Albert is no Daniel and Pujol is a great rock band.
UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (6.12.12) Pujol
I know it’s Daniel’s last name, the founder and mastermind of the band, but do you, Daniel, understand our challenge? The Cardinal now Angel is darn lucky his parents didn’t punish him with a double entendre for a first name and that he could hit a baseball 450 ft. Angel fans all over the Anaheim area could be rooting for a slugger named Rip or Harry. It still amazes me that ESPN hasn’t done the play on words with his name, but I guess when you can hit a leather ball over a wall, they’ll let you be named anything. That is the same gracious gratitude we’ll give Daniel and his boys of Pujol. Because the band doesn’t sound like shit, they deserve the respect. But guys, how do I tell my Twitter followers that I am going to see Pujol at the club tonight. Either way, I love to rock with Pujol, Jesus guys, impossible to write about you, just listen to them.
Vitals:
Founded: 2009
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Members: Daniel Pujol, Adam Tanaka plays drums. Sean Thompson plays lead guitar and Joey Scala plays bass.
Sonic Soulmates™: Supergrass, I sense a bit of Corgan in the falsetto, Black Lips and the late great Jay Reatard
Trackables™:
“Providence”
Kishi Bashi is pure Joy for your mid-May afternoon. Enjoy
UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (5.17.12) Kishi Bashi
Some little bird told me that Kishi Bashi made her cry at his show in Boston. I said, “Come on, tears? This isn’t the 1984 Victory Tour with the Jacksons”, but I will say that his Flaming Lipsish soft orchestra approach is alluring. His live shows are mesmerizing and women, children and men may spontaneously weep, but it’s his layered complicated approach that will get him the notoriety he so deserves. Fall in love with Kishi like we have, the video game accompanying tracks make for a joyful experience, hear “Bright Whites” as he blends Eastern sounds with Western friendly tracks. Two tracks below. New record 151a is available here.
Vitals:
Hometown: Norfolk, VA
Members: K Ishibashi (aka Kishi Bashi) – He is a one man army of orchestral layers, Japanese vocals, and pure joy
Sonic Soulmates™: Flaming Lips, Brian Wilsonesque Smile,
Trackables™:
“It All Began with a Burst”
Jeremy Charles thank you for this perfect photo of our #1 Best New Band of 2011. The Hummingbird Award is well deserved.
Best New Band of 2011
#1 Hummingbird Award – Other Lives
I like what we originally said back in May:
The band is really seven years old, forming under the name 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
To add to that:
The band is so good, they deserve to be opening for Radiohead. They were the most viewed artist at NewBandDay in 2011, and the album never left our playlist. We’re not from Oklahoma, but I’ve been to Stillwater. I wish we saw them in 2009 when their first unnoticed record hit the streets. Stillwater, is a college town, but seriously something interesting is happening in the middle of the US. Even Radiohead noticed. We do tend to bend our own rules here…Other Lives’ first record was released in 2009, but to little fanfare. The blogs loved it, but it was mildly picked up. It took two records for the band to perfect The Red Dirt sound. Tamer Animals might be considered the water shed moment of the sound. It’s The National’s tear jerking vocals and songwriting, but the sounds are more layered and a little more airy. It doesn’t slip into the dream state, but it’s edges on it. Tabish’s vocals are so alluring, you can’t help but sing along, or hum along and you’re begging for the next track. The album is amazing and it’s worth a listen over and over and over and over…If you’re about to say “Other Lives isn’t a new band.” We say “We don’t care and you’re a lame music snob who needs to find another blog to read.” So take that and enjoy the best new band of 2011.
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)” – The song that made Thom Yorke stop for a listen.
yes he recorded the entire record in this tranquil forest. James Vincent Mcmorrow deserves the accolades and the #2 Hummingbird Award
Best New Band of 2011
#2 Hummingbird Award – James Vincent McMorrow
He’s Irish, his songwriting is heart wrenching and he might be as good as Bon Iver. That’s a bold statement, but it should give you some context as to why James Vincent McMorrow is our 2nd favorite new artist of 2011. I would say he has the talent to rival Cody Chestnutt and James Blake. Buy Early In The Morning
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.
Everybody loves them because they're better than everyone. The Vaccines!
Best New Band of 2011
#3 Hummingbird Award – The Vaccines
Don’t hold it against us because The Vaccines are so damn popular, but rather, you should relish in it, enjoy it. They are so good and we were there back in January. We were sent the single “If You Wanna” and we thought the same thing…two minute romp Strokes style. So we wrote them off in 2010. Then What Did You Expect From The Vaccines, and truly, we didn’t expect it to be this good. Really, it was shockingly Is This It good. They’re better than any rock band of the last 2 years. Truly, Surfer Blood and the likes all wish they could be The Vaccines.
Vitals:
Hometown: London, UK
Members: Justin Young, Árni Hjörvar, Freddie Cowan, Pete Robertson
Sonic Soulmates™: The Strokes, Chapel Club, Surfer Blood
Trackables™:
“Blow It Up”
“Wrecking Ball (Ra Ra Ra)” – This song plays every time I play my FIFA 2012 on my iPhone!
California dreaming with post punk love music from Oakland, CA's EMA
Best New Band of 2011
#4 Hummingbird Award – EMA
I had a very hard time choosing this spot. There are about 10 bands that deserve to be in our Top 10 Best New Artists of 2011, but truly, we can’t fit them all. The Hummingbird Award is special. It’s for those bands that make a dent in the universe. Do something extraordinary…create a stellar record, great series of singles, great live artist, whatever it is, the artist needs to make an impression, much the like the loveliest bird on Earth, the Hummingbird. EMA made her mark early in the year. She’s a little bit country, a whole lot of 80’s industrial goth and a layering of folky noise that will make you regret falling in love with her. I think she’s the type of woman that just makes you feel regret, but addiction at the same time. You know what I’m talking about. We just adore EMA here at NBD, and by the way, I’m writing this on BART as I pass by her exit here at West Oakland, so take that EMA.
Vitals:
Hometown: West Oakland … originally from South Dakota
Members: Erika M. Anderson, Nicole Anderson, Nicky Mao, Leif Shackelford
Sonic Soulmates™: Zola Genius, Sleigh Bells, Early Hole
Trackables™:
“The Grey Ship”
The wiseman bringeth on his Daptone debut. Charles Bradley #5 Best New Artist of 2011
Best New Band of 2011
#5 Hummingbird Award – Charles Bradley
As we mentioned back in March, this might be the oldest New Band (Artist) ever featured at NBD. Charles Bradley is a modern soul man, writing and singing from truth of experience, Bradley owns his words and you can feel it. This wise man of soul brings a timeless classic to our ears with his new debut record No Time for Dreaming. Soulful, heart-wrenching vocals make you feel as if the 60′s never ended. Charles heals his broken heart on this record and you can hear every painful to healing moment. You might argue that 25 year career puts Bradley out of the New Band territory, but we argue that this is truly is break-out moment. You’re never too young to fly like a Hummingbird
Vitals:
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY (Bushwick)
Members: Charles Bradley, The Menahan Street Band (Leon Michels, Toby Pazner, Nick Movshon, Aaron Johnson, Mike Deller, Daniel Fodder, Dave Guy, Homer Steinweiss, Fernando Velez, Bosco Mann)
Sonic Soulmates™: James Brown, Bill Withers, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Tyrone Davis
Trackables™:
“Golden Rule”
I haven't been this in love since last week. WIdowspeak soothes my soul. So deserving of the Hummingbird
Best New Band of 2011
#6 Hummingbird Award – Widowspeak
Ahhh the Spectorian sounds of 2011 all started back in January or maybe it was the hangover from 2010. Tennis, Cloud Nothings, etc. all slammed us with the airy 60’s pop female led bands. Our favorite and our fan favorite was Widowspeak. No band got more attention on NBD this year than Widowspeak. Why? A. They’re good. B. They had a new record hit mid-year and C. Molly crushes the vocals. This three time zone trio is a treat and we hope you find them Top 10 worthy on your list.
Vitals:
Hometown: Chicago, IL or Tacoma, WA or Brooklyn, NY
Members: Molly Hamilton, Michael Stasiak, Robert Thomas
Sonic Soulmates™: Cloud Nothings, Eternal Summers, Mazzy Star
Trackables™:
Emanating from the underground is a new sound that chills the bone - Dirty Beaches
Best New Band of 2011
#7 Hummingbird Award – Dirty Beaches
You might hear Alex and think it’s a novelty, but I assure you that it’s not. The “dirtiness” is a great description, he sounds like the aura of Elvis emanating from an opium den. It’s dirty, etherial and mind altering. Just listen to the tracks below and you’ll find that they’re unique enough to give him the nod for one of the greatest new artists of 2011. Enjoy.
Vitals:
Hometown: East Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Members: Alex Zhang Hungtai; solo performer, sound-smith, and trans-Pacific nomad. Born in Taiwan, Hungtai has made Toronto, Honolulu, Montreal, and Vancouver his homes.
Sonic Soulmates™: Lou Reed, Roy Orbison, Misfits, if Depeche Mode came from the 60′s and early 60′s beat bands…
Trackables™:
“Lord Knows Best”
"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!
Don't punish us for joining the mainstream, but Lana Del Rey is soooo good. It's hard not to be a lover!
Best New Band of 2011
#13 Hummingbird Award – Lana Del Rey
The Spectorian sounds of 2011 all started back in January or maybe it was the hangover from 2010. Lana Del Rey is talented, but her attention is at it’s peak all without a record. She is due for her LA meltdown at this point..although, her album is due in January and it will sell lots o’lots of records. You be the judge, but we loved her in January and we still love her today.
Vitals:
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY/ Hollywood
Members: Lana Del Rey
Sonic Soulmates™: Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton (in tone), The Shirelles, Fiona Apple, Tennis, The Ronettes
Trackables™:
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.
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
NewBandDay 