Malachai

Psychedelic rockers from Bristol, and I'm pretty addicted to these guys at the moment. I really dig how raw and uninhibited their sound is. If I had tickets to SXSW I'd be seeing this group for sure. It is "retro" but it still sounds so fresh.

Check out "Snowflake"

http://www.myspace.com/malachaibristol

Surfer Blood

It's loud, and noisy but in a way i can handle. And it's experimental but retro at the same time, a little Beach Boys meets lofi meets the Cars...

Jonsi - Go Quiet (Trailer)

This is art at its finest.

Jónsi - Go Do from Jónsi on Vimeo.

Chiddy Bang - Opposite of Adults

I really dig how they sampled MGMT's "Kids" on this track...we'll see if they go anywhere.

Kate Nash - Do Wa Do

My prayers have been answered! Kate Nash has finally released a portion of the first single off her sophomore album "Do Wa Do" and I'm pretty stoked. Although...they haven't released the song in full yet...bummer. The exciting thing is I got this YouTube clip as soon as it hit the web...4 hours ago.

Funeral Party...is party music.

Funeral Party is a 5 piece band from LA that makes jangly indie rock formed from the remnants of a Mexican skater gang...pretty rad.

Freelance Whales

Ok ok...it sounds like "Owl City" but it doesn't suck like "Owl City" does...does that make any sense?

Fyfe Dangerfield

Part lounge music part blues infused soulful rock explosion of sound. And it's awesome.

Lost Song From My mp3

Lately this song has been on repeat on my mp3...mostly because I'm lonely...and I know in my gut that the person I'm looking for doesn't live here. It's a frustrating feeling. God I need to get outta here. But please disregard my moodiness and listen to this amazing song. There is a reason I haven't taken it off my mp3 in 5 years.

Travis Porter and Wacka Flocka Flame feat Frenchie - Hell You Talmbout

On the other side of the hip hop spectrum (this stuff isn't as heavy or significant or has any sort of artistic relevance the same way Doomtree does..) although disregarding the parentheses completely...I like this a lot, at least on the superficial level. It is Southern rap at it's finest...or worst depending on how you look at it. The use of vocal distortion as well as amping up the southern accent/vernacular is definitely present on this track in the spirit of old Weezy and T.I. and although this is definitely meant to be a club banger, I find the song ultra fun.

Class Actress

There are some bands that transport me to other cities at other periods in time (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Joe Purdy are the ones currently at the top of my list). And since I am stuck for the time being in a place I can barely stand (which is an improvement from being completely miserable) I enjoy the journey of leaving for 3 minutes to visit New York and Chicago in the span of a tune. This band does that for me.

Doomtree

Hip Hop's second coming? You decide, but all I know this is just good shit...and I'm enjoying it. Doomtree features everyone from the Doomtree crew most notably Dessa and my friend Darien of The New Noise's suggestion POS.

Dessa

Dessa is a refreshing addition to my music collection. Part folk singer/song writer part hip hop seductress. She is sorta the female equivalent of Atmosphere. I really love the instrumental arrangements which complement Dessa's lyricism. It's too early to make my best of 2010 list (obviously) but I can see one of her songs going on it.

Jay Electronica

I haven't been listening to too much hip hop lately...mostly because I haven't found anything I liked coupled with the fact that school has been taking up a bit more of my time (you may have noticed the infrequent posting...I have also been focusing a bit more on my artwork). However Jay Electronica has been the first hip hop artist to catch my attention in MONTHS. The beats are creative and fresh, and Jay isn't afraid to experiment with sound.

Elizabeth and the Catapult

Lizzy insisted I hear these guys (and I actually had before...but wasn't impressed) however, their is growing on me. I really like their use of percussion. P.S. I really really like "Race You."

Moon Duo are too indie rock for me.

Or more like too weird...I tried, Under The Radar says they have "layers of rhythm"...errm ok. They gave them 7/10 stars on their latest EP...I don't know what that means but using that scale I think I could barely give them one. I guess my music taste sucks. It all just sounds like empty noise to me. At their best, they sound like elevator music, and what band strives to sound like elevator music?

I had Cold Cave tickets...but now I have to return them

Sooo I was kinda stoked because last week I scored a pair of Cold Cave tickets with my friend Lizzy for 10 bucks for a performance they were throwing at the Mohawk Place this Sunday. You have to understand that this was sorta a big deal to me because I had even named Cold Cave one of my bands to watch for 2010 on this very blog! And I have ranted before about how no one really big comes to Buffalo (not that they were really big YET...but Spin certainly supported my theory). However, today my dreams of "bragging about how I had seen Cold Cave before they became huge" were dashed by the fact that THE CONCERT WAS CANCELED! Why? Because one of the band members quit!!! Just my luck. Well at least I won't have to put up with the opening band "Hair Police." To be blunt...they pretty much sucked. After listening to their last FM me and Lizzy concluded that we would either come late to the show to avoid them or bring ear plugs.





Hair Police (listen at your own risk)

Under-Apprecaited Band: Steel Train

Quirky, feel good rock n' roll, all done the American way, and although I'm a "Bristish Indie snob" (I am from the US though) from time to time (I know), there is something really special about an American rock band making American rock music.

Jonathan Johansson - Aldrig Ensam

I don't know what it is about this track (it's sung completely in Swedish) but it strikes a nerve with me. I find it quite intricate and beautiful. The Swedes have had a reputation for exporting really awesome musicians and singers (especially recently, Robyn, Lykke Li, Sophia Somajo, Those dancing Days...) it would be interesting to see if this guy will go international.

Broken Bells - The High Road

Awesome. Just enough Southern Soul mixed with some brit pop circa mid 1990s. Broken Bells are a very very new American indie rock band featuring Danger Mouse (they formed in 2009) and The Shins' lead vocalist/guitarist James Mercer. Expect their debut album sometime this year. I have some really high expectations for their first album.

Tall Ships

They are a low key rock band (with NO vocals! in this day and age it's sort of refreshing).

BRAND NEW MUSE

Am I excited? Hell yeah I'm excited!!! Did I mention I'm seeing them in March? The tickets practically cost me all of my internal organs to buy...great. This track is actually a cover of Mega City of Four's "Prague" I'm posting both. I am not a fan of the original honestly. (Click on the link to hear the Muse version)


http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1670076655?bctid=66254103001

Marina and the diamonds - Robot

Ever since I posted Marina and the Diamonds a few months ago I have been listening to her non-stop! This song in particular has become my favorite, it just strikes a nerve with me--in a good way.

Holy Ghost!

Another new addiction? This band!!! such an awesome dancey sound.

Chromeo - Night by Night

I am digging this tune no matter how "disco-esque" is sounds!

Teddybears - Rocket Scientist

This track is as hot as those Telemundo soap stars they sing about. Them drum machines ain't got no soul.

What's on Replay on my mp3? Part 2

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
In my opinion one of the greatest songs ever written in the last 20 years (well it was released in 1989) so make that 25 years...



Black Mountains - Angels
Epic song that is sort of timeless, or at least will be in a few years.



Matt and Kim - Cutdown
There is NO such thing as too much Matt and Kim!



Fiona Apple - Criminal
Fiona has such a sexy voice and it fits so well to the lyrics of this song.



The Knux - F!re
Favorite rap group of the moment for sure, posted the link to their new album Fuck You! a few weeks ago and you should definitely check it out.

Under-Appreciated Band: Lightspeed Champion

He released his uberly hyped debut album in early 2008 and is anticipated to release his sophomore record sometime in 2010. Although Devote Hynes is British, his debut album "Falling off the Lavender Bridge" has a distinct indie folk vibe that sounds more "Saddle Creek Records-esque" than "Last Shadow Puppets" (his label mates on Domino records). This may be because Hynes recorded his debut album in Omaha with Mike Mogis (who if you are a Bright eyes fan...you should know about). Furthermore a handful of notable Omaha based musicians appear on the debut, including The Faint's drummer (Clark Baechle) and members of Cursive and Tilly and the Wall. The eclecticism of his debut mixing the moody folk vibes of the Omaha music scene with his harder, jangly, British musical roots makes for a sometimes difficult but rewarding listen. The newest recordings have a more 50s Americana vibe...I am getting acquainted with them, although one thing is for sure, Lightspeed Champion is one weird guy.

Super Duper Cool

Soooo I went on this pretty awesome trip with some of my closest friends for New Years (we went to Niagara Falls Ontario...it was a lot more fun than you think), anyways me and my friend Shelly swap music back and forth all the time (which you should already know if you have been following this blog). So over the trip she showed me this really awesome website that basically gives you the history, and genealogy of ANY type of electronic music known to mankind. Shelly is much more into electronica/ techno/ trance and the like than I am and we were playing around on this thing and it's really really fun. So I asked her to give me the link so I can share it with other people, which she recently did! So, if you wanna kill some time, click the link below.

http://techno.org/electronic-music-guide/

February Playlist: VERY NEW Artists Addition.

Note: A lot of these groups are unsigned or so new that I could only find their music on MySpace verses YouTube so there will be more links than usual to outside websites.

Honestly this should of been my "Welcome to 2010 List" But whatever we have 11 more months to see how it all plays out...

Shrag - Forty Five
A bit indie rock and a bit punk, they remind me a bit of Be Your Own Pet (you know before BYOB fell apart with "Get Awkward").



Dream Diary - Bird in My Garden and Is He Really Mine
Brooklyn indie hipsters associated with The Pains of being Pure At Heart make mellow indie pop that I guess could almost be classified as "easy listening." I really dig their chill laid back vibe.

Check out their MYSPACE

I Blame Coco (Feat Robyn) - Caesar
My favorite song on the playlist hands down.




Rachel Lancaster - You Can't Make Somebody Love You
A heart wrenching ballad, that I think a few of us can relate to.

check out her MYSPACE

Tamaryn - Return to Surrender
Very retro goth in a way almost like Joy Division or New Order in female form. I think this band will be making some big moves in 2010.



Trailer Trash Tracy's - Candy Girl
They sound very 90s, circa Garbage and K's Choice.



Esben and the Witch - Marching Song
They classify themselves as "nightmare pop" and I really really like them.

Check out their MYSPACE

The Romany Rye - Dear Holly
Creedence Clearwater Revival would of been proud.

Check out their MYSPACE

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home
They are actually very country...but not Taylor Swift or Carry Underwood country more like Jonny Cash country.

Check out their MYSPACE

Your Twenties - Billionaires
Sweet indie pop.



Anna Calvi - Blackout
Charming singer songwriter with an edge.

check out her MYSPACE

Darker My Love - Northern Soul
Pretty trippy rock and roll. It sort of reminds me of The Verve on acid.



Erland and the Carnival - Love is a Killing Thing
Simply beautiful.