Tag Archives: Vancouver

Best New Bands of 2011 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #7 Dirty Beaches

14 Dec

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”

“True Blue”

“Sweet 17”

Click here to listen on your iPhone or iPad
Dirty Beaches “Lord Knows Best”
Dirty Beaches – “True Blue”
Dirty Beaches – “Sweet 17”

Follow:
Official Site
Spotify

Original Post: Band of the Day 1.12.11

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

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Band of the Day (2.8.11) Dead Ghosts

8 Feb

Garage Rock that is Really GOOD DEAD GHOSTS


Band of the Day (2.8.11) Dead Ghosts

I have to admit that this year is shaping up to be a fantastic music year. Can’t quite get a grasp on what trends are hitting or where we’re headed but it’s clear that the bands are getting better and that we’re going to have one kick-ass summer. That being said, I feel as if we’ve neglected a few bands or genres for that matter. We got so excited with the return of rock that we forgot to profile garage bands. Those fantastic dudes that grind out 2 minute tracks ripping and shreading their way through an album. This years fave so far has to be Dead Ghosts. Why, because they’re a cross between Harlem of last year, The Vandals, a tame Dead Kennedys, The Walkmen and The Byrds. They got a little doo-wop in em too. They’re no JJ Revue, but they’re good. Buddy Holly cool. The boys are from Vancouver, their record was released late 2010 and it’s 13 tracks of pure garage bliss. I think only two tracks surpass the 3:30 mark…haha, gotta love Canadian surf garage rock.

Vitals for Dead Ghosts
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada
Members:
Bryan – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew – Guitar
Michael – Drums
Moe – Bass
Sonic Soulmates: The Vandals, Buddy Holly, JJ Revue, Dead Kennedys, The Walkmen, The Swamp Rats, The Ronettes’
Must Hear Tracks:
“When It Comes to You” – By far the best track of the record and it’s the first one….Premature Musication!

“What to Do” – Buddy Holly meeting Kids in the Hall…LOVE THAT SHOW. The best thing to come out of Canada in 1991!

“I Want Your Love” – The Walkmen meet The Shirelles

Follow Dead Ghosts:
MySpace
Twitter
Facebook

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Band of the Day (1.12.11) Dirty Beaches

12 Jan

early eerie creepy Elvis crooning creates Dirty Beaches

Band of the Day (1.12.11) Dirty Beaches

Can this really be true, this is our first Canadian band of 2011. WOW! Doesn’t matter, because we have a slew of them slated for January and February. Dirty Beaches is rock-a-billy mood music. I swear these are recent recordings. We didn’t find them buried in our stax box, or at some used record store in The Haight. Alex Zhang Hungtai is a solo performer who’s made homes in all parts of the world, primarily the Far East and Canada. The Eastern influence coupled with the chill of Canada, helps create a very unique classic early 60’s Elvis meets the Devil sound. He is my Lord Huron of 2011…so far. Once again, Mr. Arizona Turk was doing his work. Great find

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…
Must Hear Tracks:

“Lord Knows Best” – This is by far his best track.

“True Blue” – I think my mom was dumped in high school when this song was playing in her Chevy. Alex nails it here.

Follow:
Official Website
MySpace

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Band of the Day (11.3.10) Bankrobber

3 Nov

BOD: (11.3.10) Bankrobber

It’s not a coincidence that Victoria’s Bankrobber shares the band name with The Clash’s famous track of the same name. The band shares the same diversity of sound and a sonic similarity with its vocals. Bankrobber has stumbled on a sound that is a step ahead of Vampire Weekend. I’ve only heard their BandCamp EP and I think these guys are the real deal. They may need to work on their harmonies a bit, but overall their songwriting is good, the arrangements are GREAT and the music has massive appeal. I love when they get folksy and add the reggae kick. Listen to their folk flavor, with banjos. Bankrobber is Blank, or just Jordan Minkoff if you want to go with the birth name. The five song EP MidJuly is available here.

Hear:
“May 11th” – Try not to tap your toe.

Download —> Bankrobber – “May 11th”

“Tripe” – Clash as Clash gets…love it though! Put Vampire Weekend and Clash in the studio and this is what you get!

Download —>Bankrobber – “Tripe”

Follow:
MySpace

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Band of the Day (7.20.10) – BEND SINISTER

20 Jul Vancouver's Very Own Maestros

BOD (7.20.10) – BEND SINISTER

Seriously, I’m not moving to Canada, I’m not even visiting Canada, but could someone please explain why their music is so darn good? I may move there, hell I might get married there and then throw the biggest frigging festival of music Canada has ever seen. I’m going to invite every band I love from NewBandDay, give away free picks in the shape of a maple leaf and let the good times roll. I’m gonna have it in Banff and call it Inukshuk.Because as the Inukshuk guided the ancients to dry land, so does Canadian music. I am a believer. Every new Canadian band featured on New.Band.Day is invited to the festival and we will now be call them Inukshukian.

It’s time to recognize the band Bend Sinister, formed in 2001 and began playing as many bar shows as they possibly could in their home town of Kelowna, British Columbia. They moved to Vancouver, BC cocooned, shed band members like Mike Magnusson, Kevin Keegan, Dan Goughnour, Dave Buck, Edo Van Breemen, Jon Bunyan (stage name), Naben Ruthnum and released 3LPs and 1EP. Now 2010, Dan Moxon, Jason Dana, Joel Myers, Henry Alcock White and Joseph Blood bring the Nabakov named songmeisters to the forefront.

Their single “Things Will Get Better” is a beautiful twist of ELO, Queen guitar riffs, 70’s Elton John/Billy Joel, a little Phoenix and should be featured in a Charlie Kaufman film. I love it. I’ve attached the five song Spring Romance from the band. Might just be my new favorite band of the month….

Hear:


“Jimmy Brown” MP3

Follow Bend Sinister on:
Band Site
Facebook

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