Tag Archives: Bon Iver

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #3: JESSIE WARE

27 Dec
Hummingbird #3 Brought to you by one of these best artists of 2012 Jessie Ware

Hummingbird #3 Brought to you by one of these best artists of 2012 Jessie Ware

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #3: JESSIE WARE
I am struggling with this pick. Really and truly, I actually think Jessie Ware is the #1 Best New Artist of 2012, but I also think that Alabama Shakes and The Lumineers made their impact in 2012. Here is the rub, they really don’t need our help here at NBD. Not that it makes our list any less legit, but I’m not handing out Grammy’s here. This isn’t about record sales, this is about a band that will withstand the test of time and be there in 10 years. I don’t think the Lumineers will be there and Alabama Shakes needs some song-writing and arrangement help. The album got a little tedious and didn’t exploit her voice like it should have. So that’s why our list DOESN’T include those two super chart busters. Jessie Ware should be #1 in any other year, but frankly #2 and #1 are just a hair strand better in our minds. We love Jessie’s production quality, her danceable mood driven tracks and her ode to 80’s stylistic sounds like Lisa Stansfield to make her our second favorite female lead of the year. We love Jessie Ware and we know she will not be going away any time soon.

Vitals:
Founded: 2010
Hometown: Brixton, London
Members: Jessie Ware
Sonic Soulmates™: Sade, Whitney Houston, Tracey Thorne
Trackables™: From her debut LP Devotion
Listen to “110%”, “Strangest Feeling” and “Wildest Moment” the title track “Devotion” here.

“110%”

“Strangest Feeling”

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Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011 and 2012:

Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
#11 Fear of Men
#10 The Weeknd
#9 Nude Beach
#8 Class Actress
#7 Johnathon Boulet
#6 DIIV
#5 Hey Sholay
>#4 Alt-J (∆)
#3 Jessie Ware
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (10.22.12) GRMLN

23 Oct

GRMLN is Yoodoo Park. Lo-fi great music. Listen to his EP now!

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (10.22.12) GRMLN
Lo-fi, still living in his parent’s basement and he’s only a Sophomore at UC Santa Cruz. Isn’t that the school where you have clothing optional Wednesday’s? None-the-less it’s a great segue to the stripped down sounds of GRMLN. It’s lo-fi, single guitar, vocals, electronic backing. Think Dirty Beaches, but Yoodoo has melody. It’s clean, crisp and a little Jack Whitey.

Vitals:
Founded: 2012, started making music in 2010
Hometown: orange county to santa cruz
Members: YooDoo Park
Sonic Soulmates™: Lo-fi clean guitar Jack White, Dirty Beaches
Trackables™:
We first heard him with Ben E. Kings “Stand By Me” — Clever

Listen to his new EP Explore here. love “Love.Think.Die” & “Coral”

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (7.12.12) Jessie Ware

12 Jul

Jessie is Ware you want to be on August 20th to hear her new record.

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (7.12.12) Jessie Ware
Jessie Ware first hit our radar when we heard “Strangest Feeling” we thought it was good, and we even enjoyed her vocals in SBTRKT, but the early press on her new record Devotion is what made our our ears stand-up. Listen to Devotion in it’s entirety below from The Guardian. I like to believe that she is our modern Sade with a little more power. Really. We here at NBD trace our musically DNA from the 80’s. We were all tricked and believed that Depeche Mode was unique or that Metallica was original, the reality is that music is derivative. It’s the bands like Metallica and Depeche Mode that improved on their predecessors. We’re now listening to artists redeliver the 80’s heavy synth accompanied by poppy soul singers or duets. Jessie Ware does to Whitney Houston what Bon Iver did to Steve Winwood. We hope that gives you context.

Vitals:
Founded: 2010
Hometown: Brixton, London
Members: Jessie Ware
Sonic Soulmates™: Sade, Whitney Houston, Tracey Thorne
Trackables™:
Listen to the the title track “Devotion” here.

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (5.3.12) Jai Paul

8 May

Jai Paul is our 2010 sensation that’s carried over….

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (5.3.12) Jai Paul

Hello again, it’s New Bands you were looking for? Sorry for the Lionel Richie, but I always feel like levity cuts through the tension. So fine that wasn’t funny put punny. Same thing right? Jai Paul was all the rage in 2011 and 2010, his smooth groove lo-fi R&B spawns thoughts of James Blake, Bon Iver, etc. It’s the combination of clever beats, horns and his high Bonsetto that gets us all excited here. Take a listen and try to not to get upset when you can’t find shit from the guy…we called the label/s but our patience is running thin. If you’re going to give me a hard time because he’s on XL, don’t we know.

Vitals:
Hometown:Rayners Lane, United Kingdom.
Members: Jai Paul (Producer, vocals, etc.)
Sonic Soulmates™: Bon Iver, James Black
Trackables™:
“Jasmine” – I get a feeling of pure joy, leaving the office and running on the beach. Let’s try out this PLAY button thingy.

“BTSU” – Absolutely so good in 2010 and if you heard it today, you’d say “Wow that is soooo good” JPaul is ahead of his time.

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Best New Bands of 2011 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #1 Other Lives

28 Dec

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.

Read the original post on 5.12.11

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.

“Tamer Animals”

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Official Site
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WHAT ARE THE HUMMINGBIRDS?
2011 Winners

Hummingbird Award #13: Lana Del Rey
Hummingbird Award #12: WATERS
Hummingbird Award #11: Suuns
Hummingbird Award #10: La Sera
Hummingbird Award #9: Sun Airway
Hummingbird Award #8: White Denim
Hummingbird Award #7: Dirty Beaches
Hummingbird Award #6: Widowspeak
Hummingbird Award #5: Charles Bradley
Hummingbird Award #4: EMA
Hummingbird Award #3: The Vaccines
Hummingbird Award #2: James Vincent McMorrow
Hummingbird Award #1: Other Lives

LISTEN TO ALL 13 HUMMINGBIRDS PLAYLIST HERE
BUY ALL THE HUMMINGBIRD ALBUMS HERE

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Best New Bands of 2011 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #2 James Vincent McMorrow

27 Dec

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.

Follow James:
Official Site
Facebook
MySpace
Twitter
Spotify

Original Post: Band of the Day 2.7.11

WHAT ARE THE HUMMINGBIRDS?
2011 Winners
Hummingbird Award #13: Lana Del Rey
Hummingbird Award #12: WATERS
Hummingbird Award #11: Suuns
Hummingbird Award #10: La Sera
Hummingbird Award #9: Sun Airway
Hummingbird Award #8: White Denim
Hummingbird Award #7: Dirty Beaches
Hummingbird Award #6: Widowspeak
Hummingbird Award #5: Charles Bradley
Hummingbird Award #4: EMA
Hummingbird Award #3: The Vaccines

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Band of the Day (9.30.11) Megafaun

30 Sep

Beards were grown, hearts were broken and Megafaun went on Tour


Band of the Day (9.30.11) Megafaun

What do you want me to say, “I’m sorry” or make up some horrible excuse. I’ve been busy and the music just kind of sucks. I have a post coming later today that will explain it all. I truly found a band that you’ll love, trust is key here. Megafaun is 70’s smoke rock, from the open fields of Durham, NC. When I hear the clean slide guitar riffs, I think of The Byrds and possibly even Fleet Foxes but with an electronic edge. There is an association with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver here. He too was from Durham, but moved to Wisconsin to live in a cabin and write a sad successful record. The rest of the boys stayed in Durham, grew beards, hearts were broken, lyrics were written and vans were filled with chips, beer and guitars. I love Southern harmonies, but these brothers are inventive with their sound. Love em and I know you will too.

Vitals:
Hometown: Durham, NC
Members: Phil Cook, Brad Cook, and Joe Westerlund
Sonic Soulmates: The Byrds, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Whiskeytown, Wilco
Trackables:
“Real Slow”

“These Words”

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Megafaun

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Band of the Day 3.16.11 – Nicolas Jaar

16 Mar

Santiago, Chile is called home for Nicholas Jaar


Band of the Day – Nicolas Jaar

James Blake is our modern day soul singer. Saying that, so is Bon Iver. It’s heavy electronic chillwave background instead of, let’s say, Ray Charles’ piano. Nicholas Jaar takes it up a notch by adding some international flare. He was born in NY, then quickly moved to Santiago, Chile. His love of electronic experimentation started at the ripe age of 14 and now he’s perfected the sound on Space is Only Noise. The latest fare from Jaar sounds a whole hell of lot like James Blake a sprinkle of Roger Waters’ Pink Floyd and a dash of Bon Iver. It’s brilliantly produced and it’s what will make 2011 a stand-out year.

Grab Space is Only Noise on Vinyl

Vitals:
Hometown: NY and Santiago, Chile
Members: Nicholas Jaar
Sonic Soulmates: James Blake, Bon Iver and Roger Waters’ Pink Floyd
Trackables:
“Colomb”

“Too Many Kids FInd Dust In The Rain”

“I Got A Woman” – Crazy way to give us Ray Charles..Jamie Foxx free…thank God.

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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!!!!

Follow James:
Official Site
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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

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Band of the Day (10.11.10) Little Children

12 Oct

BOD (10.11.10) Little Children

Today is a huge day, a day we celebrate because we have a new music excavator. Someone to own The Nordics, digging ever deeper to find us the best new music from the great North. Bristian comes to us from Lund in southern Sweden, he’s a music junkie and he’s been introducing us to new music for sometime now. Please read his bio here

With Little Children, Linus Lutti’s musical alias since early 2009, the tone is the quiet, emotional and sincere. He’s from Stockholm and his voice is soft. The low-key style is his thing, it’s an unmatched tone, but the arrangements of sparse guitar, horns and woodwind instruments could rival that of Bon Iver. Add a jazzy touch like that of John Legend or Jamie Cullum and you have the perfection of Little Children. See Little Children touring London in November…

Hear:
“Hold On” – This song will make our top 25 for the year.

Download now: Little Children – “Hold On”

“Salvation”

Download now: Little Children – “Salvation”

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Band of the Day (9.27.10) How to Dress Well

27 Sep

BOD: (9.27.10) How to Dress Well

How to Dress Well is Tom Krell, a Bon Iverish vocalist that accompanies 90’s R&B beats. A clever sound from a clever man. He is a daytime philosopher from Cologne, Germany and a nighttime DJ who’s created a brand new sound. His vocals are eerie, his sound is familiar but unique. I think you’ll find this album one of your favorites of the year. Love Remains came out on September 21st. Get it here. Think Jodeci with a drop of LL Cool J, a spoonful of Tangerine Dream and a pound of Bon Iver.

Hear:
“Take It On”

How To Dress Well – “Decisions (feat. Yuksel Arslan)”

“Endless Rain” – It sounds like Jodeci was hijacked by Bon Iver

How To Dress Well – “Endless Rain”

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Band of the Day (8.6.10) Perfume Genius

6 Aug

BOD: (8.6.10) PERFUME GENIUS

Trembling voices always seem to catch my attention. It’s those solo guys that hole themselves up under some form of depression and write music that is so heartfelt that you can’t help but hope that this is their form of catharsis. The recent success of Bon Iver and Damon McMahon (Amen Dunes) prove that sharing your pain with a simple piano or an acoustic guitar can bring well earned blog and fan appeal. Perfume Genius, Mike Hadreas, is no exception to this rule. 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 don’t expect you to put this on your Summer Fun playlist, but if you want quality mood music, grab your headphones, a bottle of wine and a comfy chair, Hadreas is sure to take you on a roller coaster of emotions.

A few tracks are included below:
“Mr. Peterson” – Track about the loss of a favorite teacher to suicide.

“Learning” – A bad break-up

Watch:
“Lookout, Lookout”

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