There's actually a huge boom of quality bands in the New York City indie scene right now, particularly in the hipster enclave of Brooklyn. Bands like Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Animal Collective have all released strong albums this year, and are bringing a strong pop sensibility to the typically mopey indie scene.
I'm a big fan of new bands that adopt the late '80s/early '90s dream pop sound of My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain and others. Check out the aforementioned Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Silversun Pickups, M83, and Bat for Lashes if you also dig this sound.
Even more retro is the '60s girl group vibe of Scottish band Camera Obscura, and St. Vincent's offbeat orchestral chamber pop.
On the hip hop front, fans of Lupe Fiasco, Jurassic 5, and other artists who adopt an old-school hip hop sound will want to check out the new Wale album that just came out, and Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Wu-Tang fans have been waiting for Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II for a while now, and thankfully it continues the group's tradition of cinematic beats and kung-fu movie references. As for recent singles, I like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind," Rihanna (w/Young Jeezy) "Hard," Drake's "Forever" (featuring tons of guests and a killer Eminem verse that's better than anything on his recent albums), and Kei$ha's "Tik Tok."
Sites like Fluxblog, Pitchfork, Stereogum, The AV Club, and Brooklyn Vegan are great sources for new music.
Also, have you heard this Kenny Loggins guy? Dude is going places.
Anyone else have any new music picks? My fellow "guys" want to chime in?
I'm a big fan of new bands that adopt the late '80s/early '90s dream pop sound of My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain and others. Check out the aforementioned Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Silversun Pickups, M83, and Bat for Lashes if you also dig this sound.
Even more retro is the '60s girl group vibe of Scottish band Camera Obscura, and St. Vincent's offbeat orchestral chamber pop.
On the hip hop front, fans of Lupe Fiasco, Jurassic 5, and other artists who adopt an old-school hip hop sound will want to check out the new Wale album that just came out, and Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Wu-Tang fans have been waiting for Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II for a while now, and thankfully it continues the group's tradition of cinematic beats and kung-fu movie references. As for recent singles, I like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind," Rihanna (w/Young Jeezy) "Hard," Drake's "Forever" (featuring tons of guests and a killer Eminem verse that's better than anything on his recent albums), and Kei$ha's "Tik Tok."
Sites like Fluxblog, Pitchfork, Stereogum, The AV Club, and Brooklyn Vegan are great sources for new music.
Also, have you heard this Kenny Loggins guy? Dude is going places.
Anyone else have any new music picks? My fellow "guys" want to chime in?
Lately I'm all about Menomena, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Reggie Watts. All are youtubable, and Watts is a must-view if only for his astounding looping techniques.
Also, not super new, but Andrew Bird (originally of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, though you wouldn't know it) is very indie and excellent.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are freakin' great. This one is my favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6mRyZw6Wbs
Ditto for Reggie Watts. He is amazing live.
I haven't been up on very many "new" bands lately, but I cannot stop listening to The Drums "Go Surfing". That song is so insanely dope sometimes I get out of my car and attempt to surf on my car.
In DC. In November.
Plus, if you're into things that everybody'else is into, Kings of Leon and Empire of the Sun are can't miss favorites of mine.
Then of course you've got your Owl City and their inescapable "Fireflies" which I think is much better as a Postal Service song.
Raveonettes, Sufjan Stevens, Blonde Redhead, The Evens
Panama, that Owl City song is such a Postal Service rip-off. People say "X band sounds like Y," but Owl City really really sounds like Postal Service/Death Cab for Cutie. Not just musically-- the guy sings exactly like Ben Gibbard. I also will admit to singing Kings of Leon "Sex is on fire" on Rock Band and for karaoke at high volumes.
Nice choices MM. Never heard of The Evens. To Pandora!
what about indie dance music?!
do you love 80's video games and awesome beats? check out CRYSTAL CASTLES. expecially the 'courtship dating' and 'crimewave' tracks. if you don't like it, move on.
indie dance pop? LITTLE BOOTS, ANNIE, CHROMEO
something a little more daft punky? BOYS NOIZE
there are some great 'remixers' as well - GIRL TALK, DIPLO, FLOSSTRADAMUS
math rock? BATTLES
hip pop? KID SISTER, COOL KIDS, UFFIE
just plain fun - OUT HUD, !!!, SKYBOX
and a little more mainstream - MGMT, METRIC, DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH?
something more subtle? LOVAGE, SEA WOLF, THE BIRD AND THE BEE
this the bird and the bee video was directed by eric from tim and eric awesome show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB2RgDQrHgI
but the REAL cool kids are listening to wrecks n effects. rump shaker. on repeat. in a non-ironic way.
....i feel like a magician that just told the world her secrets.....
ps. i know a lot of the music i recommended are local chicago favorites, but funny guy mentioned andrew bird and it got the gears going. supposedly, he lived in the 'artist in residence' building in the rogers park/edgewater neighborhood of chicago, where an ex of mine lived. is that a legitimate claim to fame? no, but i'll take it.
i almost forgot:
http://rcrdlbl.com/
FANTASTIC site for up and comers. and free downloads.
I listened to nothing but Girl Talk for months. Anyone who mixes Chicago and Quad City DJs is alright in my book.
Ditto Crystal Castles and Chromeo. Great stuff.
I've heard good things about Lovage. Big fan of Dan the Automator and Handsome Boy Modeling School (who take their name from one of my favorite TV shows, "Get a Life.")
I always listen to Wreckx-n-Effect unironically. In fact, I listen to pretty much every New Jack Swing song that way.
New Jack Swing is the next big retro hipster comeback. You heard it here first!
Radiohead duh.
Radiohead are great, but I wouldn't exactly call them up and coming. If you like Radiohead, check out Mew or Sigur Ros.
People also seem to be discovering Muse, a great band with a very Radiohead sound.
radiohead duh.
I can't stop listening to As Tall As Lions
who are about to go on tour with Minus the Bear
both=favorite bands
Ben Kweller is true blue
cant help but want to be in Of Montreal
and Why? Eskimo Snow is legit
Ke$ha?! REALLY?!
"Woke up in the morning feeling like P.Diddy" - What does that even mean?!
Chromeo, MGMT, City and Colour, and Metric are amazing.
Owl City = bland.
Rihanna = lost her mind, thanks to Beat Her Down
Lady Gaga = crazy, but I still love her.
Jay-Z = needs to stop coming out of retirement, NY has been repped enough.
Jason Derulo's single, 'Whatcha Say' is good with the clips of Imogen Heap's voice.
Just saying.
The Ke$sha song is stupid, but I kind of dig it. I'll be sick of it it in a week no doubt,
Whatcha Say is great, and I love that Imogen Heap sample. Kind of played it out though. I tend to OD on songs I like.
The new Kid Sister album that just came out is fun. Not amazing, but solid.
doesn't 'whatcha say' remind you of 'autotune the news'? that's all i ever think about when i hear that song.
It's one of those stupid songs you get stuck in your head and you hate the friend who introduced you to it for a while.
Still on the fence about Kid Sister. Mostly because I'm sick of hearing music about fingernails, Halle Berry, weaves, lip gloss, stupid dance moves based off of bad smelling feet, etc, etc. I mean, really? Nails?! I will never diss her skills but of ALL THINGS you could talk about? I give up.
Santigold needs to release another album.
Check out Passion Pit, Gypsy & The Cat, Tim & Jean for the blissed-out 80s pop.
Marina & The Diamonds is amazing! Lykke Li is equally amazing (not that new though).
The Big Pink is one of my favorite new artists of this year. Their album A Brief History of Love is phenomenal. Also big on the indie scene is Miike Snow "Animal", White Rabbits "Percussion Gun", Phoenix "1901", Metric "Help I'm Alive", Matt & Kim "Daylight", Glasvegas "Geraldine."
More mainstream: All Wrong then the Plans Change, VV Brown, Jessie James, This Century, Almost Gold, Paradiso Girls, Kid Cudi, The Ting Tings, Michael Franti, The Script, Ester Dean
Blip Blip Bleep is the greatest. Totally original.
Sigur Ros is freakin' AWESOME. My friend introduced me to them and I love them. I just need some more bands like them.
Sigur Ros is freakin' AWESOME. My friend introduced me to them and I love them. I just need some more bands like them.
Not necessarily new, but new to some people:
Sigur Ros
Minus The Bear
**Yeasayer is AWESOME (check out their debut album: All Hour Cymbals)
Blonde Redhead always delivers
Erland Oye
Chromeo
The Lucksmiths
The Jayhawks
MGMT
Kings of Tomorrow
Oren Lavie
Arthur Adam
Yo La Tengo
Aesop Rock
The Foreign Exchange
Jazz Liberatorz
Dust Galaxy
!!! -
On the awesome indie dance tip:
Escort
Woolfy
Glass Candy
The Bloody Beetroots
Surkin
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