Zeus
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Zeus
Zeus is Mike O’Brien, Carlin Nicholson, Rob Drake and Neil Quin. A Canadian band formed in 2009.
They released their debut EP “Sounds like Zeus” in June 2009 and the debut album “Say Us” in February 2009. Both through Arts & Crafts records.
”Say Us” contains everything from 60’s inspired classic rock from the likes of The Band, Bob Dylan, and the rocky part from the Beatles. To a newer modern rock classic – with some psychedelic a like rock influences.
That, with a mix of southern rock. Something you clearly can hear in “The Renegade”, with some saxophone rock (of all things) and in “I know”.
The opening track on “Say Us”, “How does it feel” are some of the strongest tracks on the album, where they both have that classical rock feeling, and sound a bit like the Kinks.
Marching Through Your Head
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fun.
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fun.
Fun is a New York based band, consisting of Nate Ruess (of the Format), Andrew Dost (of Anathallo) and Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train). The band was formed in 2008, when the the bands they originally was members of broke up.
The debut album was recorded in 2008/2009 and produced by Roger Joseph Manning, Jr, and released in August 2009.
This music is fun, just like the name says. It’s a straightforward power pop band, with some heavy influences from The Jellyfish, (former member Manning produced the album) and some ska and violin pop.
Fun also have some guest appearances from singer Anna Waronker, something that (ironically in the song “Be Calm”) not calm the whole power pop image down. The opening track gives a good first impression from the “new band”.
“Light a Roman candle with me” is the closest you can come to romantic melody from Fun. The nice little mix of piano rock/pop and, some 70 soft rock make this to a stand out, while it still the keep the typical Fun style.
All The Pretty Girls
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Jukebox The Ghost
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Jukebox The Ghost
Jukebox the Ghost is a piano driven pop band, born in Washington, now loving in Philadelphia. They have toured extensively since 2006.
In 2009, they toured with Ben Folds across the USA, followed by a UK/Europe tour from February 2010.
Their first (and only album so far) “Let Live and Let Ghosts” was released in USA in 2008, and internationally in 2010, in the occasion of the Europe tour.
The whole “Let Live and Let Ghosts” album is a brilliant album that almost sounds like a concept album as the songs glide in to each other, and starts where the last one ends.
The most notable transition is between ” Miss Templeton’s 7000th Dream” to “Static to the Heart”, something that proved to be most energetic track on the whole album.
Hold it In
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Little Joy
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Little Joy
Little Joy are a Brazilian/American band formed in 2007 by Los Hermanos singer/guitarist Rodrigo Amarante, The Strokes drummer Fabrizzo Moretti and Binki Shapiro.
The band came together when Amarante and Moretti met in 2006, at a festival in Lisbon where both their bands were performing, and the idea came up to start a new musical project unrelated to their respective bands.
Amarante and Moretti met again when Amarante travelled to Los Angeles to collaborate with Devendra Banhart on his Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon album.
Through mutual acquaintances, they met multi-instrumentalist Binki Shapiro, who encouraged the pair to work on a few songs Moretti had begun writing.
The self-titles debut album “Little Joy” was released in 2008.
The sound of Little Joy is the sound of an alternative folk rock band from the 60’s. The bright, yet reggae inspired rhythms on some of the songs makes this to a perfect album on a hot summers day.
The music is adorable and have a consistently well lo-fi style through the entire album, without making it sound like some sort of low budget recording.
How to Hang a Warhol
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The Cesarians
The Cesarians is Charlie Finke, Justine Armatage, Jan Noble, Suzi Owen, Alison Beckett and Beverley Crome. A cabaret group from London.
If the spirit of rock & roll has hauled himself out of bed. He’s called up his demons, put on his best black suit, and returned to the city’s dark places. The Cesarians would most likely be the result.
This music is dark, mellow, and carry the influences or being a heavy cabaret, trompet folk, and piano dub kind of band.
They’ve released one album so far, The Cesarians 1, in 2009.
“Dethstar” is an inventive and upbeat alternative trumpet folk rock piece that growing instantly through the song, and it literally just gets better and better.
The Bookhouse Boys
The Bookhouse Boys are a 9 piece band, based in London, consisting of Paul Van Oestren (vocals/guitar), Catherine Turner (vocals), Chris Pollard (guitar), Pete Emms (drums), William Emms (bass), JP Fellows (keyboards), Heddy Korachi-Alaoui (drums), Natty Defriend (trumpet), and Charlie Beringer (trumpet).
On the debut album “The Bookhouse Boys” they released in 2009, you can hear everything from rockabilly surf, to ska punk, ska rock, cabaret – and cabaret surf from some creative and extremely well established musicians.
The last track on the album, “I believe” is a perfect example of a classic rockabilly surf piece that almost sounds like a heavy cabaret ballad.
Sparrow and the Workshop
Sparrow and the Workshop is Jill O’Sullivan – (Vocals/Guitar/Violin), Gregor Donaldson – (Drums/Vocals) and Nick Packer – Bass Guitar/Electric Slide – Scottish/Welsh/American 3-piece from Glasgow.
They’ve supports acts like British Sea Power, The Lemonheads, Idlewild, Thee Oh Sees, Broken Records and Kill it Kid. On various scenes across the UK.
And have so far released three EP’s “Sleight of Hand”, “Into the Wild” and “Devil Song” (single).
This music is like a surfing journey through genres like 70’s folk, country – and folk surf and psychedelic folk surf.
The first official single “The Devil Song” is everything from a old fashioned folk track, to psychedelic surf and represent almost all good things from Sparrow and the Workshop.
Half Mysterious Remix Makers
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Monarchy
Monarchy is still, for some, an enigma. They are not the most self exposed people round, and there are few people who know exactly who they are.
What the fans knows so far is that they are Edward Nigma (vocals), Peter Uzzle (music), two musicians based in London.
They are so far known for remixing songs for some of the next big artists around, like Marina and the Diamonds, Ellie Goulding, Fyfe Dangerfield and Penguin Prison, to name a few.
They have released three songs themselves, so far only on their Myspace. Which is “Black, the colour of my heart”, “Gold in the fire” and “The Phoenix Alive”.
“Black, the colour of my heart” is some of the best from Monarchy so far, as it is a dark and moody dream wave track with an irresistible rhythm that keep you stuck through the song.
Hurts
Hurts is Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson, a (less) enigmatic duo from England. They are 4th on BBC’s Sound of 2010 list.
They first met when their mates were having a punch up outside a pub when they both lived in Manchester. And they first began to create music together, across the internet.
Two singles (music videos) has been released from this duo so far. They are “Wonderful Life” a slow disco pop ballad and “Blood, tears and Gold”.
The debut album will be released later in 2010.
Wonderful Life
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MySpace
Bright Light Bright Light
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Bright Light Bright Light
Bright Light Bright Light is the creation of Rod Thomas, a talented producer, remixer and multi-instrumentalist.
He grew up between two villages in Wales, with nothing better to do than learning a lot of about different kinds of instruments. And he has over the last year, or so, moved his songwriting projects out from his bedroom, to London, where he currently live.
And have worked alongside with (and remixed songs for) acts like Sparks, James Yuill, Gotye, Noah & The Whale, Casiokids, Au Revoir Simone, Gotye, Tim & Sam’s Tim & The Sam Band and The Very Most.
He has released some singles/EP’s through the years. From his former name (his real name – Rod Thomas) and as Bright Light Bright Light. He will release his debut album in 2010.
The first official single “A New Word To Say” can be downloaded from Bright Light Bright Light official site; and give you pretty much all the best of his music so far.
Something that is a great mix of brilliant songwriting and great mixing. And an inventive mix of synth pop, disco pop and electronic pop.
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Montpelier
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Montpelier
Montpelier is a four piece indie pop band from Brisbane, Australia.
They are Dave Butler, Greg Chiapello, Andrew Stone, and John Pickering.
They have previously performed across Australia under a different name, and took a hiatus, before they were reborn as a new band, Montpelier, in early 2009.
They spent some time in Los Angeles, recording their debut EP “Montpelier EP” to be released on March 5, 2010. The EP was produced by Kevin Augunas (Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Yves Klein Blue).
The typical sound of Montpelier is a combination of modern pop rock (influenced by the likes of Crowded House, Passion Pit, The Temper Trap and the Boat People).
That, combined with some upbeat piano-driven pop tunes, makes this music sound refreshing and upbeat. This music is easy to like, it’s comfortable to listen to, and it gives you a floating style, from some clearly well established musicians.
The Rafters
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