Tag Archives: XX/XY

Band of the Day (6.24.11) Statue of Liberty

24 Jun

I feel like it's already July 4th celebrating XX/XY sparklers with Statue of Liberty


Band of the Day (6.24.11) Statue of Liberty

I’m a sucker for the XX/XY duo, especially when they have that wailing folky guitar. I write and I write and I write about these girl boy bands and it never ceases to amaze me that I just can’t get enough of them. Statue of Liberty hail from Des Moines, IA. They started as a solo project and then they joined forces to create a quick EP with an album on it’s way. Their two tracks are below. I liken them to this new and watered down version of TV On The Radio with a sprinkle of Paste Magazines finest bands. They do a lot of jockeying for vocal leads, but Bobby seems to always win. They’re male led and they sound great. Enjoy them.

Don’t forget on July 1st…look for “The Best of 2011…So Far” and the secret link to our “Giving you the Bird Vol. 1 Playslist” to celebrate our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

Vitals:
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
Members: Bobby Bradford, Miss Marywood Kate
Sonic Soulmates: This new softer version of TV on the Radio, interesting XX/XY duos Tweedy and Feist, Plant and Krauss, John Heart Jackie, The Civil Wars
Trackables:
“Back To You (Demo)”

“Days Gone By (Demo)”

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Band of the Day (2.9.11) John Heart Jackie

9 Feb

Portland deliver's the XX/XY duo of John Heart Jackie

Band of the Day (2.9.11) John Heart Jackie

I was in the for some moody female vocals today. Nothing depressing, just something sweet and moody. I received an email from John Heart Jackie with their new album and it fit my pleasantly perfect day. They’re an XX/XY trio from Portland. It’s folk driven music that brings light through your ears. Pleasant song structure and lyrics that are nice…couple that with Jennie Wayne’s Jenny Lewis vocals and a Peter Murray’s best attempt at Beck’s Seachange vocals. Kinda love Jennie Wayne’s voice when it’s solo….I listened to the record and was begging for a little more Jennie. Love Peter’s vocals on the track below, but it’s angelic airy layers of Jennie’s interludes that make it sound so much better. Really love these guys and I know you will too.

Vitals:
Hometown: Portland, OR
Members: Jennie Wayne and Peter Murray
Sonic Soulmates: Beck, Jenny Lewis
Awards: NPR Song of the Day
Must Hear Tracks:

“What Came Before” – This is the money track. Peter’s Seachange moment…

“You’ve Been on My Mind” – Jennie wow’s me here…Love this track and it make me want to surprise her with a doorstep appearance and a couple of daisies.

Follow John Heart Jackie:
JHJ Blog
Official JHJ site
MySpace
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Band of the Day (1.14.11) Gypsy Death and You

14 Jan

Gypsy Death and You XX/XY duo from Philly bring big nose for two folks.

Band of the Day (1.14.11) Gypsy Death and You

Wow I was having a tough time picking the Band of the Day today. So many bands in 2011 and so little space, but I’m drawn to the female singers…AGAIN. Ha, well Gypsy Death and You is the XX/XY indie shoegazers from Philly. Oh Philly, when was the last time we saw a band from the City of Brotherly Love…Free Energy? Dead Milkmen? Well Gypsy Death and You are brilliantly good. I mentioned earlier this week that this is shaping up to be the year of the female lead, Gypsy Death and You take Puro Instinct from yesterday and add My Bloody Valentine’s wall of wailing layered guitars. Not sure if you guys are familiar with My Vitriol from 2003ish, well Gypsy Death and You have that guitar sound nailed. The vocals are pure and while taking you up to the shoegaze cloud, Emily Cahill comes crashing down with Alex Wilson’s screeching Skinny Puppy guitars for the landing heard by the masses. They rock and Emily’s vocals are so alluring, I just can’t get enough. The Arizona Turk is doing his work.

Vitals:
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Members: Emily Cahill, Alex Wilson
Sonic Soulmates: Skinny Puppy, My Vitriol, My Bloody Valentine, Yuck
Must Hear Tracks:
“Crocus” – A little Pumpkins guitar in there…love the clean guitar and her vocals…great retro 80’s track

“Something I Can’t Have” – Wall of guitars and Emily’s female vocals

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Editor Picks Top 10 Gems (Albums) of 2010 and Final Wrap

31 Dec

The Top 10 Most Incredible Albums of 2010

Editors Top 10 Gems (Albums) of 2010

So this is it. The final post of 2010 and it’s MY list of albums. Yeah that’s right, an entire ALBUM. That’s what bands and artists do, they go into the studio and create a record for us to enjoy. The art of crafting a story and telling it to us through poems, notes and melodies. I love a record because it’s what makes a band. Nobody would read a chapter of a book and say that an author is great, you need the whole art form. An album tells you the story of a band, not a track. These are the albums that changed MY world in 2010. Albums ONLY from the bands that debuted in 2010. Some of our favorite bands only released EPs…boohoo, hopefully 2011 will give us records from these bands. Damn it’s been a great year musically. If you said this year in music sucked, then you weren’t listening or reading. If you have a friend and you’re a friend then pass along NewBandDay.com to them. It’ll be their New Years Resolution, or yours if you’re looking to be a better friend. The albums are here. So go download them…NOW! See you next year.

10. Innerspeaker – Tame Impala
9. Crazy For You – Best Coast
8. Causers of This – Toro Y Moi
7. The Midnight Hum – Thieving Irons
6. Treats – Sleigh Bells
5. One of Us – The Pomegranates
4. We Built A Fire – Seabear
3. Clinging to a Scheme – The Radio Dept.
2. Total Life Forever – Foals
1. The Wild Hunt – The Tallest Man on Earth

Other things we loved and Who we’re scoping in 2011…new LPs:
We loved Karkwa and their passionate fans
We loved Canada
We loved Sweden
We loved XX/XY duos
We loved the Pet Sound but we’re over it now.
We loved The Walkmen Lisbon

2011
We will plan the Inukshuk this year
Our first showcase will happen this year
Watch out for:
Sweet Bronco
Keep Shelly In Athens
DannielRadall
Yuck — This will be the band of 2011.
Soviet League
Still Corners
The Dewars
Jogger
XX/XX
Radiohead
The Strokes

We need music excavators for every city, country, fad, etc. Please email us if you or a friend want to contribute to New.Band.Day

Read our Music Excavators Picks:
Editor Gems (Albums)
Editor Gems (Songs)
Arizona Turk Gems (Albums)
Arizona Turk Gems (Songs)
Music Muse Gems (Songs)

All the Hummingbirds

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Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #9 Sleigh Bells

17 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #9 Sleigh Bells

Altering the landscape of music isn’t easy. 2010 was a year of passive, derivative drivel, made by machines and not musicians. But in saying that, we have answers and hope. We found at least 20 bands that have changed music and one or two that stand alone. Sleigh Bells is one of those bands, fusing searing guitars, fractured vocals and deep beats. It’s the XX/XY duo redefined. It’s the Slayer of our age. It’s angry and Alexis Krauss is our top Indie Hottie for 2010.

We made bold predictions for Sleigh Bells and we’re still waiting for the tipping point. We’ve seen the TV commercials, we’ve read all the “hipster” blogs, but we’re still waiting for that moment. We’re proud to have been the ones to introduce them to you and we’re even more proud to put them in our Top 10 Best New Bands of 2010. We might even say they are the Most Important Band of 2010. Their three best tracks are posted below.

Vitals:
Band Members: Guitarist/beatbox Derek Miller and vocalist Alexis Krauss
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Sonic Soulmates: MIA, Slayer, Your high school cheerleading squad
Tracks of the Year:
“Crown on the Ground” – This is the best song of the year. Check back on 12.28.10 for the full list.

“Beach Girls”

“Infinity Guitars”

Follow:
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Band Site
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Original BOD Post:
Sleigh Bells was originally posted on our Facebook profile. One of the first bands ever to be profiled. 3.24.10

They also made our “Best of 2010…So Far”

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
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis
Hummingbird Award #12: Memoryhouse
Hummingbird Award #11: Karkwa
Hummingbird Award #10: Lord Huron
Hummingbird Award #9: Sleigh Bells

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Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #12 Memoryhouse

14 Dec

Best New Bands of 2010 Hummingbird Award: #12 Memoryhouse

Memoryhouse is so good, she actually gave me chills the first time I listened. I love The xx for one reason, it’s that simple solo guitar that intros Romy Madley Croft’s vocals. I find that so alluring and it really draws the emotion of the vocals. Memoryhouse is Guelph, Ontario’s Evan Abeele, classically trained and Denise Nouvion’s photographic mind, melded together to form a soulful Beach House/My Bloody Valentine.

Vitals:
Members: Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion
Hometown: Guleph, Ontario CN
Sonic Soulmates: The xx, Beach House, My Bloody Valentine
Tracks of the Year:
“”Sleep Patterns” – Simple guitars, electronic drum beats and Denise’s beautiful vocals.

“To The Lighthouse” – My favorite song off the EP and I really think it will make our 2010 Top 10…lovely tracks.

Memoryhouse “To the Lighthouse”

Original BOD Post 11.22.10

Follow:
MemoryHouse Blog
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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
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis

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Band of the Day (11.23.10) Cocoon

23 Nov

BOD (11.23.10) Cocoon

Cocoon is a French pop folk duo made up of Mark Daumail and Morgane Imbeaud. Clermont-Ferrand is their hometown but I’ve found that Panda Mountain seems to be their hometown of choice. Neither Chinese nor of Panda origin, Cocoon has a fantastic sound. They’re not new to the “famous band” thing, they were huge success in My Friends all Died in a Plane Crash
, so their following is massive. I don’t claim to be the first to find this band, but I do claim a love for their XX/XY sound. Their sound is clean acoustic guitars with back and forth love jockeying. They claim a desire to be a duo like White Stripes, but I can’t help but compare them to the great bands on Arts & Crafts like Stars or even Joy Zipper from 2006, The Submarines and the brilliance of Michael Penn with Aimee Mann duets will make you go back and download their entire catalog. But come one, really, they sound amazingly similar to Swell Season. We love their sound and I want to be the first to say it’s Time to Make Them Your New Favorite Band”

Hear:
“Hummingbird” – Joy Zipper with an upbeat sound.

“Mother” – Paul Simon? Great moving sound. Jose Gonzalez and Avett Brothers? Lovely song…still not convinced…well it’s the French Swell Season.

MP3 – Cocoon – “Mother”

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Band of the Day (9.15.10) Keep Shelly in Athens

15 Sep

BOD: (9.15.10) Keep Shelly in Athens

I first stumbled on Keep Shelly in Athens (KSIA) from another BOD Danniel Radall. He shares the same love that I have for the downtempo, electronic mastery that RΠЯ and Sarah P. deliver. They are a XX/XY mystery Grecian duo and they truly call Athens home. Their sound is a blend of hardcore downtempo maestros like Kruder and Dorfmeister and modern day pack leaders like Air. I think you’ll enjoy these unusually warm Fall nights with a little KSIA. Here are two tracks for you to enjoy:

Hear:
“A Tear in My i”

“Cremona Memories”

Band:
RΠЯ and Sarah P. (Mystery Girl)

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Band of the Day (8.9.10) Yuck or Yu(c)k

9 Aug Brits rule with simplicity and proper XX/XY duos.

BOD: (8.9.10) Yuck or Yu(c)k

I’ve been looking forward to this day all year. It’s 8.9.10 damnit and we only get 12 years to enjoy this perfect symmetry. Today is extra special because we go double-digits….so I thought long and hard about an appropriate BOD. Someone who represents the symmetry…so here comes Yuck. I’ve listened to approximately four tracks and I quite honestly think they nail what XX/XY duos stand for….I love you, you dumped me, I hate you, I forgive you, etc. Their voices sound perfect together, they beam with emotion, almost as if they’re lying in bed singing to each other. Surprisingly, Yuck is a big band — Daniel Blumberg (guitar), Max Bloom (guitar), Jonny Rogoff (drums), Mariko Doi (bass) and Ilana Blumberg (vocals) make the complexity of music, sound so damn simple and perfect. “Automatic” is so pure I can almost hear the dust fly off the piano wires after each plunk. But when you dig deeper you realize that this simplicity is much bigger, tracks like “Georgia” introduce you to their Dinosaur Jresque roots. I love ’em and I think you will too. The two tracks posted below are my faves.

Yuck hail from Northern London, a few members have been seen on the scene, Max and Danny were in Cajun Dance Party (CDP) back in 2007. A classic hyped, British fave back in the 2007.

Order Yuck‘s EP Weakend

HEAR Yuck Now:
“Daughter”

“Automatic”

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Yuck
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Band of the Day – (7.22.10) SLOW CLUB

22 Jul Brits XX/XY duo kinda rock

BOD: (7.22.10) SLOW CLUB

Was everyone getting nervous? Listening to innovative songs in Spanish, can be uncomfortable for many, but if you close your eyes, imagine the heat, grab a cold drink and just relax. I bet your Indie rock shell will crack and your ears will thank you. So today I take you back to the comfortable place of XX/XY duos. Acoustic guitars, birds chirping, we’re in love, we break up and now we’re back together. Create a cool band name, buy a drum machine, make t-shirts, get into a SXSW showcase, make the Facebook page and you’re in. Oh but here comes the uncomfortable part….SLOW CLUB actually takes traditional folk Omaha sounds and then rocks with electric guitars. It’s much like what Sleigh Bells did to The XX or The White Stripes did to The Carpenters. Slow Club does to Edward Sharpe. They actually sound better when they rock.

Brits who share lead, King and Queen perhaps? The band is made up of Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor. The band also incorporates crazy percussion instruments, glasses, chairs, etc. Love their dynamic and their ability to bang on the drums, wail a vocal and kick in the guitar. I feel like it’s a perfect Back to School sound. End of Summer, much bigger feel than two people.

HEAR:
“Giving Up On Love”

“Giving Up On Love” MP3

“It Doesn’t Have to Be Beautiful” – Follows a really nice Saddlecreek Folk sound…Tilly and the Wall maybe? Edward Sharpish…

“Our Most Brilliant Friends”

“Christmas TV” – They can also tug at your heartstrings…

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