Tag Archives: Best New Bands of 2011

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 (1.26.11) 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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Band of the Day (1.19.11) Smith Westerns *****

19 Jan

Smith Westerns bring 70's dream rock Bowie style with a great new record


Band of the Day (1.19.11) Smith Westerns *****

Together as a group since 2007. These Chicago boys, all under the age of 21, have a big label deal, two LPs and the momentum of downhill big rig with no brakes. They’re rock poppy like Girls or The Soft Pack, even a little Supergrass in em. They have 70’s melodic guitars and synth rock coupled with the breathy vocals of Bowie. T-Rex would be proud of these boys. I love the new record and I can pretty much guarantee that this will be the year of SMITH WESTERNS. Hands down. The record is good enough to catapult them over any other record that’s been released this year. If they get the right festival schedule then, you’ll definitely see this record selling through-out the summer. Dye it Blonde was released earlier this month and the tracks are GREAT…and when we say GREAT in all caps, WE MEAN IT. Hear two of them below. I haven’t smiled this much since I first heard the Tallest Man on Earth record. Time to buy some tickets, get a t-shirt and claim this band as your favorite. By the way, if you don’t do it quickly, you’ll be hating them in a few months when you see them in he iPad 2.0 commercial.

Vitals:
Hometown: Chicago, IL, USA, that’s two days in a row. See The Ponys…is there a new scene in Chitown?
Members: Cullen Omori, Cameron Omori, Max Kakacek, Colby Hewitt
Sonic Soulmates: T-Rex, Bowie, The Soft Pack, Wavves, Kiss (Ace guitars), Supergrass, Girls
Label: Fat Possum
Must Hear Tracks:
“End of the Night” – 70’s dream rock Bowie style. Supergrass style and now Smith Western style.

“Weekend” – This was the single released back in October of 2010. It’s quite good.

Hear the NPR Stream as HERE

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Band of the Day (1.17.11) Pepper Rabbit

17 Jan

Pepper Rabbit is our Laney Boggs

Pepper Rabbit is our Laney Boggs


Band of the Day (1.17.11) Pepper Rabbit

New album alert from one of the big buzzes of 2010. Not that we weren’t watching, we were distracted. Well a secret little friend of mine sent a new track, can’t post it yet, but it’s brilliant. Then I went back and re-listened to Beauregard and I realized, F#$K, I didn’t give Pepper Rabbit what they deserved…A HUMMINGBIRD. Wow, it was a great record and they deserved our love here at NBD. We apologize for the lack of recognition. It’s like that girl…you’re friends..you talk to her about the empty souled hot blond twit. She tells you that the blond is a bitch. You ignore her for a year, the blond breaks your heart by hooking up with your best friend, then as you’re embracing that helpful friend, she removes her glasses and you realize, wow, she was sitting right next to you the whole time. Not that we’re re-writing another teen romantic comedy, but you are our Laney Boggs…who is Laney Boggs you ask? Well Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook in She’s All That should answer that question. Laney Boggs just made our Glossary….

I know they’ll be in our final year’s list when the new album is released. They’ve reached that moment for us…The moment when you realize that that band is THAT band. Not one of the bunch, but the band that will be remembered. Listen with love to the haunting, yet ironically upbeat tunes of LA’s Pepper Rabbit.

Vitals:
Hometown: Silverlake CA
Members: Xander Singh + Luc Laurent
Sonic Soulmates: Grizzly Bear, The Pet Sound, Nurses, Animal Collective
Label: Kanine Records
Must Hear Tracks:
“Harvest Moon” – From Beauregard and probably the best track from it.

“Babette!” – It was 2:00am and I re-listened to the track, and I thought….”thank you for taking off your glasses” haha

Follow Pepper Rabbit:
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On the Road with Pepper Rabbit:
Upcoming 2011 Tour Dates
1/22 – Harlows – Sacramento, CA*
1/23 – Gundlach Bundschu Winery – Sonoma, CA*
1/25 – WOW Hall – Eugene, OR*
1/26 – Hawthorne – Portland, OR*
1/27 – Neumos – Seattle, WA*
3/23 – Low Brow – El Paso, TX**
3/24 – The Rhythm Room – Phoenix, AZ**
3/25 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA**
3/27 – Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA**
3/29 – Holocene – Portland, OR**
3/30 – Crocodile Cafe – Seattle, WA**
4/1 – Filling Station – Bozeman, MT**
4/2 – Kilby Court – Salt Lake City, UT**
4/3 – Hi Dive – Denver, CO**

* w/ Ra Ra Riot
**w/ Miniature Tigers

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Band of the Day (1.11.11) Wolf People

11 Jan

Be prepared for some rock from Wolf People


Band of the Day (1.11.10) Wolf People

I miss metal. I miss hard rock. I miss it all. I’ve admitted to my hessian days, my obsession with Maiden, Slayer, Danzig, etc. I’ve grown up but what I appreciate the most is the more jammy metal. Not Phish, but jam hard rock like our 2010 Hummingbird Faves Tame Impala or Dungen. It’s just timeless music that transcends all of it. Zeppelin long-term standing Sabbath’s recent hipster revival all stems from the fact that it’s just good music. Good music rises and rarely falls. The derivative does. So when you look at trail-blazers like Sabbath you find one quality that stamps them as “legend” great musicianship. Iommi plays guitar very well, Ozzy can belt it, etc. Wolf People may be that bands that carries the torch for 2011. 2011 is shaping up to be the ROCK HEAVEN. Where Tame Impala road the Swedish coat-tails of Dungen, I think Wolf People may be riding a whole new sound. Fine they use a flute on some tracks, Jethro Tull would argue they ripped them off, but where The Tull goes all renaissance fair, Wolf People stays put and really keeps the mood rock going. I’m obsessed with them. I liked Black Mountain and The Sword, but I love Wolf People. Just give em a try and I’ll bet you kick up the volume to 11. They’re brilliant. The new album Steeple was recorded in a converted barn studio in a 17th century Welsh mansion. They stayed in the servants quarters and recorded the album in the barn to create a sound that is so earthy and vibrant.

Vitals:
Hometown: Bedford/London/North Yorkshire, Midlands, UK
Members: Jack Sharp (vocals/guitar); Joe Hollick (guitar); Dan Davies (bass) and Tom Watt (guitar)
Sonic Soulmates: Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath, Dungen, Tame Impala, Kyuss
Must Hear Tracks:

“Morning Born” – Jack Sharp shows us his chops here. Hollick just plugs it in and destroys the guitar on this track. It’s smooth and has a great vibe. At about 1:45 it just kicks ass.

“Tiny Circle” – Jethro Tull for the new millenium

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