- Glasvegas
- Ladyhawke
- King Khan & BBQ
- Bon Iver
- Andrew Bird
- Animal Collective
Not sure if you guys have heard of any of them, they're all PRETTY obscure. Pretty sure none of them have ever played any major music festivals/sold out prominent venues or anything. Guess I'll have to MySpace them.
Here are a few of my own picks for some bands that could.../probably will go places in 2009.
1. RAINBOW ARABIA
2. MEMORY CASSETTE
Memory Cassette is a pseudo-mysterious singer/producer out of New Jersey (yeah, seriously) who is somehow assiciated with Weird Tapes, which is itself somehow related to Hail Social, which is actually a pretty shitty band (Weird Tapes is pretty cool, though). Memory Cassette, on the other hand, is FANTASTIC. The two free EP's released last year were full of synthy night pop and laid-back, dreamy vocals. I have a feeling she and Mr. Weird Tapes might be kind of socially awkward music nerds who makes records in their parents' basements, but hey, who knows. Maybe they'll go on tour this year and prove me wrong. Git yo'self some free Memory Cassette downloads here. [via WE'RE TAPES]
3. LITTLE BOOTS
After her single "Stuck On Repeat" became a hit among international DJ's last summer, it was pretty evident that Little Boots was going places fast. Not only does she write infectious pop music (produced by Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, no less) and DJ like a fiend, she plays the freaking Tenorion! (If you don't know what that means watch this video. Immediately.) My personal favourite music magazine, The Fader, put her on the cover of their latest print edition as an "artist to watch" in '09. They're usually right about these things. I'm hoping to catch Lil B in LA in early February. Might be my last chance to do so before she's opening for Madonna or something.
!!! ALSO !!! You should ABSOLUTELY download the Little Boots vs. Richard X remix/mash-up called "Fine Boots". POSSIBLY my favourite dance track of 2008. Clearly I'm excited because I'm using LOTS OF CAPS. Right-click and download. [via The Blue Walrus]
4. PASSION PIT
Passion Pit is from Boston. I am from Boston. Boston is great. Passion Pit is... catchy! Haha, OKAY, they're definitely pretty good, and catching on FAST, though admittedly "Sleepyhead" is the only track I've heard from them that's blown me away. They're going to blow up regardless (à la MGMT), but I'm hoping they build more on the "Sleepyhead" sound than anything else they've released. Here's hoping for a fantastic LP...
5. HARLEM
Harlem is a band that incredibly difficult to google. Seriously. Try making the mistake I did of searching for "harlem music". Not helpful. Try "harlem myspace", however, and you will be rewarded with the brilliantly stripped-down garage rock sound of one of the best rock bands I've heard in a good long while. And yes, I mean ROCK -- not "noise" or "hardcore" or "alt-rock" or "experimental". Harlem is a much-needed reminder that rock 'n roll is, in fact, not yet dead. WOO.
Happy New Music Year, beezies.
