Tag Archives: Best New Bands of 2011

Band of the Day (8.23.11) White Denim

23 Aug

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.

“Street Joy” – Prob the best track from them

Follow:
Official Site
My_____
facebook

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Band of the Day (8.19.11) Craft Spells

19 Aug

Spell Crafted bitch...my pants are way too tight and my 80's are on right now!


Band of the Day (8.19.11) Craft Spells

You know when you haven’t seen someone in a while and you stumble on them….forgeting their name but recognizing their face…you say “Hey Man, what’s up dude???” Well I feel that way almost daily when I hear new bands. I know you look and sound familiar but I just can’t find the name. Craft Spells reminds me of my college buddy that I saw at Peet’s coffee yesterday. What the hell is his name? Well if it’s Craft Spells it’s more like my 7th grade buddy, due to their 1983 modern new wave KROQ stylings. I liken them most to Joy Division oddly cute 18 year daughter. Or if you want to get all weird about it, how about Joy Division’s new spawn having their own child…like Seapony or Beach Fossils. Or what the hell is that band’s name again?

Vitals:
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Members:
Justin Vallesteros
Jack Smith
Peter Michel
Javier Suarez
Sonic Soulmates: Joy Division, Seapony, Beach Fossils
Trackables:
“Party Talk” – We first heard in August of last year…a year ago. The album came out in March.

“After the Moment” – Your Junior Senior moment of the day. Fucking love this song! Just so you know, my hair is plastered to my head, my jeans are way too tight and I just totally blew a speaker in my mom’s Fiero. Wait it’s not 1986.

Follow:
My_____
Facebook

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Band of Day (8.8.11) YOUNG GIRLS

9 Aug

I found this band from a Google search...Young Girls


Band of Day (8.8.11) YOUNG GIRLS

As the Turk told me last night, “Don’t Google search these dudes…” well I did and I got what I expected. Knowing that these Houston lads had a strong single floating around the intertubes in “Mexico In December”, my search was made much easier. The threesome garage rocksters bring happy summer sounds with a 60’s flare and a peaceful warrior approach. I love the echo harmonies, reminds me of KROQ circa 1985 when the first wave literally crashed into the garage punks. Harlem from our 2010 NBD collection is a quick reminder of their sound, but I give the Sonic Soulmate nod to Surfer Blood. Houston isn’t a hotbed for surfers, but I hear that the dudes from Surfer Blood don’t surf either, so here’s to Texas’ surf rock…yeehaw dude!

VITALS:
HOMETOWN: Houston, TX
MEMBERS: Charlie, Luis Carlos, and Pete (SEND ME LAST NAMES PLEASE)
SONIC SOULMATES: Surfer Blood, Cooler than but Vampire Weekend, Fang Island
TRACKABLES:
“Mexico in December”

“Six Pack Back Stab”

FOLLOW YOUNG GIRLS:
MySpace
Facebook
Spotify
Buy it
Book em

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Best of 2011…SO FAR — The List

24 Jun

Battery about to die and it's at :11 minutes for the 11 best of 2011...eerie.


I can’t wait until next week. I’m anxious and excited and I just want to get it over with…you understand, the anticipation to tell someone some good news. So I’m all alone in a dark hotel room, I think the electricity just crapped out on me, so it means I have :11 minutes on my Mac to make this shizzle fo real. SO here it is, 11 Bands for 2011 in all it’s glory… THE BEST OF 2011…SO FAR

11. Other Lives – This is the band that won’t leave my playlists for 2011. I love them hard.
“Tamer Animals”

10. Suuns – 2010 year end dandies have captured our hearts in 2011.
“Arena”

9. Code Pie – The BSS of 2011. Canadian love children with layered sounds.
“Love Meets Rage”

8. Widowspeak – We were there in the beginning. We’ve heard from the fans and we’ve watched them skyrocket up our PAGEVIEW list. Wow. They have more traffic then all of the 2011 bands combined. Just listen.
“Harsh Realm”

7. Sun Airway – Found them to be the most delightful band of 2011. I think they’ll move up the charts by year end.
“Waiting On You”

6. The Vaccines – They are the ROCK darlings of 2011 and if you haven’t heard their singles then you’re trapped in a Chilean coal mine.
“Blow it Up”

5. The Antlers – One word “FINALLY” they’ve hit the hipster mainstage. We love them.
“Rolled Together”

4. The Donkeys – The Turk found these San Diego stoney garage boys.
“I Like the Way You Walk”

3. Seapony – The Trio from Seattle is our Tennis of 2011. So Spectory good.
“Always” – A little early Cure guitar riff.

2. James Vincent McMorrow – Do you know me? Really have you been reading us for awhile? Then you know we love Singer/Songwriters and JVM is better than them all this year.
“If I Had A Boat” – Try not to tear up.

1. Star Slinger – Dude has been a DJ for less than a year and his stuff is otherworldly.
“Mornin'”

GIVING YOU THE BIRD…THE WHOLE 2011…SO FAR PLAYLIST —>

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Bitch is back — Band of the Day (6.20.11) Sun Airway

20 Jun

Sun Airway is to music as beer is to summer...f'n perfect!


Band of the Day (6.20.11)

We’re buried in bands and electronically buried in MP3s. So many tracks, bands and albums to wade through, we really don’t know where to start. Arizona Turk had a mild stroke with our hiatus, but we’re back and the bitch is ready to burst with some tracks and bands that will blow your mind. Let’s begin with our schedule for this week. Starting tomorrow we will be counting down the Top 10 Band of 2011…SO FAR. We’re also celebrating our 1 year anniversary so as a gift to our loyal readers, we’re “Giving You the Bird”…literally, the playlist for download. Let us know your email and the playlist will be in your inbox. Happy listening and thank you for being here for the ride.

Our Band of the Day Today is Sun Airway. If you’ve followed our little blog since 2010, you’ll know we had a little band crush on Lord Huron. Actually we still do…but he’s so big now, we’ve sent him off to the masses for their enjoyment. A happy graduation of sorts. We compared Huron to the layered “Pet Sound” for the Little Mermaidians. That oceanic version of Animal Collective. Well Sun Airway is like being on the ship that sails over Lord Huron’s underwater dream. Click here to hear a little Huron. Sun Airway is the comfortable pun intended blanket of sunshine that envelopes you when you hear great summer tunes. It’s relaxing layered psych pop that makes for a great Saturday afternoon in the heat of summer. I love Sun Airway and they will hopefully get past the hipster union and make a name for themselves. Enjoy the tracks below, because we’re in love…again.

Vitals:
Hometown: Philadelphia-based project
Members: ex-A-Sides Patrick Marsceill and Jon Bathmus
Sonic Soulmates: Lord Huron, Animal Collective, Here We Go Magic (Featured on NBD 3.25.10)
Trackables:
“Waiting On You” – Love the summer sound

“Oh, Naoko” – From their original EP, and as Pet Soundy as you can get. Great track

“Swallowed By The Night” – Here is my description…the soundtrack to a bearded hipster Carnival Cruise line to Ensenada

Follow:
Band Official Site
MySpace
Facebook

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Band of the Day (6.1.11) The Antlers

1 Jun

Long Overdue, Brooklyn Hipsters Bring A New Record and More Love


Band of the Day (6.1.11) The Antlers

Long overdue is how I describe our band for today. Their 2007 “In The Attic of the Universe” and 2009’s “Hospice’ were quality rock/electronic records. They have an inventive sound, recording extended tracks in their bathtubs, with the dueling XX/XY vocals. Their sound has evolved into a mature electronic sound. I’m proud to post The Antlers and they deserved the nod so long ago, but we weren’t here so long ago, so don’t blame us. The best way to describe their sound, one part moody brit electronics of South, one party Elizabeth Fraser, and a drop of Grandaddys lo-fi electronic sound.

Buy the new album now Burst Apart and get “Hospice” on MP3 for free…
Vitals:
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Members:
Peter Silberman
Michael Lerner
Darby Cicci
Sonic Soulmates: South, Cocteau Twins, Grandaddy, Air
Trackables:
“Rolled Together” – A mellow Airish track that will pull you way up to the clouds

“No Widows” – Cocteau Twins meet South

Follow:
MySpace
Official Site
Twitter

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Band of the Day (5.23.11) Seapony

23 May

Seapony are what make music. Spector soul with a lot of dreamy spice.


Band of the Day (5.23.11) Seapony

There was a time last year where all we could talk about at NBD was the power of Tennis. The married Denver couple that sailed the high seas of the Atlantic, wrote amazing songs about inlets and seaports and then crushed it with a fantastic record. We missed that series of knock-offs, that usually follow successful indie trends. Days, months and almost a year went by before we heard a knock-off or at least a band that sounded similarly good. Seapony does the dreamy, female led 50’s pop that made 2010 a great music year. Seapony does that Phil Spector sound so well, you almost forget that you’re listening to contemporary music. The Seattle trio, give us one of our favorite tracks of 2011…so far. You’ll be getting this in your email box if you a fan on Facebook. The album releases on 5/31…pre-order it here. By the way we love them even more for their midwestern roots..Oklahoma and of course Lawrence, KS home to our Music Muse.

Vitals:
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Members: Seapony is songwriter Danny Rowland, singer Jen Weidl, and bass player Ian Brewer
Sonic Soulmates: La Sera, Tennis, Eternal Summers, Emily Haines
Trackables:
“Always” – My fave from these lads…one of our 5 for 11.

“With You” – Tennis served well in 2011. Good solid Spector 50’s pop track

“Dreaming”

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MySpace
Facebook

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Band of the Day (5.16.11) The Donkeys…are RAWSOME!

16 May

San Diego is not a whale's vagina it's home to The Donkeys


Band of the Day (5.16.11) The Donkeys

The Turk was on fire last week, sending me some true gems. He’s a sucker for being the guy that finds the Gem of the year. He almost did in 2010, but The Radio Dept. was my find. Haha, all said and done, he’s a master of the dig and finds some amazing bands. The next several weeks will be peppered with his new favorites. Check out The Donkeys today. These boys from San Diego, Timothy DeNardo, Anthony Lukens, and Sam Sprague first played together as teenagers, and Jessie Gulati joined later in a band named the Moon and Sixpence soon after graduation. They have three albums under their belts, full of tunes sparkled with “Dad listened to this when he was in college” sound. It’s raga mixed with garage guitars and a Doors keyboard underpinning that makes me wonder whether these guys are 24 or 64. Born With Stripes which is a marvelous collection of tunes or an album of psych-rocking Sixties style geared most for the Indian in the desert exploration. Buy it on LP here. There is a track on this record that is probably my favorite of 2011, and the record is skyrocketing up our list at the NBD office. Listen to “I Like The Way You Walk” and tell me you love it! Hell they actually are self described as “Rad and Awesome had a baby.” or as we call them RAWSOME. Love the San Diego vibe and the psych-rock groove. 1111 Facebook fans so the band is gaining traction.

Vitals:
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Members: Timothy DeNardo, Anthony Lukens, Sam Sprague and Jessie Gulati
Sonic Soulmates: Pavement, Wilco, The Thrills
Trackables:
“I Like The Way You Walk” – Might be my favorite track of the year. DOWNLOAD IT HERE

“Born With Stripes” – Retro-psych rock —- Title track.

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook
Dead Oceans – Label Site

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Band of the Day (5.13.11) Maybeshewill

13 May

Instrumental DIY Heroes of the UK bring Postrock back -Maybeshewill


Band of the Day (5.13.11) Maybeshewill

Well as many of you know, time slips away, especially when you’re living life and taking care of business. Some of you might have others or just yourself, but a good end to every week is knowing that you checked the boxes on your list. The reason for the life affirmation bs this morning is that I owe someone something. It’s Friday, it’s an unchecked box and I need to check it…now. Maybeshewill is a fantastic PostRock band. What is PostRock, well in the words of the Arizona Turk, “It’s Good Man, why don’t ever write about these bands I give. They are the real deal.” It’s what modern rockers play when they don’t want to admit they’re listening to electronic music on the side. It’s what rocker play when they don’t want to go head first into prog rock. It’s a new genre to bust through over the past 18 months and it’s finally making it’s genre debut on New.Band.Day. The Turk wanted it so we delivered, on a Friday the 13th none-the-less. Maybeshe will is part classic British piano rock, Keane, part Satriani guitars and the building crescendo of your favorite glorious movie soundtrack, Explosion’s in The Sky. No band on the Earth gives me chills more than Explosions. If you hate vocals, then you’ll Maybeshewill. If you love anthemic rock crescendos, then you’ll love Maybeshewill. If you trust Arizona Turk, then you’ll love Maybeshewill.

Vitals:
Hometown: Leicester, UK
Members:
James Collins
John Helps
Robin Southby
Jamie Ward
Sonic Soulmates: Mogwai, Glassjaw, Explosions in the Sky
Trackables:
“Accolades”

“To The Skies From a Hillside”

Follow:
Myspace
Facebook
Twitter

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Band of the Day (5.10.11) Other Lives

11 May

Excuse the language but FUCK I love Other Lives


Band of the Day (5.10.11) Other Lives

We’re back…Hell it’s been a rough last six weeks. Computer death, then me Mr. Editor and The Music Muse had a little squirt. That’s right a little 8 lb Hummingbird is fluttering around our house enjoying all of the new music we’re about to present. Because come June 1st, we’ll be counting the first half of 2011 with our One Year NBD Anniversary Best of 2011…So Far event. Get us your picks, let us know who you love. We really love Other Lives. 2011 has been an interesting year of music, with a slew of early rock records and an interesting array of raptastic newbies, we’re still searching for that one band. I have my favorite, but it’s not as certain as 2010.

It was seven years ago when Other Lives formed as Kunek, they created an EP and made Stillwater, OK proudly scream for their hometown heroes. An album a name change and now a new record and Other Lives thrills America with a beautiful record. Think Wolf Parade, sprinkle the bells of Sigur Ros and a tad bit of National brooding without the guttoral leads. It’s a DNA favorite of Southern fried folk. Tamer Animals is a great record and one that I think you’ll be raving about all year. Buy the record here –> on LP

Oh STREAM THE ENTIRE ALBUM NOW!

Vitals:
Hometown: Stillwater, OK
Members:
Jesse Tabish (piano, guitar, lead vocals)
Josh Onstott (bass, organ, Backing vocals)
Jenny Hsu (cello, piano, Backing Vocals)
Colby Owens (drums)
Jonathon Mooney (piano,violin, guitar)
Sonic Soulmates: Mercury Rev, The National, Wolf Parade
Trackables:
“For 12 (Demo)”

“Tamer Animals”

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook
Official Site

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Band of the Day (4.26.11) Jeniferever

26 Apr

Swedes rule again. Love this record.

Band of the Day (4.26.11) Jeniferever

Well I was and still am but soon to be outed closet fan of Smashing Pumpkins. Many bands have attempted to rewrite the dueling lead guitars or the searing solos of Iha and Corgan. Jimmy’s anthemic drum beats were one of kind. I miss the Siamese Dream version of SP, it all fell apart when they decided that ego and bravado was more important then writing and producing a good record. Melancholy can suck it, it’s greatest value was it’s Lenny Kravitz like karoke tracks, but we’ll always remember the perfection of Siamese. It wasn’t a surprise to hear several bands ripping off the early SP sound, CandleBox, etc, but rarely did you see a band that literally named themselves after a demo track. Jeniferever is a band from Uppsala, Sweden formed in 1996. Their music is ambient indie rock, it’s melodic, and each track drives to anthemic finishes. They’re Sigur Rós in English. They’ve released several EPs, a two full lengths with the third that just hit stores last week. Silesia, is triumphant and it’s brilliance is why we feature the boys of Jeniferever. We love the “Waifs and Strays” and you little buzzers will too. Listen and love like we did. By the way JE is our first Swedish band of 2011. We featured almost a dozen last year…LET’S GO NORDES!!!

Vitals:
Hometown: Uppsala, Sweden
Members:
Fredrik Aspelin
Kristofer Jönson
Olle Bilius
Martin Sandström
Sonic Soulmates: Sigur Rós, My Vitriol
Trackables:
“Waifs and Strays”

“A Drink To Remember”

Follow:
Facebook
Jeniferever.com
MySpace
Twitter

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Band of the Day (4.25.11) Crystal Stilts

25 Apr

It's a Rock. Get out from underneath it and try something good Crystal Stilts


Band of the Day (4.25.11) Crystal Stilts

Call me old fashioned…how dare you age me like that…whatever, but I have an affinity for the lo-fi. The lo-fi guys that keep it authentic, Jack White style, when they enter the recording studio. The mics, the drums, the guitars, even the strings, whatever, just to know that a band respects history is worth the listen. To be frank. which I am clearly not, but ProTools can suck a dick in my mind. Bands who employ drummers that play in the vertical stand-up position deserve a fucking high-five and my $20 for the vinyl. Crystal Stilts is cool 1st Wave new wave reborn under the stripped down garage genre. It’s like taking Jesus and Mary Chain, replacing the shitty electronics and giving them heavy amplification. These guys are not “New” per se, but this new album, In Love With Oblivion, catapults their hipster 2008 status to a new stratosphere. Alight Of Night, their first album after a string of here-today-gone-tomorrow singles and EPs, was good and it captured the hearts and minds of the DUMBO crowd. In Love With Oblivion, stretches them to new areas, good songwriting/crafting, organs, guitars and melody. Good record and good guys. Now go buy the damn thing and spread the word bird.

Vitals:
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Members:
JB Townsend
Brad Hargett
Andy Adler
Miss Frankie Rose – Was featured on NBD in July of 2010.
Kyle Forester
Sonic Soulmates: The National, Jesus and Mary Chain, Joy Division
Trackables:
“Flying Into The Sun”

“Through the Floor”

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook

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Best New Band of 2011 Band of the Day (4.21.11) Slowness

22 Apr

SF based and ready to gaze - Slowness


Band of the Day (4.21.11) Slowness

Okay okay okay okay….if you read NBD every day you’ve noticed that I’ve been dormant. Well I apologize. My MacBook died. Literally. Photos, music, documents, all locked away behind my hibernating Mac. It was my good friends at Keane Mac repair that 7xed my Mac and brought NBD back to life. So happy today and so happy that I met a place that does something well! Cheers to you my friends!

Coincidently, I’ve been waiting almost a week to post about our new favorite Arizona Turk derived obsession….SLOWNESS! Yes it explains my posting strategy for April, but their music was well worth the wait. You know we love the local music scene in SF, but we’ve never put limits on our posts. We just find it fun to feature bands from our own music backyard, this market for some reason took a shit in the 90’s and 00’s and it’s just now having it’s moment…again. Drone rock can be fun, the shoegaze theme hasn’t really worn thin, but it’s the hipster version of a jam bands. It’s just darker arenas, less patchouli, and heavier distortion. We like to stick our nose down to our shoes to the Phishes of the world, but let’s be honest if you give them an amp and hair in their face you have Phish goes shoegaze. That being said Slowness takes the best of the genre and delivers a perfect EP. Harmonies, wailing whining guitars and eerie vocals. I liken their sound to one of our faves The Raveonettes, even Autoluxie a bit. Really a great band and I’d expect to hear Geoffrey Scott, Julie Lynn and Scott Putnam bouncing around the country and on the festival circuit very very soon.

We’re back, we have a new hard drive and we’re ready to rule the world.
Vitals
Hometown: SF, CA, USA
Members: Geoffrey Scott: guitars, vocals, loops Julie Lynn: bass, keys, vocals Scott Putnam: drums, vocals
Sonic Soulmates: My Bloody Valentine, The Raveonettes, Autolux
Trackables:
“Slowboat”

“Black & White”

Follow Slowness:
MySpace
Twitter
Facebook

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