Tag Archives: Radiohead

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #4: Alt-J (∆)

26 Dec
Alt-J deserves the Hummingbird Award

Alt-J deserves the Hummingbird Award

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #4: Alt-J (∆)
This might be a record for us, two bands back-to-back from Leeds. First Hey Sholay now Alt-J, although this civic rivalry may be problematic since most of the Hey Sholay lads are from Sheffield…either way, something is brewing in the water and it’s not ale, it’s a penchant for good quality music that leads the pack in some of the best new bands of 2012. We loved Alt-J back in September and we still love the Awesome Wave LP, hell they won a Mercury Prize…not why we loved them, but rarely does a winner of that prize suck. Read the original Uncorking here.
Alt-J is definitely still riding the hang-over of the 2011 layered electronic, dreamy sonic sounds of Animal Collective and Midlake, but at times we hear the timeless Fletwood Mac beauty shine through. Please listen to “Breezeblocks” and tell us you don’t love these guys.

Vitals:
Founded: 2011
Hometown: Leeds, UK
Members: Gwil, Joe Newman [guitar/vocals], Gus Unger-Hamilton [keyboards] and Thom Green [drums] met at Leeds University in 2007
Sonic Soulmates™: Midlake, Nurses, Animal Collective
Trackables™:
“Breezeblocks” – Amazing single

An Awesome Wave

Follow Hey Sholay:
Alt-J Website
Facebook

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 (∆)
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (9.14.12) Alt-J (∆)

14 Sep
Alt-J is worth the listen. The Leeds lads would rather you call them ∆

Alt-J is worth the listen. The Leeds lads would rather you call them ∆

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (9.14.12) Alt-J

Leeds, no football club wants to be caught dead playing at Elland Road. You not only risk the punishing play on the field, but the fan abuse is unrivaled. It’s not surprising that a band like (∆), pronounced Alt-J was birthed under that protective shell. They like the culture of the football fans, is one of a kind. Although, they’re not punishing, just lushing…a new word I just made up. It’s hard to pin them to one sound. Maybe they lean a little to the right with Nurses, Animal Collective, or maybe a little more left and Radioheady, but it’s the upbeat almost danceable nature of the music that gets me and the NBDers jazzed. Yes these lads one the Mercury Prize, so it’s not a surprise that they are on our watch list. And by the way F*(K Pitchfork for that craptastic 4.5 review. I feel good when I lis tento tracks like “Something Good” or “Ms” maybe it’s the bells or the strummy guitars. A track ends and I get the same feeling I used to get before an exciting first date with that lady I fawned over. Alt-J is that band that will make your weekend better.

Vitals:
Founded: 2011
Hometown: Leeds, UK
Members: Gwil, Joe Newman [guitar/vocals], Gus Unger-Hamilton [keyboards] and Thom Green [drums] met at Leeds University in 2007
Sonic Soulmates™: Midlake, Nurses, Animal Collective
Trackables™:
“Breezeblocks” – Amazing single

An Awesome Wave

Follow:
Alt-J Website
Facebook

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Band of the Day 3.1.11 Boas

1 Mar

RIchmond's Boas is Tyler Newbold and it's electronic bliss


Band of the Day 3.1.11 Boas

It’s the first day of March and after almost 60 days I don’t think we’ve profiled an ambient heavy electronic solo artist. Well Boas is Richmond, VA Tyler Newbold’s solo effort and it’s tough to place him into a genre or a sonic family. It’s one part experimental, one part psychadelica and a whole lot of cleverness. Take Thievery Corporation and place them in the studio with Stereolab. What do you get a gigantic experimental sound that rival the moodiness of Radiohead. It’s a bold statement and comparison, but what do we care, it’s TRUE. Boas can be that good, this is just the start, so follow now!

Pick-up Boas new LP Grave Dreams for FREE at Band Camp

Vitals:
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Members: Tyler Newbold
Sonic Soulmates: Thievery Corporation Meets Radiohead Meets Broken Social Scene Meets Stereolab
Must Hear Tracks:
“A Little Less Familiar” – Heavy beats, high falsettos and a brilliant track

“State of Colliding” – What the hell is this, I happen to adore it. Just get to 4:00 minutes and you’ll be in love

“No Reflection” – Just a disarming amount of layered beats. Wowoowowowo

Follow Boas:
MySpace

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Band of the Day (2.18.11) Cinemascopes

18 Feb

Cinemascopes bring it with garage style rock

Band of the Day (2.18.11) Cinemascopes

Today is the day….the day my fine feathered friends dropped a little treat onto my hard drive. New Radio”F$%*ing”head…. what do I think??? Well as the Arizona Turk pointed out at 5am this great morning, “They had two years to produce something and it sounds rushed” well it’s first listen and we’ll have more to say after a day of it with headphones. “Little By Little” is a rad as is “Codex” let the debate start. Is this album speaking about the “Death of the Dictator” ???? Listen and learn.

What was next to my Radiohead treat…? Cinemascopes! Brighton garage rockers with a flare for wailing guitars and synth craziness. But then you get to track 4 of the EP and it’s there, the brilliance of the band. I’m hooked badly on this track. It’s called “Lost Children” with a sense of great early Snow Patrol, Bloc Party basslines and just good rock drum and guitar. You be the judge of Leon Morgan, Milo Boyd, Owen Thomas and Steffan Eliades 3 tracks. The new self-titled EP is FREE here!!!

Vitals:
Hometown: Brighton, UK
Members: Leon Morgan, Milo Boyd, Owen Thomas and Steffan Eliades
Sonic Soulmates: Thievery Corporation, Snow Patrol, Bloc Part, Thurston Moore led Sonic Youth, Neu
Must Hear Tracks:
“Lost Children” MP3 –>Cinemascopes Lost Children

“Battle Axe”

Follow:
Facebook

MySpace

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