Meet Mark, the man behind Yvynyl, a Philadelphia based indie music blog that takes the term indie to a whole new level. Anytime I’m feeling all hip, smug and on top of my music game, I just head on over to his site for a dose of reality. Because quite often I haven’t even heard of many of the bands he’s recommending. And they’re all good. (GODDAMNIT!) Enjoy his picks for 2011. Most likely they are bands you’ve never heard of.
Scott McDonald runs the LA-based music blog, Surfing On Steam, and is also a contributing writer for the renowned Aquarium Drunkard. Every once in a while I need to balance my garage-psych yang with a little electro-ambient ying and Scott’s site usually has just the anecdote. I turn to it often to troll his recommendations in those categories. Here are Scott’s picks for Bands to Watch in 2011.
Bryan Duquette
Promoter, Another Planet Entertainment (APE)
If you live in the Bay Area, you know APE. For those that don’t, Another Planet is a Bay Area concert production company that organizes the best festivals in San Francisco, like Treasure Island Music Fest and Outside Lands. They also book the most coveted venues in town like The Fox Theater in Oakland and The Independent. Bryan is one of the brains behind the music we all enjoy here. Here are his picks for 2011.
Beirut
Zach condon hasn’t released a full length since 2007’s “The Flying Cub Cup”. He will grace us again with his orchestral beauty and french horn in 2011 with a brand new record. The world needs more Beirut.
Okkervil River
Will Sheff may be disheveled, but he’s a lyrical genius and writes a superb pop song. He’s backed Roky Erikson recently and will lead Okkervil River to the forefront this year. Folk music is the new black.
Aloe Blacc is an old soul. He released “Good Things” in late 2010, but isn’t a household name yet. One listen to his single “I Need A Dollar” and you know what’s next for Aloe.
Seattle (The Head and The Heart / Fleet Foxes)
The Fleet Foxes may be the critic’s darlings, but The Head and The Heart are knocking on that door. The scene is strong in Seattle and these acts are paving the way. Both groups dig on harmonies and flannel and will have new material in 2011.
Mexican Summer
This label is putting out the records of the best artists you have never heard of…Real Estate, Tamaryn, Kurt Vile, Best Coast, Weekend, Washed Out, Young Prisms and Tallest Man on Earth to name a few. Check out anything they put out in 2011.
The Antlers
Their complex and layered music is more accessible than you think. If you haven’t heard them yet, you will. Look for their sophomore album in 2011.
As much fun as year end ‘Best Of’ lists are, I find the new artists releases starting in January even more exciting. For me, wrap up lists are more about catching what you’ve missed. But from now until SXSW in March there is always a building crescendo of album releases and buzz. It’s a busy time and fun to predict the bands that are going to pop. So all this week I’m featuring a series on the bands to watch in 2011 with picks from some of my favorite and trusted fellow music bloggers and industry insiders. Sharpen your pencils. Here’s mine to start things off.
Artist: Abbe May
Album: Forthcoming
Release Date: May 2011
Homeland: Australia (Perth)
Track: “Mammalian Locomotion“ (original)
“Mammalian Locomotion (Kevin Parker & Cam Avery of Tame Impala) Remix”
With a new album coming out this spring and the first single already remixed by Tame Impala, I expect this Aussie blues siren to become a household name.
Artist: The Vaccines
Album: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
Release Date: March 21, 2011
Homeland: London, England
Track: “Blow It Up”
The demo tape of this mystery band caused an industry sensation in the UK late last year. The details of the group are out, but the hype has not subsided. NME named the group as one of the 20 bands you need to hear in 2011 and BBC Sound of 2011 put them on the top of their list. Already feeling the pressure of the hype, the group has appropriately named their debut album, “What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?”. We’ll shall see.
Artist: Sun Airway
Album: Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier
Release Date: Out Now
Homeland: Philadelphia, PA
Featured Tracks: “Put the Days Away”
My jaw dropped the first time I saw this band live. They were the first of three openers. But I predict they will not be a supporting act for long and will follow a similar trajectory to that of, say, Animal Collective.
Artist: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Album: Horse Power EP
Release Date: Out Now
Homeland: Detroit, MI
Featured Tracks: “Nothing But Our Love”
With their race car getups and feel good Beach Boys inspired music, I think you’ll be hearing more good vibrations from this band in 2011.
Artist: New Mexico (formally Apes of Wrath)
Album: Have You Met My Friend? EP
Release Date: Out Now
Homeland: San Diego, CA
Track: “Abused and Amused”
Simply because I love them. So much.
Artist: Lia Ices
Album: Grown Unknown
Release Date: 1/25/11
Label: Jagjaguwar
Featured Track: “Grown Unknown”
Signed by a tastemaker label, represented by the right publicist, highlighted in the NY Times for her CMJ performance, already on the shortlist for SXSW with a debut album set to release this month. And oh, it includes a track with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Sounds like a recipe for success to me.
Artist: Deerhunter
Album: Halcyon Digest
Track: “Desire Lines”
Artist: Tame Impala
Album: Innerspeaker
Track: “Vital Signs”
Artist: New Mexico (formally Apes of Wrath)
Album: Have You Met My Friend?
Track: “Abused and Amused”
Artist: Ty Segall
Album: Melted
Track: “Imaginary Person”
Artist: Lower Dens
Album: Twin Hand Movement
Track: “A Dog’s Dick”
Artist: Future Islands
Album: In the Evening Air
Track: “As I Fall”
Artist: The Radio Dept.
Album: Clinging to a Scheme
Track: “This Time Around”
Artist: Woods
Album: At Echo Lake
Track: “Blood Dries Quicker”
Artist: Mount Kimbie
Album: Crooks & Lovers
Track: “Blind Night Errand”
Artist: Sea of Bees
Album: Songs for the Raven
Track: “Marmalade”
Artist: Sonny & The Sunsets
Album: Tomorrow is Alright
Track: “Lovin’ on an Older Gal”
Artist: Tamaryn
Album: The Waves
Track: “Mild Confusion”
Artist: Sun Airway
Album: Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier
Featured Tracks: “Put the Days Away”
Artist: J. Irvin Dally
Album: Despistado
Track: “The Little Ones”
Artist: Royal Baths
Album: Litanies
Track: “Nikki Don’t”
Artist: The Dig
Album: Electric Toys
Track: “You’re Already Gone”
Artist: Phantogram
Album: Eyelid Movies
Track: “When I’m Small”
Artist: Caribou
Album: Swim
Track: “Sun”
Artist: Local Natives
Album: Gorilla Manor
Track: “Sun Hands”
Artist: Twin Tigers
Album: Gray Waves
Track: “Everyday”
Artist: The National
Album: High Violet
Track: “Afraid of Everyone”
Artist: The Black Keys
Album: Brothers
Artist: The Black Ryder
Album: Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride
Track: “Gone Without Feeling”
Artist: Warpaint
Album: The Fool
Track: “Undertow”
Artist: Geographer
Album: Animal Shapes
Track: “Original Sin”
Tame Impala - “Lucidity (Pilooski Remix)”
Rarely do I get excited over remixes, but the Tame Impala versions are categorically good. This one from Pilooski is no exception, just adding the the psychedelic Beatles-esque flavor of the group. Innerspeaker is one of my favorite albums this year. Get it if you don’t have it yet. And for the local SF crew, the band is coming back to the US so be sure to get tickets to their show at The Independent on December 13.
Sea of Bees – “Wizbot”
How much do I love Sea of Bees Julie Baenziger and her debut, Songs for the Ravens? |<————————-This much—————————————————>| Please buy this album. It’s one of my favs for 2010. Such a lovely and talented singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. NPR dubbed her a female Sparklehorse and it’s the best description I’ve heard yet. Sophomore album to be recorded soon!
It’s 10:10 AM on 10/10/10. A perfect 10. These tri-numeral dates come around once a year and this year it falls on the number 10. Is it an auspicious day or a bunch of hullaballoo? There is a certain completeness of order with the number 10. For the Chinese the number is lucky, representing perfection or completion. We’re born with 10 fingers and 10 toes after all. Perfect beauty is measured on its scale. Top 10 lists are ubiquitous. And any respectable album contains at least 10 songs.
If you’re technologically-inclined, today is a “binary” day. The ones-and-zeros representing the binary code or the mathematical language “spoken” by computers to create all things digital. Converting the date 10/10/10 to binary code gives us 101010. And in the binary counting system, that number translates to 42, which means…absolutely nothing.
But hey, it’s a nice theme for a post isn’t it? And everyone loves a top 10 list. So, here’s mine. The 10 albums I’m obsessed with on this month, this day, this year. The albums I have on heavy rotation right now and keep coming back to again and again. Ten, in a long list, of albums you should most definitely own. Listed in no particular order, they are:
Artist: Royal Baths
Album: Litanies
Track: “Nikki Don’t”
Artist: Deerhunter
Album: Halcyon Digest
Track: “Desire Lines”
Artist: Sea of Bees
Album: Songs for the Raven
Track: “Marmalade”
Artist: Sonny & The Sunsets
Album: Tomorrow is Alright
Track: “Lovin’ on an Older Gal”
Artist: Lower Dens
Album: Twin Hand Movement
Track: “A Dog’s Dick”
Artist: Tame Impala
Album: Innerspeaker
Track: “Vital Signs”
Artist: Future Islands
Album: In the Evening Air
Track: “As I Fall”
Artist: Ty Segall
Album: Melted
Track: “Cesar”
Artist: Tamaryn
Album: The Waves
Track: “Mild Confusion”
Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
“Vital Signs”
Future Islands – In The Evening Air
“As I Fall”
The Dig – Electric Toys
“You’re Already Gone”
Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
“When I’m Small”
The Joy Formidable – A Balloon Called Moaning
“Austere”
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
“Sun Hands”
Twin Tigers - Gray Waves
“Everyday”
The National - High Violet
“Afraid of Everyone”
Broken Bells – Broken Bells
“The High Road”
Artist: Broken Bells
Album: Broken Bells
Featured Track: “The High Road”
Danger Mouse strikes again. This time with The Shins’ James Mercer in the self-titled debut, Broken Bells. Do I really need to say any more? Okay, the two met at a Danish music festival way back in 2004 and began secretly working on the album late 2008. The pair released “The High Road”as the debut single late December to promote the album that’s due out March 9. But the full album leaked that same month anyway. Are these things really accidental? Hmmm, I wonder. Regardless, it’s fantastic and I love it. Experimental and melodic, chalk it up to another Danger Mouse masterpiece. He truly is the man with the Midas touch.
Artist: Charlotte Gainsbourg
Album: IRM
Featured Track: “IRM”
The minimalist album title, IRM, (French for MRI) was inspired by Gainsbourg’s frequent MRI’s she endured after suffering a brain hemorrhage from a water-skiing accident in 2007. ”I had to do so many [MRIs] and every time I was in that tube I was thinking it would make great music,” she’s quoted as saying. And great music it did make. Her lyrics on the album’s single, “IRM”, offer a detailed, psychedelic journey into her experience and sets the tone for the album. Which, you can hear, is amazing.
Artist: Local Natives
Album: Gorilla Manor
Featured Track: Sun Hands
Take the locomotive tempo and percussion of The Dodos and add the layered harmonies of The Fleet Foxes with some rapturous chorus outbursts a la Arcade Fire and you pretty much have the sound of Local Natives, an LA-based group whose debut album is an absolute gem from start to finish. Get to know this band.
Artist: Pavement
Album: Quarantine The Past- The Best of Pavement
Featured Track: “Stereo”
Should I even have to explain this one? No, I shouldn’t. You should understand, however, that this is it for me – the foundation of my lo-fi love, the source. All roads lead to Pavement. And they are finally reuniting this year. So get this remastered best of collection. Learn it, love it, live it.
Artist: Phantogram
Album: Eyelid Movies
Featured Track: “When I’m Small”
Let me just say that I’ve been drowning myself in this album since it was released. Drowning, rolling, wallowing, surrendering myself to all of it. I just love it. The first LP from the Saratoga Springs, NY-based duo, it’s the perfect combination of electronic beeps and boops, hazy guitars and spacey synths. Give me more, please. Take a listen yourself and you’ll be begging for it.
Artist: Twin Tigers
Album: Gray Waves
Featured Track: Everyday
There are times when you hear a new band and just know they are going to be huge. Athens-based, Twin Tigers is one of them. Their debut LP, Gray Waves, is an epic assault of psychedelic, shoegaze rock. Jaw dropping good. The kinda stuff that’ll make you swoon. The kinda band that “could dismantle The Silversun Pickups from their perch.” The kinda sound that will keep you coming back for more. Get into this band is all I have left to say.
