Tag Archives: UK

STAFF PICKS: The Arizona Turk’s Incredibly Impressive Best of 2012 Lists

30 Dec
He is a menace to us all. The Arizona Turk's 2012 Best of List

He is a menace to us all. The Arizona Turk’s 2012 Best of List

The Arizona Turk is one the primary contributors to New.Band.Day. He’s been a fixture since 2010 and his picks are ahhhhmazing. They may seem confusingly unfamiliar, but that’s why we love him. His picks sound odd today, but if you look back over the past several years, you’ll notice that those bands are just now breaking. The dude is a new band savant.

The Turk’s Favorites for 2012:
Bands:
1. Savages – London she punks
2. TOY – His #2, Hummingbird #1
3. Palma Violets – Closet garage rockers from Lambeth outside of London
4. Merchandise – Tampa’s leather greasers are 2013 darlings…calling it now!!!
5. Wild Moth – Post Punk dudes from SF.
6. DIIV– His #6, Hummingbird #6
7. Dads – New Brunswick, NJ emo dudes. See them Uncorked in Jan. WOW!!!!
8. POLIÇA – We liked Grimes better this year, but POLIÇA was on the top of the Turk’s mind…
9. Stumbleine – 1 of 3 dubsteppers from Swarm, now solo Londoner
10. Fidlar – LA based dudes who bring surf punk back!
11. Boys – Denver Rock Chick

Songs:
1. “Husbands” – Savages

2. “Motoring” – TOY

3. “Mid Air” – Paul Buchanan

4. “Lay Your Cards Out” – Polica

5. “Best Of Friends” – Palma Violets

6. “Mourning Glow” – Wild Moth

7. “Heavy To The Touch (think about tonight, forget about tomorrow)” – Dads

8. “Tomorrow” Niki and the Dove

9. “No Waves” – Fidlar

10. “If You Want Me To Stay (For A While)” – Shark Week

TWO BONUS B-SIDES THAT YOU SHOULD FIND AND BUY FOR YOUR COLLECTION
“Hard to Pretend” – The Donkeys b-side to “Won’t Let You Down” 7″

“Bright White Shimmering Sun” – TOY b-side to “Lose My Way” 7″

Hear them here

Albums:
1. Merchandise Children Of Desire
2. TOYTOY
3. PolicaGive You The Ghost
4. DIIV Oshin
5. πYou In Colour
6. DadsAmerican Radass
7. Wild Moths/t (10″)
8. PallbearerSorrow and Extinction
9. Wild MothMourning Glow EP

ALBUMS YOU AND YOUR MOTHER’S SHOULD OWN BY NOW…IF NOT PLEASE SUPPORT AND BUYS THESE GEMS FROM THIS YEAR.
Japandroids – Celebration Rock

The Chromatics – Kill For Love

Tame Impala – Lonerism

Best Reissue:
Ride – Going Blank Again with Live at Brixton DVD

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
#2 Grimes
#1 Toy

Staff Picks Best of 2012: Arizona Turk’s Incredible List for 2012

Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

The Best New Band of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #1: TOY

29 Dec

There is no better band in the land for 2012. Toy will be an amazing rock fixture for years to come.

There is no better band in the land for 2012. Toy will be an amazing rock fixture for years to come.


Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #1: TOY

This was an insane voting process, so democratic, then BOOM the big guy takes control and pulls a dictatorship on the NBD staff and just votes in TOY as the best new band of 2012. Why?:
1. They are the best rock band of 2012, hell the best band of 2012.
2. They actually wrote an album that held together over 12 tracks
3. Like Maiden and Black Sabbath before them, Toy is able to create diversity, a 4 minute rock anthem followed by an 8 minute mini novel, similar to an album like Powerslave with “Aces High” then “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
4. Nobody but nobody has re-created a record like A Storm in Heaven from The Verve. Did you know that The Verve was an airy, dreamy rock band with layered guitars or did you just know them from “Bittersweet Symphony”?
5. They will become popular from their softer side hear “My Heart Skips a Beat”, but we hope they don’t abandon their rock DNA hear “Lose My Way”

You’re probably asking, “Seriously New.Band.Day, Toy is better than Grimes, Jessie Ware, The Lumineers, etc.?” we would say “Thank you for the comment passionate kind reader. Absolutely, Toy is much better, they dare to tackle a rock genre that is for most parts dead. They don’t beat around the bush hear their opening track and they sure as hell aren’t going to follow the trend of going all folk on us.” I love when our readers write us. Toy is our #1 Hummingbird of 2012. God it feels good to get that of our chests. I think the Turk and the Muse will be sending me hate letters for the next six months, but don’t worry, they will have their unsolicited time to share their picks tomorrow see their 2011 and 2010 picks.

Read the original post here

Vitals:
Founded: 2012
Hometown: London, UK
Members: Tom Dougall
Dominic O’Dair
Alejandra Diez
Maxim Barron
Charlie Salvidge
Sonic Soulmates™: Primal Scream, Tame Impala, The Verve, Echo and the Bunnymen, Spiritualized
Trackables™: From their S/T debut record
“Dead and Gone” – Quite possibly my favorite track of 2012.
“Lose my Way” – Quite possibly my second favorite track of 2012
“Colours Running Out” – Wow what an opening track

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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
#2 Grimes
#1 Toy

Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #5: HEY SHOLAY

23 Dec
#5 is oh so fine. Hey Sholay. Photo Credit Lofty Fiasco

#5 is oh so fine. Hey Sholay

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #5: Hey Sholay

It’s always nice to spread the Christmas cheer and joy with an uplifting set of mates from Leeds and Sheffield. We’ve been harmonizing with them since August just waiting for this day to award them with a Hummingbird Award. They’re part indie anthem rock see Arcade Fire, part party music see Los Campesinos! with a final dash of London Suede for your festivus celebration. “Wishbone (Wish Wish Wish) is the song that will take them a mile above the Earth to their stardom. Whatever your taste, the album cleverly titled ((O)) will make your end of year plans a little happier.

Vitals:
Hometown: Sheffield and Leed, UK
Members:
Rob Philpot (Drums), Stef Kania (Bass, Moral Support), Liam Ward (Keys and Guitar), Liam Creamer (Vocals and keys and ) and Laurie Allport (Guitar)
Sonic Soulmates™: Arctic Monkeys, Maccabees, Los Campesinos!, London Suede
Trackables™ from the new LP ((O))
“My Blood”
“The Bears the Clocks the Bees”
“Wishbone (Wish Wish Wish)”

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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
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #11: FEAR OF MEN

13 Dec

Hummingbird Award Winners Fear of Men

Hummingbird Award Winners Fear of Men

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #11: FEAR OF MEN

Really, Fear of Men should be our anthem for 2012. 2012 was our Lillith Fair 2.0. More women leads, more female solo artists and no men, anywhere. Here’s what we said about them in our “Fresh Nectar” report back in November…they made our playlist for the End of Times
“Man will surely be the reason why the world ends. Something we created, some manufactured food, only God knows. What I do know is that Fear of Men are the BEST BAND OF 2012…Really and truly. Fear of Men are the London/Brighton quartet of Jess Weiss, Dan, Alex and Mike” EPs and some great tracks made up their year as we await a full length any day now. we’re now 2 for 2 with female leads. Did we mention that this was the

Vitals:
Home: Brighton, UK
Members: Jess Weiss, Dan, Alex and Mike (last names not available)
Sonic Soulmates™: Veronica Falls, St. Etienne, GRMLN
Trackables™: “Green Sea” single — one of our favorite songs of the year.

Mosaic 7″

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Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011 and 2012:
Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #12: ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL

12 Dec

HUMMINGBIRD AWARD WINNER Rose Elinor Dougall

HUMMINGBIRD AWARD WINNER Rose Elinor Dougall

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #12: ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL

I like what we said back in March, “I’m in love with Rose, have been since her 2010 LP. Not only is she quite hot but the new EP that hit my Inbox back in January has me stirring. The Distractions who accompany Ms. Dougall are shoegazey with such great guitar riffs i feel like I’m listening to My Vitriol or early Cure. Her lyrics and Hope Sandovalish voice are emotional and alluring. The two together sound like The Sundays discovering Teenage Fanclub.” I’m still in love with her and I hope that the world reads this post and gives her the credit she deserves.

Read the original post HERE

Vitals: London, UK
Members:
Rose Elinor Dougall – Vocals, Keys
The Distractions:
Tom Dougall – Guitar
Ralegh Long – Guitar, Mandolin, keys
Georgia Lee – Bass, Vocals
Martin Dean – Drums
Sonic Soulmates™: The Distractions = ’90s Brit-alt pop My Vitriol, Teenage Fanclub or The Sundays, Rose = Hope Sandoval, Holly Miranda
Trackables™:
“I’ve Always Known” – Her only release for 2012 was an EP and this is more of a plea to get a full record in 2013.

The whole EP The Distractions EP

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Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011 and 2012:
Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (10.14.12) Toy

14 Oct

Amazing rockadelica from London will knock your socks off.

Amazing rockadelica from London will knock your socks off.


UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (10.14.12) Toy

Phew…we thought this year of rock was going to boil down to Tame Impala and that Nirveatles crap. What a sham…then, oh then we hear Toy and our hearts skipped a beat. Psychadelia from London, makes us think of our Primal Scream days, but I have to say they are better. They have melody and they rock the sh*t of the place. You can get lost in their music like that of early Verve, see “Already There” and then call us and tell how amazing that song is. We beg you to listen to “Dead and Gone” and tell us that you aren’t in love. Oh and they’re on Heavenly Records, a trusted label of quality. We dare you….Thank you.

Vitals:
Founded: 2012
Hometown: London, UK
Members
: Tom Dougall
Dominic O’Dair
Alejandra Diez
Maxim Barron
Charlie Salvidge
Sonic Soulmates™: Primal Scream, Tame Impala, Verve
Trackables™: “Dead and Gone”

New Album S/T

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (4.5.12) Crybaby

5 Apr

Crybaby is his name and sadness is his game.


UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (4.5.12) Crybaby

We’re busy but we’re not too busy to find great new bands on this eve of Coachella. Crybaby is the brainchild of Danny Coughlan, his passion for the soul music led him down the path of success, eventually to Crybaby. His love of Morrissey all things soul, pushes this record to the top of our list of 2012. We hope you love it as much as we do. Danny’s love of Garney Mimms gave birth to the name Crybaby from Mimms classic track “Cry Baby” Listen to Cry Baby by Garnet Mimms

Vitals:
Hometown: Bristol, Leeds, UK
Members: Danny Coughlan (vocals, guitar)
Sonic Soulmates™: Roy Orbison, The Smiths, Phil Spector and the Jesus & Mary Chain.
Trackables™:
“I Cherish Heartbreak More than the Love That I Lost” –

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (3.6.12) Rose Elinor Dougall

6 Mar

Rose Elinor Dougall is the love of my 2012. Her EP with The Distractions is so distracting that I can't listen to anything else.

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (2.20.12) Rose Elinor Dougall

It seems as if the female lead is gaining traction again. I don’t know if the females really ever left, but the music hitting my InBox these days seems to be so much better from the ladies. I’m in love with Rose, have been since her 2010 LP. Not only is quite hot but the new EP that hit my Inbox back in January has me stirring. The Distractions who accompany Ms. Dougall are shoegazey with such great guitar riffs i feel like I’m listening to My Vitriol or early Cure. Her lyrics and Hope Sandovalish voice are emotional and alluring. The two together sound like The Sundays discovering Teenage Fanclub. Rose’s roots are in that Spectorian sound having been part of The Pipettes, but that is long gone from her repertoire, it’s been replaced with something special. The Distractions EP is worth the listen, I’ve posted my favorite track below.

Vitals: London, UK
Members:
Rose Elinor Dougall – Vocals, Keys
The Distractions:
Tom Dougall – Guitar
Ralegh Long – Guitar, Mandolin, keys
Georgia Lee – Bass, Vocals
Martin Dean – Drums
Sonic Soulmates™: The Distractions = ’90s Brit-alt pop My Vitriol, Teenage Fanclub or The Sundays, Rose = Hope Sandoval, Holly Miranda
Trackables™:
“I’ve Always Known” –

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Her site
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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (2.6.12) This Many Boyfriends (UPDATED)

6 Feb

This Many Boyfriends are what The Housemartins are to a Monday morning...good fun!


UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 – This Many Boyfriends

Is anyone else having this issue where you feel like everyone knows what you’re listening to…Facebook streaming and Spotify have made me self conscious of my guilty favorites. Now that everyone knows what I listen to, I feel like you’re judging me. Don’t judge my love for Neil Young, Nada Surf, Pearl Jam, Echo, etc. It’s okay, sometimes I want to be reminded about the past. Music is the greatest story every told…you can go back to a song and it reminds of exactly the moment you heard it first or last. So here’s to guilty pleasures. This Many Boyfriends is derived from the happy bouncy 90’s Britrock pop dreams of Teenage Fanclub, the cynicism of The Smiths and their obvious love of Norman Cook and The Housemartins. Good solid happy poppy English rock for a Monday.

Vitals:
Hometown: Leeds, UK
Members:
Daniel Boyfriend – Guitars
Laura Boyfriend – Drums
Richard Boyfriend – Vocals
Tom Boyfriend – Bass
Sonic Soulmates™: The Smiths, The Lodger, The Housemartins
Trackables™:
“Young Lovers Go Pop!” –

NEW TRACK – “Starling”

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Best New Bands of 2011 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #3 The Vaccines

22 Dec

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!

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Original Post: Band of the Day 1.26.11

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

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”

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Best New Band of 2011 – Band of the Day (5.11.11) Girls Names

12 May

Lo-Fi boys from Belfast bring garage rock. Girls Names


Band of the Day (5.11.11) Girls Names

Nice day today. Really a pleasant successful day. I was trying to consolidate my thoughts around what’s been happening in the music scene in 2011. It’s an odd year. No real movement like 2010’s Pet Sound. If anything, it’s a year of effortless garage rock. So many bands scaling back on production, recording in some shithole studio or their own garage and creating good ol surf rock. I wish I was alive in the late 60’s to enjoy some of the best drum/clean guitar surf, I wasn’t so I have to relive it with some good ‘ol 2011 versions. Girls Names are Belfast’s favorite boys with a little Morrisey swagger and a whole lot of clean guitar garage rock. Think Velvet Underground meets White Stripes. Listen to three of our favorite tracks below.

Vitals:
Hometown: Belfast, Ireland, UK
Members: Cathal Cully and Neil Peel and Claire
Sonic Soulmates: The Smiths, 1st Wave rock, Velvet Underground, Black Tambourine, Weekend
Trackables:
“When You Cry” – Good lo-fi track that conjures up the 80’s

“Lawrence” – We got married in Lawrence.

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Band of the Day (3.28.11) Mechanical Bride

28 Mar

The prettiest voice of 2011 - Mechanical Bride


Band of the Day (3.28.11) Mechanical Bride

I’m a sucker for a pretty voice. Aren’t we all though. If you really think about it, a pretty voice just makes your day so much better. She can make sad moments more uplifting and can make happy moments happier. Fine, I’m softening up in this so called Year of Rock Revival, but what do I care…really. Mechanical Bride’s label Transgressive sent over her lead track this morning and it took me approximately 18 seconds from the moment I hit play to start this post. That’s fast folks, super fast because I think the 25 year old songwriter and self-taught maestro Lauren Doss has something special, a very pretty voice and a history some great music. I doubt I’m the first to write about her sound since she was the owner of 2009’s beautiful folkish Rihanna cover of “Umbrella”. Much like Belleruche last week, Lauren Doss AKA Mechanical Bride, has a voice that really is special. Thank God they coupled her music with some fantastic production, layered self-harmonies, splash drums and a simple piano structure. She’s released some EPs, that have awarded her some critical acclaim, but she still needs our love to gain the fame and riches. Take a listen and spread the word. Her voice is one part PJ Harvey a whole lot of Bat for Lashes and maybe a dash of Björk

Vitals:
Hometown: Brighton, UK
Members: Lauren Doss
Sonic Soulmates: Bat for Lashes, PJ Harvey and Björk
Trackables:
“Colour of Fire” – Soft piano driven tune with beautiful production.

Grab the exclusive stream. ‘Colour Of Fire’ is available to download for free from the Mechanical Bride official site now. ‘Colour Of Fire’ is taken from Mechanical Bride’s debut album ‘Living With Ants’, released June 7th via Transgressive.

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