I just finished writing an email to some of my friends and family with these suggestions of bands to check out. When I was almost finished, I thought to myself, “This would make for a good blog post.” And so I copied the meat and potatoes of the email and pasted it right here for you, because I love you that much.
So here you are, twenty-some bands you should check out. Believe me, your ears will appreciate what you’ve done for them.
Each suggestions comes with a blurb and a link to the band’s MySpace page so you can preview before going about either purchasing or illegally downloading (not a suggestion, I just know how you thieving bastards work!). Read on, if you dare…
Cage The Elephant “S/T”
If you only check out one band on this list, this should be the one. These guys are G. Love meets Jack White with a good serving of Arctic Monkeys on the side. They absolutely KILLED it at Coachella. My fave new band right now. Who would have ever guessed that one of my fave bands of 2009 would be from friggin Bowling Green, Kentucky?!
Passion Pit “Manners”
Indie electro at it’s finest. I’ve been rocking this band since I heard “Sleepyhead” on Subterranean and immediately downloaded their EP. Now they have an album (out May 19th, but leaked already) that is pretty fantastic, too.
Datarock “Red”
Fell in love with these guys when their Datarock Datarock album came out a couple years ago, now they have a new album Red that continues the tongue-in-cheek attitude of their last album and the dance-rock beats. If you don’t like Datarock, just punch yourself. Seriously.
Chester French “Love the Future”
This blog buzz band finally has their album coming out. They’re a couple of Ivy Leaguers that like to make mildly-heavy indie-rock. Almost like if 3OH!3 weren’t trying so hard, and wore cardigans.
White Rabbits “It’s Frightening”
Their debut album made my 2007 top 10 list, and I can see this one placing in 2009. Overly melodic and surprisingly drum heavy on this album, they continue the New York-meets-London sound they carved out for themselves with their previous album. If Interpol weren’t so damn melancholy, they would be White Rabbits.
NOFX “Coaster”
If you like NOFX you will love this album. It’s a real return to their 90s work, in particular Pump Up The Valuum. Everyone I’ve talked to that has heard this album agrees that it is their best in years. (Wolves In Wolves Clothing, and War On Errorism kinda sucked, it’s okay to admit it now.) I mean, there’s a song about Tegan (or was it Sara?) on here, if that isn’t enough to get you to listen, well then I just don’t know what to tell you.
Death Cab For Cutie “The Open Door EP”
These are “extras” from the Narrow Stairs sessions, but at least 3 of these songs are better than most of what is on that album. If you like DCFC (and who doesn’t?) then you’ll love this EP.
Bob Dylan “Together Through Life”
I know, I know, I wouldn’t normally suggest Dylan to a deaf person, but this album is actually LISTENABLE. He took the marbles out of his mouth and decided somewhere that he could actually sing. Crazy, I know! The American folk-poetry styling continues, but in a manner that is much more accessible than any of his previous work.
Metric “Fantasies”
Electro-pop duos (that turn into quartets) do it for me. This is one of the best there is. Plus, they’re Canadian, and who doesn’t love a good Canadian electro-pop album? Alright, plenty of people, I’m sure, but Emily Haines’ vocals are beautiful and her lyrics are thoughtful, provocative, sexy and accessible. If you want to shake your booty a little, or just chill out, this album will get you through both.
School of Seven Bells “Alpinism”
One of the dudes from Secret Machines decided he wasn’t getting enough of his prog-rock on with that band (seriously?!) and started a side-project. It’s as good, but with a chick singer, so it’s different.
Asher Roth “Asleep In the Bread Aisle”
He’s white. He’s from Pennsylvania. He raps. And he’s fucking good! He free-styled for Jay-Z and got a record deal from it. If you can impress Jay-Z, then you’ve got something going for you. He’s following a similar arch as Slim Shady, originally garnering attention from Alternative radio, and quickly crossing over to Urban radio. Quite the wordsmith, Roth is all over the place on this album, but it’s mostly hip-hop for the backpack set without being too obvious about being suburban.
Serena Ryder “Is It OK”
This is for the singer/songwriter fans on this list. She’s from northern Ontario, but sounds like she’s from Memphis. Her song “Little Bit of Red” took a few listens to get in to, but I’m really digging the whole album now. Pay particular attention to “Hiding Place.”
Matt Hires “Live From the Hotel Café”
He has an album coming out, but it hasn’t leaked yet, so his live EP will have to do for now. The final song, a demo version of “Honey, Let Me Sing You A Song” is a touching love song that will tug on your heart strings just a little. This guy has so much potential is maddening! I don’t doubt at all that he’ll sit in the Pantheon of Hotel Café success stories with Eric Hutchinson, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Cary Brothers, Matt Costa, etc.
Iglu & Hartly “& Then Boom”
Another album for booty shaking. These guys are to Hot Chip what Chester French is to 3OH!3, by that I mean, throw some cardigans on Hot Chip and you’re getting closer to Iglu & Hartly. It’s just feel-good electro-pop, with a touch of hip-hop to keep it interesting.
Silversun Pickups “Swoon”
If you aren’t already listening to this band (their album Carnavas is simply indestructible), then I don’t know if we can be friends. You can remedy the situation by getting their new album that extends the melodic noise of their first album. The lyrics are ridiculous, in a very good way, and the beats are even moreso. On my trip to Coachella and back, I was listening to this album more than half the time. I love this band. LOVE.
Peter Bjorn and John “Living Thing”
You know these guys from the whistle song (aka “Young Folks), this album is a little darker, a little less poppy, but just as enjoyable as their last, Writer’s Block. If you’re a long time fan of PBJ, like I am, then you’ll notice that this is more like their first album than their last. It’s dark Norwegian pop, it makes you feel good, but feel bad for feeling that way. No, I don’t know what that means, either. But it’s a good album, so check it out.
K’Naan “Troubadour“
He’s a former Somalian child soldier. That should be all you need to know to want to give a listen to his album. On his last, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, he had a line “If I rapped about home and got descriptive/I’d make 50 Cent look like Limp Bizkit“. That’s no lie! This guy has seen horrible, awful, despicable acts perpetrated on his people, and he isn’t shy about telling the story to the world. He’s a poet, to be sure, and would shame any American rapper that attempted to take him down. It’s not hard-core, by any means, unless you count the content of the lyrics. The beats are fairly easy on the ears, but your head will bob involuntarily.
Home Video “It Will Be OK”
More indie-dance rock, but with a whole lot of obvious influence from Radiohead. Radiohead stopped writing songs a long time ago, these guys still write songs. I love mobbin’ around town with this one vibing my ear drum. You can get the EP for free on their MySpace page – http://www.myspace.com/homevideo
Electric Touch “S/T”
More of a straight ahead rock band than most of the stuff in this [post]. If you’ve called me recently, this band is my current ringback tone. They also rock a piano, but I don’t hold that against them. The vocals are a soothing reminder of Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate) or even Evan Dando (the Lemonheads), and pretty much anytime you’re getting compared to either of them is a very good thing.
Friendly Fires “S/T”
So, another indie-dance rock band. Just in case you needed another. These guys have one of the most imaginative videos I’ve seen in a long time in the clip for their single “Skeleton Boy.” Feel good music that just makes you want to grab that hottie standing over there and get to dancing. The melody is god damn infectious, the bass lines are bouncy like a Soul from Jersey, and the vocals just float in the ether. Yeah, I said it. (Props to the Redhead for turning me onto these guys.)
Ghostland Observatory “Robotique Majestique”
They get my vote for Best Light Show, Coachella 2009. The great thing is that their music is pretty amazing, too. Electronica from Austin, Texas; who knew that would work so well?! These guys are like a bohemian Hot Chip. They are masters of the hi-hat, and I’m a sucker for syncopation. Think NIN but with out the aggression, or the guitars, or any of the other stuff that makes NIN so bad ass, mix in a whole lot of dance moves from the 90s, and you’ve got yourself the base layer of Ghostland.
Glasvegas “S/T”
These guys are the Scottish Airborne Toxic Event (and if you don’t understand the reference, then check out the Airborne Toxic Event, too!). The first few times I listened to this album, I wasn’t really into it. Then I found the vinyl at Greywhale for $4 and bought it. That was what sold me on these guys, and now I simply can’t get enough. In fact, I’m going to finish this [post] so I can go put it on and get ready for sleepy time.
[...] 5, 2009 by grantruby It’s been entirely too long since my last Twenty-some Suggestions post. But I suppose it is fitting to have waited this long, as I have another twenty-some [...]
[...] 16, 2009 by grantruby It’s been entirely too long since my last Twenty-some Suggestions post. But I suppose it is fitting to have waited this long, as I have another twenty-some [...]