When I first discovered Blondfire via the SXSW 2012 torrent, I thought for sure I’d found my next favorite band. But after eventually listening to some more of their songs, it appeared as though they were nothing but a one-hit wonder.
Fast-forward more than a year, when my favorite local radio station, 91.1 FM WGCS, started playing another song off the band’s 2012 EP, Where the Kids Are, and it became clear that I should give the group a second shot.
As it turns out, Blondfire’s early work was just as mundane as I’d originally thought. Little more than a Shiny Toy Guns knock-off, the Los Angeles-based brother-sister duo of Bruce and Erica Driscoll stuck to a simple formula of pretty vocals over an electro-pop beat on their 2008 debut full-length My Someday.
The result was a lot of sub-par tunes, with the occasional notable track, such as “Pretty Young Thing”, “All In My Mind” and “L-L-Love”.
But other than those — and interesting backstory — the band had little going for it and was destined for the dustbins of music history.
That is, until they released the single, “Where the Kids Are”, in November 2011. The song received a lot of critical acclaim, and it even made its way into a car commercial, which is still being aired today.
It’s unclear what’s next for Blondfire — besides wrapping up its current tour and playing at Lollapalooza in August — but, with any luck, it will trend closer to their more recent offerings as opposed to their old stuff.
One of the most-annoying trends of the last 5-10 years in the indie music world is bands giving themselves incredibly vague, one-word names.
I’m looking at you, Girls, Women, Boy and The Men. (It’s as if these bands are actually part of one, big family.)
Anyway, the latest no-name band is, coincidentally, called NO. Not to be confused with a number of similarly named bands, including a post-punk outfit from Australia that hit big in the late ’80s, this indie-rock foursome hails from Echo Park in Los Angeles and has an EP and some singles to its name thus far.
On that EP, Don’t Worry, You’ll Be Here Forever, the most obvious comparison is The National. However, where those Brooklynites’ sound seems to be rooted in punk, NO leans a little poppier.
The above album was released in 2011. But it wasn’t until late last year, with the release of the single, “What’s Your Name”, that the band really started to create some buzz.
On that song, and a few others it recently recorded during a Daytrotter session at SXSW, the band develops a much more anthemic sound, similar to that of White Lies, with slow-burning indie ballads that explode at just the right time.
NO are still a supporting band for now, but it shouldn’t be long before they become a headlining act.
If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of the Rolling Stones. And you were super-excited to see them on the cover of last week’s Rolling Stone magazine.
I’m just kidding. Other than an album’s worth of songs from the ’70s, I couldn’t care less about the band. And the fact that they’re the cover story in 2013 is a perfect example of why that magazine is worthless.
I only bring it up because of how much I was reminded of Mick Jagger’s vocals while recently listening to the band, Foxygen.
That tune, “Waitin’ 4 U”, is from the band’s 2012 album, Take the Kids Off Broadway. Hearing that makes one think that Jagger stepped into a portal back in 1973 and arrived in the Los Angeles suburbs in 2005 and decided to start a psychedelic indie rock duo.
In actuality, it was Jonathan Rado and Sam France who joined forces in Westlake Village, Calif., and set forth making several EPs full of experimental, avant-garde, garage rock.
The group’s early work is an acquired taste. But on the recent release, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, which came out this past January, the band finally starts to put things together in a more palatable manner.
The song that’s been getting a lot of love lately is “San Francisco”.
In April, the group released Jurrassic Exxplosion Phillipic, an LP they recorded in 2007, to the public for the first time. It’s a bit of a time capsule for the band, considering how much it’s grown since then.
For now, it might be wise to stick to the newer stuff. Especially if you still long for the Rolling Stones’ heyday.
I’m not exactly sure when I first heard the band, LEAGUES, or what song of theirs was being played at the time. (More than likely, it was on a random mix via MOG.) But whatever the source and track, one thing is certain, it was enough to prompt me to jot down the band’s name so I could listen to more in the future.
That time finally came this past weekend as I spun through the Nashville trio’s debut album, You Belong Here, a handful of times and grew to love it a little more with each listen.
The first thing that stands out about this album is the lack of filler. There are several notable tracks, but nothing on here should be considered a throwaway. The above song, “Walking Backwards”, is the standout, but there are several others hot on its heels, including the title track, “Haunted”, “Pass My Way”, “Lost It All” and “Mind Games”.
In trying to conjure bands that might accurately be called contemporaries, the first that comes to mind is Vampire Weekend. But that’s mostly based on the way lead singer Thad Cockrell spits out his vocals. Otherwise, LEAGUES’ music is far more accessible than their Brooklyn counterparts.
Another similar band is Two Door Cinema Club and specifically their 2010 debut disc, Tourist History, which was filled with loads of catchy electro/indie-rock songs and lacked any real filler. In fact, LEAGUES’ first big single, “Spotlight”, is probably only my seventh favorite song here.
The vibe of this album is perfect for the summer. And, hopefully, the band can capitalize on that as it is currently touring the country. It has several stops in my general area, but I doubt I’ll have a chance to make it to one. It’s too bad because I have a feeling this band will be blowing up pretty soon.
For some of you, it might be difficult to get past the glaringly horrible grammar error in The Mowgli’s name. But if you’re able to quell your inner high school English teacher long enough to listen to the band’s debut EP, then you’ll find a group loaded with endless energy and potential.
The Los Angeles eight-piece doesn’t hold anything back on Love’s Not Dead, which came out in October 2012. On the opening track, “San Francisco”, the group channels The Polyphonic Spree while churning out an instant classic.
They continue their Up With People thing on “The Great Divide”, but with slightly lesser returns.
Then comes the album’s sleeper track, “Time”, which is just as great as “San Francisco”, but for totally different reasons. On this track, The Mowgli’s switch gears, drop all the harmonies — save for one notable line — and become something closer to the Plain White T’s or Okkervil River.
On “Slowly, Slowly”, the band changes gears again with a faster-paced indie-rock tune that wouldn’t sound too out-of-place on a Switchfoot album. But don’t let that comparison twist your stomach into knots. If this is what the band considers filler, it could do worse.
The closer, “Carry Your Will”, is a slow-builder that sounds almost like an indie-Christian rock song, with the band incorporating its signature harmonies throughout.
Overall, the disc is an interesting mix and shows some versatility from the band. And at just under 18 minutes, it’s an easy one to get through. The Mowgli’s hit the road next month and will make their way around the country, including stops at such festivals as Bunbury (Cincinnati), Lollapalooza (Chicago), Bumbershoot (Seattle) and LouFest (St. Louis).
With three EPs released in less than nine months and another on the way in a few weeks, one has to wonder if the band, The 1975, intends to put out a conventional release anytime soon.
Then again, considering how good the tunes have been so far, maybe it doesn’t really matter as long as the Manchester quartet keeps churning them out on a regular basis.
The 1975 have enough influences that it’s difficult to pinpoint one in particular. They bounce among styles from song to song, but they never stray from the electro-indie neighborhood.
When asked about the band’s influences, lead singer Matthew Healy rattled off a number of acts, including Michael Jackson, Talking Heads and My Bloody Valentine. But he said the most prominent force in their music may be the films of the late John Hughes.
Above is the title track of the band’s second EP, Sex, which came out in November of last year. That song and disc are the band’s strongest to date. The EP also includes the song, “You”, which is slower than most of the group’s tunes and includes an enchanting guitar line that’s reminiscent of Kings of Leon or VHS or Beta, maybe Two Door Cinema Club. (I should note that I’m not too confident in those comparisons. Maybe one of you could provide a better one.)
The first EP, Facedown, came out last August and included the notable “Antichrist”. The most recent release, Music For Cars, arrived in March. Besides the track, “Chocolate”, it’s mostly filler that goes off into a few different directions.
Their fourth EP, the aptly titled IV, is due out May 20. The main single off of it is “The City”, which originally appeared on Facedown and was the tune that helped the band gain traction in the UK. It’s really not that great, so, instead, I’ll leave you with a previously mentioned track.
By the way, the band will be embarking on a U.S. tour next month that winds its way from Tulsa to Atlanta to Brooklyn — so, just the South and East.
Usually, when you hear “boy” and “band” in the same sentence, the image that comes to mind is a group of teenage lads with similar-looking outfits and finely coiffed hairstyles dancing and crooning to a sea of screaming prepubescent girls.
One thought unlikely to cross your mind is that of two European women standing on stage, playing guitars and churning out some very catchy indie-pop to a decidedly unisex audience.
And that’s what makes the band, BOY, so intriguing. Consisting of singer Valeska Steiner (Switzerland) and bassist Sonja Glass (Germany), the duo has been gaining a lot of steam recently following its first tour of the States, which included a stop at SXSW last month.
The group, which formed in 2007, dropped its debut album, Mutual Friends, in Germany in 2011 and the UK in June 2012. It didn’t receive an official release in the U.S. until this past February, which means their hit song, “Little Numbers”, deserves to receive some love on end-of-the year lists.
On first listen, BOY‘s vocals sound very similar to those of Feist. But after repeated spins, Steiner’s voice becomes more distinct, with hints of Suzanne Vega and Imogen Heap popping up on occasion. And Glass comes in to offer harmony, adding complexity throughout.
While the above song is the standout, there are several notable tracks here, including “Oh Boy”, “This Is the Beginning”, “Waitress”, “Drive Darling” and “July”.
Considering the fact that the band is just starting to gain traction stateside, it seems primed for a major breakthrough within the next year or so.
Those five words rather succinctly sum up the sound of the band, Citizens!
The London-based electro-indie quintet has a very similar style to Hot Chip — both vocally and instrumentally — but with the occasional added flourish of Franz Ferdinand. That’s not surprising considering its 2012 debut, Here We Are, was produced by Franz frontman Alex Kapranos.
Above is one of three videos produced for the band’s first single, “True Romance”. The other two feature a couple performing several interesting dance routines and a sadistic puppeteer.
The song is a pretty good indicator of what a listener can expect to hear on the album. In addition to Hot Chip and Franz Ferdinand, there are some other bands evoked on the disc, including The Killers.
Other notable tracks include “Monster”, “She Said” and “(I’m In Love With Your) Girlfriend)”.
By the way, if you do find yourself searching for Citizens!, make sure you include that exclamation point. Otherwise, you run the risk of accidentally listening to gospel/Christian music. And nobody wants that.
Finally! An actual new band to listen to. After months of listening to bands that have been around for years — and even decades — I’ve got a truly new band to rave about.
Little Green Cars are a quintet of 20-year-olds from Dublin that just released their debut album, Absolute Zero, and are already receiving loads of praise from all of the various indie tastemakers.
The group, which first formed in 2008, churns out catchy indie-pop/rock in a similar vein to both Milo Greene and the Magic Numbers. That may seem like an odd pairing, but that’s because Little Green Cars‘ sound varies greatly over the course of the album.
The one aspect that holds strong throughout are the amazing harmonies, anchored by the band’s lone female member, Faye O’Rourke, and paired nicely with lead singer Stevie Appleby, who often sounds like the little brother of the Magic Numbers’ Romeo Stodart.
Somehow, the band lucked out and got Markus Dravs to produce its debut disc. Dravs is the man who helped create both Mumford & Sons albums, the last two releases from Arcade Fire as well as music by Coldplay and Bjork.
The album is loaded with solid tracks, especially the above “Harper Lee” and “The John Wayne”. Other notable songs include “Angel Owl”, “My Love Took Me Down To the River To Silence Me”, “Big Red Dragon”, “Please” and “Them”.
Even the lesser tracks grab your attention, such as the seemingly misplaced “Red and Blue”, which auto-tunes Appleby’s vocals to the point of sounding like Imogen Heap.
While touring the States, they have been receiving plenty of buzz from sets at CMJ and SXSW, as well as every stop along the way. They recently came through Chicago, which is where a friend of mine saw them and relayed their awesomeness to me.
Judging from the various write-ups LittleGreenCars have already received, it looks like their star is only going to continue to rise.
Has another band ever been so positively affected by a movie than The Shins? A couple that come to mind are Simon & Garfunkel with The Graduate and The Bee Gees with Saturday Nigh Fever, but both of those bands were already popular before the movie soundtracks took them to new heights.
As for The Shins, outside of the most in-touch indie kids, nobody had ever heard of the Portland — via Albuquerque, N.M. — group before they had a couple of songs included on the Garden State soundtrack in 2004.
The band’s frontman, James Mercer, must have been pinching himself when Natalie Portman handed Zach Braff a pair of headphones playing “New Slang” and told him the song would change his life.
By the time the movie was released and the band started to acquire a horde of new fans, it had already released a second album, 2003′s Chutes Too Narrow.
Within these first two albums, The Shins’ sound had already become signature — catchy indie rock/pop, with sometimes sad lyrics but always with James Mercer’s high-pitched, almost falsetto voice.
Besides the above clip, other songs from the first album that may have an effect on your life include “Caring Is Creepy”, “Know Your Onion!”, “One By One All Day” and “Weird Divide”. Another track of note is “Pressed In a Book”, simply because of how much Mercer’s voice sounds like Carl “A.C.” Newman’s.
The second album doesn’t have any real standout tracks, but there are some notable ones, such as “Mine’s Not a High Horse”, “Young Pilgrims”, “Pink Bullets” and “Gone For Good”. The album opener, “Kissing the Lipless”, is also strong, but it stands out because of how much the band suddenly sounds like some emo group — like Dashboard Confessional or something.
By the time they released their next album, The Shins were worried about being pigeonholed as “that band from Garden State.” When Wincing the Night Away came out in 2007, the group had taken their sound and added a little more airiness to it. And with it came some of the best music they’ve put out to date.
“Phantom Limb” is probably the best song in their catalog, but “Australia” is a close second. Other strong entries are “Sleeping Lessons” and “Sea Legs”.
In the ensuing years, Mercer ventured into various other avenues, including a rather successful side gig with Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) in the band Broken Bells, which released its critically acclaimed self-titled debut in 2010.
But Mercer eventually returned to the band that put him on the map, except that three-fifths of the roster had been overhauled since the last album. Despite that, in 2012, they put out their fourth album, Port of Morrow, buoyed by the single, “Simple Song”. Other notable tracks include “September” and “No Way Down”.
Besides appearing in a recent episode of “Portlandia”, it’s unclear what Mercer is up to nowadays. But, considering all of his side projects, it certainly must have something to do with music.
