesand/Badlands

Well before we even profiled the band, Mr. Arizona Turk surprised us all by adding Whitesand/Badlands to his Gem list. Well they deserved the honorable mention honors, and now they have been granted the Band of the Day trophy. They recorded their new LP, Seeding the Clouds, at Sacred Heart Recording Studio, a 19th century cathedral now a beautiful recording studio. The band has been a band since 2008 and this, their second LP, is a beauty. It’s meticulously crafted and mixed. The songs are expansive and offer a great listening experience. This is not power pop, or 2:40 odes to loved ones, they’re complicated, airy and dreamy. Their one part Band of Horses, one part Radiohead and whole lot of Verve. Their tracks are on a mission, you just need to join up and listen.

Vitals:
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Members:
Holly Habstritt – fender rhodes, piano, guitars, vocals, trumpet
Casey Holmgren – bass
Ryan Parsons – drums, saxophone
Andy Larson – guitars, vocals, drum, fender rhodes (LEAD DOG)
Sonic Soulmates: Band of Horses, Radiohead, Verve
Must Hear Tracks: (These are expansive tracks that are full of nuances and beauty. Take your time and give them a chance to blossom)

“Syntax Trees” – Layered guitars, pianos and airy earthy vocals. Great track. A little Band of Horses

“Angels on a Pinhead” – Lovely shoegaze vocals with horns, Verve guitars and a kick ass ending.

Buy Seeding The Clouds now and you won’t regret it!

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Band of the Day (1.21.11) Black Pistol Fire

21 Jan

Rock is back and it's under the name of Black Pistol Fire


Band of the Day (1.21.11) Black Pistol Fire

Ahhh yeah, two rock bands in one week. Maybe just maybe we’re onto something. Rock music is dead and it’s time for a revival. Jack White tried, Tame Impala was lead dog in 2010, but I think this might be the year. I read that the only rock band to even have a Top 10 Hot 100 Billboard track f’n TRAIN. Just garbage. What happened to our rock bands? Well 2011 is Rock Heaven. The Austin, TX via Toronto, CN duo of Black Pistol Fire, rock just as hard as Meg and Jack. Black Pistol Fire features Kevin McKeown on Guitar/Lead Vocals and Eric Owen on Drums. Kindergarten bros have been crushing it for two decades. They’ve got the chops, the guitar riffs, the country swagger and the blistering drum beats to make this summer one to remember. I love these dudes and I hope this is a 2011 trend. It’s time for the GODS of ROCK to rise from the ashes and let Black Pistol Fire be your first.

Vitals:
Hometown: Austin, TX via Toronto, CN
Members: Black Pistol Fire features Kevin McKeown on Guitar/Lead Vocals and Eric Owen on Drums.
Sonic Soulmates: Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Creedence Clearwater, The White Stripes
Must Hear Tracks:
“Your Not the Only One” – We’ll let the typo slide…because this is the best ROCK SONG OF THE YEAR! Kings of Leonesque.

“Sort Me Out” – These dudes can do the blues similar to The Black Keys.

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Band of the Day (1.20.11) Boy Friend

20 Jan

Austin, TX thank you for delivering our new fave Boy Friend


Band of the Day (1.20.11) Boy Friend

I think we’ve mentioned before that this is the year that female leads will dominate. Another XX/XX duo. We’ve already profiled 5 this year and Boy Friend might be the front runner. Their space age, chill wave is very 2010, but it’s the moments when Moon Safari takes over and the
chill turns into a nice groove. Really love the new EP and I appreciate how deep the Arizona Turk had to dig to find this Gem of a band. The vocals of Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown (formerly of Sleep∞Over). Playing together since tweenage-years has led the two ladies to this current project, started in December of 2010. New album is coming this year. It’s the track “Spirit Burner” that is the clincher…

Vitals: Hometown: Austin, TX
Members: Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown (formerly of Sleep∞Over)
Sonic Soulmates: Air, Sleep∞Over, Beach House, Cocteau’s Elizabeth Frazer
Must Hear Tracks:
“Spirit Burner” – Just a beautiful track. WOW!

“The False Cross” – I remember early Siouxsie Sioux and I think the ladies of Boy Friend do too.

Buy the new EP on BandCamp:
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Trend Update: 2011 is Rock Heaven

20 Jan

2010 was the worst year for rock since 1960. Not so for 2011....

2010 was the worst year for Rock music since 1960. The end-of-year figures for the music industry were horrific, we’ve mentioned this a few times, but only Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” reached the Hot 100 Top 10, and they aren’t rockers. In the UK only three songs classified as “rock” appeared in the Top 100 singles. Of those three singles, the highest-ranked Glee’s Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” at No. 25 and Florence And The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over” at No. 93. So is Rock dead? You tell us…we’ve already posted 4 bands that may bring it back

The Rock Bands of 2011
Black Pistol Fire – The Black Keys, Creedence Clearwater of 2011
Wolf People – Tame Impala and Dungen of 2011
Disappears – Lou Reed Iggy Pop of 2011
The Vaccines – The Strokes of 2011

So is the trend line moving? Check out the Coachella head-liners? Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Strokes, Black Keys? Looks like rock to me. Then the rumors of big rock acts having records Strokes, etc. Who knows, but we’re calling it now. Follow the trend line here or add the RSS feed for 2011 Rock Heaven here

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